Interview
Carlton Yearwood Waste Management
How have you modeled your company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives in your own team selection, management or development? You do have to “walk the talk.” It’s essential that leaders model behaviors you want the organization to have. So, yes, I’ve taken that into mind when staffing my team. Everyone who works on the diversity and inclusion group is a big evangelist for our philosophy, both in word and action. How are you as a manager measured in terms of performance? Is your compensation related to diversity performance? We measure for results and pay for them. Like everyone else at Waste Management, my performance is measured against very specific objectives. And my compensa-
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tion is based on those results. That’s why you need to develop a process that builds confidence. We’ve done that. What has been your proudest moment as leader in this company? I hope I haven’t experienced my proudest moment yet. I want to believe that my next contribution to leadership is going to be my best. Are there particular areas or employee sectors you feel still need improvement? Every organization should improve constantly. We take that to heart at Waste Management. I recently spent time with our employees in New Orleans, dealing with the many needs there from Hurricane Katrina. I was overwhelmed with the generosity, good will, and easy
Profiles in Diversity Journal January/February 2006
communication. Those are traits I want to extend more earnestly throughout our company’s diversity and inclusion work. I’ll find a way. Do you have any words of advice to anyone who wants to rise in their organization? What do you say to people you mentor? Believe in yourself and in your potential to change yourself and to make change happen. Good things happen in business when people have an idea, commit to it, and then make it a reality. There’s a wealth of meaningful diversity and inclusion activity that has preceded you. Build on it. Improve it. Use it as a thoughtful legacy to launch yourself.
PDJ