How to Talk to Your Boss About Data Equity

Talking about data equity can be tricky. Maybe you’ve been to a conference or a workshop where you encountered an idea, a tool or a process that you’re super excited about. You want to bring it up with your team on Monday but by then you’re a little hazy on the details or you can’t concisely describe the ideas that you were so taken with. You also know that in order to actually implement anything you’re excited about, you’re going to have to convince the people in charge and that can be tricky.

Here are a few pointers and a great resource to get you started.

1. Don’t attack.

Often correcting equity issues highlights important problems that have been causing harm or oppression. The urgency of that wrong can bring out a lot of passion in people who want to address it. It’s good to be passionate, and anger is often an appropriate response to these problems, but making change often means being tactical. If you’re trying to convince a colleague or boss about something, coming in with excitement for a potentially positive change might get that change faster than just pointing fingers.

2. Be clear.

This is where it helps to come prepared. Having the bullet points in front of you can help to deliver a complete and cohesive suggestion, rather than a patchy…