Ken Keis, Ph.D., is a leading global authority on behavioral (personality) assessment strategies and an expert in leadership, purpose, and wellness. He is the President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, Inc. (CRG) which has served thousands of organizations worldwide.
In today's evolving discourse on workplace and societal values, the acronyms MEI (Merit, Excellence, and Intelligence) and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) often come into play. While DEI has gained considerable traction in recent years, it's crucial to examine why MEI stands out as a far superior model, and why DEI, despite its good intentions, leads to destructive outcomes.
Now before individuals get defensive about this article, we are as a small company who has – had nine different cultures or backgrounds represented at the same time on our team. We do not endorse prejudice in anyway. I also sit on a global HR advisor group to assist HR leaders with the trends and impact that their policies are having on their organizations and cultures. The challenge for many HR Leaders is they have lost site of their primary responsibilities, which is to create a safe supportive environment, implementing systems which helps the organization succeed, and rewards individuals based on character and outcomes. Many have advocated these responsibilities to focus solely on DEI.
The strengths of MEI
Merit
At the heart of MEI is merit—a principle that champions individuals based on their abilities, skills, and achievements. Meritocracy ensures that the most competent and qualified people rise to the top, driving excellence and innovation. It creates a clear, objective measure of success, where effort and talent are rewarded.
Excellence
Excellence pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. It’s about striving for the highest standards in every endeavor. Emphasizing excellence means fostering a culture of continuous improvement, where individuals and organizations are motivated to surpass previous achievements and deliver outstanding results.
Intelligence
Intelligence, in this context, refers to the capacity for critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making. When intelligence is prioritized, decisions are based on sound reasoning and evidence, leading to better outcomes and more effective solutions.
MEI creates a robust framework that values hard work, skill, and intellectual capability. It encourages a culture where success is earned through merit, and standards are continually raised. This approach not only drives individual growth but also propels organizations and societies towards meaningful progress. In fact, MEI promote equality based on actual performance not some DEI mandate.
The challenges of DEI
Diversity
On the surface, diversity seems like a noble goal—embracing a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. However, in practice, it leads to superficial changes rather than genuine improvement. When diversity initiatives prioritize representation over capability, they risk creating environments where positions are filled based on demographic factors rather than qualifications. This approach undermines the value of merit and excellence.
Equity
Equity aims to level the playing field by addressing perceived imbalances. While the intention is to rectify apparent injustices, the implementation can be problematic. By focusing on equal outcomes rather than equal opportunities, equity initiatives create new forms of bias. Instead of rewarding individual merit, they enforce policies that prioritize group characteristics over personal achievement, stifling talent and innovation.
Inclusion
Inclusion is about ensuring everyone feels valued and has a seat at the table. However, the push for inclusion can leads to tokenism or the dilution of standards. When organizations focus excessively on making everyone feel included, they inadvertently compromise on the quality of contributions. Inclusion efforts that prioritize comfort over challenge hinder critical discourse and diminish the drive for excellence.
The destructive impact of DEI
While DEI is often lauded for its commitment to fairness and representation, its application can lead to unintended negative consequences:
1. Dilution of standards
Prioritizing demographic characteristics over actual competence can dilute standards and undermine the quality of work. When the focus shifts from merit to mere representation, the overall effectiveness and excellence of teams and organizations suffer.
2. Promotion of mediocrity
DEI initiatives that emphasize equity and inclusion without a strong merit-based foundation risk promoting mediocrity. By prioritizing equal outcomes over individual capability, organizations may end up rewarding less qualified individuals, which hinder progress and innovation.
3. Erosion of meritocracy
DEI's emphasis on demographic factors can erode the principles of meritocracy. When decisions are influenced more by identity politics than by performance and ability, it leads to resentment, division, and a lack of motivation among those who feel their efforts are overshadowed by less relevant factors.
4. Increased division
Paradoxically, DEI efforts actually exacerbate divisions rather than healing them. When policies are seen as favoring certain groups over others, it creates a sense of unfairness and division among employees or members of society. The focus on identity overshadows the need for unity and collective progress.
Example
I was personally contracted to conduct consulting, training and coaching for an international organization in a foreign country. When on site my internal company contact showed me someone in their office playing video games on their computer. This was a supervisory role and apparently all he did was play video games all day-everyday! He did not have the skills or intelligence for the position, nor the desire to work or fulfill the responsibilities of this role. However, because of DEI mandates in this organization, there was nothing that could be done. “He was part of the quota that was required.”
What do you think this did to the entire culture of the company? Do you know who was leaving the organization “A” players – meaning individuals who could easily get employment elsewhere based on MEI. This left the organization with the lowest performing and least capable individuals.
As an expert in human performance and potential, there is and will be a long-term negative impact mentally and emotionally on the DEI hire! With video games filling his time – this is a person who has no purpose, drive, passion and little life fulfillment. As a result, he will have a strong propensity for depression and mental health issues. What a waste of a human life and his potential to contribute to society and make a difference.
Why MEI provides a better alternative
MEI’s emphasis on merit, excellence, and intelligence fosters a culture where everyone is judged by their abilities and achievements. It creates an environment where hard work and talent are recognized and rewarded, leading to higher standards and better outcomes. Unlike DEI, which promotes mediocrity and division, MEI encourages a focus on genuine skill and capability.
In a world where success and progress are driven by the best and brightest, MEI stands out as a superior model. It ensures that individuals and organizations are motivated to excel based on their merits, pushing for continuous improvement and innovation. By valuing intelligence and excellence, MEI paves the way for true advancement and success, without the pitfalls associated with DEI.
While DEI initiatives have been introduced with the intention of creating fairer and more inclusive environments, they usually fall short of their goals and have a detrimental effect on performance and morale. MEI, on the other hand, offers a superior approach by focusing on merit, excellence, and intelligence, ensuring that individuals are recognized for their true capabilities and contributions. By embracing MEI, we can build a culture that truly rewards achievement and drives meaningful purpose and progress both individually and organizationally.
Authors note
We believe every person on the planet has a calling, purpose, or assignment to fulfill. The challenge is most and we mean most (over 80%) have no clue what their purpose or calling might be. To address this gap, we have created an online course experience – based on our book The quest for purpose a self-discover process to find it and live it! To learn more just reach out or go to our site to register – Our Purpose is to help Others Live Their Purpose! www.crgleader.com
Read more Dr. Ken Keis
Dr. Ken Keis, Expert Leadership, Wellness, Personality, Purpose
Ken Keis, Ph.D., is a leading global authority on behavioral (personality) assessment strategies and an expert in leadership, purpose, and wellness. He is the President and CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, Inc. (CRG) which has served thousands of organizations worldwide. With over 4 million words of content authored, including 4 books and a dozen assessments, Dr. Keis is also a respected author, speaker, trainer, and media guest His latest books include: Why Aren't You More Like Me?, Deliberate Leadership, and The Quest For Purpose. An engaging public speaker, Dr. Keis has conducted over 3,000 presentations and 10,000 hours of coaching and consulting.
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