I have read many books on business which come off very condescending and assume the author knows everything there is to know on a subject. Luckily, Ella Washington's The Necessary Journey is not one of those books. It is thought-provoking and interesting without being patronizing.

The Necessary Journey looks at the importance of having a strong Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program. Washington very smartly spends most of the book looking at specific instances of companies going through their DEI journey and speaking to the people instrumental in its initiation. It's an excellent way to show the reader the way as opposed to dictating the reasons DEI is so important. Washington writes like someone who found a new way to make your company better as opposed to scolding anyone who may disagree. This light touch is vital in making opponents of DEI give it a chance.

Washington does not avoid the hard questions, either. DEI is often seen as an "extra" which does not actually improve the bottom line. Washington does look at some numbers and explains how DEI does set a company up for success. While I would have liked some more analysis of the profits of the case studies, I still felt like Washington gets her point across.

This is an excellent book for someone who is interested in DEI and wants to start taking the necessary journey.

(This book was provided to me as an advance copy by Netgalley and Harvard Business Review Press. All opinions are my own.)