Fixing Fairness: Building Workplaces That Work for Everyone with Lily Zheng

In this timely and important episode, Craig sits down with Lily Zheng, one of today’s leading voices on workplace transformation, to tackle the challenges and evolution of DEI. Lily brings both research-backed frameworks and real-world pragmatism, reflecting on how shifting from DEI to FAIR offers a practical way through current backlash and confusion.

Lily’s refreshing candor provides a thought-provoking and valuable frame to the conversation. They don’t shy from complexity, but treat hesitancy, fear, and failure as necessary parts of meaningful progress.

The episode is filled with practical advice, including tying every initiative to a real business problem, focusing on behaviors not buzzwords, and the need for every leader to own the responsibility for inclusion. Technology’s double-edged role is candidly discussed, warning leaders that AI will multiply both strengths and flaws.

At its core, this episode asks: how do we actually do better? Lily urges leaders to focus on “atomic units” of behavioral change, reminding us that real progress is messy, ongoing, and built one intentional action at a time.

What You’ll Learn

- The power and pitfalls of language in DEI work.

- Navigating the politicization of inclusion.

- Let data—not dogma—drive your priorities

- Move beyond ‘admiring the problem’: Replacing performative acts with real progress.

- Redefining representation: Beyond the numbers.

- Technology & AI: A double-edged sword.

- The power of atomic units of change.

Podcast Timestamps

(00:00) - Introduction to Lily Zheng and the Origin of the Book

(08:00) - Reframing DEI: Why Focus on Fairness?

(14:41) – Lessons in Leadership: DEI Backlash

(20:34) - From Performative to Problem-Solving DEI

(25:15) - Systemic Change & Diversity Leadership

(35:55) - Representation vs. Quotas and Building Trust

(43:04) - Technology, AI & Fairness Risks

(48:38) - FOFO: Fear of Finding Out and Organizational Reality

(56:14) - The Atomic Unit: Driving Change Through Behaviors

KEYWORDS

Positive Leadership, Fairness, DEI, Inclusion, Equity, Representation, Organizational Change, Systemic Change, Workplace Culture, Diversity, Performative DEI, Accountability, Unconscious Bias Training, Artificial Intelligence, Politics, Cultural Transformation, CEO Success