Risk Free Assessment
At the end of July, my colleague Logan and I presented at the Raleigh Chamber Perspectives Conference. We had the opportunity to facilitate a conversation that brought together the voices of people at the heart of our workforce development programs, including a Candidate, instructor, and Job Developer. We explored a range of topics: the biggest misconceptions about disabilities, what employers are doing well when hiring people with disabilities, and the skills that help people thrive in the workplace.
We then took inspiration from our Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), which was an “Unconference” style event, and had the audience members drive the conversation!
The insights were powerful, but one takeaway that I left with was that Progress is greater than Perfection.
It sounds simple, but in the worlds of accessibility and disability inclusion, this is often the biggest barrier to even getting started!
Too many organizations wait until they feel “ready” to make changes. They tell themselves they’ll start once they have the perfect plan, the perfect technology, or the perfect budget. But what most people don’t realize is that perfection is a moving target and chasing it can keep us from ever getting started!
Meanwhile, people with disabilities are still facing barriers every day, including education, transportation, technology, and employment.
When we let perfection stand in the way of progress, we unintentionally maintain the status quo.
Small steps create momentum. Even adding alternative text to images on your website might seem small, but it’s one more door opened for someone like me who is a screen reader!
One thing that I’ve learned in my own life is that learning happens in motion. You can’t improve what you’ve never tried. The best accessibility strategies are shaped by feedback, iteration, and listening to the disability community!
When the goal is to get it “just right” the first time, it’s easy to talk yourself out of starting at all. So, what can you do to get the ball moving?
- Attend (or even host!) an accessibility training.
- Review job descriptions to ensure they focus on essential skills rather than unnecessary requirements (Ask yourself, do I really need a driver’s license to sit in front of a computer all day?!).
- Partner with organizations that work with people with disabilities to broaden your talent pipeline (I think I know someone who can help with this 😉. Your friends at Ablr are here for you!).
- Ask for feedback from employees or customers with disabilities (and act on it!).
Each of these steps are doable, and they really will move the needle. But what you will notice is that none of them are perfect, and that’s the point!
I think what most people don’t realize is that when we wait for perfection, we’re not just standing still, but rather we’re moving backwards. But when we commit to progress, we start building a culture where inclusion is not a one-time initiative, but an ongoing commitment!
So, as I wrap up, I challenge you all to take that first step, and stop waiting for the perfect time, because with this new perspective, you’ll see why you can’t wait to get started!