There is an equality gap in this country. There is a police brutality problem in this country. Black lives matter. None of these systemic problems are new. Like many Americans, I’m rapidly digesting the tsunami of change rolling across our land from sea to shining sea and how to be a part of it.

The first reaction, for many, is to individualize their experience. How can we be better? What have or haven’t we done to propagate these social causes? From there flows a multitude of perspectives.

With all that is going on in America today, what are the responsibilities in management?

As current and future leaders of companies, a lot I think. There is a saying I read somewhere at some time that has stuck with me and I revisit often: “Simple, but not simplistic.” Simple means doing the work to truly understand and distill a topic into a model that can be understood and executed upon. Simplistic, on the other hand, trivializes or dismisses the complexity of an underlying topic. Furthermore, there is a massive distinction between simple and easy. Simple? Avoid talking politics at Christmas dinner this year with the grandparents in order to ensure a pleasant holiday for the whole family. Easy? Exactly.

Real change inside companies will involve simple, clear, actionable steps forward. It will be the fundamental responsibility of companies and managers to do much more to facilitate and execute change.

These are complicated times. What got us here will not get us there. To be a great leader and manager in the future will hopefully mean an expectation of embracing more inclusive leadership.

The path toward a more equitable future on our teams, within our companies, and for careers in management starts now. Simple steps forward can get us started:

• We can listen: are we hearing our team members? Are we giving them space to voice their thoughts? Are we incorporating broader perspectives from the voices on our nations streets?
• We can acknowledge: everyone hails from different backgrounds and communities. How are we acknowledging hidden biases, addressing them, and growing the collective pie to become more inclusive?
• We can facilitate: how are we creating discussion forums and encouraging the sharing of perspectives across organizations and in communities? How are we resourcing the action plans created from those discussions?
• We can take action: There are countless ways to contribute. Donations to social organizations, hiring the underrepresented, promoting the underrepresented, voting in our local, state & federal elections, being on the lookout for bias inside & out, and more can all create actionable change

Finally, endurance is paramount. Closing the gap will span decades. This mission is a marathon and a successful career in this new decade will undoubtedly mean embracing the cause.

What can managers do? We can listen. We can acknowledge. We can facilitate. We can take action. Simple? Sure. Easy? Hell no. But your team, your company, and your country’s competitive future depend on it.