Dionne M. King - DMK Consults

Creating An Inclusive Culture

By Ellen Richardson

Photos by Samuel Jordon Royal Photography LLC

In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven, (Matthew 5:16, English Standard Version), so shines the inclusion work of DMK Consults.

Few people in this world live their lives to be a light in a dark place, but this principle has led to a successful career for awardwinning cultural strategist Dionne King. As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for DMK Consults LLC, Dionne leads a national executive leadership development firm that specializes in three services: creating inclusive cultures, mediating and coaching executives across the nation. Each of these services allows her to use her gift to meet people right where they are and motivate them towards their full potential.

“I think my biggest job and role in being who I truly am has everything to do with loving people where they are,” said Dionne. This may sound corny and not what people expect as professional; however, my success path has come from identifying where people are in their lives and helping them reimagine what ‘better’ looks like for them. Better looks different for my clients, and my three firm services are designed to create greater realities. That’s called change. That’s how I’ve been able to build a practice on change.”

The ability to become a professional cultural strategist and mediator for an impressive list of companies and firms across the nation was not an easy road. Her 20 years of experience have inevitably come with hard lessons. However, Dionne has taken those hard lessons and repurposed them for strategy to champion change for her clients. “I’m able to lead change because I know what it feels like to be treated unfairly in the workplace and want change. Before starting my own firm, I served as a diversity manager at a large national firm. Over time I felt the diversity and inclusion work I provided to the firm was undervalued and unsupported,” said Dionne. “I remember being pulled into a conference room by one of my supervisors who was unfamiliar with my work and concluding that my work was ineffective. This same supervisor then reassigned a portion of my duties (that I had done for five years) to a secretary. To add further insult, this supervisor began to tell me how insignificant my work was. I felt diminished but angrier that I did not have the language to counter the vanquishing words. The anger fueled me enough to walk away from that high-salary job and start my own firm. That experience also fueled me to learn to speak my worth. Now I know exactly what I bring to the table, and I’ve designed a career that fits. I created my own lane. There wasn’t a template for me to follow. So I created one. I redesigned my life the way I wanted, and never again would I let someone define my worth.”

Scaling down her “creature comforts” that came with her previous corporate lifestyle, Dionne made the vital decision to inspire change in this world by becoming an entrepreneur. Her target audiences were executives and large companies. “This was a tremendous life-changing experience that allowed me to take a deeper introspective look into who I was and what value I wanted to add to this world,” she said. In this experience, Dionne discovered her purpose and knows she is fulfilling the role her Creator wants her to fulfill.

Along with discovering her most genuine identity, Dionne would begin to see the path towards a brighter and more meaningful future take shape. “I was just mad enough at the situation that I endured in my previous life and career to realize that I needed to become the change that I wanted to see in the world of business,” she said. That experience would lead her to build a corporate consulting firm designed to help other businesses create workplaces that focus more on creating inclusion. If you ask Dionne what inclusion looks like, she lights up and gives us a sure-fire list of her best client tips. “Inclusion is changing repressive practices in your company and restrictive policies in its handbook. Inclusion is teaching shared language that creates a more welcoming environment. Inclusion is smashing anything that impedes good talent, especially BIPOCs, women, and our LGBTQ leaders, from accessing key positions in their organizations.

Dionne’s firm provides innovative strategic plans and training to create inclusive cultures and craft tools to discuss race and resolve conflict. “I teach people how to normalize topics on inequity in race, gender, LGBTQ, etc. Those topics that continue to impair businesses and divide our nation.” She also focuses on the development of solid leadership through executive coaching. “We help leaders identify blind spots and opportunities for growth."

Dionne admits that resolving conflicts is something she loves to do as a certified mediator. “I love to sit between two people who are cussing and fussing,” she said. “It brings me joy to know that I can offer the necessary tools to help parties go from hot-tempered to cool, calm adults who want to have a healthy conversation that leads to a productive resolution.”

Thanks to her calm demeanor and gift for bringing a more satisfying workplace to leaders and employees in 17 different industries, Dionne’s work impacts people from all backgrounds. Her clientele ranges from national law and engineering firms, pro sports teams, non-profit organizations, and school districts. Dionne has also become a sought-after speaker and key strategist for national platforms. Her clients appreciate her candor and commitment to imagining a new culture and structuring a strategic plan to implement.

Pictured (l to r) are a few of Dionne’s 2021 top clients: Micheal Lawrence, CEO, Big Brother Big Sister Kansas City whose agency implemented the DMK Strategic DEI Plan, increased its diverse staff numbers, and was named 2021 Top 5 Best Non-profit to Work For in America by The NonProfit Times, the leading national business publication for non-profit managers, partnered with Best Companies Group to identify leaders who excel in creating quality workplaces. June LeBlanc, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Outreach & Engagement Coordinator, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) worked under the leadership of Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Evelyn Boswell (not pictured) to implement the DMK 6-Week Certification Program for its national DEI leaders. Dionne also served as guest speaker for NAIC’s national inaugural DEI conference. Derrick Nelson, Senior Director, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho. Derrick connected with DMK services when he formerly led the strategic DEI efforts of Commerce Bank. Derrick has remained an advisor to DMK Consults. Through his vision, Derrick created an 8-mo training program, The Women’s Leadership Boutique, with DMK Consults. The program included sessions on creative partnering and being a resilient woman leader. He is the co-founder of the National Diversity + Inclusion Consortium which is a global resource and Clearinghouse for diversity practitioners of which Dionne is a member.

As if her work is not enough, this empowered professional also uses her talent and influence to advocate for homeless mothers and children in her community. She has been awarded the Ford Motor Company’s Unsung Hero Award for her community service in Ghana, Dominican Republic, England, and the United States. She was also awarded the Black Achievers Award in Business and Industry, the Woman of Excellence In Business Award by Friends of Yates, Inc., and the Small Business Superstar Award by The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “It is my goal in life to help us all do better at being better human beings and to achieve our goals,” said Dionne.

Please visit their website to learn more about Dionne King and DMK Consults, LLC