Tim lovingly weaves his own personal stories with an expertly impassioned hand. This book is his guidebook, a practical tool kit, if you will, on how to overcome the corporate barriers one faces. He also plots and highlights some of the common pitfalls that can easily derail the DEI practitioner. Ergo, these DEI strategies here in Bias Was a Genius: The Diversity Practitioners Handbook come complete with compelling insight and thought-provoking examples, allowing the reader to seek a deeper understanding of human behaviour overall. ~ Exclusive Magazine, Review

In celebration of WorkPride this year, DE&I expert and author Tim Hardy-Lenk introduces his latest book 'Bias Was A Genius', which aims to empower DE&I practioners to create lasting change through purposeful and sustainable action. Hi Tim, can you tell us what prompted you to write this book?
 I wrote this book for several reasons, legacy, pride and love. I wanted to leave a legacy for my son, in sharing my perspective in how we as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) practitioners can act in a more purposeful, sustainable way to affect lasting change. Pride because I am deeply proud of the industry I work in. It is a difficult space which is fast evolving, and I wanted to offer my authentic reflections to fellow practitioners who can continue to elevate our industry with their own authentic experiences, voices and expertise. Love for the DE&I industry was a driving reason to write this. There are many newer practitioners in the space who contact me and ask for advice and support, and this book outlines my own perception on a sustainable DE&I approach, which is so needed in this industry. The last part of why I wrote this was because I had been asked to write down my approach for some time by peers in the industry, and I found myself with the gift of time which allowed me to stop, reflect and assess what I wanted to say. How did you find the process of writing this book?
 When I started writing down the strategy and the theory it started to flow out, I felt that the strategy and the theory was fairly clear to me; naming the issues facing the DE&I space, the competencies which we as practitioners need to address these challenges as well as our broader opportunities to structure sustainability in our approach… it all just came tumbling out like it had been in there for some time. The hard part was in sharing my own story. I spent far longer on the first few pages than on anything else, sharing my story as a way to unlock my own understanding was an incredibly healing process to go through, and barriers and blockers I hadn’t realized existed needed to be resolved before I could share this story. This book feels like a part of my soul, unburdened and free and in wonderful alignment between my personality, my position and my purpose. What is the 60:20:20 model? The concept of the 60:20:20 model is that we need to have the right balance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the structure of the DE&I strategy and its communication. Outlining tensions in what activity is delivered and what is not delivered, what is overcommunicated and what is under-communicated can help address perceptions of tokenism, challenges in integration and truly leverage a sustainable approach to DE&I depending on where the business is on its journey within DE&I. The model is a roadmap to outline how you can structure DE&I activity and communication of that activity for the greatest impact. What is the one thing you want readers to take away from this book ?
 That DE&I is far simpler than it has been made to seem. Yes, there are some complex theories and approaches required to integrate it effectively into complex organizations, but, at its core the approach of DE&I is the same as the approach to wisdom itself. Knowledge of self, nothing to excess and certainty brings trouble are ancient tenets of reflective practice, which if we take the time to pause, reflect and think before we react, then we can create a lasting legacy which aligns with our own stories and experiences. By building connection, compassion and grace with reflective intent we can go so much further and deeper in purposeful DE&I change. GET A COPY OF THE BOOK Thanks to Tim, myGwork is offering 10 copies of the book Bias Was a Genius, as well as many other prizes throughout the week, to this year's WorkPride participants ~ MyGWork

I’m excited for people to read this book. Tim challenges the status quo of how we understand DEI concepts and reflect on our own approaches, in a time where we need to 'reset' our approach to DEI to make it sustainable for the future ~ Devi Virdi, Group Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Centrica

The thinking in this book is one of the fundamental pieces in the puzzle for how we long-term sustain Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within Business. Whether you are a leader, aspiring changemaker or seasoned DEI professional, you will be captivated by Tim’s pearls of wisdom, engaging humour and courageous vulnerability. This is a must read for every leader serious about the sustainability of their business, and generating high-performance cultures. Tim’s ‘why’ of DEI is rooted in his own experiences, but his ‘How to’ approach is a blueprint. ~ Christina Brooks, founder & CEO Ruebik

Just when I’m about to lose hope, along comes this book from my friend and colleague Tim Hardy-Lenik. I love the way Tim weaves together his personal journey with his expertise as one of the top DEI leaders in the UK. ~ Dr David Livermore PhD, founder of CQ (Cultural Intelligence)

Tim is a rare example of a DEI practitioner in that he has lived with the challenges of exclusion of vulnerable minorities. His guidebook provides a practical toolkit based on personal experiences of how he overcame the corporate barriers he has faced and can be used by all as a mirror of your performance against what is expected and acceptable. The bottom-line benefits of identifying and eliminating pain points are explored as the basis for DEI interventions. This is key to engaging senior management because investment without a forecast of return through added value and increased profitability will always be resisted. ~ Ian Beckett, CEO Eirtight Technology

There are many books out there that focus on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy and many that feature practical tips and case studies. However, this cleverly weaves these two aspects together whilst crucially highlighting some of the common pitfalls that can derail the DEI practitioner. If you are new to this space or an experienced professional who wants to reset, then this is worth your time. It’s particularly helpful in its discussion on prioritisation and where to focus to make a lasting impact. Reading this book is like having a conversation with a trusted mentor who has seen it all but is still full of hope for change. ~ Rachel Collins, Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Colt Technologies

A genius book by Tim which explores the complex role that bias plays out in our lives. With compelling insights and thought-provoking examples, the book challenges our assumptions, revealing how bias influences our decisions and shapes our understanding of the world. A must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of human behaviour. ~ Minaxi Mistry, CEO at Equality Leaders