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DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right Hardcover – November 8, 2022

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings

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The definitive comprehensive and foundational text for critically analyzing and applying actionable DEI techniques and strategies, written by one of LinkedIn’s most popular experts on DEI.

The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace cannot be understated. But when half-baked and under-developed strategies are implemented, they often do more harm than good, leading the very constituents they aim to support to dismiss DEI entirely.

DEI Deconstructed analyzes how current methods and “best practices” leave marginalized people feeling frustrated and unconvinced of their leaders’ sincerity, and offers a roadmap that bridges the neatness of theory with the messiness of practice. Through embracing a pragmatic DEI approach drawing from cutting-edge research on organizational change, evidence-based practices, and incisive insights from a DEI strategist with experience working from the top-down and bottom-up alike, stakeholders at every level of an organization can become effective DEI changemakers. Nothing less than this is required to scale DEI from interpersonal teeth-pulling to true systemic change.

By utilizing an outcome-oriented understanding of DEI, along with a comprehensive foundation of actionable techniques, this no-nonsense guide will lay out the path for anyone with any background to becoming a more effective DEI practitioner, ally, and leader.
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From the Publisher

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DEI Deconstructed Reconstructing DEI The Ethical Sellout
Customer Reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
197
4.6 out of 5 stars
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4.3 out of 5 stars
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Price $21.99 $20.99 $10.59
Books by Lily Zheng Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right A Practitioner's Workbook Maintaining Your Integrity in the Age of Compromise

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Women of color deserve truly equitable workplaces where our success and well-being is centered. Lily Zheng's DEI Deconstructed is a compelling must-read for leaders who want to stay accountable, make change, and create better workplaces for us all."
—Minda Harts, bestselling author of The Memo and Right Within

“Action-oriented, results-driven, and outcomes-based, Lily Zheng’s no-nonsense approach transforms DEI into a tangible and accessible process to galvanize your entire workforce as DEI stakeholders." 
—David G. Smith, PhD, Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and coauthor of Athena Rising and Good Guys

"Using their signature decisive and direct voice, Lily Zheng delivers an accountability-centered and immediately actionable road map to building a more equitable and inclusive modern workplace."
—Michelle MiJung Kim, award-winning author of The Wake Up and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Racial Equity

"One of the brightest minds in DEI work today brings us a ‘how-to’ for inclusive leaders. You’ll be amazed at how Zheng’s straight talk and clear thinking are so deeply grounded in research. You should ‘book club’ this one in your business; it offers the path for avoiding ‘performative allyship.’"
—Chuck Shelton, CEO, Greatheart Consulting
 
"A must-read guide for how to advocate for change at work and in the broader world. Lily Zheng’s insights on the various roles that changemakers take on, combined with their deep analysis of the history of the field, will make DEI Deconstructed a critical desk reference for all of us seeking to build the better world we imagine."
—Aubrey Blanche, The Mathpath and Senior Director of Equitable Design, Culture Amp

About the Author

Lily Zheng (they/them) is a sought-after diversity, equity, and inclusion speaker, strategist, and organizational consultant who specializes in hands-on systemic change to turn positive intentions into positive outcomes for workplaces and everyone in them. A dedicated changemaker and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer and LinkedIn Top Voice in Racial Equity, Lily and their work have been featured by the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Berrett-Koehler Publishers (November 8, 2022)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1523002778
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1523002771
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.26 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.32 x 1.17 x 9.33 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 197 ratings

About the author

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Lily Zheng
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LILY ZHENG (they/them) is a no-nonsense Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategist, consultant, speaker and author who helps organizations and leaders achieve the DEI outcomes they aspire to. A dedicated practitioner and advocate named a Forbes D&I Trailblazer, 2021 DEI Influencer, and LinkedIn Top Voice on Racial Equity, Lily has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and NPR. Their bestselling books, DEI Deconstructed and Reconstructing DEI, describe cutting-edge, accountable, and effective practices that can enable any leader to create the diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations we all deserve.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
197 global ratings
Excellent Book.
5 Stars
Excellent Book.
I never tagged that many pages in a book, and I never bothered to review books despite the fact that I am an avid reader. If you are looking for a genuine "No-nonsense guide" to DEI, this IS the book to read regardless of your position. Read it, tell your colleagues about it, and gift it to senior leaders.I will not shelf this book anytime soon. Using the tags, I will eventually create a summary to reflect on my role and how to use the tools and techniques offered in the book to become a better DEI practitioner.The Book is deep. Give yourself time. Few (Only a few) points to note.i) The definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion makes sense. It is outcome-oriented and not simply performative DEI.ii) The book reminds us how power is embedded in systems, why we need to create a power map when creating any change effort, and how the interaction among strategy, power, and structure allows to backward design outcomes.iii) The book brilliantly explains identity and its role.iv) Stakeholders' roles presented in chapter 7 link stakeholders' movement and the organization's role.v) In achieving DEI, we are reminded how trust affects the speed of change!vi) An organization can achieve DEI when there is accountability (Page 241)...What's great about the book is it is helpful for anyone who is trying to build a movement to effect changes and will help you spot "performative" DEI and understand how real change is built and enacted.Regardless of your role at your organization or the type of sector you are in, this book will give you plenty of food for thought.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2024
Thank you for being honest about the failure of DEI and the recognition that we may have unintentionally isolated those with privileged identities as opposed to helping them to understand how to use those privileges to forward this work. Thank you for being solution oriented and centering not only those with marginalized identities but all of us as responsible for creating inclusive equitable environments for us all. Lastly, thank you for the outcome based approach. It will help me refocus my strategy. THANK YOU LILY!!
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2022
I never tagged that many pages in a book, and I never bothered to review books despite the fact that I am an avid reader. If you are looking for a genuine "No-nonsense guide" to DEI, this IS the book to read regardless of your position. Read it, tell your colleagues about it, and gift it to senior leaders.

I will not shelf this book anytime soon. Using the tags, I will eventually create a summary to reflect on my role and how to use the tools and techniques offered in the book to become a better DEI practitioner.

The Book is deep. Give yourself time. Few (Only a few) points to note.

i) The definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion makes sense. It is outcome-oriented and not simply performative DEI.

ii) The book reminds us how power is embedded in systems, why we need to create a power map when creating any change effort, and how the interaction among strategy, power, and structure allows to backward design outcomes.

iii) The book brilliantly explains identity and its role.

iv) Stakeholders' roles presented in chapter 7 link stakeholders' movement and the organization's role.

v) In achieving DEI, we are reminded how trust affects the speed of change!

vi) An organization can achieve DEI when there is accountability (Page 241)...

What's great about the book is it is helpful for anyone who is trying to build a movement to effect changes and will help you spot "performative" DEI and understand how real change is built and enacted.
Regardless of your role at your organization or the type of sector you are in, this book will give you plenty of food for thought.
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book.
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2022
I never tagged that many pages in a book, and I never bothered to review books despite the fact that I am an avid reader. If you are looking for a genuine "No-nonsense guide" to DEI, this IS the book to read regardless of your position. Read it, tell your colleagues about it, and gift it to senior leaders.

I will not shelf this book anytime soon. Using the tags, I will eventually create a summary to reflect on my role and how to use the tools and techniques offered in the book to become a better DEI practitioner.

The Book is deep. Give yourself time. Few (Only a few) points to note.

i) The definition of diversity, equity, and inclusion makes sense. It is outcome-oriented and not simply performative DEI.

ii) The book reminds us how power is embedded in systems, why we need to create a power map when creating any change effort, and how the interaction among strategy, power, and structure allows to backward design outcomes.

iii) The book brilliantly explains identity and its role.

iv) Stakeholders' roles presented in chapter 7 link stakeholders' movement and the organization's role.

v) In achieving DEI, we are reminded how trust affects the speed of change!

vi) An organization can achieve DEI when there is accountability (Page 241)...

What's great about the book is it is helpful for anyone who is trying to build a movement to effect changes and will help you spot "performative" DEI and understand how real change is built and enacted.
Regardless of your role at your organization or the type of sector you are in, this book will give you plenty of food for thought.
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21 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
Lily does an excellent job giving a thorough overview of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This is a great introduction for anyone curious about learning the foundations of DEI and how to become a better practicioner and ally in your corporate environment. Lily stays somewhat surface level with each topic which left me wanting more. Thankfully, I read this shortly after her new workbook, “DEI Reconstructed” published.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2023
As someone who works in the DEI space I think this book is a really good introduction to this type of work. I think the chapters on different roles people can plan in particular was really strong. I think the chapter I wanted more elaboration on was the one on identity because I think there's more to tease out about the relationship between power and identity that I didn't feel like was addressed fully. I think more case studies would have been effective in this book as well. I feel like this book didn't offer enough examples of what this approach would look like from point A all the way through.
3 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2023
This book is so useful. If you are a DEIB practioner, this is so valuable as you engage in this work.
One person found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2023
Thank you Lily Zheng for this insightful guide and your candor regarding DEI as it is, may and can be. In this book, Zheng challenges readers to pause at this pivotal moment, take a hard look at DEI’s rocky history and current effectiveness, and consider a new way forward focused on OUTCOMES.

Did my mind explode…you bet! Were my synapses zooming, making connections, seeing possibilities…definitely. Was I shocked by the focus on trust as a foundation for this work…validated! Do I recommend this book to those dedicated to making true, incremental change over PR positive, box checking, best intentions…what do you think?
7 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2023
Each page is a matter class in what DEI Practitioners need to do to the work right. No matter if you have been in the profession for years or just starting out as a DEI professional, this book is a MUST READ and one that will serve as a reference text going forward.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2023
This book has a straight forward approach to the foundational understanding, and actions, it provides to approaching DEI related efforts in any organization. Regardless of your profession, this book will provide insight, understanding, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, actionable items to support DEI in your professional setting. I couldn’t put this book down and have pages of notes on how to better approach DEI efforts.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Nichola Leaper
5.0 out of 5 stars Practical, actionable guide to getting into the work of dei
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2023
Still working my way through this (audiobook & hard copy) and loving how accessible it is for me to understand and how practically it breaks things down - from the language used to the steps I can take to actually start making changes.

Highly recommend for curious leaders who aren’t anywhere close to being dei knowledgeable.
Daniela Felletti
5.0 out of 5 stars A true DEI "bible" to those wanting to walk the talk and make real change!
Reviewed in France on February 27, 2023
The book arrived without delay. I love this author and how they bring the reflection but also actions and a lot of substantial resources to help us improve our work around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in organizations. A must read!
Gray
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant analysis!
Reviewed in Canada on November 16, 2023
Lily Zheng is brilliant and has a fresh but experienced take on “DEI”. I can’t say enough about this book - if you’re an Equity Practitioner or just interested in equity, belonging, diversity, anti-racism, inclusion or justice, this is book has something for everyone. A MUST READ!
Raph
3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Introduction but Unsatisfactory Deconstruction
Reviewed in Canada on January 23, 2023
This is a good introduction if you want to get involved with diversity, equity and inclusion work within your organization. It lays out a fascinating history of diversity, equity, and inclusion work within America. Lily also explains different terms and gives great statistics to reinforce the effectiveness of different interventions. Exploring why specific interventions work and why others don't.

The book does not deliver a satisfactory deconstruction, in my opinion. Lily fails to distinguish between activism and reformism when mentioning DEI. Framing activist movements as failed DEI initiatives instead of awareness-raising DEI initiatives. Activism is the agitation of existing stakeholders and neutral parties to bring attention to a social issue. Reform in the context of social justice is the attempt to change a system from within by building solidarity and cooperation with existing stakeholders and neutral parties.

Lily is a reformer that disparages activism because they view it as hurting their chance to reform the system. They view it as ineffective. Paradoxically they mention how the attention of movements like the MeToo movement, BLM and Landback has put their work into the spotlight but has been ineffective. Ignoring that the goal of these movements is not to build solidarity. It is to bring light and justice to the victims. Activism strives to shame society collectively into changing their behaviour and motivating others to act, which it has by opening the conversation. Activism gives reformers like Lily a chance to talk to people in a softer and more friendly manner about how we all can be better.

By failing to differentiate clearly and instead effectively saying, "my way is better," Lily does a gross injustice to those who have helped pave the road for them. Moving forward, Lily could do a better job not simply acknowledging their positionality but understanding how it has informed their views and work. Although I recommend this book to the person who wants a introduction to the field of DEI and how to implement effective interventions, I do not think it serves as an effective deconstruction.
11 people found this helpful
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