Earlier this week, Senator Paul Ryan gave us all a peek into the future of the Republican party when he snapped a selfie of himself and the Republican Capitol Hill interns. It was such an innocent post. Senator Ryan captioned the photo with “I think this sets a record for the most number of #CapitolHill interns in a single selfie.” While some of the responses he received regarding the photo’s diversity (or lack thereof) were pretty comical, I think there is something to be learned, here.
On Intent …
There is no disputing that this was an innocent post. Lack of diversity aside, it appears to have been a fun moment. I don’t believe Senator Ryan expected the response he garnered. And he certainly isn’t alone. I have come across many posts by organizations touting their summer interns, and many of those posts have brought to question the organization’s commitment to diversity (at least in my mind).
On Impact…
We hear so much about the inherent multicultural diversity that exists among Millennials, and the workforce’s most recent entrants, GenZ; that it becomes a little unnerving when the organization’s pipeline programs don’t reflect that. It sends a very conflicting message when an organization articulates an aspiration towards inclusion and commitment to diversity, but isn’t able to show it in the very programs that are meant to support in building a diverse pipeline.
Just this week, Facebook came under fire, as many believed the tech giant was using the “pipeline” as an excuse for their slow progress towards diversity. That debate could be explored in a post of its own. Nonetheless, I think we can agree that representation matters. If diversity and inclusion are truly going to be part of your brand, and the implications of an even more diverse marketplace and labor force are truly part of your business case, then (at minimum) ensure its reflected in your bigger picture.
House Democrat interns pose on Capitol Hill.
(EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON VIA FACEBOOK)
