SMPS CT Blog

DEI Moment with Lisa Pavano, CPSM: August 2026

Posted by Communications Committee on Aug. 20, 2026  /  SMPS CT  /  Subscribe 0

I've been reading a lot lately, and I realized one of the books I loved, Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson, actually made me think about DEI. The premise is completely bizarre: two children spontaneously catch on fire when they're upset. Obviously, they don't fit neatly into anyone's idea of ‘normal.’

But underneath all the weirdness, it's really a story about belonging. The question becomes less about how to make these kids normal and more about creating an environment where they can be who they are and still be safe, valued, and cared for.

It made me think about inclusion in our workplaces. We often talk about treating everyone equally, but inclusion sometimes requires something different. Instead of asking people to fit the environment we've already created, we can ask whether the environment needs to change so more people can succeed in it.

So, I’ll leave you with something to think about: Are there places in our organizations, or even within our industry, where we’re asking people to fit in, when maybe we should be thinking about how we can create more room for them to belong?

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