In Pride month, I see news articles and social media posts highlighting diversity and inclusion. In fact, I promote it myself, leveraging the seasonal consciousness that comes from having a focused conversation.

One topic that I do not see talked about is equity. Sometimes it is looped into the D&I conversation but I think it should stand alone as a focus for professionals to consider.

In project management, our responsibility is to deliver value to our stakeholders. To do this, we lean on a variety of processes and practices that capture the scope of work and delicately balance the triple constraints: time, cost and money. For those of us who have been managing projects for very long, we recognize that the better we balance the people on the project, the more success we have in delivering value. People are the variable in project work that is toughest to control.

As we wrestle with traditional business practices and a new stream of professionals who possess more self awareness than ever before, project management has to shift its focus. Leveraging diversity and managing inclusive team environments proves time and again to be successful. But what of equity?

By definition, equality is not the same as equity. Every stakeholder on your project has different needs, skills, interests, and abilities. To treat them all equally would mean applying to them all the same messages, processes and tools. (Imagine your project coordinator delivers the same information to your project sponsor as the 3rd party equipment supplier. It just wouldn’t work.) 

What we need to remember is that equality in our project work means delivering equity to stakeholders so their strengths, context, and needs are considered. Our job is to provide them with the best opportunities to support them in reaching the project's full potential.

It’s not equal management, it's equitable engagement that will set alight our diverse teams and inclusive work practices. 

Three cheers for equity!

(a.k.a. The Feisty PM)