Winners of the Catalyst Award
I had the good fortune of working with a senior male leader whose insights helped me n April, Catalyst recognized Kimberly-Clark prepare to compete for bigger roles,” says and Lockheed Martin for their initiatives with McPherson. “He told me I was known for the 2014 Catalyst Award. The award recognizes innovative organizational initiatives that address my execution and getting things done, but the recruitment, development, and advancement I had never led leaders or driven strategy. of all women, including diverse women. Developmentally, it was a pivotal conversaSABATTINI “Both initiatives have diversity woven into their tion. Because of it, I went after that role and fabric,” said Laura Sabattini, PhD, senior director of research, and chair gained the experience I needed. of the Catalyst Award Evaluation Committee. “While they represent two “A lot of your career development is different industries and two different types of programs, both were able owned. You have to be willing to do someto integrate these strategies into their cultures, use them to redefine thing that scares you a little, or take on latexpectations and actions, and change the way things are done. eral roles that can broaden your experience “It makes these companies innovative models for change.” base. But it’s also important to have trusted individuals—advocates, team leaders, and sponsors—who can give you genuine feedback on how the Business with Women Leaders is a global initiayou are perceived and talk with you about career goals, intive developed to increase women’s representation at all stead of just giving you a performance review.” levels of the organization. Some of the specific goals of the program include hiring and promoting more women into critical roles globally, strengthening the pipeline of Use Every Available Resource women, and nurturing regional and business action plans Both Kimberly-Clark and Lockheed Martin have to accelerate the recruitment, development, and retention award-winning initiatives that help women develop their of women. strengths, identify experiential deficiencies, and conAccording to Sue Dodsworth, global diversity officer nect with mentors and advocates who can help them rise and vice president of executive develthrough the ranks. opment at Kimberly-Clark, an overLockheed Martin’s U.S.-based initiative, Women arching framework for the program Accelerating Tomorrow, comprises a variety of programs, has been implemented across all global processes, and tools to support women’s advancement, locations and operating businesses. “It and is part of a broad strategic effort to attract, develop, would be a big mistake to believe our and retain diverse talent in their highly technical and North American perspective on develengineering-focused industry. oping talent would be the same around One of the more unique components of this initiaDODSWORTH the world,” she said. “So we have protive is directed toward white males. vided local leaders with tools to customize the initiative According to Kimberly Admire, vice to meet regional and cultural needs. Leadership style has president of culture, diversity and equal many cultural nuances, and different areas have different opportunity programs for Lockheed, needs. For example, operations in China and Malaysia looking at the industry at large, this is include a strong focus on retention because attrition is a a group critically important to the promajor concern there.” gram’s success. “We determined early These programs have had measurable results. For examon that our approach had to allow all ADMIRE ple, since 2009, women’s representation in director+ roles employees to see their role in creating at Kimberly-Clark has increased globally from 19 percent an inclusive work environment,” says Admire. “Through to 26 percent; internal promotions of women to director+ workshops and training programs, such as the Effective jobs have increased significantly, from 19 percent to Leadership of Inclusive Teams (ELOIT) labs and summits, 44 percent. PDJ we engage vice presidents and directors in the growth of talented women and lay out expectations with regard to leadership behaviors and actions.” To learn more about these initiatives, visit catalyst.org. Kimberly-Clark’s Unleash Your Power: Strengthening
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March/April 2014
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