Effenus Henderson publishes SPINE: The DEI Backbone for Agility and Adaptability in a VUCA World

Effenus Henderson
Jun 26
2 min read

In today’s volatile and contested environment, where the legitimacy and value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are being publicly questioned, defunded, and redefined by adversarial forces, it is not enough to espouse values. We must embody strategy. We must build structures. We must lead with SPINE.

SPINE is not merely a framework—it is a call to arms for leaders, practitioners, and institutions committed to embedding equity into the core of organizational life. It represents a structured approach to DEI integration that is strategic, disciplined, imaginative, focused, and grounded in measurable, accountable execution.

Each letter—Strategy, Practice, Ideation, Need, Execution—represents a vertebra in the backbone of enduring and adaptive DEI transformation. Together, they hold up the weight of inclusive excellence. Together, they protect the organizational nervous system from collapse in moments of internal doubt or external attack.n today’s volatile and contested environment, where the legitimacy and value of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are being publicly questioned, defunded, and redefined by adversarial forces, it is not enough to espouse values. We must embody strategy. We must build structures. We must lead with SPINE.