There’s a lot about diversity in the workplace that frankly is uncomfortable. And that’s not simply my lived experience. Dr. Katherine W. Phillips, after conducting hundreds of studies demonstrating diversity’s value for businesses and other organizations, concluded “The first
Latest from Belonging at Work
Reframing how we deal with inherent bias
In an earlier post I reflected upon how the practice of law runs on trust, and how trust is also essential in practicing Belonging. To truly belong at their law firm, lawyers must trust that their firm values and needs them back,
The power of reframing
As lawyers, we understand the art of reframing an issue, yielding a fresher, clearer view of intractable challenges. As the old saying goes, “when a door closes, a window opens.” Or, to put a finer point on it (attribution
What public sentiment tells us about the practice of Belonging
In an earlier post I cited a 2023 study measuring public reactions to a variety of civic words, including “belonging.” The study’s sponsor, PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement), has now released a new report, How to Talk Bridgey
The power of “You Matter”
This sign caught my eye recently:
The homage to “Black Lives Matter” signs was obvious, and it reminded me of the battling signs of a few years ago, when some folks seemed compelled to react with signs proclaiming “All Lives
A meritorious approach to merit (part 2)
These days, “merit-based” is being hurled around by some as the purported antidote to their caricature of “DEI.” Behind the food fight is an important question – how do we actually go about being merit-based in deciding who belongs?
As
A meritorious approach to merit (part 1)
Practicing law, practicing Belonging, & trust
I recently flashed back to a memory from 40 years ago. I was sitting in my old law firm’s main conference room with my fellow brand-new lawyers, listening to senior partner Jim Borthwick present to us on The History &
Practicing Belonging: Hire lawyers who will become better than you are, and care enough to make sure they feel valued.
I caught up with Michael Williams over coffee at Café Corazón. He was early, as he tends to be in all he does. Michael is a Gen-Xer, an extrovert, and one of the few Black founding partners of Kansas
What happens when you realize you don’t belong at your law firm
If you haven’t listened to this morning’s NYT The Daily podcast, please do: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/podcasts/the-daily/skadden-lawyer-resigned-trump-thomas-sipp.html. Thomas Sipp explains why he’s resigned from his law firm, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP.
Sipp is the son of a white American