Diversity Journal 20th Anniversary Tribute

Volume 20, No. 1

Spring 2018

$50.00

A TRIBUTE TO THE PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE.

Everyone has a unique perspective.

We see the value of an inclusive and diverse culture.

At KPMG, we believe our people must be as diverse as the clients and communities we serve and that their unique backgrounds, experiences, and talents are essential to our success. We’re proud that at every level of our firm, our professionals take ownership of creating a diverse and inclusive culture.

Congratulations to Profiles in Diversity Journal on 20 years of celebrating inclusion! KPMG is proud to share your commitment. Learn more at kpmgcareers.com

Anticipate tomorrow. Deliver today.

©2018 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and the U.S. member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. Some of the services or offerings provided by KPMG LLP are not permissible for its audit clients or affiliates. NDPPS 757391

All Things Diversity & Inclusion

PUBLISHER'S TRIBUTE

FOUNDER/CEO/PUBLISHER

James R. Rector VP OF OPERATIONS

James Gorman DESIGNER

Stephen A. Toth ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Teresa Fausey EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Elena Rector WEBMASTER

David Toth

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Profiles in Diversity Journal Gemini Towers #1 • 1991 Crocker Road, Suite 600 • Westlake, OH 44145 Tel: 440.892.0444 • Fax: 440.892.0737 profiles@diversityjournal.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Single issue $14.95 1 year subscription (4 issues) $45.00 2 year subscription (8 issues) $82.50 Canada, 1 year subscription $52.50 Canada, 2 year subscription $97.50 International, 1 year $99.95 International, 2 year $187.50 U.S. funds only. Subscriptions can be ordered at: www.diversityjournal.com or call customer service at 800.573.2867 Copyright © 2018 Rector Inc.

SUBMISSIONS

REPRINTS: profiles@diversityjournal.com EDITORIAL: profiles@diversityjournal.com PHOTOS & ARTWORK: art@diversityjournal.com

FOLLOW US AT:

issuu.com/diversityjournal

Profiles in Diversity Journal® is a quarterly magazine dedicated to promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion in the corporate, government, nonprofit, higher education, and military sectors. For more than 20 years, we have helped to stimulate organizational change by showcasing the visionary leadership, innovative programs, and committed individuals that are making it happen.

SPRING 2018

Dear Current and Past Subscribers, Advertisers, Corporate and Non-Corporate Leaders, Women Worth Watching, PDJ Editors, Graphic Designers, Subscription and Ad Sales Professionals, Interns, and Contributors who provided valuable content over the past 20 years: PDJ’s Spring 2018 issue is a tribute to all of you who have contributed your talents, energy, enthusiasm, support, and best thinking to keep our magazine relevant since the first issue was published in the spring of 1999.

I thought it would be appropriate to assemble an issue showcasing some of the best content from the PDJ archives that is still relevant and helpful to those who now work in, or will soon enter, the Diversity and Inclusion arena. In some respects, not much has changed over the years, which makes the articles selected to appear in this issue just as meaningful as when they were first published. Beginning on page 60, you will find 43 articles that have appeared in the pages of PDJ since the magazine’s launch in 1999. They are representative of the insightful and valuable content we have provided to diversity professionals, business leaders, and others in more than 100 issues.

The backing of senior leadership is a key component in initiating and sustaining Diversity and Inclusion in any organization. This anniversary issue recognizes more than 350 executives who have appeared and participated in various issues. Again, I say thank you for all your efforts to support this work. You’ll find this honor roll beginning on page 14.

For the past 16 years we have honored successful women executives who were nominated by their peers to be Women Worth Watching®. The names of all 1,800 of these talented, hard-working, and passionate honorees, along with 16 representative profiles, appear in the Women Worth Watching section of this special anniversary issue, beginning on page 24. Profiles of all past Women Worth Watching honorees can be enjoyed at: www.WomenWorthWatching.com Advertisers play a life-and-death role for any magazine. PDJ has enjoyed the support of more than 350 organizations, many of whom have advertised in the magazine for years. We are indebted to these advertisers and pay tribute to 100 of them. To honor their participation and financial support, their names appear in this issue beginning on page 52.

As we look forward to the next 20 years, there are serious issues that still need support and focus. It will be our mission and purpose to address these issues and recognize outstanding leadership, showcase exciting innovation, and provide a venue for sharing the thoughts and ideas of all those to whom diversity and inclusion are paramount. I hope you will find this issue an interesting read and that you will continue to favor PDJ with your attention, interest, and support as we take on a future of change and unpredictability with energy and positive expectations.

Please stay tuned.

James R. Rector, Publisher and Founder www.diversityjournal.com

1

IN THIS ISSUE 01 PUBLISHER’S TRIBUTE

10 PDJ TIMELINE

14 CEOS AND PRESIDENTS TRIBUTE

24 WOMEN WORTH WATCHING TRIBUTE

52 ADVERTISERS TRIBUTE

60 CONTRIBUTORS TRIBUTE AND ARTICLES

2

diversityjournal.com

your hard work has not gone unnoticed.

From all of us at PNC, congratulations on your 20th Anniversary.

You’ve given your all to inspire diverse cultural corporate thinking and conversations. Inclusion does make a difference. Here at PNC we are all in!

visit pnc.com/diversity

Š2018 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Member FDIC BB PDF 0515-0112-192910

CONTRIBUTORS ARTICLES The Pioneers of Diversity

By PDJ

A Look at the Future of Diversity

By Gary A. Smith and Janet Crenshaw Smith

Embracing Multiple Generations in the Workforce

By Dr. Rohini Anand

p.62

Tackling Generational Diversity

By Melanie Harrington

p.78

Diversity Isn’t About Quotas

By Bill George

p.80

p.65 Front Runners Diversity Leadership Series A Conversation with Inside MFHA

By Gerry Fernandez p.82 p.66

White Males Are Part Of Diversity, Too!

By Wanda Brackins

p.67

What Payoffs CEOs want to see from Diversity and Inclusion But Aren’t Getting!

By Dr. Edward Hubbard p.84

How Do We Think About Thinking?

By David Casey

p.68

Leading Diversity & Inclusion Transformation

By Tisa Jackson p.86

Organizational Culture Roadblocks & Shortcuts for Leveraging Diversity: Part 1

By Pamela Arnold and Terri Kruzan p.69

Diversity Charters in Europe

By Myrtha Casanova

Vision of the Future Diversity Leaders

By Melissa Donaldson

p.70

4

The World of Chief Diversity Officers

By Nereida (Neddy) Perez

p.89

Are Women Reaching the Top?

By Ilene H. Lang

p.90

Avoiding Mistakes: Authenticity Starts at the Top

By Brenda J. Mullins

p.92

Secrets to a Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

By John Sequeira

p.93

p.71

p.74

Celebrating Success Stories of Achievement

By Edie Fraser p.76

What Globalization Means for Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

By Susan Johnson

p.87

…Fund Diversity as a Business Objective…

By Maria Johnson p.88

What Keeps Diversity Professionals Up at Night?

By Shirley A. Davis, PhD p.72

Adopt a Game-Changing Mindset

By Donald Fan

Inclusive Leaders Get Better Results

By Catalyst

p.77 diversityjournal.com

CONTRIBUTORS ARTICLES When Bad Things Happen to Good Companies

By Weldon H. Latham p.94

All Roads Are Good

By Gerald McMaster

p.110

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

By Nadine Vogel

In My View…Elements for a Successful Process: Part 1

By Dr. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., DBA

p.112

In My View…Elements for a Successful Process: Part 2

By Dr. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., DBA

p.116

p.120

Vision of the Future Diversity Leaders

By Lisa Wicker

p.96

p.97

Diversity Fatigue: An Introduction to Human EquityTM

By Trevor Wilson

p.98

Raising the Bar: It’s About Leadership

By Ted Childs

The Future of Diversity

By Mary-Frances Winters

p.99

Jabberwocky: Do You Mean What I Mean?

By Stephanie Lovett p.122

Are We Ready for a Diversity 2.0 Upgrade?

By Carlton Yearwood p.100

The Divine Nature of Diversity’s Calling

By The Most Reverend Anthony M. Pilla p.124

Helping Those with Disabilities Find Work

By Candi Castleberry-Singleton p.101

Putting PDJ Articles Into Action

By Nicole Hawkins

p.125

Windows on the Future Feature

By Rosalind Cox

10 Elements for Creating a World-Class Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Program

By Michael C. Hyter

p.126

Inclusion Asks Us to Build New Bridges

By May Snowden

p.129

An Evolving Curriculum

By Dr. David Thomas

p.130

Microtrigger Stories: Have You Experienced These Kinds of Triggers

By Janet Crenshaw Smith

p.136

p.102

Viewpoint–4th Annual Women Worth Watching

By Steven L. Miller p.103

Speak From Your Heart, Not From Your Notes

By Dr. Samuel Betances p.104

Micro-Inequities: The Power of Small

By Steve Young

Collaboration Drives Success for Diversity Initiatives

By Mike Streeter

SPRING 2018

p.106

p.108

5

Partnering for Diversity DIVERSITY JOURNAL INVITES YOU TO BECOME A CORPORATE PARTNER! Exclusive benefits include brand exposure, digital and print visibility, and substantial advertising savings.

I

ncluded are full page, full color ads in Profiles in Diversity Journal print and online editions. High-resolution (printable) and lowresolution (web-optimized) PDFs for distribution to internal and external stakeholders and across your social media channels.

Increased brand exposure and editorial preference. Ten complimentary hard-copy subscriptions to share with your department or clients. Waived entry fees for our most popular award programs, including the Women Worth Watching® Awards, and Innovations in Diversity Awards. Dedicated Partner Page at diversityjournal.com with customized messaging, logo, and link to your website.

PARTNERSHIP DETAILS AT: www.diversityjournal.com/partners Contact us today to find out how your company will benefit by Partnering For Diversity.

® W

e invite your organization to participate in our 17th Annual Women Worth Watching® special celebration issue by nominating one of your most influential senior women executives. The special issue will showcase her commitment and achievements, and will bring acclaim to your company promoting women in leadership within your ranks. If your nominee is selected to participate, she will be provided with a full page in the issue to write about her personal and professional contributions, achievements and leadership skills.

To learn more about the special issue please visit: Nominations

are closed for 2018 and will reopen early 2019

profiles@diversityjournal.com • 800-573-2867

6

diversityjournal.com

You Can’t Spell Diversity Without IVY Congratulations Profiles in Diversity Journal (PDJ) for your leadership in defining excellence in diversity and inclusion in the private, public and non-profit sectors. Over the last 20 years you set the stage, highlighted the trends and helped create the opportunities for those of us who were early pioneers in this space.

If you’ve been on the D&I journey for some time, you may have seen this IVY crossword puzzle ad before.

We felt the ad was just as relevant today as it was then. Our commitment to our clients, the topic, and the community of practitioners remains just as strong.

And while some things change – like our new website and brand logo – other things remain the same, rooting us in the reasons why we began doing this work in the first place. We’re continuing our efforts to help organizations use diversity and inclusion to redefine winning and mission achievement.

Congratulations to everyone featured in this edition.

Janet and Gary Smith IVY Planning Group LLC

Experience the IVY Difference

To schedule a free one-hour consultation, go to www.ivyplanninggroup.com/ad

8

diversityjournal.com

Timeline SPRING 2018

9

Profiles in Diversity Journal launched in 1999‌

Fall 2000 First Catalyst Article - Sheila Wellington CEO on Cover; First Advertisers General Motors, Fannie Mae, Bausch & Lomb, Ford, Deloitte & Touche

Nov/Dec 2002 First Women Worth Watching Issue

Spring 1999 First Published Issue 24 articles

Winter 2003 First Publication of the Workforce Diversity Reader

Fall 2001 Fall 1999

First Collaboration with Diversity Best Practices

First CEO on Cover Paul Allaire, Xerox

March/April 2009 First Diversity Leader Awards

10

diversityjournal.com

May/June 2004 First Annual Innovations in Diversity Awards

May/June 2007 First Corporate Philanthropy Series

Jan/Feb 2005 First Front Runner in Diversity Leadership Series

March/April 2014 First STEM articles Science/Technology/ Engineering/Mathematics

Spring 2018 20th Anniversary Tribute Issue

Spring 2017 First Women Worth Watching in STEM Issue

Nov/Dec 2010 First CEO in Action Series

SPRING 2018

11

12

diversityjournal.com

CEOs and Presidents

SPRING 2018

13

A Tribute to the

CEOs and Presidents who have been featured in PDJ over the years.

14

diversityjournal.com

1999

Paul Allaire

2000

Sheila Wellington Irv Hockaday

2001

Horace Deets Daniel P. Amos Ned Barnholt Dr. Bernadine Healy Kenneth D. Lewis Greg Dyke F. Duane Ackerman Ralph Shrader Sir John Browne Marilyn Carlson Nelson William Cavannaugh Peter Handal Joe Lee James Wright Edie Fraser Diane Creel Franklin D. Raines Donna Tanoue Jacques Nassar Samuel DiPiazza Hans N.J. Smits Martin Hofstede Steve Miller Myrtha Casanova Keith Bailey Erie Nye Jarrell Gibbs John E. Potter Chris Amundsen Jim Kelley Richard C. Green Ivan Seidenberg Richard Grigg

2002

Miles D. White Paula Rosput Larry C. Glasscock Niall Crowley Tony Comper Barbara Krumsiek Stephen M. Carter James B. Adamson Richard B. Priory Deborah Coleman David Ratcliffe Bill Harrison

SPRING 2018

Xerox

Catalyst Hallmark Cards

AARP Aflac Incorporated Agilent Technologies American Red Cross Bank of America BBC BellSouth Corporation Booz-Allen & Hamilton Inc. BP/British Petroleum/United Kingdom Carlson Companies, Inc Carolina Power & Light Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc. Darden Restaurants Dartmouth College Diversity Best Practices Earth Tech Fannie Mae Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Ford Motor Company PricewaterhouseCoopers Rabobank Heetugowaad Rabobank Heetugowaad Shell Oil The European Institute for Managing Diversity The Williams Companies, Inc. TXU Corp.

TXU Corp.

United States Postal Service–Postmaster General United Way of America UPS UtiliCorp United Verizon Communications Wisconsin Electric-Wisconsin Gas

Abbotto Laboratories AGL Resources Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield An Post Ireland BMO Financial Group-Canada Calvert Group, LTD Cingular Wireless Denny's, Inc. Duke Energy Ford Motor Company Southern Africa Georgia Power JPMorgan Chase

15

Dr. Vance D. Coffman Christopher B. Galvin Sy Sternberg James H. Blanchard Douglas N. Daft Elaine L. Chao C.D. Mote, Jr. Hans-Olov Olsson Maurice Myers Anne M. Mulcahy

2003

Betsy Bernard Susan L. Bostrom Tim Solso Dieter Zetsche Diane H. Gulyas Ellen J. Kullman Daniel A. Carp Sidney Taurel John W. Rowe Anne Stevens Jim Padilla Pernille Lopez Linda Gooden Bill George Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni Lurita Doan Gloria Bohan Ann Thornburg Lynn Laverty Eisenhans Michel Landel Barry Sternlicht Charles Patrick Garcia Eric Newell Laurette Koellner Phil M. Condit Secretary Gale Norton

2004

Marie F. Smith Marsha J. Evans Bob Beauchamp Jim Quigley Sharon Allen John Bailye Alfred G. Hansen J. Wayne Leonard Bill Ford Louise Goeser Stephen W. Sanger Janet Crenshaw Smith Henry L. Meyer III Marsha S. Henderson Timothy J. Finan

16

Lockheed Martin Motorola, Inc. New York Life Insurance Company Synovus The Coca-Cola Company United States Secretary of Labor University of Maryland Volvo Cars Waste Management, Inc. Xerox

AT&T Cisco Systems Cummins, Inc. DaimlerChrysler DuPont DuPont Eastman Kodak Company Eli Lilly and Company Exelon Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company IKEA North America Lockheed Martin Corporation Medtronic, Inc. National Institutes of Health New Technology Management, Inc. Omega World Travel PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP Shell Oil Company Sodexo USA Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Sterling Financial Investment Group Syncrude Canada Ltd. The Boeing Company The Boeing Company U.S. Department of Interior

AARP American Red Cross BMC Software, Inc. Deloitte & Touche USA Deloitte & Touche USA Dendrite International, Inc. EMS Technologies Entergy Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company Mexico General Mills Ivy Planning Group, LLC KeyCorp Key Bank, Western District Lifetime Health

diversityjournal.com

Judy F. Marks Lindsay Owen-Jones Mike Roberts Bruce Nelson Steve Reinemund William Swanson Louise Francesconi Andra Rush Jack Ward Fran Keeth Tom Engibous Molly D. Shepard Gloria D. Redman Mary Sue Coleman Tom Freston

2005

Ron Zarrella Bob Stevens Dick Macedonia Howard Schultz Dave Steiner Ilana Kloss

2006

Raymond T. Roe John Browne Dr. Ambrose Tat-Ming Ng John D. Finnegan David H. Klein John W. Rowe Richard G. Miles Stephen F. Bollenbach Gerry Fernandez Pedro Lichtinger Steven A. Burd Gary D. Forsee Jonathan Schwartz Richard K. Templeton Mike Eskew Larry O'Donnell Larry Glasscock

2007

Horace F. Jones Randall Stephenson Mary Ann Mitchell Klaus Entenmann George Hamilton Antonio M. Perez Michael E. Chen Chad A. Jester Mary Wong

SPRING 2018

Lockheed Martin L'Oreal McDonald's Office Depot PepsiCo Raytheon Raytheon Missile Systems Rush Trucking Corporation Russell Corporation Shell Chemicals LP Texas Instruments The Leader's Edge Triumph Technologies, Inc. University of Michigan Viacom

Bausch & Lomb Lockheed Martin Sodexo USA Starbucks Waste Management, Inc. World Team Tennis

Adecco Group North America BP Central Ohio Blood Services Chubb Group Excellus BlueCross BlueShield Exelon Government Employees Hospital Association Hilton Hotels Corporation MFHA Pfizer Pharmaceutical Operations, Europe Safeway, Inc. Sprint Nextel Sun Microsystems Texas Instruments, Inc. UPS Waste Management, Inc. Wellpoint

Advanced Resource Technologies AT&T Computer consulting Operations Specialists, Inc. DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Dow Automotive Eastman Kodak Company GE Commercial Finance Nationwide Foundation Office Depot Foundation

17

John C. Compton Polly O'Brien Morrow Stephen J. Brady Paul Fant Jon E. Barfield Earl Shipp Kathleen deLaski

2008

Charles G. McClure Andrew Plepler Pamela Flaherty Jim Vella Rafael Alvarez Loria Yeadon George C. Halvorson Timothy P. Flynn Hank Hernandez Chris Park Ted Mathas Susan Meisinger Eric Zorn Caroline S. Matthews Angela Braly

2009

Thomas J. Wilson Kenneth D. Lewis Michael Shepherd Gerry Ostrov Bob Greczyn Scott McGregor John W. Chidsey Ilene H. Lang David O'Reilly Brian L. Roberts Barry Salzberg Alan Mulally Donald J. Hall, Jr. Robert J. Stevens James Murren Indra Nooyi Jeff Kindler Murray Martin John Strangfeld Raj Gupta Jeroen Van der Veer Laurance G. O'Neil George Chavel Jeff Noddle W. James McNerney Mike Duke

18

PepsiCo North America Pitney Bowes Literacy and Education Fund Sodexo Fund South Carolina Pipeline Corporation The Bartech Group The Dow Chemical Company The Sallie Mae Fund

ArvinMeritor, Inc. Bank of America Charitable Foundation Citi Foundation Ford Fund Genesys Works Honeywell Intellectual Properties Kaiser Permanente KPMG LLP Las Palmas Medical Center New York Life Foundation New York Life Insurance Company Society for Human Resource Management Walmart WellPoint Foundation WellPoint, Inc.

Allstate Insurance Company Bank of America Bank of the West Bausch & Lomb Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Broadcom Corporation Burger King Corporation Catalyst Chevron Corporation Comcast Corporation Deloitte LLP Ford Motor Company Hallmark Cards, Inc. Lockheed Martin MGM Mirage PepsiCo, Inc. Pfizer, Inc. Pitney Bowes, Inc. Prudential Financial, Inc. Rohm and Haas Company Royal Dutch Shell Society for Human Resource Management Sodexo SuperValu, Inc. The Boeing Company Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

diversityjournal.com

2010

Carol Kurzig Laura Sanford Jim Vella Ed Halderman Patrick C. Dunican, Jr. Tom King Peter Voser Dennis Swan

2011

Henrik Slipsager Don Amos Sonu Ratra Mike Splinter Bruce A. Casella Brad Wilson Bob Kelly Ralph Shrader Douglas H. Brooks Paul Cofoni Alan MacGibbon Michael Nannes Mark Wagar Kevin T. Kabat Christopher E. Pinnington Michael L. Roth Beth Mooney John B. Veihmeyer Michael R. Anastasio Jeffrey A. Joerres Jim Skinner Leo Kiely Cynthia Morton Mark Ketchum Jim S. Williamson Linda A. Mills Roderick McDavis Murray D. Martin James E. Rohr Irv Weiser John Taft Clayton M. Jones George Chavel Darren Entwistle Ron A. Knauss William Blair Diane P. Holder R. Peter MacKinnon Doug Parker John D. Forsyth Mandy Shapansky

SPRING 2018

Avon Foundation AT&T Foundation Ford Fund Freddie Mac Gibbons P.C. National Grid U.S. Royal Dutch Shell Sparrow Hospital and Health System

ABM Industries Inc. Aflac, Inc. Akraya, Inc. Applied Materials, Inc. Army and Air Force Exchange Service Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina BNY Mellon Booz Allen Hamilton Brinker International, Inc. CACI International, Inc. Deloitte & Touche LLP Dickstein Shapiro LLP Empire BlueCross BlueShield Fifth Third Bank Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP Interpublic Group KeyCorp KPMG LLP Los Alamos National Laboratory Manpower, Inc. McDonald's Corporation MillerCoors Ministry of Labour, Government of Ontario Newell Rubbermaid New West Technologies Northrop Grumman Information Systems Ohio University Pitney Bowes, Inc. PNC Bank RBC Wealth Management RBC Wealth Management Rockwell Collins Sodexo, Inc. Telus The Clorox Company Toronto Police Service UPMC Health Plan University of Saskatchewan US Airways Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield Xerox Canada

19

2012

Leah Brown Gary Crompton Steve Mills Mark S. Stewart Paul Varga Dwayne Hayes Michael J. Williams Jeff Immelt Judy Vredenburgh David J. Lesar Chuck Dawson James A. Spitz Maria Klawe J. Warren Gorrell, Jr. Peter C. Roberts Joel Voran John R. Raymond, Sr. MD Michael L. Coats Joseph Jimenez John W. Daniels, Jr. Gregory T. Swienton Henry Jackson Enrique Salem Liam McGee Robert McDonald Glenn Britt Hugh Verrier

2013

Jorge Benitez Thomas R. Voss John H. Graham IV Julia Middleton Tom Linebarger John J. Soroko Trent Henry Wendy C. Shen Kevin W. Williams Marla Kott Jeff Stusek Michael W. Lamach Cassandra D. Caldwell Julie Kampf Anthony Kendall Michael B. Polk AndrĂŠ Wyss Deborah Newman Joseph M. Rigby Joseph M. Leccese Pedro Marcet Bill McFarland Mohammed Ali Gordon M. Nixon Robert Watson Ellen M. Lord

20

A10 Clinical Solutions Aramark AQIWO Ballard Spahr LLP Brown-Forman Corporation Exalt Integrated Technologies, LLC Fannie Mae General Electric Girls, Inc. Halliburton Harland Clarke Holdings Corporation Harris Beach PLLC Harvey Mudd College Hogan Lovells Jones Lang LaSalle Lathrop Gage LLP Medical College of Wisconsin NASA Johnson Space Center Novartis AG Quarles & Brady LLP Ryder System, Inc. Society for Human Resource Management Symantec The Hartford The Procter & Gamble Company Time Warner Cable White & Case LLP

Accenture Ameren Corporation American Society of Association Executives Common Purpose Charitable Trust Cummins, Inc. Duane Morris, LLP Ernst & Young LLP Canada FLOMO/Nygala Corp.

General Motors of Canada Limited Imprint Plus Information Services Corporation Ingersoll Rand International Society of Diversity Professionals JBK Associates Mitchell & Titus, LLP Newell Rubbermaid Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges & Univ.

Pepco Holdings, Inc. Proskauer Rose LLP Provital Group PwC Canada QED Foundation RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) SaskPower Textron Systems

diversityjournal.com

Christopher C. Booth Daniel S. Fulton Jackie Jenkins-Scott Matthew Anderson

2014

Todd Mohr Larry Hausner Bill Gracey John F. Brock Anne Pramaggiore Jeffery K. Patterson Sam Jones Sheila Bassi-Kellett Lee Pelton Jon Bischke Noreen King David F. Melcher Yue Zhuge Chris Policinski Julio A. Portalatin Helena Morrissey Beth N. Carvin Pedro Lichtinger Larry D. Zimpleman Kelly Ortberg Robert Sanchez John Hartmann Masashi Oka Jeff Fettig Frederica M. Williams

2015

Deborah Gillis Stephen R. Howe, Jr. Steve Angel Ronald M. DeFeo Peter P. Bevacqua Brian A. Gallagher Ken Mayhew

2016

Yvette Butler C. Lash Harrison Paul Smith Charles A. Zelle Mia Mends Marc Casper Jen O'Neal

SPRING 2018

The Lifetime Healthcare Companies Weyerhaeuser Company Wheelock College William Osler Health System

Aerotek, Inc. American Diabetes Association BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. ComEd Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Data Morphosis Dept. of HR, The Northwest Territories Emerson College Entelo, Inc. Evolve Manufacturing Technologies Exelis Landscape Mobile Land O'Lakes, Inc. Mercer Newton Investment Management Limited Nobscot Corporation Optimer Pharmaceuticals Principal Financial Group Rockwell Collins Ryder System, Inc. True Value Company Union Bank, N.A. Whirlpool Corporation Whittier Street Health Center

Catalyst EY Praxair Terex Corporation The PGA of America United Way Worldwide William Osler Health System Foundation

Capital One Investing FordHarrison Future Directors Institute Minnesota Transportation Agency Sodexo Benefits and Rewards Services USA Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Tripping.com

21

22

diversityjournal.com

Women Worth Watching

SPRING 2018

23

More than 1,800 senior executives have been profiled during the 16 years that

24

diversityjournal.com

has been an annual feature in Profiles in Diversity Journal.

SPRING 2018

25

2002

Gina Adams Theresa Alvillar-Speake Essie L. Calhoun Cecilia K. Carter Jocelyn Carter-Miller Sherita Ceasar Nadine K. Craig, RN Dr. Truddie Edwards Darden, MD Kristine Devine Renell Dixon Helen Davis Hatch Donna James Stephanie Tubbs Jones Anne M. Mulcahy Marilyn Carlson Nelson Candy M. Obourn Rose M. Patten Nancy A. Rae Carolyn Rayner Kay Williams

2003

Celeste Amaral Alison Anthony Joyce A. Bender Patricia Bomba Susan Bostrom Dr. Z. Clara Brennan Lorraine Brock Ursula M. Burns Deborah Cannon Angie Casciato Brenda Fraser Castonguay Yolanda Conyers Michelle M. Crosby Lynn Crump-Caine Maria Degois-Sainz Jeannie H. Diefenderfer Jean Crowder Drummond Deborah Elam Mary C. Farrell Kathy Geier Connie Glaser Sara L. Hays Alexis M. Herman Marie C. Johns Arleas Upton Kea Gloria Pace King Barbara Kipp Catherine Land-Waters Ilene H. Lang Nancy Lonsinger Christine A. MacKenzie Jackie Martin

26

Anna Mok Ana Mollinedo Joyce Mosley Kimpa Moss Mary George Opperman Ginger Parysek Sylvia H. Plunkett Beverly Ramsey Orien Reid Cherie Rice Ellen Schubert Shelley J. Seifert Karen A. Smith-Pilkington Caryl M. Stern Bonita C. Stewart Dickie Sykes Geri P. Thomas Jean Thomas Audrey Boone Tillman Stephanie K. Wernet Jane Wildman Lili Zheng

2004

Sharon Allen Theresa Alvillar-Speake Judy Anderson Maura Breen Sue Brush Ursula Burns Lynn Caddell LaVerne Council Sheila Davidson Rebecca Davis Jerri DeVard Linda Dillman Veronica Dillon Marsha Evans Eileen Farinacci Lorry Fenner April Foley Louise Francesconi Edie Fraser Louise Goeser Carolyn Handlon Karen Hardwick Keiko Harvey Jacquelyn Hayes-Byrd Marsha Henderson Karen Jennings Kim Harris Jones Fran Keeth Dorothy Kim Carol Kline Ellen Kullman Melendy Ewing Lovett

Joanne Maguire Judy Marks Punam Mathur Suzanne Medvidovich Ann Oka Rose Patten Nancy Rae Andra Rush Joyce Russell Mary Kay Schneider Mary Shepard Janet Crenshaw Smith Marie Smith Sandra Thompson Janie Tsao Claire Watts Patricia Woertz

2005

Valencia Adams Evelyn Angelle Mary Atkin Susan Baumgarten Jean Blackwell Lori Bossmann Karen Bowman Catherine Brune Michele Buck Marcia Bullard Judith Campbell Ria Marie Carlson Karen Carnahan Deborah Stewart Coleman Chris Cortez Barbara Cowden Maria Coyne Karel Czanderna Nance Dicciani Dana Drago Anne Erni Kathleen Gainey Mary Anne Gibbons Kimberly Gray Cathy Green Sandra Hanington Katherine Harless Glenda Hatchett Kathy Herbert Marillyn Hewson Kathryn Hill Linda Hudson Denise Kaigler Carolyn Kolesar Marise Fernandes Kumar Ilene Lang Sheila Lau

Duy-Loan Le Katherine Linder Cathy Lyons Janet Marzett Margaret McGlynn Tsion Messick Pamela Miller Ana Mollinedo Mims Sylvia Montero Maritza Gomez Montiel Phyllis Golden Morey Maria Morris Tiffany Olson Larree Renda Karen Rohan Ann Rondeau Alice Rosenblatt D’Arcy Foster Rudnay Susan Sheskey Leslie Sibert Tina Sivinski Launi Skinner Karin Stone Janice Stoney Dawn Sweeney Marilyn Tavenner Karen Taylor Jean Thomas Janice Tomlinson Michele Toth Debra Valentine Kim VanGelder Lora Villarreal Jacqui Vines Debra Walker Catherine West Teresa White Patricia Woertz Paula Zusi Rhonda Zygocki

2006

Leslie Abi-Karam Carol Alesso Carmen Allen Maj. Gen. Larita Aragon Sheree Bargabos Karen Berchtold-Hanlon Donna Boles R. Adm. Nancy Brown Terri Hamilton Brown Laurie Burns Carmen Canino Margaret Carriere Coleen Ceriello Janice Chaffin

diversityjournal.com

Cassandra Chandler Nancy Chisholm Susan Cischke Lois Cooper Jennifer Daley, M.D. Terri Dean Donnalee DeMaio Nanette DeTurk Roslyn Neal Dickerson Lurita Doan Patti Dodge Carol Dow Deirdre Drake Candace Duncan Patricia Elizondo Helena Foulkes Laurene Gallo Pam Gardner Julie Gilbert Katherine Greene Kim Griffin-Hunter Elizabeth Hackenson Tracy L. Hackman Sharon Hall Angie Hart Mary Jane Hellyar Chris Hill Stephanie Hill Deborah Hockman, Ph.D. Susan Hodge Barbara Hoffnagle Julie Fasone Holder Mary Howell Pamela Huggins J. Pat Jannausch Debra Hunter Johnson Marsha Johnson Rebeca Johnson Anne Kaiser Catherine King Gale King Madeleine Kleiner Susan LaChance Dijuana Lewis Brig. Gen. Anne Macdonald Sarah Meyerrose Michelle Miller Linda Mills Ellen Moore Kathryn Nelson Susan Nestegard Katherine O'Brien Marilyn O'Connell Kathy Paladino Poppie Parish Sandra Phillips Vickie Piner Wendy Pinero Melisa Quinoy

SPRING 2018

Brenda Reichelderfer Chris Reilly Frances Resheske Rebecca Rhoads Chris Rother Susan Seestrom June Shrewsbury Katherine Sierra Irina Simmons E. Follin Smith Darlene Solomon Bonnie Soodik Sheila Talton Geri Thomas Janet Toronski Valarie Udeh Stephanie Valdez Michelle VanDyke Susan Waring Linda Watt Renee West Terri West Anne Wilms Cheryl Womack Phyllis Worley Jennifer Wuamett Cynthia Hardy Young

2007

Stacey Adams Marianne Ajemian Elizabeth Amato Andrea Assarat Marylou Bailey Janet Baker Carol Barber Janet Barnard Candice Barnhardt Kelly Barr Wendy Beckman Carolyn Biggs Amy Blair Irene Chang Britt Adrianne Brown Edith Pettway Brown Karen Dougherty Buchholz Beth Bull Kerry Carter Denise Chaisson Uma Chowdhry Ellen Costello Lin Cummins Joy Davids Kimberly Davis Lisa Debois Mary Delaney

Cindy Dellecker Paula Dominick Teri Ann Drake Dr. Ann Evangelista Kathy Fawcett Peggy Fechtmann Felicia Fields Julie Fream Sharilyn Gasaway Vicki Gordon Belinda Grant-Anderson Tracey Gray-Walker Eleanor Haller-Jorden Kathy Hopinkah Hannan Doris Heim Sherry Herrington Cheryl Howe Marjorie Hsu Swanee Hunt Yolanda Cash Jackson Elizabeth James Carol Johnson Patti Johnson Peggy Johnson Deborah Kelly Jo-Anne Kruse Martha Leiper Debra Lewis Louise Liang Cynthia Little Nancy Little Ning-Ning Mahlmann Dee Mahoney Kim Martin Gretchen McClain Antoinette McCorvey Pritha Mehra Charmaine Mesina Stacy Methvin Janie Mitcham Christy Moberly Hala Moddelmog Beth Mooney Lisa Moriyama Nora Moushey Shamla Naidoo Debra Nelson Tracey Newell Linda Norman Kathy Paladino Martha Papariello Susan Penfield Beth Perlman Sheila Person-Scott Carol Ann Petren Melissa Plaisance Susan Ponce Carol Pottenger Paula Price

DeDe Priest Helen Pudlin Rebecca Ranninger Nicole Ringenberg Lorie-Ann Roxburgh Aurora Rubin Deborah Schloss Linda Schreiner Kayla Shell Saumil Shukla Lisa Shumpert Eileen Slevin Amanda Sourry Nor Rae Spohn Kimberly Stevenson Sonya Stewart Melanie Stinnett Teresa Taylor Gabrielle Toledano Suzanne Vautrinot Joan Walker Margaret Wear Charlene Wheeless Valerie Williams Carol Zierhoffer

2008

Barbara Adachi Deborah Alderson Judy Archibald Patricia Barbari Sondra Barbour Ingrid Beckles Karen Bedford Klaudia Brace Cindy Brinkley Angela Busch Virginia Calega Liza Cartmell Dale Cendali Nancy Christal Anne Chwat Carine Strom Clark Mary Crego Cindy Crotty Chineta Davis Sandra Devine Betty Devita Barbara Dirks Tracey Doi Marie Dominguez Melissa Donaldson Lynne Doughtie Diane Douglas Kimmy Duong Lina Echeverria

27

2011 Mary Barra • General Motors

T

o begin with, I’d like to say “thank you” to Profiles in Diversity Journal for this prestigious award.

This is very meaningful to me because it reminds me of what my parents used to tell me and my brother: “Work hard, treat people the way you want to be treated and it will all work out.” It’s been a great philosophy to live by in both my personal and professional life.

Two other big markers for me are integrity and character. These are qualities I expect of myself and look for in others. This means always doing the right thing even when no one is watching, even when it is hard. With integrity and character as a foundation, you and your teams can accomplish great things.

I’m often asked how I was able to survive in a male-dominated industry like automotive.

28

While that may be a fair assessment of the business, it’s not how I have approached what has been a fascinating journey. I always tried to learn as much

Original WWW

Sep/Oct 2011, pg

Issue 27

View on ISSUU. com

GM Senior Vice President, Global Product Development

"

To make sure that my team and I are doing all we can to bring customers the highest quality and value vehicles, I encourage open dialogue, high engagement and true teamwork.

"

as possible from those I worked with and for, while also contributing as much as possible on my own. I never expected to be given anything except an opportunity.

After that, it was up to me to prove my value. I also always focused on the job at hand and didn’t worry about what was next, remembering the advice my parents gave me.

Today I have the privilege of leading GM’s Global Product Development team of more than 30,000 designers and engineers who are responsible for developing cars, trucks and crossovers for customers in over 130 countries.

To make sure that my team and I are doing all we can to bring customers the highest quality and value vehicles, I encourage open dialogue, high engagement and true teamwork.

I want everyone feeling like their voice can and will be heard, whether you’re a designer in Detroit or an engineer in Shanghai. Diversity of thought and experience is a competitive advantage. And once we decide on a course of action, we move forward together and get the job done quickly and efficiently.

I take special interest in young professionals trying to break new ground within GM and the auto industry. There were many men and women who helped me along my way.

This is my way of giving back. I hope those who read this essay may in some small way be inspired to pursue a career, automotive or otherwise, that will take them to places they never dreamed of before. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2012

Margaret A. Mitchell • YWCA Greater Cleveland President & CEO

"

From McKinsey to Catalyst, the research concludes that diverse leadership teams deliver positive economic impact for companies when women and minorities have a place in the leadership circle, a key to the C-suite, and a seat at the board table.

I

com View on ISSUU.

recently witnessed Beth Mooney, chairman and CEO of KeyCorp, step into a ballroom filled with the who’s who of corporate America. As she glided into the room an audible but hushed cheer spread throughout the crowded ballroom like a wildfire. While several male captains of industry had also entered the room that night, the

Issue Original WWW 7

"

unrehearsed reaction was the response to a rare sighting of a female chairman and CEO of a publically traded company. Beth Mooney is in the exclusive club of “firsts”; in 2012, women CEOs of the top 500 companies reached an all-time high of 20. But rarity does not mean progress is eluding us.

Progress moves painfully slow and even backwards at times, but moments such as the one in the ballroom remind us of the importance of women’s advancement. While we celebrate milestones, we must also keep moving forward.

From pay to promotions, the playing field is not level. It’s Mount Everest with plenty of obstacles—but we’re power-walking our way to equity in our kitten heels, and we’re slowly gaining on the lead position.

Women are now enrolled in college in greater numbers than men and are earning more bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees

than men. Women are also making up ground in what traditionally have been considered male-dominated disciplines such as biology, business, and math.

From McKinsey to Catalyst, the research concludes that diverse leadership teams deliver positive economic impact for companies when women and minorities have a place in the leadership circle, a key to the C-suite, and a seat at the board table. Sometimes the metrics are startling, such as Catalyst’s 2007 report demonstrating that companies with the most female board members outperform companies with the fewest by a 53 percent higher return on equity and with a 66 percent increase in return on capital. Such results are possible through the efforts of women supporting women across the business spectrum. We must keep climbing and not look back until female leaders are no longer a rare sight. PDJ

pg 16 Sep/Oct 2012,

SPRING 2018

29

2008 National Managing Partner, Advisory

W

hen I talk to clients about how to make their organizations more successful, their challenges can seem daunting.

But as we continue talking, key themes often emerge that enable us to address their concerns more easily.

Managing one’s career is very similar. So, when I mentor colleagues, as with clients, I try to simplify their decisions by reducing them to a few key themes.

First, I ask them to define their own unique view of success. It can seem overwhelming trying to reconcile professional ambition and personal goals. But both are important.

I was fortunate to have a wonderful mother who also happened to be a successful businesswoman. Thanks to her example and the support I’ve received at home and from KPMG, I never doubted that I could have a family and build a rewarding career.

30

Original WWW

In mentoring discussions, I talk about adaptability. Five-year goals can help provide direction to your career, but you can’t plot every move. There have been times when my career took an unexpected turn. But my philosophy has always been to take whatever

"

Sep/Oct 2008,

Issue

pg 73

Finally, I encourage the people I mentor to become involved in their communities. I’ve worked for years with INROADS, which prepares talented minority youth for corporate and community leadership positions.

When you do your best and embrace new challenges, the opportunity to grow is great.

pitch comes your way and knock it out of the park.

When you do your best and embrace new challenges, the opportunity to grow is great.

I also advise the people I mentor to focus on caring for their team. To succeed, you have to nail the technical skills and deliver results. But true leadership involves much more than that. At KPMG we talk about our commitment to being a great place to work and build a career.

We place a lot of emphasis on mentoring, supporting, and developing people.

View on ISSUU. com

Lynne Doughtie • KPMG

"

I’m also an active alumnus of Virginia Tech. Helping to lead efforts at KPMG to provide support after the tragic campus shooting was a profoundly moving experience for me.

In fact, as my own career has moved forward, I find that giving back—to my colleagues and to my community—has become increasingly important. As I mentor people, I’m happy to help them achieve the typical markers of success: promotions, salary increases, broader responsibilities, etc. But by example, I try to model what to me is the true measure of success: the ability to “lift others as you rise.” PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2012 " Jingrong Jean Cui • Pfizer Associate Research Fellow

For the U.S. to continue to be a true leader in innovation, it’s important to understand something I learned from my experience— education is the seed that generates innovative thinking. We need to give science, and young girls, the respect they deserve.

"

A

com View on ISSUU.

lthough much has been said about the underrepresentation of women in professional scientific fields in the United States, for me there was never a question that I would work in the sciences. I consider myself very fortunate, though. From the time I was a young girl, studying in China, my love for science was encouraged by my teachers. That was especially true during my high school years, a time in which many Chinese students

Original WWW

Issue

pg 71 Sep/Oct 2012,

SPRING 2018

decide which direction their studies will take.

For all students, no matter where in the world they live, high school should be a time of discovery—a time to learn what they’re good at and where their interests lie. If we want to do a better job attracting women to scientific fields, I think we need to focus not on the industry or on those making hiring decisions. Instead, it’s important to go back to the formative high school years.

I believe that just as many girls as boys are interested in science.

But unless that interest is nurtured, it’s not going to flourish. High school science teachers have an incredible responsibility to inspire young teenagers’ curiosity and interest in science. Their teaching styles, as well as their attitudes, can be the turning point for any student, but especially for girls.

The teachers I had in high school not only encouraged my passion for science, they helped point me in the right direction. After completing my high school and undergraduate studies in China, I came to the U.S. for my post-graduate education. Having

had the unique personal experience of studying in such very different countries and cultures, I can tell you this about the U.S.—it is the capital of innovation and novel ideas.

When I moved to this country, I learned how to use my scientific knowledge in order to solve problems.

I found a practical application for my love of organic chemistry. I had professors who gave me the space to do things on my own and explore entirely new ways of solving difficult problems. My interest in life sciences led me to the pharmaceutical industry, where advanced chemistry and biology are used to create medicines that help people. I had found my calling. For the U.S. to continue to be a true leader in innovation, it’s important to understand something I learned from my experience—education is the seed that generates innovative thinking. We need to give science, and young girls, the respect they deserve. If we invest in today’s female high school students, and encourage and support their scientific pursuits, I truly believe we will all be better off for it. PDJ

31

2003 Vice President of DuPont Safety & Protection

G

roup vice president of DuPont Safety & Protection, Ellen J. Kullman leads a $4.0 B business enterprise that is one of the five growth platforms of the DuPont Company: DuPont Advanced Fiber Systems, DuPont Chemical Solutions Enterprise, DuPont Nonwovens, DuPont Safety Resources and DuPont Surfaces.

Under her direction, DuPont Safety & Protection is focused on becoming the global market leader in providing solutions for people, property and operations in the area of safety, security and protection.

Kullman began her career at DuPont in 1988 as marketing manager in the medical imaging business. Following two years as business director for the x-ray film business, she moved to Printing & Publishing as global business director, electronic imaging. In 1994, she joined White Pigment & Mineral Products as global business director and was named vice president and general manager in 1995. She assumed leadership of two high growth

32

businesses, DuPont Safety Resources (1998) and Bio-Based Materials (1999).

Ellen was named group vice president and general manager in 2000 with the addition of Corporate New Business Development and Intellectual Assets Licensing. She later assumed responsibility for DuPont Flooring Systems and DuPont Surfaces in 2001. She was named to her current position in February 2002.

Before joining DuPont, Ellen worked for General Electric in various business development and marketing positions.

“While at GE I worked on the Vice Chairman’s staff,” says Kullman.

“There were only three of us, so I was deeply involved in how the company worked and made decisions. I had a wonderful mentor in the staff Vice President who really challenged me to think more broadly on business opportunity. I grew tremendously during this job—it established many of my beliefs and principles on business development and resource allocation.

“Often I see women who are not happy in their role yet wait for someone/something else to change it.

We are responsible for our own development and our satisfaction with our careers,” says Kullman. “The roles

Original WWW

Issue

Nov/Dec 2003 , pg

29

View on ISSUU. com

Ellen Kullman • DuPont

I have excelled in are the ones that I have loved. And to find that ‘match’ is key.

“Both Diane and I are believers that we need to do everything we can to help women succeed in the company,” she says. “I mentor several individuals, and when I travel to DuPont offices—especially those outside the U.S., where the networks are not as well developed as ours—I often get the women together to discuss what is going on and to exchange ideas.”

Kullman received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and an MBA from Northwestern University.

She serves on the Boards of the Delaware Symphony, the Board of Overseers for Tufts University School of Engineering and as a trustee of Christiana Care Corporation. She and her husband, Michael, live in Greenville, DE, with their daughter and twin sons.

“I really don’t believe there is such a thing as balance with these jobs,” says Kullman. “I say ‘jobs’ because my position at DuPont is a 24/7 job and my family is a 24/7 job. Somewhere in there I figure out how to get the important stuff done. There are school functions/sporting events during the day and travel meetings at night or on weekends. I love what I do and I love my family. And if you really love it then it will work out!” PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2012 Christi Shaw • Novartis

Novartis US Country Head; President, Novartis Corporation & Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

A

com View on ISSUU.

s US country head, president of Novartis Corporation, and president of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Christi Shaw leads the US General Medicines business and Novartis Corporations Operations. She is responsible for cross-divisional coordination across three Novartis Group companies and the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. The organization has embraced her patient-centric approach and commitment to exceptional business results.

During her more than 25 years in the health care industry, Christi has worked across more than 10 disease areas and dedicated her career to empowering individuals through employee engagement, leadership development, and diversity of thought. After rising through the ranks at Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson, Christi joined Novartis in 2010 as head

Original WWW

Issue

of North America Oncology, and led the unit to unprecedented growth, while overcoming patent losses.

She also championed the groundbreaking “SIGNATURE” program, which revolutionized clinical trials by bringing the protocol to any cancer patient with certain genetic mutations—no matter the diagnosis—and significantly speeding up drug-to-patient time. In recognition of her accomplishments, Christi was awarded the 2012 Novartis “Chairman’s Award for Business Excellence,” and was appointed to her current role in 2014.

“I have known since high school that my present career was what I wanted to do, when I understood how science and innovation could help solve serious problems, like disease,” said Christi. “I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to pursue my passion.”

Recognizing that diversity and inclusion are critical to innovation, Christi reviews a diverse slate of candidates for all open positions.

As a result, about 60 percent of her direct reports are women. She also advocates for inclusivity, and is always open to having her views shaped by other perspectives.

Christi’s passion for serving patients and developing talent extends beyond Novartis. She is on the board of the Biotechnology Industry Organization, the Healthcare Leadership Council and the Young Women’s Leadership Network.

The most important quality a woman leader should have is… …clarity — of purpose, vision, strengths-focus and boundaries The career advice I’d give my former self: Be open to unconsidered possibilities.

The Dalai Lama once said that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.

Words I live by: Long live life! There is nothing more extraordinary than a normal life.

The one thing I’d do differently in my career, knowing what I know now, is… …not letting others or my environment define who I am and what I value.

When I really need to focus on a project, I… …gather individuals with diverse perspectives, areas of expertise and experiences to help generate insights to get to the best solutions. PDJ

6

pg 12 Sep/Oct 2015,

SPRING 2018

33

Robyn Ewing Lauren Flaherty Shaun Fracassi Katherine Giscombe Gloria Johnson Goins Kara Ferber Gordon Faith Greenfield Carla Harris Janel Haugarth Patricia Heffernan Roz Ho Marjorie Hoey Diane Hoskins Linda Hudson Andrea Huff Anne Jackson D. Lynn Kelley, PhD Pam Kohn Jacqueline Kosecoff Dolores Kruchten Barbara Kunz Suzanne Kupiec Dianne Lamendola Karen Larrimer Regina Lee Charisse Lillie Ellen Lord Jacki Lowe Gael Lundeen Diana Ma Lisa Macpherson Consuelo Madere Miranda Mandel Caroline Matthews Michele Coleman Mayes Machelle McAdory Rose McKinney-James Elaine Metlin MaryAnn Miller Jeannette Mills Margaret Montana Wendy Murdock Marcia Narine Maureen O'Connor Deborah O'Neil Una O'Neill Michelle Paretti Lynn Pike Ana Cabriela Pinczuk Denise Ramos Sue Reidy Carmen Rive Susan Roberts Vilma Salaverria Barb Samardzich Jocelyn Scott Kimberly Senter Sangeeta Gandhi Shah Michelle Shepherd

34

Heidi Shyu Susan Silbermann Catherine Smith Karen Sock Teressa Szelest-Shah Barbara Taylor Bronwen Taylor Carrie Teffner Bentina Chisolm Terry Sarah Thronton Sheri Thureen Gena Trimble Lynne Fischman Uniman Christine Wallace Jane Warner Darla Whitaker Debbie White Kathleen McClurg Wiljanen Sherry Williams Lizabeth Zlatkus

2009

Anne Marie Agnelli DeAnna Allen Amparo Bared Lyn Beaty Lori Beer Bonita Lewis Bell Brenda Blisk Kathleen Bock Andrea Bortner Stacy Brown-Philpot Tammy Butts Patricia Cain Nancy Calderon Teresa Carroll Shirley Cunningham Laree Daniel Ann Davidson Cindy Davis Terri Dial Lorna Donatone Carol Dudley Lynn Dugle Kim Feil Jo Ann Feindt Lisa Ferrero Dawn Fitzpatrick Susan Garcia Swee Chen Goh Kimberley Crews Goode Lorrinda Gray-Davis Sandra Guy Joyce Haag Sharon Hays Melanie Healey

Wendy Lee Herrick Cathy Plummer Hill Kathleen Hogan Kathleen Hyle Laura Ipsen Deborah James Chizuru Kiyomura Marcy Klevorn Catherine Langlais Toni Leatherberry Michelle Lee Theresa Lee Nan Mattai Candace Matthews Kathleen Mazzarella Tricia McClung Teri Plummer McClure Denise McEachern Julie Moore Susan Morisato Nina Mullins Claire Nogay Joan O'Shaughnessy Deb Oler Neddy Perez Elizabeth Powers Anne Pramaggiore Lori Raya Nancy Reagan Ann Reeves Deborah Rice Janet Robinson Lauventria Robinson Donna Sams Sue Ann Schweitzer Pat Shrader Deborah Soon Mary Stoddart Cathy Suever Sandy Swider Sharon Taylor Jamie Thorsen Susan Thrope Suzzanne Uhland Mary Van de Kamp Amy Wagner Tina Waters Kathleen Asser Weslock Stephanie Gaillard White Frederica Williams Barbara Wood Ellie Yi-Li Yieh Ann Ziegler

2010

Janna Adair-Potts

Kate Adams Christine Amalfe Rebecca Amoroso Melissa Anderson Catherine Avgiris Stacey Babson-Smith Shari Ballard Barb Baurer Birgit Behrendt Pamela Berklich Lisa Bisaccia Susan Blount Carolynn Brooks Sally Brooks Tina Brown-Stevenson Susan Brownell Sandra Byra Carolyn Caldwell Hollie Castro Sharda Cherwoo Joan Chow Kathleen Colwell Jane Connell Karen Dahut Yolanda Daniel Gladys DeClouet-Mims Robyn Denholm Karen Deogracias Michelle DiGangi Lillian Dukes Diane Duren Elise Eberwein Maureen Ehrenberg Mary Falvey Ellen Friedler Deborah Gillis Ruth Ann Gillis Colleen Goldhammer Jasmine Green Maria Green Adele Gulfo Chris Hackem Wendy Hambleton Suni Harford Christine Heckart Mary Heger Ci Ci Holloway Janet Holloway Mary Humiston Cheryl Janey Randy Meg Kammer Patricia Kampling Laura Kennedy Caroline King Lisa Klauser Maria Korsnick Heather Kos Bridget Lauderdale Patricia Lawicki

diversityjournal.com

Jill Lawrence Christine Leahy Kathryn Leisses Kenyatta Lewis Janice Lindsay Connie Lindsey Cathy Martine Gaye Adams Massey Jeannie Maul Jeanette McCarty G. Penny McIntyre Judy McNamara Arpana Mehra Alison Micucci Sandy Miller Patricia Milligan Lorraine Mitchelmore Eileen Moore M. Catherine Morris Brenda Mullins Marilyn Nagel Melissa Nassar Connia Nelson Annita Nerses Amy Fliegelman Olli Katherine Owen Colette Phillips Maureen Phillips Sanita Pinchback Vivian Polak Jennifer Pollino Billie Rawot Jorunn Saetre Cindy Sanborn Kristi Savacool Marsha Schulte Louise Scott Kim Sentovich Charlita Shelton Dawn Siler-Nixon Deborah Skakel Margaret Skinner Janet Crenshaw Smith Joanne Pietrini Smith Ann Yom Steel Kim Stratton Mara Swan Laura Tamron Teresa Taylor Susan Tousi Nancy Tuor Mary Tuuk Joyce Ulrich Kelli Valade Frances Vallejo Lisa VanDeMark Leila Vespoli Kelly Watson Pamela Wickham

SPRING 2018

Tujuanna Williams Christine Wilson Tammy Young Jennifer Yuh Nelson Mary Zimmer

2011

Trish Adams Leticia Aguilar Eileen Gallagher Akerson Rebecca Allen Maria G. Arias Lisa Ashby Lisa Atherton Claire Babineaux-Fontenot M. RenÉe Baker Mary Barra Dr. LaSharnda Beckwith Renee Bergeron Jill Berkeley Janet Beronio Lorraine Bolsinger Brenda Boultwood Wanda Brackins Linda Brandl Janet Brugger Lisa Buckingham Robin Bugni Marla Butler Susan Elizabeth Byrd Debra Canales Linda Cash Kim Catullo Kim Catullo Susan Certoma Ann Chaplin Apalla Chopra Denise Coll Lori Cornmesser Grace Cowan Donna Owens Cox Pamela Culpepper Sharon Czyzewski Mary Daschner Aimee Eubanks Davis Dr. Shirley A. Davis Lisa Davis Paula Davis Martha Delehanty Kimberly Disandis Michelle DiTondo Clydie Douglass Mary Jo Eaton Sheila Ellis Elizabeth Elting Andrea Farley

Maria Feeley Johanna Flower Cristy Gallo-Aquino Cindy Gentry Kathleen Gibson Joan Hogan Gillman Siki Giunta Natalie Lorenz Givans Ellen Gonda Jill Granat Andrea Greene Francoise Gri Pat Hemingway Hall Dr. Jungi Hang Crystal Hardie Kerry Frank Hester Joyce Ibardolasa Rita Johnson-Mills Julie Kampf Laura Shapira Karet Margaret Keane Pam Kehaly Doe Kittay Barbara Koster Elizabeth Krauss Angie Kyle Maryanne Lavan Selena Linde Anne Madden Dr. Punam Malik Cathy Mann Lynn Martin Martha May Margery Mayer Terri McClements Nadine Mirchandani Tracy Mooney Lynn Mortensen Jennifer Murphy Nishi Narula Laura Newinski Andrea Nitzan Ann Oglesby Jackie Parker Nilde Passanesi Alison Kenney Paul Anabel Perez M. Marnette Perry Alison Quirk Nina Ramsey Sonu Ratra Marcy Reed Rena Hozore Reiss LeAnn Ridgeway Saskia Korink Romani Sharon Rossi Robin Russell Jackie Scanlan Alexandra Schwartz

Virginia Seggerman Marie-Helene Sicard Nikki Lewis Simon Shari Slate Darlene Slaughter Darlene Slaughter Karen Sledge Laura Soave Regina Speed-Bost Gilda Spencer Carin Stutz Paulette Thabault Paulette Thabault Dana Tribula Dr. Adis Maria Vila Kimberly Waller Wenli Wang Tammy Weinbaum Katy Wells Sue Werstak Karen Williams Susan Wolak Jill Wyant Carrie Young

2012

Allison Aden Jacqueline Akerblom Susan Au Allen Tara Amaral Phyllis S. Anderson Ileana Arias Diane Askwyth Marcia J. Avedon Cynthia Baerman Chanin Ballance Judy Y. Barrasso Katherine M. Basile Cynthia G. Baum Noreen D. Beaman Elisa Villanueva Beard Stephanie M. Beran Lori Birkey Elizabeth Blackwell Lisa Blackwood Suzanne Boda Beth Bombara Eva Boratto Maureen A. Borkowski Virginia M. Brandt Laura E. Brightwell Juanita Brooks Suzie Brown Ashley Burke Ashley Burke Christine Harumi Cadena

35

Chief Diversity Officer

I

have had to get comfortable with knowing that every successful person has had to face significant challenges and adversity. And I have realized that if I want to continue achieving, I will too.

Whenever I face adversity, I tell myself that it is designed to help me overcome an even bigger challenge in the future. I strive to achieve great results and never give up, even if that means redefining what achievement means to me at that moment.

One example that comes to mind is a role I had many years ago providing legal support to a low profile part of the business. I was working part time and had two small children under the age of four, and being in this role addressed my need for work-life balance.

However, I realized the longer I stayed in this position, the less relevant I was becoming to my management. Although I was working hard and contributing to the company’s success, my efforts went unnoticed and opportunities for career advancement were fading. I had to decide what was most important to me, what my strengths were, and where I could add the most value

36

doing work I enjoyed and could perform at a high level.

I talked with mentors and my boss to explore options. Those discussions led to meetings with leaders to whom I expressed an interest in future opportunities. Soon, an opportunity for a position in an area I loved became available. Because of the relationships I had developed, I got the job and was able to work from home two days a week while my children were toddlers. It was during this period that I realized the importance of taking charge of adversity to make room for what’s next.

On Finding Success and Staying Competitive You need to anticipate changes and develop the diversity and inclusion skills, competencies, and business acumen to ensure that your company achieves a competitive advantage in the workplace, community, and marketplace. Your efforts must be directed at strengthening the business and ensuring that the workforce reflects the demographics of its customer base and stakeholders.

Original WWW Sep/Oct 2014,

Issue

pg 60

View on ISSUU. com

2014

Monique Hunt McWilliams • Eli Lilly

On the Importance of Role Models and Mentors My previous legal supervisor has had a significant impact on my career. He gave me the opportunity to lead one of Lilly’s most significant and visible litigation projects—a role that had been filled by more senior lawyers. He didn’t over-coach or micro-manage. Instead, he helped me find my voice. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he was forcing me to work outside my comfort zone. I felt motivated and my confidence soared!

On Facing Challenges My most difficult challenge was working for a leader who didn’t have the resilience to make hard decisions or stand by decisions that were well thought out and fully vetted. I don’t second guess my decisions very often, and I work very hard not to revisit decisions in the absence of new information that suggests an adjustment is necessary.

Monique’s Advice to Young Women Starting Careers No woman is an island. Never assume you can be successful without the help of others. Seek advice and counsel from a mentor whose judgment you trust.

Look for people who are like you, as well as those who are different from you, so that you get the benefit of diverse perspectives. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2007 Beth Mooney • KeyCorp KeyCorp Vice Chair

"

Mentors don’t guarantee success; they open a door. That open door may lead to a particular job or career or, even more powerful, insight on how to manage yourself.

"

I

com View on ISSUU.

believe that mentoring is an extension of good leadership because it’s a form of feedback.

Today, I advocate it, practice it and reward it in others.

When I began working, however, I didn’t know there were mentors or how helpful they could be.

Fortunately, I had people I thought

Original WWW

Issue

of as fans who expressed interest in my career.

One of my early fans gave me my first job in banking. He was a little skeptical at first. I didn’t have an MBA at that time, and women were scarce in banking. But by offering me the position, he gave me an opportunity to succeed. And when I did, he not only was highly supportive, but he also became one of my biggest fans.

Another fan was a bank president who put me in charge of crucial client relationships that traditionally were managed by men. His action prompted calls from worried clients: “Do you not want my business any more? Why are you sending a woman to handle my accounts?” But he stuck by me, saying he wouldn’t have sent me if he hadn’t thought that I could do the work. He gave me the chance to prove myself.

As these examples illustrate, mentors don’t guarantee success; they open a door. That open door may lead to a particular job or career or, even more powerful, insight on how to manage yourself.

In my experience, one of the biggest career de-railers is the inability to see yourself as others see you. So, I think it’s vital to seek out mentors who will reflect you to yourself and help you strengthen specific behaviors. This is not easy.

You may hear some tough feedback, but you will build a better career if you listen carefully and accept the guidance.

If you are successful, reconnect with and thank those whose support, encouragement or advice helped you. Then share their gift. Reach out to other promising individuals and support, when and where you can, their career journey toward success. PDJ

pg 122 Sep/Oct 2007,

SPRING 2018

37

Senior Counsel

B

efore becoming an attorney, I understood that the path to success was hard work, striving for academic excellence, and having confidence in my abilities. Even in my younger years, I faced challenges and obstacles that could have inhibited my success. Never accepting the idea that I could not do something helped me face challenges and find solutions.

After becoming an attorney, I learned that what worked to achieve academic success was insufficient to achieve professional success. While working hard to produce an excellent work product is important, just

38

Original WWW Sep/Oct 2013,

Issue

pg 149

View on ISSUU. com

2013 Mayda Prego • Chevron

"

Leading without compromising your character or integrity, but understanding the needs of the people you seek to lead— transaction, or in negotiation across the table from colleagues who may have different goals from yours—is critical.

"

working on the intellectual or academic part is not enough. I learned that developing relationships and establishing strong networks and personal connections with the ability to communicate effectively was an important skill to develop. The function of an attorney is to provide counsel and have clients and colleagues follow that counsel. In order to achieve that, those clients and colleagues must have respect and confidence in you—that requires leadership on your part.

Achieving success in any field also requires a genuine style of leadership.

Leading without compromising your character or integrity, but understanding the needs of the people you seek to lead—be it at an organization, on a project, a transaction, or in negotiation across

the table from colleagues who may have different goals from yours—is critical.

How has education affected your career?

Education has nourished my intellectual curiosity and opened doors to a challenging professional life and the opportunity to give back through mentorship.

Has discrimination affected you as a woman in the workplace?

How did you deal with it?

Women (especially minority women) face many unique challenges in the workplace. The best way to overcome any challenges is to have confidence in yourself and having your voice heard.

These two basic factors are critical and important for effective leadership. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2003 Ursula Burns • Xerox

Senior Vice President; President, Business Group Operations

"

My mother told me long ago that where you are is not who you are,” said Burns, “Where you are is a circumstance that you can change; who you are goes with you, wherever you go.

"

T

com View on ISSUU.

he point is not to blend in, but to stand out, says Ursula Burns of diversity in the workplace.

“Blending in may get you by, but standing out propels you forward.”

It’s a sentiment that’s understood by Xerox Corporation, where Burns is a senior executive.

Burns, who started her career at Xerox as a summer intern in 1980, has been a standout at Xerox, rising steadily through the ranks of the company. Now, as president of

Original WWW

Corp., Banta Corp., Boston Scientific Corp., FIRST, National Association of Manufacturers, University of Rochester and The Rochester Business Alliance.

When asked to cite the greatest challenge facing women in the business over the next five years, Burns suggests that it’s not the fact that they’re a woman that is an obstacle, but the tendency to shy away from it.

“The female approach to success, controversy, and problem-solving is invaluable to the success of corporations. As we become more pervasive, we must maintain our identities as women, rather than pursue the misapprehension that we ‘need to be more like men.’

“My mother told me long ago that where you are is not who you are,” said Burns, “Where you are is a circumstance that you can change; who you are goes with you, wherever you go.” PDJ

Issue

, pg Nov/Dec 2003

SPRING 2018

Xerox Business Group Operations, she reports directly to Xerox chairman and CEO Anne Mulcahy and is responsible for about 80 percent of Xerox’s revenue, including product engineering, product marketing, manufacturing and other functions.

From 1992 through 2000, Burns led several business teams, including the office color and fax business, office network copying business and the departmental business unit. In May 2000, she was named senior vice president, Corporate Strategic Services, and most recently, president of the Document Systems and Solutions Group.

Burns received a Bachelor of Science degree from Polytechnic Institute of New York in 1980 and a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University in 1981.

She serves on professional and community boards, including PQ

90

39

Vice President of Technology Services and Operations

A

s an executive with a $5.24 billion multinational company, Dorothea Henderson is a visionary IT leader bringing a

providing fully managed services to airlines and business aircraft operators around the world.

Henderson’s colleagues describe her as a collaborative leader who effectively

Original WWW Summer 2016,

Issue

pg 162

View on ISSUU. com

2016

Dorothea Henderson • Rockwell Collins

Operations. Henderson said the most important leadership quality a woman should have is the ability to lead in a

"

I have been very fortunate in my career to have sponsors and strong supporters.

I learned over time that acting like a man was not required to be a successful leader.

global perspective to the relationships between information technology, business and operations.

As Rockwell Collins’ staff vice president of Technology Services and Operations, within the Information Management Systems (IMS) division, Henderson is responsible for corporate strategy and execution of IMS enterprise wide technology shared services, oversight of global technology, cybersecurity, mission critical facilities and the 7x24x365 network operations center. Her high performance team is accountable for an architecture comprised of highly integrated applications and global networks

40

directs her team to strive for their best.

They say she utilizes her IT management and financial expertise to quickly analyze opportunities to drive down costs and grow revenue.

Her leadership has successfully guided technology groups through many changes throughout the years.

She has experience in leading business units as well as CIO organizations, offering a unique perspective on leveraging technology to expand margins, optimize operations, and maintain strong relationships with internal business peers.

Henderson has worked in a wide variety of executive roles within the IMS organization. She was a senior manager of Global Products, director of Aviation Networks, director of Corporate Technology Business Planning, senior director of Corporate Applications and Business Planning, and is now staff vice president of Technology Services and

"

collaborative way, while being decisive and acting swiftly. Her colleagues say her actions reflect her words as she doesn’t hesitate to make the hard decisions leaders need to make for the business. She lives by the words “never allow fear of failure to dictate decisions or choices.”

Henderson said being a woman in her profession has been challenging, but more due to internal conflict versus external factors. “I have been very fortunate in my career to have sponsors and strong supporters. I learned over time that acting like a man was not required to be a successful leader,” she said.

Henderson sits on a variety of boards and earlier this year was named to the board of the Chesapeake Regional Tech Council and the Anne Arundel Community College Foundation. She holds a BS in finance and accounting from Pennsylvania State University. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2017 Jeri Jones • UnitedHealthcare

West Region CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community & State

"

To be successful, businesses must build a diverse and inclusive culture by hiring diverse talent, creating an inclusive environment and inviting diverse ideas.

"

J

com View on ISSUU.

eri Jones is the CEO for the west region of UnitedHealthcare Community & State, a business segment of UnitedHealthcare committed to providing Medicaid coverage for more than six million people. Accountable for Medicaid health plans in seven west region states, Jones is driving additional growth efforts. She works closely with state governments to understand their needs, and the needs of their residents, and ensures that the

Original WWW

Summer 2017, pg

SPRING 2018

Issue

company is exceeding expectations for all involved.

A primary focus for Jones over the past 18 months has been the integration of physical and behavioral health care – within UnitedHealthcare Community & State and across the Medicaid landscape. In most Medicaid programs, these systems are separate entities, resulting in inefficient spend and missed opportunities for holistic care.

She has worked with UnitedHealth Group leaders, state partners, individual providers and community organizations to demonstrate the importance of an integrated, whole-person approach to care.

So far, 12 states have adopted a more fully integrated model of care.

Jones is a champion of UnitedHealth Group’s five core values – integrity, relationships, innovation, compassion and performance – not only at work, but in everything she does. An active member of her community, she currently serves as the chair

of the board of directors for the American Heart Association and sits on the board of Downtown Phoenix Inc. This CEO believes that businesses that embrace diversity and inclusion outperform their peers by driving innovation and responding to the wants and needs of their diverse customer base. To be successful, businesses must build a diverse and inclusive culture by hiring diverse talent, creating an inclusive environment and inviting diverse ideas.

As an active participant in UnitedHealth Group’s mentoring program for women, Jones mentors colleagues on their way up. She has also coached many women through various connections and boards.

“I encourage female leaders to find strong male and female mentors, and surround themselves with diverse views,” she says. She also advises women to be open to the possibility of making lateral career moves if they seem beneficial and to create challenges for themselves along the way. PDJ

100

41

Angela Marie Camacho RenĂŠe Castillo Moanica Caston Millicent York Chancellor Lynette Chappell-Williams Sherry Chris Jamie Chung Tory Clarke Erica Coogan Shantella Cooper Kelly McNamara Corley Dianne Craig Jennifer Cyra Beatrix Dart Jana J. Davis Mary P. Davis Lisa M. DeFrancsco Deborah L. DeHaas Christina Diaz-Malone Dina Dwyer-Owens Gail Edgar Deborah K. Edwards Gudbjorg Edda Eggertsdottir Gerri Elliott Irene M. Esteves Flavia Faugeres Carol Hyland Forsyte Linda D. Forte Wendy Foster Cassandra Franklin Reena Gambhir Reena Gambhir Alejandra Garza Carrie Gates Kathleen Geraghty Karen A. Giannelli Alison Gleeson Kathleen Rose Golovan Barbara M. Gonzalez Linda Goodspeed Elizabeth P. Hall Helene Harding Naureen Hassan Karen Heath-Wade Deborah Hecker Patricia M. Henry Kristin Hilf Tija Rose Hilton-Phillips Sarah Hodgdon Camille Jablonski Rear Admiral "CJ" Jaynes Jingrong Jean Cui Tammy Johns Donna A. Johnson Walease Jones Yvette Jones Guylaine Saint Juste Kathryn Susan Kaminsky Laura Kane

42

Sara Kearney Someera Khokhar Amy Knepp Emily Williams Knight Kathleen Kopczick Uma Kotagal Marla Kott Carolyn Kubota Joanne Kugler Lisa Wong Lackland Susan S. Lanigan Susan LaVallee Laurie Ledford Courtney Hall Leimkuhler Jacqueline Leung Pamela Liebman Anne M. Lockner Sammie Long Gena Lovett Caryl N. Lucarelli Carol Lynch Ailie MacAdam Lisa A. Madden Lauralee E. Martin Linda Mattes Laurie McCall Vonya McCann Liz McCarthy Christine Liu McLaughlin Joan Menke-Schaenzer Kalpana M. Merchant Michele M. Merrell Ana M. Middleton Margaret A. Mitchell Laura Monica Tracie Morris Erin Moseley Tania Moussallem Beatriz Munoz-Shock Carol Murphy Gwen Muse-Evans Linda K. Myers Irene Natividad Latondra Newton Dana O'Brien Vicki O'Meara Anna-Maria Gonzalez Palmer Laurinda Pang Dr. Kizzy M. Parks Allyson Peerman Diana M. Peninger Heather Pomerantz Kim Pope Julia Poston Kimberly F. Price Jeanine L. Prime Shemin V. Proctor Laura G. Quatela Deborah Z. Read

Tanya Reu Cecilia G. Reyes Jessica Rodriguez Kristine Santa-Coloma Rohls Kate Rubin Charan J. Sandhu Elissa Ellis Sangster Namrata Sawant Kimberly C. Sawyer Pauline C. Scalvino Cheryl Scarboro Darcee Scavone Jennifer Schoenhofer Erin Selleck Wendy Shen Yedwa Simelane Gail L. Smith Jennifer E. Smith Linda Snow-Solum Martha Soehren Cheryl Spruill Sonia Sroka Lisa Stewart Michele L. Stocker Kimberly Taylor Pamme Lyons Taylor Gayla Thal Josie J. Thomas Debra Thorpe Catie Tobin Gabrielle Toledano Clarena Tolson Michele P. Toth Colleen Tracy Michelle Troseth Vickie E. Turner Terry Tuttle Elizabeth A. Ward Alyson Warhurst Lisa Watson Janey Whiteside Susan Whiting Angela T. Wilkes Jill N. Willis Kathleen Wilson-Thompson Kay Lynne Wolf Beth Wozniak

2013

Gladys Ato Chantay Bridges Elizabeth Burton Anne Carter Katie Carter Nancy Carter Mona Chitre

Bonnie Ciuffo Darla Clark Shauna Clark Kristen Colby Kelly Conway Ellen Cooper Tracie Crook Karen Daniels Mary Dennis Savitri Dixon-Saxon Heather Endresen Kim Feil Renee Figge Ora Fisher Joy Fitzgerald Lana Flakes Ashby Fox Jacquie Fredericks Sharon Garavel Maria Gatti Heather Generes Stephanie Giammarco Monica Gil Gurwinder Gill Diana Giuliani Michelle Gloeckler Miriam Gonzalez Donna Goodrich Andra Greene Hannah Grove Franca Gucciardi Kim Hanemann Shandon Harbour Samaa Haridi LaDoris Harris Jill Hruby Yie-Hsin Hung Tiffany Jana Angela Johnson Kimberly Johnson Rhonda Johnson Kira Jones Myrtle Jones Lori Kalani Terri Kallsen Nazzic Keene Kristen Kimmell Linda Klein Kim Koopersmith Jennifer LaClair Josephine Liu Heidi Lorenzen Shanin Lott Buena Lyons Alex Marren Lorraine Martin Rhonda Medows Monique Mercier Angela Messer

diversityjournal.com

Donna Loughlin Michaels Catharina Min Rimma Mitelman Wendy Morriarty Traci Morris Harriet Mountcastle-Walsh Raime Leeby Muhle Laura O'Brien Becca Ogden Uzoamaka Okoye Tina Parscal Bonnie Peat Cheryl Perera Flora Perez Hilda Perez Patricia Perez Sue Ann Perkinson Marta Piñeiro-Núñez Terri Pope Mayda Prego Sandy Price Shelly Ralston Sharon Ramalho Uma Rani Andrea Rattner Hallie Reese Li-Hsien Rin-Laures Dagmar Rosa-Bjorkeson Kellie Rotunno Tarsha Rowland Hollis Salzman Christine Sandler Claudia Schaefer Gina Schaefer Kathy Schoettlin Kaylynn Schroeder Alison Sebastian Theresa Shaw Jennifer Sherman Luann Simmons Deborah Singh Mio Tanaka Nicole Theophilus Heather Thiltgen Kelsey Turcotte Alina Urdaneta Karine Uzan-Mercié Kristin Valente Christina Varghese Barbara Wallander Tracey Webb Deb Weidenhamer Bari Weinberger Anna White Nicole White Rashada Whitehead Abby Wilkinson Elizabeth Williams-Riley Debby Young

SPRING 2018

2014

Susan Abundis Anita Allemand Frances Allen Suzanne Alwan Michelle Appel-Kern Jacqueline Becerra Katrina Becker Kate Betsworth Sandra Botcher Susan Brady Karen Burns Tatum Buse Stephanie Bush Fran Cashman Sona Chawla Nikka Copeland Pamela L. Cox Angela Crawford Judy Durkin Anastasia Dzura Lori Eaton Tara Elliott Patti Harris Mary Beth Hogan Maggie Chan Jones Susan Murley Susan Paternoster Rosa Pineiro Gillian Printon M. Christie Smith Robyn Smyers Meredith Stevens Sheri Stoltenberg Terry Stone Debbie Storey Jennifer Swaim Dorothy Swanson Jennifer Whip

2015

Tanzania Adams Melody Adhami Lexi Alexander DeAnna Allen Jill C. Anderson Regina (Gina) L. Andrukaitis Anne M. Armao Sheryl L. Axelrod M. Denise Bailey Dr. Fiona Bartels-Ellis OBE Diane Bartoli

Jennifer Bedard Maureen Bennett Kerry E. Berchem Amal Berry-Brown Erica Berthou Sarah Beshar Patricia Betron Cindy Bigner Marsha Blanco Maria F. Blase Madonna Bolano Jeannie M. Bollinger Juliet N. Bouyea Laura A. Boydston Candida Brooks and Sandra Bernabei Mary Patrice ("Mary Pat") Brown Ashley Burke Sheila P. Burke Cheri Burnham Lisa Callahan Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson Lorraine Mullings Campos Cynthia Cancio Marci Carris LaVon D. Chancy Marie Chandoha Inajo Davis Chappell Katherine Y.K. Cheung Laura Gonzalez Ciabarra Cheryl Cofield Abbi Cohen Allison Conyers Elizabeth Cooper Ruth Cotter Bonnie Crater Carol Crowe Shannon Curtin Raynor Dahlquist Robin J. Davenport Julia Davis Sharon Harvey Davis Monica H. Davy Cari Dawson Sharon Denson, CPA, CGMA Marilyn Devoe Elena Doom Barbara Doornink Judith H. Dotson Ghislaine Duymelings Dianne Earley Mandy Edwards Rebecca Eisner Kathleen Elie Shelly A. Espinosa Stephanie Evans Caroline Faulkner Kristy Fercho Jeanne Finegan Jeanne Finegan

Alice Fisher Serena Fong Fran Forehand Karen Fowler-Williams Rachel Franklin Christine Furstoss Nancy J. Gagliano, M.D. Reena Gambhir Norelie Garcia Valeria Chapa Garza Heidi B. Goldstein Megan Gomez Shira Goodman Tia T. Gordon Jennifer K. Grady Danielle Gray Kelly Gray Denise O'Neil Green Jennifer Green Kim Greene Molly Greene Sandra Guynes Karie Hall Sharon S. Hamilton Christine D. Hanley Malou C. Harrison, PhD Tomeka Hart Alison J. Hartley Julianne M. Hartzell Julianne M. Hartzell Susie Heins Bonnie Hensler Debbie Higgins Kathy Higgins Lori High Cindi Hook Tammy Y. Hunter Laurel Hurd Marisa Iasenza Jillian Maver Ihsanullah Tracey K. Jaensch Carine Jean-Claude Dr. Nicole L. Johnson Marianne Johnson Michele D. Johnson Alex Johnston Deanna Jones Tracey Joubert Marla Kanemitsu Amy Kaplanis Gail A. Karish Inna Kassatkina Nurit Katz Linda Kay Lynn Kelley Christie B. Kelly Nataly Kelly Jennifer M. Keough Jerrie Kertz

43

Vice President, Latin America

ot only is Denise Rutherford a passionate advocate for women, and for women in STEM careers, but also for all employees everywhere.

In addition to her substantial technical knowledge and successful business leadership, Denise has gained deep international experience and the respect of colleagues and customers alike. She focuses on delivering results, as well as elevating the skills and effectiveness of her people.

In a 3M career spanning more than a quarter of a century, Denise has contributed to the company’s success in roles ranging from research chemist to lab manager and technical director, and from vice president and general manager of 3M’s Aerospace and Aircraft Maintenance department to vice president of all Latin American operations—a position she holds today.

“Moving from technical management to business management was my big

jump,” says Rutherford. “I learned an incredible amount about how the company works across all functions to meet customers’ expectations and create value in our markets.”

In addition to her valuable contributions at 3M, Denise developed and continues to serve as chair of the Women Leadership Forum for Latin America.

Denise holds a PhD in organic chemistry from Colorado State University—Fort Collins, as well as an MS in chemistry and a BS in chemistry and mathematics from Murray State University. She gives generously of her time as volunteer, board leader, and a mentor and coach to men and women alike. Her enthusiasm and positivity are contagious, and her ability to candidly and openly address issues that are often uncomfortable is widely admired.

The most important quality a woman leader should have is… …the ability to empower our teams to achieve business results, as well as to inspire our people to be curious, to create and innovate. The more people feel valued and respected, and that their work is making a difference, the more they are willing to contribute.

The one thing I’d do differently in my career, knowing what I know now, is… …start a journal to keep track of all the small things learned along the way. The big stuff is easy to remember because I either cried or celebrated. The little things might be just as important but tend to get lost in the busy-ness of the present.

44

Original WWW Sep/Oct 2015,

Issue

pg 19

View on ISSUU. com

2015 N Dr. Denise Rutherford • 3M

Being a woman in my profession has been… …an amazing and extremely rewarding opportunity to work with people all over the world. I’ve been able to show women especially that it’s possible to have a truly successful career and a great family. And I’ve been able to involve men in helping make 3M an even greater company for everyone. The diversity of our global workforce makes us a more successful company and a more fun place to work!

I’ve learned that failure is… …part of the process. We are all human.

The most important things to learn from failure are to do it differently next time around and to accept that others may fail too.

I maintain a healthy personal life by…

Finding time to exercise, eat good food (not comfort food), do yoga, hug my kids, have a date with my husband, and call my mother.

I knew my present career was what I wanted to do when…

I spent time on customer-focused projects to work on their challenges and saw the benefit of customer engagement first hand. Sharing our innovative spirit to help our customers is how “3M Science Applied to Life” really works! PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2008 Tracey Doi • Toyota

Group Vice President, Chief Financial Officer

"

Rather than seeking one mentor, look for more than one advisor for different facets of your life. Build your own board of directors.

"

W

com View on ISSUU.

hen I reflect upon my professional journey several themes resonate, beginning with continuous learning.

I am continuously learning, deepening my functional expertise and industry knowledge and strengthening my leadership skills through challenging assignments,

Issue Original WWW Sep/Oct 2008,

SPRING 2018

educational resources, and professional organizations. I’ve learned the most by venturing into new areas and stretching myself.

I am grateful for the many supporters who believed in me, provided challenging opportunities, and gave me enough freedom to stumble, grow, and develop. Rather than seeking one mentor, look for more than one advisor for different facets of your life. Build your own board of directors. No one knows you better than you, but it often helps to have a sounding board to double check that you’re staying true to your core values. It’s hard work to keep priorities in check, but it’s worth the effort.

Surround yourself with talent.

I recognize that one person can only contribute so much.

Augment your strengths by building a talented team at work.

Listen closely and incorporate

your team’s ideas. Remember to recognize and thank team members frequently. It’s also important to have a strong support system at home. You’ll accomplish much more. Set aside time to give back to the community and to develop others.

Find the right culture. It’s a gift to find a culture that allows you to grow and learn in a profession and environment that you love. You’re bound to thrive and give your best.

I’m very fortunate to have found Toyota. Its guiding principles are continuous improvement and respect for people. The company’s values align with my personal beliefs. Not only can I contribute through my finance and administration responsibilities, but I also enjoy supporting others through our business partnering groups and community outreach. PDJ

pg 70

45

Vice President, Disability and Long Term Care Product Management, Northwestern Mutual; President & CEO of the Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company

Original WWW Summer 2017, pg

Issue 104

View on ISSUU. com

2017

Kamilah Williams-Kemp • Northwestern Mutual

"

Helping families and businesses preserve their wealth or build a new legacy is tremendously important to me as an African-American woman in a community where many are able to build wealth for the first time.

"

A

s vice president of the long-term care department at Northwestern Mutual, and president and CEO of its wholly owned subsidiary, Northwestern Long Term Care Insurance Company, Kamilah Williams-Kemp is the only executive leading multiple profit and loss areas, and the only female executive with P&L responsibility. She also serves as a mentor for young people and people of color at the company, and developed and chaired the African-American Employee Resource Group (ERG).

Recognized by Savoy Magazine as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America, she was also named one of Black Enterprise’s 2017 Most Powerful Women in Business.

Outside work, Williams-Kemp serves her alma maters by helping to recruit future influencers – particularly women and people of color. She also sits on the

46

local board of Rocketship Education, a national network of charter schools seeking to eliminate the achievement gap for low-income kindergarten-to5th-grade students through educator empowerment, parent engagement and community inspiration.

“Diversity and inclusion is deeply personal for me,” Williams-Kemp explains. “Certainly, I have broken through many barriers, but D&I is a larger vision for me. What keeps me in the financial services industry is knowing how valuable financial planning is to the families we serve, especially families of color. I have seen the impact of people living life without an adequate financial plan in place. Helping families and businesses preserve their wealth or build a new legacy is tremendously important to me as an African-American woman

in a community where many are able to build wealth for the first time.

“I am a founding member of Northwestern Mutual’s AfricanAmerican Employee Resource Group, which paved the way for our other ERGs and expanded our dialogue about diversity and inclusion,” says Williams-Kemp. “To unleash the potential of employees, tap into new markets, inspire innovation and cut through the noise in the marketplace, you must include diverse perspectives.”

Williams-Kemp offers this advice to other women: “Immerse yourself in learning the business, developing your skills and taking on new challenges.

If you want to be the boss, be clear on why. It isn’t always as glamorous as it looks! You need a deep sense of purpose driving you when things get tough.” PDJ

diversityjournal.com

2016 Lori Singleton • Salt River Project

Director of Customer Programs & Operations Support

A

com View on ISSUU.

s a director with one of the nation’s largest public power utilities, Lori Singleton is responsible for programs that have an impact in the world.

Singleton is director of Customer Programs and Operations Support at Salt River Project (SRP), a community based nonprofit utility. As a 38-year employee of SRP, she’s a well-known advocate for the sustainable management of natural resources and protection of the environment who is valued for balancing the utility customer’s needs with protecting the natural world. SRP is the oldest multipurpose federal reclamation project in the country, supplying cost-effective electric and water services to about a million customers throughout large portions of Arizona.

Original WWW Summer 2016,

SPRING 2018

Issue

pg 165

At SRP, Singleton is responsible for developing and implementing sustainability initiatives, including rooftop solar and programs that help reforest land destroyed by fire, support solar for local nonprofits, encourage the adoption of electric vehicles and help customers green up their energy. She built her career around a passion for responsible environmental protection and sustainability initiatives.

Under one of her programs, Singleton spearheads SRP’s Solar for Nonprofits, which provides solar photovoltaic installations and has helped reduce operational costs for 57 Valley nonprofit organizations including Habitat for Humanity, Child Crisis Center and the Phoenix Zoo. She also oversees revitalization initiatives through SRP’s Trees for Change program that helps prevent wildfires and revitalizes the lands they destroy.

Since 2010, more than 1.3 million acres of Arizona forests have been destroyed by devastating wildfires.

In partnership with the National Forest Foundation, SRP has planted about a million trees on 2,560 acres of forest land through the program, which is funded by SRP customers who pledge $3 or more on their monthly bills and SRP matching donations up to $200,000 annually.

Singleton has expanded the program with the Trees for Touchdowns campaign in partnership

with the Arizona Cardinals football team. SRP funds planting 100 pine trees per touchdown. With the team finishing last season with a record 59 touchdowns, it resulted in SRP planting 5,900 additional trees. The program is in full swing again this year with the Cardinals’ season.

Singleton serves on the Board of Directors for Arizona Forward and Liberty Wildlife. She has served on the Governor’s Solar Energy Advisory Task Force, the City of Phoenix Commission on the Environment, Board Chair for Valley Forward Association, and Board Chair for Audubon of Arizona.

SRP is the umbrella name for two separate entities: The Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District and the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association.

One is a state electrical utility for the Phoenix Metropolitan area and the other is the primary water provider for much of central Arizona. PDJ

47

Elizabeth K. King Noreen King Rachel Kirsh Joye Langley Steffany Larkins Melisa Tropeano LaTour Teresa Lavoie Allegra J. Lawrence-Hardy Michelle B. Lee Deirdre A. Leid Kellie Lerner Sue Liddie Lori Lightfoot Dr. Andrea Lindell Jennifer LoBianco Helene Gassen Lollis Danna Lyons Kristin MacMillan Kira Makagon Lori Malcolm Jennifer Marchetti Elissa Margolis Christine Marquez-Hudson Z. Ileana Martinez Juliette Mayers Kristen McCallion Brooks McCorcle Sara McCoy Peggy McCullough Ann McElaney-Johnson Meredith McKenzie Mary Jane McQuillen Sheila F. McShane Monique Hunt McWilliams Paula Menkveld Sonia Menon Ginger Miller Amy Mills Elizabeth Mitchell Maxine L. Moreau Irene Moshouris Josie L. Mousseau Catherine Moy Kris Muller Lisa Munro Ina Murray Amorell Saunders N'Daw Sepideh Nasiri Nancy Santiago Negrón Mary Buell Nemerov Tonya G. Newman Randa Newsome Michelle O'Neill Beth O’Brien Michelle Ouellette Leigh A. Parker Kelly Pasterick Lia Patton Rosie Marie Peterson

48

Elen Phillips Carolyn Pleiss Allison Pond Therese D. Pritchard Mary E. Purkiss Wendy Purvey Dr. Coral Quiet Keila Ravelo Emilie M. Ray Jan Stern Reed Deborah Roberts Kimberly Lewis Robinson Karen Wells Roby Leigh Roop Stacie Ropka Kate Rossi Mary Kay Runyan Dr. Denise Rutherford Carla Rutigliano Samantha Ryan Judy Sansone Rebecca Santana Susanne Schaffert, PhD Kelly Schetzsle Kristi Schiller Gayle Schueller Niki Curci Scott Karen Patton Seymour Christi Shaw Natalia A. Shuman Catherine Cornelius Smith Dorinda Smith Tammy Smith Judy Snyder Krista Sohm Natasha M. Songonuga Nicole Stanton Karen M. Stash Sara Stender Stacey D. Stewart Robyn Price Stonehill Michele Stumpe Mary Sumners Susan Sun Jill Surdek Tara D. Sutton Cathleen Taff Jackie Schleifer Taylor Dr. Karen Thomas Sheila Tierney Robyn Tingley Laurie J. Tish Suzanne Townsen Dr. Lisa Tseng Kimberley Tull Kirstin Turner Jill Van Pelt Kristen Vennum Leigh Walton

Louise Wells Teri Williams Alveda J. Williams, PhD Stephanie Willson Natasha L. Wilson Stacey Wood Sophie Wray Madelyn Yucht Heather Zachary

2016

Michele Alcazar Kiwoba Allaire Natalie Arbaugh Patty Arvielo Jennifer Ashley Joanne Bal Marianne Bamonte Ester Banque Niti Khurana Bashambu Tracy Benard Rebekah Biondo Jennifer S. Biry Dorit Ungar Black Lora Blum Heather R. Blumberg Linda Boff Catherine Botticelli Jill Brannon Shannon (Stubo) Brayton Lynwen Brennan Christi Cannon Kit Chaskin Anne Chow Mary Clark Linda Conklin Tracy Craig Bonnie Crater Melissa Croll Ande Diaz Leticia M. Diaz Britt Dougherty Tiffany Downs Ghislaine Duijmelings Rosalyn Durant Tracy-Gene G. Durkin Eldora Ellison Janet Engels Abigail Epane-Osuala Jocelyn Evans Katrina Evans Lisa Ferri Melanie Figueroa Ana Fuentevilla Heather Garboden Jessica Garvey

Rikki Gerson-Parry Jane Gitere Lynda Gonzales-Chavez Kimberley Crews Goode Gail Gottehrer Ramandeep Grewal Lisa Guess M. Susan Hardwick Phyllis Perrin Harris Dorothy "Dee Dee" Helfenstein Dorothea Henderson Angie Hickey Janette Hostettler June Howard Julia Huang Nike Irvin Valerie Ford Jacob Lydia James Victoria Jandreau Brenda Herschbach Jarrell Blair Eden Kaminsky Kay Kapoor Francine Katsoudas April Kelly-Drummond Tracy Keogh Lucy Keoni Heather R. Kissling Dinette Koolhaas Linda Liu Kordziel Linda Kornfeld Christine Krathwohl Julie Kuriakose Rebecca Liebert Brooke E. Lively Emilia Lopez Julia Lu Kristin MacMillan Amy Magnotta Linda M. McAvoy Marjorie A. McKeithen Tamie Minami Bertha Minnihan Kelly Munson Vas Nair Carrie S. Nebens Sharon Nelles Katherine L. Neville Sandra Nielsen Norberta N. Noguera Pamela A. O’Rourke Jamie Ohl Nuan Openshaw-Dion Tania Oppedisano Camille V. Otero Manuela Papadopol Kelli Parsons Sherrod Patching Leslie Patterson Ana Paula de Almeida Santos

diversityjournal.com

Nicole M. Perkins Kathleen Flynn Peterson Kristine Pizzo Joanna Pomykala Kim Pope Alicia Powell Catherine Powell Sripriya Raghunathan Sallie T. Rainer Dr. Vidya Raman-Tangella Sonu Ratra Sarah Ray Jennifer Recine Jeannie Rhee Sue Rice Allison Sabia Anna Sankaran Kimberly R. Scardino Leah Schleicher Kim Schleiff Ursula Schliessler Deborah Gutierrez Schloss Tammy L. Schultz Vanessa A. Scott Denise Sharperson Rebecca Shields Patricia A. Shlonsky Debbie Singh Lori Singleton Joelle M. Smith Lisa J. Smith Tara L. Smith Myrna Soto Zarina Lam Stanford Brande Stellings Laura Stone Nicole Stoner Susan V. Stucker Meg Hopkins Taylor Rachel Taylor Melissa Bayer Tearney Caroline Tsay Patty Turner Penelope Delgadillo Valencia Renee VanHeel Cynthia Johnson Walden Lynne Walker Tricia Wilber Janet D. Williams Kenya Woodruff Vanessa Ellerbe Wyche Sue Yannaccone Min C. Zhang

2017

Michelle Brauer Abidoye

SPRING 2018

Rachel J. Adcox Elizabeth A. Alquist Adele Alvarez Patty Arvielo Donna A. Balaguer Jamie Barton Theresa M. Bates Eleanor Beaton Jackie Berg Jennifer Blatnik Juliana L. Blum Suzanne Boda Aarti Goorha Bowman Amy M. Brachio Janet M. Brown Margaret Coen Calomino Catherine M.A. Carroll Fiona Carter Kristen Cavallo Dr. Divya Choudhary Sonia L. Coleman Michele Lynn Connell Kristin Courcy Aimee DeCamillo Melissa Di Donato Eloiza T. B. Domingo-Snyder Ann Doyle Corrin N. Drakulich Lynn Dugle HÊlène Etzi Kimberly Eul Angela Ferrante Tammy Forrester Janis Fraser, Ph.D. Amy Freedman Melissa Gardner Shannan Gardner Sheryl Koval Garko Lisa Gerber Kimberly A. Harriman Gail Heimann Jean Hempel, CIMA Esther S. Hernandez Julie Herwig Laura Higgins Kathryn M. Horgan Rachel Hudson Audrey Laning Ingram Renee Inomata Jenny J. Jackson Tandra Jackson Tamara Johnson Jeri Jones Crystal Kardys Nikki Katz Jennifer Keough Elaine K. Kim Ellen Knarr Vivian Kwok

Karin Landry Jalana Lewis Brooke Lively Michelle Lopez Sharon Lykins Kristin MacMillan Pallavi Mahajan Jasleen K. Makker Brenda Marshall Anne McCallion Sandy McIntosh Robin D. Miller Jacki Minicola Christine A. Montenegro Ann Marie Mortimer Michelle Muscat Susan L. Nardone Rita-Anne O'Neill Kathy Patoff Lani Perlman Teena W. Piccione Alexandra (Sandra) Poe Bronwyn F. Pollock Gay Porter Tracey Powell Lara D. Pringle Natacha Rafalski Su Rankin Kim M. Rivera Dionne M. Rousseau Isabel C. Safie Melanie W. Saunders Dee Sawyer Ann Senne Namita Tripathi Shah Hannah Sholl Sabrina Siddiqui Mala Singh Stacey P. Slaughter Jenny Snow-Boscolo Lisa J. Sotto Deborah A. Sundal Laura Swihart Sara Taylor Aurora Taylor-Rojas Heather S. Tewksbury Kanchana TK Toki Toguri Roberta G. Torian Dnika J. Travis, Ph.D. Dr. Lisa Tseng Tanya Walker Barbara Freedman Wand Kylie Watson-Wheeler Mary Kay Wegner Gwyn Williams Kamilah Williams-Kemp Natasha L. Wilson Wanda Young

Kathy Zelenock Shaun Ellen Zitting

2017 STEM Carol Adkins Farah Ali Brigit Anthony Carmen Patricia Cateriano Suzette Chance Betty Chen Lauren Degnan Francine Dunn Isabel Espina-Carvajal Tamara Fraizer Tamara Franz-Odendaal Lisa Freed Jeannie Gardner Lucille Gartman Gail Gottehrer Gillian Gregory Miriam Hernandez-Kakol Patricia Hinerman Justine Johannes Meera Kaul Marcia Kayath Cindy Langston Kaela Mainsah Noel Marshall Brooks McCorcle Anita Meiklejohn Ronda P. Moore Susan Morrison Janet Oren Teresa Ostapower Teena Piccione Heather L. Prichard Rashmi Rao Jenifer Robertson Stacie Ropka Anna Schlegel Julie-Anne Selvey Chandrika Shrinivasan Lesley Sigall Miriam Soza Mirjana Spasojevic Janine M. Susan Linda Taliaferro Ligia Vilela Lihua Zhao

49

50

diversityjournal.com

Advertisers SPRING 2018

51

advertisers

W

e want to give a special thank you to these advertisers for being an integral part of our diversity journey. With your continued dedication and support, we have been able to change the corporate landscape and help shape the future.

3M

Citigroup

AARP Abbott Laboratories Aflac Alcoa Ameren Corporation

Comcast CSC CVS Caremark Daimler Chrysler Dechert

American Airlines AT&T

Dell Delta Airlines

AXA Equitable Bank of the West Bausch & Lomb

Diversity Best Practices Dupont Excellus

BDO USA Bernard Hodes Group

Exelon EY

Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina BMO Financial Group Boeing Booz Allen Hamilton Burger King Corporation CenturyLink Charles Schwab Chevron Cisco

52

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

53

54

diversityjournal.com

advertisers Fannie Mae

Idaho National Laboratories

Ford Motor Company Freddie Mac General Motors Georgia Pacific

Ingersoll Rand ITT Ivy Planning JP Morgan Chase

Halliburton Hallmark Harman

KeyBank Kodak KPMG

Harris Bank HCA

L-3 Lee Hecht Harrison

Holland & Knight LLP Honeywell

Lincoln Financial Group Linkage Lockheed Martin MeadWestvaco-WestRock MGM Mirage Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance National Grid Nationwide Insurance New York Life Northrop Grumman

SPRING 2018

55

advertisers Novartis Pharmaceuticals

The Winters Group, Inc.

Parker Hannifin PepsiCo, Inc. Pfizer

Unilever UnitedHealth Group Vanguard

PNC Bank Pratt & Whitney

Verizon W.W. Grainger

PricewaterhouseCoopers Prudential Financial Raytheon

Walgreens Walmart Waste Management, Inc.

RBC Reliant Energy

WellPoint Williams

Rockwell Collins Rohm & Haas

Xerox

Salt River Project Shell Oil Company Society for Human Resource Management Sodexo Starbucks Coffee State Farm Insurance The Coca Cola Company The Walt Disney Company

56

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

57

58

diversityjournal.com

Contributor Articles

SPRING 2018

59

W

e invite you to explore 43 of the most intriguing articles written for PDJ over the past two decades by some of the most influential and generous thought leaders in the diversity and inclusion field. We think you’ll find them as relevant and important today as when they were first published.

60

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

61

62

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

63

M

iriam Webster’s online dictionary defines pioneer as a person or group that originates or helps open up a new line of thought or activity or a new method or technical development. The word is derived from the old French word peon, which means foot soldier. You might say pioneers march into new territory.

Over the years, we've featured some of the true pioneers of diversity: those individuals who blazed the trail into workforce equality long before companies and organizations saw the value of workplace diversity.

We asked each of them to look into their crystal ball and tell us where the diversity movement was going

in the next ten or fifteen years. We found their answers covered a broad range of outcomes and predictions, as if consensus were impossible.

We are proud to acknowledge the contributions made by these individuals and by others. We appreciate and celebrate their work, too. Just having these giants share their thoughts and ideas with us is satisfying beyond words.

Take a seat and open your eyes, ears and hearts to the reflections of The Pioneers of Diversity.

We feature some of these pioneers throughout this 20th Tribute Issue. To read their original articles go to the July/August Issue of PDJ on ISSUU. PDJ

Original PDJ Is sue Jul/Aug 2007,

64

pg 29

View on ISSUU. com

The Pioneers of Diversity

diversityjournal.com

A Look at the Future of Diversity Like a group of jamming musicians that come together and produce great music, we believe that if you placed the pioneers of diversity in a room, we would be able to once again prove the truth of the diversity thesis statement . . . that the more diverse team does indeed outperform the less diverse team.

We

are honored and humbled to be featured in such illustrious company. We write this perspective on the future of diversity as our entry into the “band” that will continue to lead the collective thinking on diversity and inclusion. The legacy of diversity will be built around separate but connected platforms: • The emerging global economy • The more diverse corporation as an agent for social change • The power of one No longer is diversity a matter of if or when.

Yesterday’s work began with “proving that diversity is coming to your organization.” Today the world is diverse. Your life is diverse.

How you choose to operate within that reality is up to you. But in every way you live, diversity improves, alters, and influences your life. Ivy is known for its approach to diversity as a business imperative. The world has come to understand that diversity is both a work and life imperative.

The Emerging Global Economy The world is shrinking. The largest

SPRING 2018

economy in the world is moving from the United States to China.

An enormous, insular culture knows how we in the United States live.

Technology has enabled the global village. The dish has won.

If technology enabled that connection, diversity provides the grease that manages the friction that would otherwise tear us apart.

The More Diverse Corporation as an Agent for Social Change Diverse people, with more access to wealth, resources and know-how, will become the new agents for

social change.

Corporate contributions will reflect the preferences of new and different decision-makers. Diverse communities will benefit from the

Original PDJ Is sue Jul/Aug 2007,

pg 30

View on ISSUU. com

Gary A. Smith and Janet Crenshaw Smith

knowledge gained in the workplace on “how things operate” and deployed back at the home front.

Improved access to resources will equip different people to achieve the social change that also benefits them.

The Power of One The key to the future is that difference—diversity—will not be seen as less than. Organizations will cease to operate from a place of scarcity, no longer taking the minimalist view of diversity. They will not take a “Noah’s Ark” approach because two of everything simply may not be enough. Because the thesis statement is true, we know that we must have as much of it as possible. We cannot have too much.

Adding difference can only make us better because it is the difference that continues to protect us from our blind spots and to create breakthrough opportunities.

This happens when we truly see power in the individual—not in the masses and the majority but in the power of one. Our ability to effectively engage at that level creates a different world.

These platforms are the future, because diversity is. PDJ

65

Embracing Multiple Generations in the Workforce

I

n the workplace, generational differences in values, ideas, and communication methods can affect everything from recruiting and team building to productivity, morale, and retention. Developing strategies for effective cross-generational communication can ultimately eliminate confusion and misunderstandings, and help create an environment where employees of all generations feel engaged, challenged, and fulfilled.

For the first time in our country’s history there are four distinct generations working side by side: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. Each generation relies on unique attitudes, behaviors, expectations, and motivational factors. At Sodexo this means acknowledging differences and recognizing that education and awareness are important tools in creating a cohesive and mutually satisfactory work environment.

With this in mind Sodexo created the Generations in the Workplace learning lab. This interactive and informative learning lab provides participants with guidelines to better understand each generation’s values,

66

beliefs, and behaviors in the workplace.

Participants also practice skills to bridge generational differences in communication style for more effective communication across generations.

By the end of the session, participants are able to identify key traits of each generation, describe how generational differences can shape workplace behavior and interactions, and identify ways to adapt communication styles.

Sodexo also developed a Work/Life Effectiveness Steering Committee responsible for examining and making recommendations regarding

"

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2009,

pg 46

announced the formation of a new Intergenerational Employee Network Group, i-Gen. The i-Gen Network Group will create an environment in which generational differences are understood, appreciated, and leveraged. It will also

The most successful companies continually seek opportunities to let every generation be heard.

the quality of work life for Sodexo employees.

A subcommittee focused on the mature workforce as well as intergenerational issues.

In addition, this subcommittee created an online toolkit to celebrate May as “Older Americans Month.” The Steering Committee successfully recommended several initiatives for implementation.

Mentoring is also a strong component to influence generational understanding and appreciation. Through its Spirit of Mentoring initiative, Sodexo encourages employees to learn from each other by sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices.

In addition, Sodexo recently

View on ISSUU. com

By Dr. Rohini Anand

"

enhance understanding of employee and organizational needs based on the different generations, as well as provide an opportunity for the reciprocal transfer of knowledge between employees of different generations. Employees of all generations will have the opportunity to create a dialogue and discuss their differences and similarities and then focus on team cohesiveness.

The most successful companies continually seek opportunities to let every generation be heard. By focusing on and encouraging the professional contributions of all employees, we can help close the generational gap by offering ways for each generation to recognize their strengths and value to all colleagues. PDJ diversityjournal.com

White Males Are Part Of Diversity, Too!

By Wanda Brackins

H

com View on ISSUU.

ow do you encourage white, male middle-managers to become more involved in diversity-related programs and help them understand that diversity is also about them?

Garnering support and effectively engaging white, male middle-managers in diversity efforts is a challenge across all industries, and the securities industry has been particularly challenged in this regard. Historically, the industry hasn’t been one to attract women or people of color; however, many securities firms today are implementing tools and initiatives to help diversify their workforce.

The industry is making strides at the top of the house by engaging executive leadership, and at the individual contributor level through grassroots employee resource groups. Top-down, bottom-up... but what about the middle?

At RBC Wealth Management, executive leaders serve as sponsors for the firm’s three employee resource groups. The direct reports of the executive leadership team – white, male middle-managers, included – serve as mentors in the

sue Original PDJ Is May/June 2011,

SPRING 2018

pg 40

Diversity Dialogs Reciprocal Mentoring Program, which matches senior-level leaders with high-potential and promising women and people of color.

As part of the program, mentees commit to engaging the leaders in conversations around the challenges or perceived roadblocks they face while striving to advance their careers. Like other mentoring programs, the leaders provide guidance and support to open the doors to other leaders and special assignments. The program has proven to be an effective way to engage middle managers and bridge the diversity chasm. Over the past four years, an average of 40 mentors and mentees have enrolled in the program each year, with participation continuing to grow.

This program is achieving success because the mentoring relationship is as rewarding for the mentor as it is for the mentee.

In addition to participating in the Diversity Dialogs Reciprocal Mentoring Program, white, male middle-managers are engaged in the firm’s two diversity councils. First, the U.S. Diversity Leadership Council is comprised of 21 senior leaders and middle managers tasked with helping to drive the firm’s diversity and inclusion strategy and engage employees in their areas of responsibility to do the same.

Second, the U.S. Diversity Advisory Council is made up of 12 complex and branch directors, tasked with providing input to the Diversity Leadership Council on diversity-related tools and initiatives designed to support field recruiting, retention and brand-building efforts. Middlemanagers serving on the Diversity Advisory Council are engaged in the planning stages of field-

focused diversity initiatives, and their participation lets them impact the outcome of field diversity efforts.

Members are able to share their ideas about how to recruit financial advisors and prospective clients in multicultural markets.

Finally, RBC Wealth Management complex and branch directors participate in the Field Diversity Initiatives Program, administered by the firm’s Multicultural Employee Alliance (MEA) employee resource group. The program asks interested participants to submit nominations explaining their goals of promoting diversity initiatives and engaging employees in their areas, and awards up to three branch directors each year with funds to host a diversity-related client, brand-building, or community outreach event.

Clearly, RBC Wealth Management’s diversity and inclusion efforts are designed to engage employees at all levels. As we continue to expand our diversity programs and reach out to emerging multicultural markets, the growing number of white, male middle-managers and advisors are beginning to understand that they, too, are diversity. PDJ

67

How Do We Think About Thinking?

W

hat do a young White woman with pigtails and overalls and a 6'7" Black man have in common? Both have made me stop to think about how and why I assumed things about them that turned out to be untrue—what many would refer to as stereotyping. Did I just admit that I, a diversity practitioner, stereotype?

Absolutely. But I know I am not the kind of person who consciously buys into rote societal stereotypes. Instead, I believe I was doing what Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink—The Power of Thinking Without Thinking) refers to as “thin-slicing” or what has been defined by a Harvard study as “implicit association.” I am not qualified in psychology, but I will share two true and very real experiences, and the thoughts I had about two distinctly different individuals.

The first involves a recent plane trip, during which a young White female, in overalls and pig-tails, sat next to me. I immediately assumed she would be uneasy sitting next to a Black man, because her appearance led me to believe she was probably from a small rural town and had not come in direct contact with too many people of color in her relatively short lifetime. Now she had to share an armrest with me for two hours! I actually expected her to request a different seat once we took to the air.

Well, that didn’t happen. Instead, we had a very rich and insightful conversation that made me look at this young woman differently. She was indeed from a small town in which there are no people of color.

However, this fact sparked an interest in broadening her perspective, rather than serving as a barrier to her developing a culturally inclusive worldview. She had just returned from a missions trip to Africa and had developed a romantic interest in a fellow missionary, who happened to be African American. We had an interesting conversation on the challenges she faced as a result of that relationship—with her family, friends, and a community who did not share her same appreciation for

68

different cultures and ethnicities. I was saddened as I thought about my potential loss of getting to meet such a profound intellectual due to no other reason than the assumptions I made about who she might be based on how she looked.

So, what about the 6'7" Black man? He and I were talking about college life and experiences. When he told me the name of his alma mater I asked, without delay, “So what was it like to play basketball there?” From the look on his face, I may as well have asked how many children he had out of wedlock or what brand of fried chicken he liked the

best. To him, my assumption that he played basketball was just as offensive, especially coming from a fellow African American. Of course I know better than to think every 6'7" Black man who goes to college plays basketball, but why did my mind go there in the first place? At 6'3" myself, I get asked that question frequently—and I did not play basketball in college!

What I realized had happened was that in the absence of information, I made up details to fill in the blanks. This tendency is a natural human instinct steeped in the need for survival and self-preservation.

Upon seeing both of these human beings, my mind took only a fraction of a second to draw upon the unconscious and prepare

me to react to each in ways that I deemed appropriate.

For example, Original PDJ Is in the case sue Mar/Apr 2009, of the White pg 12 female, I was prepared for the inevitable discomfort that our proximity would cause her, based on several negative experiences I had in the past with people who looked like her and did not readily embrace diversity (I’m putting that mildly!). In the case of the Black man, I prepared to explore what I assumed would be an automatic connection we would have as athletes, influenced by his physical stature alone.

One of the critical mistakes we make in trying to understand the multitude of diversity dynamics in our lives is to jump too quickly to “fixing” the problem without understanding the root cause or asking ourselves, why? We’re quick to beat ourselves (or others) up for stereotyping without acknowledging the human instincts that cause us to associate characteristics with people before we know all of the details. This is in no way an endorsement for rampant excuses of discriminatory behavior; in fact it’s just the opposite—it’s a call to awareness.

Attorney General Eric Holder recently said that we are a nation of cowards for not talking enough about racial tensions; I agree. However, I don’t believe it’s because we don’t want to. I think it’s because we are not well-equipped to have meaningful and productive dialogue. I can (and just did!) openly admit that even though I do this work for a living, there are still “things” deep in my psyche that sometimes cause me to make incorrect assumptions about others. I may never get rid of those “things,” but if I am aware that they are there, I will continue to have more opportunities to have insightful conversations with White missionaries in pig-tails and 6'7" Black men with two left feet. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

View on ISSUU. com

By David Casey

Organizational Culture Roadblocks & Shortcuts for Leveraging Diversity: Part 1

By Pamela Arnold and Terri Kruzan

U

NDERSTANDING THE CULTURE OF YOUR ORGANIZATION IN DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT WORK IS SIMILAR TO POWERING UP YOUR GPS OR CHECKING WITH AAA BEFORE STARTING OUT ON A LONG ROAD TRIP. It helps you navigate the journey from a strategic base—by providing clues to shortcuts that can accelerate progress and identifying potential roadblocks that can derail success.

For more than 25 years, The American Institute for Managing Diversity (AIMD) and its affiliated researchers have been creating road maps for organizations to support their diversity efforts. Starting in 1984 under the initiative of Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., we partnered with pioneering companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Union Pacific Railroad and Great Rivers Girl Scout Council in the development of a culture audit process to link diversity efforts with achieving business/mission objectives.

While there has been an evolution in the kinds of roadblocks and shortcuts that accelerate or hinder diversity management, there have also been some consistencies across organizations and over time that we can share. Here

are three critical observations: • Lack of consistent understanding of an organization’s definition of diversity among stakeholders; • Lack of recognition of the impact of strategic culture drivers on success; and • Lack of recognition of the need to focus on only a few aspects of culture at a time to leverage change.

Defining Diversity

How people define diversity has been changing over the years. In 1984, people did not have a personal definition of diversity, but we find today that individuals within U.S. organizations are more likely to personally define diversity in these terms—differences and similarities among people, such as by race/ethnicity, gender, age, faith, cultural background, thinking styles, etc.

Concurrently, when we ask how stakeholders think their organization defines diversity—their responses become more muddled. Their responses range from ‘do not know’ to a focus on the action of ‘providing opportunities for employees from the protected classes.’ Apparently, there is a disconnect between how people in general define diversity and what they see as the focus of their organization’s diversity efforts.

(This is an observation pertaining to organizations with U.S.-based operations.

As you might expect, this varies when you work with populations of employees outside the U.S.)

com View on ISSUU.

Power of Strategic Culture Drivers

sue Original PDJ Is , pg 71

May/June 2012

SPRING 2018

Another general observation is the importance of understanding the impact of strategic culture drivers on the success of diversity. Strategic culture drivers are the sources of competitive advantage for organizations and influence almost all business planning decisions. An example of a strategic culture driver is—‘Maintaining Our Brand is Key to Our Success.’

In what we call Brand Cultures, there are usually high levels of conformity around ‘fitting-in.’ There may be written or unwritten rules on how to dress, style, personal appearance, lifestyle—and not knowing the importance of exhibiting, or not desiring to exhibit these rules of behavior can hinder an individual’s ability to be accepted and be given opportunities for development/ advancement. The insight we provide organizations in these situations is to focus on where ‘conforming to brand rules’ is a requirement and where is it merely a preference or a tradition.

Culture Change

Finally, organizational culture change can be a tricky business and usually takes actions on three levels: 1. Leaders modeling, recognizing and sharing the vision; 2. Educating, training and rewarding people for new attitudes and behaviors; and 3. Verifying that systems support the desired way of working. Consistent messages on expectations and how to act is important.

As can be seen, prioritizing one or two leverage points for change needs to be multiplied for culture change to have a chance of succeeding. As everyone knows, change usually does not work perfectly at first and there needs to be a readiness to re-think and tweak to meet workplace realities. It is critical to be strategic in terms of which leverage points will be most effective. PDJ

69

Diversity Charters in Europe

By Myrtha Casanova

70

m

of the EU, equality law, discrimination, prejudices, and stereotypes still continue to prevent millions of people from fully achieving their potential and companies to benefit from their talents.

Diversity is an asset, a great force for Europe that has to be cultivated and fostered, especially in difficult times of economic hardship.

Diversity charters can therefore play an essential role in bringing about a change in Europe.

Diversity charters are initiatives to which companies voluntarily adhere as a sign of commitment to accepting, appreciating, and integrating diversity within their corporate culture. They operate mostly as private initiatives of companies collaborating with the administration and social agents to create awareness regarding the benefits of diversity.

The role of diversity charters is to create awareness and encourage the participation of both the business community and public administration

in fostering diversity policies in their countries. In addition, their representatives act as social agents who raise awareness and give support to a broad range of communities. They often create tools and promote exchange of experiences to increase companies’ efficiency and innovation.

The Diversity Exchange Platform supported by the European Commission provides a meeting point for the organizations running the national diversity charters. At this platform the organizations can exchange experiences, best practices, tools and signatories throughout the European Union.

Presently there are eight charters operating in the member states of the European Union (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and Poland) and five more are expected to be launched before the end of this year. The ultimate objective is to have in the near future an organization running a diversity charter in each European member state. PDJ

Original PDJ Is sue July/Aug 2012,

pg 84

View on ISSUU. co

T

HE EUROPEAN UNION IS BUILT ON THE CORNERSTONE OF DIVERSITY. There are 27 member states (with Croatia becoming a member shortly) with their own governance systems, 23 official languages, 271 regions and countless ethnic, cultural and religious communities living in Europe.

The Diversity in Europe research carried out a decade ago showed that in 2000 some 20 percent of companies based in northern Europe were involved in managing diversity. While in southern Europe only one company per thousand was aware of diversity as a strategic corporate issue.

Only a few years later, in 2008, the Continuing the Diversity Journey project, with the European Union’s financial support, showed a spectacular change in attitudes and practices of the business community. It clearly demonstrated that 63 percent of larger companies in Europe were carrying out diversity and inclusion policies.

However, the study also confirmed that only five percent of small and medium enterprises were aware of diversity as a business case. Furthermore, only 9.7 percent of third-level education institutions included diversity in their policies and some are still working towards the introduction of diversity as an academic subject.

Back in 2000 two European directives on equal treatment were adopted. One deals comprehensively with race discrimination in all walks of life. The other focuses on employment-related discrimination on the grounds of age, disability, religion or belief and sexual orientation.

However, after a decade of the existence

diversityjournal.com

Vision of the Future Diversity Leaders

Diversity practitioners will be well-served to better understand and lead organizations in embracing the concept that only focusing on the “Xs and Os” or the scorekeeping is shortsighted and ill-fated. It is no secret that obtaining a clear ROI for diversity management initiatives is elusive to say the least. That begs the question, “Then why bother trying?”

Until practitioners and industry leaders can help companies understand the benefits of building a workforce reflective of a global economy and a workplace designed to provide opportunity, development and support for all employees, D&I as a discipline will continue to be marginalized. We need to help organizations understand that inclusion is the glue that helps all other corporate initiatives stick that much better. Diversity is tantamount to building great leadership.

to the fact that the Connections Nodes are open to ALL coworkers regardless of background, geographical location, tenure, or level.

Few events hosted by any of the nine currently active nodes are closed to anyone who falls outside of the core targeted group.

Additionally, each node has an executive sponsor, an operating budget, and is charged with producing annual strategic plans outlining initiatives and programming that underscores their core mission and objectives. Node group chairs attend quarterly meetings of the executive inclusion advisory

What programs/initiatives work best in your organization that other companies can benchmark?

At CDW, we have been very successful at building a structure and governance model for our coworker resource networks. The model has had a consistently positive impact on bi-annual coworker engagement surveys. Diversity and Inclusion was the highest-rated engagement category, which is highly attributable

SPRING 2018

council that includes the CEO to review accomplishments, challenges,

Original PDJ Is sue Jan/Feb 2011, pg

22

View on ISSUU. co

W

hat diversity and inclusion challenges remain today?

m

By Melissa Donaldson

and successes which increases visibility and accountability.

What is your advice for diversity officers/managers who are just starting out in their positions?

Remain a student of diversity and inclusion and remember to model the desired behavior you want leaders to emulate, whether one has been practicing for seven months, seven years, or seventeen years. Practitioners should remain abreast of economic developments, workforce trends and market opportunities that should be shared with business leaders.

Initially, there will likely be more pressure put on measurement and outcomes that need to be addressed. Just be careful of getting trapped there.

Diversity and inclusion practices require critical thinking, strategic planning, project management, learning and development, and internal and external communications.

These skills provide the makings for desirable and capable leaders that the world could use more of these days. PDJ

71

What Keeps Diversity Professionals Up at Night?

By Shirley A. Davis, PhD

I

am honored to have been asked to write a series of articles on the hot topics that diversity and inclusion practitioners say are the most relevant issues and challenges they face today. As director of D&I initiatives at the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), I have the unique opportunity to travel across the United States and around the world speaking about this important work.

Everywhere I go, people are keenly interested in the business value proposition of diversity and inclusion (D&I) work. They want to know the specific ways in which D&I work helps achieve an organization’s business objectives. I am asked this same question over and over. At a recent diversity conference, one of my colleagues and a recognized pioneer in the field, Mary-Frances Winters, pointed out that “after 25 years in this field, practitioners are asking the same questions they were asking 25 years ago.” What a powerful observation.

The most common questions I am asked include the most basic, such as, what is diversity? or, what is the business case for diversity? Others who may have just been tapped to create a diversity strategy ask, how do I get started? Others want to know how to recruit diverse talent, how to get senior leaders engaged in diversity, or how to get white men to embrace diversity. Still others ask, how do I articulate the value of our diversity efforts?

Do these questions sound familiar?

These questions and similar challenges are literally keeping HR and D&I professionals up at night as they confront and agonize over these issues.

72

The daunting tasks diversity practitioners take on stay with us long after we leave the office. They are present on our commute home, at the dinner table, in the shower,

• Becoming more strategic and less transactional. Many HR and diversity professionals spend most of their time on administrative transactions, tactics, and putting out fires. We should be devoting 80 percent of our time on strategy with the CEO and senior line leaders.

• Aligning with key business objectives. We all say that CEO and senior leadership engagement is critical to the success of diversity initiatives. However, when I ask an audience how many of you can name the top three business objectives in your organizations, less than 10 percent of them admit that they can. Herein lies part of the problem of getting buy-in. When our work directly and clearly aligns with these objectives, the CEO and senior leaders will want to be engaged.

and as we lay down for the night. It has become a common practice to ask CEOs, “What keeps you up at night?” But it has become evident that D&I practitioners may be suffering from insomnia themselves.

Having reflected on the array of questions that practitioners keep asking, I have identified ten issues or challenges that keep us up at night.

Briefly summarized below (in no particular order), I’ll be addressing each topic in subsequent issues this year.

• Recruiting top talent and building a pipeline with leadership capability. Demographic shifts, marketplace competition, and globalization place more complex demands on recruiting.

Attracting talent and building leadership capability start with creating an organizational culture that makes candidates want to come and employees want to stay.

• Establishing an inclusive culture. Inclusion at SHRM is defined as the state of the workplace where all individuals can contribute fully towards the organization’s success, where they are treated fairly and respectfully and have equal access to opportunities and

diversityjournal.com

• Globalization. This affects you, regardless of whether your organization is located entirely in one building or around the world.

Consider your organization’s talent pool, supply chain, product and service development processes, markets, and competitors. Some aspects are inevitably global.

Your employees must be effective communicating and working in this increasingly interconnected global business environment.

• Practitioners’ skills, competence, and personal well-being. Diversity practitioners typically have several roles and wear many hats. Many of us have suffered from what some diversity experts (i.e., Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., and Dr. Johnetta B. Cole) refer to as “diversity fatigue.” We must manage our own personal and professional development as well as manage our own stress while helping our organizations become stress-less.

• The rising health care costs.

In 2006, health care expenses for U.S. companies were estimated to be $8,400 per employee! We must find ways to manage this while ensuring that care is provided in culturally appropriate ways to our increasingly diverse workforce.

• Religion and spirituality. This is about personal deeply held beliefs that may or may not relate to an organized religion and that may or may not include God or a higher

SPRING 2018

power. Conversation about religion, spirituality, and faith is increasing in the workplace. As practitioners, we will be called on to address issues such as holiday observances, food, prayers, complaints, and affinity groups in our workplaces.

• Immigration. Immigration is certainly a mainstream issue and is likely to be a major issue in this year’s elections. Our challenge is to be aware of these evolving trends and issues and to ensure that the right people in our organizations stay current on new laws and regulations and plan accordingly.

• Legal risks and reputation.

Over the past 10 years, race and gender discrimination lawsuits have cost U.S. corporations more than $974 million in settlements

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2009,

pg 12

View on ISSUU. com

resources. Achieving this requires a disciplined systems approach to cultural and behavioral change.

alone, not including attorney fees, decreased market capitalization and other costs. Likewise, religious discrimination complaints are on the rise; the fight for equal rights and fair treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender workers has become more pronounced; and people with disabilities continue to feel misunderstood and underutilized in the workplace.

As a result, we have to develop collaborative working relationships across the organization and establish consistent and inclusive policies, practices, and programs to help manage these risks and our organization’s reputation.

Our choice as practitioners is either to ignore these issues and let them come knocking at our door or to understand them and take action by building and implementing the appropriate management plans. Choosing the latter may help us sleep better at night. PDJ

73

Adopt a Game-Changing Mindset

By Donald Fan

A

ccording to the 2009 survey of the Committee of 100, most Americans (73%) believe Asian Americans have made significant contributions to the American culture. By contrast, two Senate seats, six House of Representative seats, and only 1.5% of Fortune 500 corporate board seats are held by Asian Americans, while 33 out of 3,200 U.S. colleges and universities currently benefit from Asian Americans serving as president.

As an Asian American, I find these statistics both intriguing and perplexing.

Why does it appear that so many Asian Americans are successful individually, yet that same level of accomplishment does not translate collectively into the fabric of societal leadership represented by corporate America, politics, and education?

While it may seem easier to blame societal and other external factors, perhaps we can dig deeper to see if cultural roots may play a role in this seeming contradiction. As Asian Americans, this can help us see if there are ways that we can contribute even more to the society through the leadership competencies that are valued in a western culture. To extend our impact in building a better tomorrow, we must equip ourselves with the appropriate skills and techniques, and know when and how to apply what we have learned.

Overcoming the Plateau Syndrome From a very young age, Asian people are taught to respect and value wisdom, knowledge, and ability.

We are told that a contented mind is a

74

perpetual feast. Many Asian Americans equate success with becoming a subject-matter expert, a go-to person, or technologically savvy. When we achieve the level of proficiency that we have set for ourselves, we can easily become enamored with our achieved level of contentment and fall prey to the plateau syndrome. This can lead us down a dangerous path of resistance to change, lost momentum, and choked aspirations.

Can we overcome the plateau syndrome? Absolutely, especially from a professional development perspective.

Nurture self-confidence, selfmotivation, and willingness to take calculated risks. Think aggressively and act assertively when it comes to your own development. Consider how your self-development can positively influence those around you.

Identify the authentic purpose for your life—who you are, where you are from, and what you value—and pursue your purpose with passion.

Intentionally nurture a new mindset to lead with courage.

Confront challenges. Seek opportunities through different jobs, community outreach activities, and cross-functional project assignments.

This will spur unique insights and breakthrough ideas and also help you appreciate and thrive in an unpredictable and complex environment.

Pursue the passion of diversity.

Today, being a connoisseur of talent is not enough. Proactively tap into unique viewpoints and approaches, and foster a culture that allows them to emerge and thrive. And learn to bring together divergent points of view,

develop consensus and maintain credibility. This openness to diversity of thought will yield dividends far beyond your own capacity.

Have self-awareness and be honest with your strength and vulnerability. Today, an organization’s success depends on a such a variety of talents and skills, that no one leader could possibly have all the answers.

Leverage talents around you. Constantly solicit feedback, input, and constructive criticism to validate if you’re on the right track moving toward the true north.

Looking Back vs. Forward Thinking With a cultural history that traces back thousands of years, Asian people appreciate rich historic experiences and lessons. This appreciation may lead many to search for conventional wisdom before starting a new journey. While history is a powerful teacher and can

diversityjournal.com

Diversit y

Catalyst • Supplier Diversity

Best Practices • thoughtleaders • MicroTriggers • Perspectives

Volume 12, Number 3 May / JUNe 2010

Celebrating

Heritage Month

aberCrombie

& FitCh

12.95 U.S.

$

Asian-Pacific America

n aarp

CitiFinanCial ComeriCa bank

www.diversityjournal.com

With more than 7 million customer s and 27,000 employee one of the largest investor-owned s, National Grid utilities in the world. is comes from the And, our greatest power of inclusion strength and diversity in our of an individual’s workforce skills, life styles is an integral special talents, multicultural experienc . The value es, and alternativ preserving the environmpart of our corporate culture. So e is our commitment ent as we address to Whether you are the energy needs interested in future of our customers. employment, or entrepreneur, we are a small business welcome your perspecti business opportun ve. Learn more about ities at www.nati career and onalgridus.com.

MAY / JUNE 2010 • VOLUME 12 NUMBER 3

"

PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

energized by

Also Featuring …

Gibbons p.C.

harris n.a.

ComeriCa bank

dell

dow ChemiCal

harris Corporation itt kpmG llp

national Grid

new york liFe insuranCe Co

oGletree, deakins

sodexo sodexo

toyota

inspire thoughtful planning, overreliance on the past can hamper creative problem-solving and result in only incremental and marginal improvement. Looking back positions us defensively, whereas forward thinking positions us offensively. To become an effective leader and adopt a gamechanging mindset, we need to become more forwarding thinking.

Be a visionary architect of your future and the future of your organization. In today’s world, filled with volatility and ambiguity, a clearly communicated purpose is essential for your organization’s success. Think like a CEO and maintain a balance between thoughtfulness and decisiveness. As an architect, you are responsible to keep the outcome in mind, not just to provide building blocks and to set the pace.

Less is more. Matthew E. May, author of the book In Pursuit of Elegance, defines elegance as something that is simultaneously simple, but surprisingly powerful. Sometimes simplicity isn’t about what’s there, but what’s not. Drive for elegance by focusing your efforts and resources only on those compelling and impactful projects that are closely aligned with your purpose and strategy. Learn to do more subtraction than addition.

Be a constructive contributor.

Keep “all” in mind at all times: people, community, and society. Seek to continuously improve and shape the world around you. Due to the long history of feudal ruling in many Asian countries, some people still believe social responsibility is part of government responsibility and obligation. The distorted concept of citizenship distances them from actively

SPRING 2018

participating in fundamental societal changes.

Traditionally, Asian people have been trained to focus on the practical, to find the most efficient path toward higher productivity. Carried to the extreme, this characteristic can lead to a trade-off mindset, where quick fixes and low-hanging fruit become preferable to seeking more complex, long-term solutions. In his book, The Opposable Mind, Roger Martin introduced integrative thinking: the ability to face constructively the tension of opposing ideas and, instead of choosing one at the expense of the other, generate a creative resolution by forming a new idea that contains elements of both opposing ideas, but is superior to each.

Verizon

w.w. GrainGer, inC.

w.w. GrainGer, inC.

CEO Leadership: Freddie

d 1

Trade-off vs. Integrative Mindset

u.s. postal serViCe

wellmark

also inside:

DiversityJournalAd_6-18.ind

Leveraging Diversi ty Mac’s Ed Haldeman

6/18/09 5:18:17 PM

Original PDJ Is sue May/June 2010 , pg 66

View on ISSUU. com

"

To extend our impact in building a better tomorrow, we must equip ourselves with the appropriate skills and techniques, and know when and how to apply what we have learned.

Integrative thinkers embrace complexity, tolerate uncertainty, and manage tension in searching for creative solutions to problems. To become a more integrative thinker, consider the following: The solutions that are presented at the moment do not reflect reality; they are probably imperfect in some important aspects. When faced with unpleasant choices, the integrative thinkers don’t choose right away, but think through the problem hard enough, expansively enough, and creatively enough, to formulate a creative solution.

Opposing solutions are the richer source of new insight into a problem.

The integrative thinkers leverage conflict solutions and perceive opposing ideas as learning opportunities to be appreciated, welcomed, and understood.

It takes time and patience to ferret out a new and better solution from abstract hypothesis to concrete reality.

The integrative thinkers take time to question conventional wisdom and define problems from a different perspective. That is why they can generate alternatives that others don’t even think about.

By overcoming the plateau syndrome and striving to be more integrative and forward-thinking leaders, Asian Americans can become more effective individually, and as a collective group, to lead and contribute to the society, and to build a better tomorrow for all. PDJ

75

Celebrating Success Stories of Achievement

C

ongratulations to Profiles in Diversity Journal for its WomenWorthWatching® (WWW) annual editions – nine years of WomenWorthWatching® and 11 years since Profiles introduced its leading women in the Glass Ceiling issue. (I am proud to have been on the side of Jim Rector when his vision was to do WomenWorthWatching®). It is special to go back and read the breadth of who were selected and what they wrote, what they read and what they think.

Celebrate these women of 2010; read and reread the messages.

Good news is reflected in their selection by the companies. Good news is demonstrated by their success stories of achievement.

Good news is part of their mentoring and support of others along the way.

As we celebrate another WWW issue, let’s reflect on certain progress over a decade, though many would say that there are still “miles to go before we sleep.” We are cracking the glass ceiling and putting a sledge hammer through the concrete.

To the women executives profiled, we all are proud. These are the “good news” women in leadership being celebrated, role models recognized by

76

their organizations and their colleagues.

Women are supporting women, and men are supporting women to insure that we have women worth watching and women business leaders, as mentors and in professional advancement.

Organizations are endorsing women of color. Talent officers and executives alike are advocating women's advancement. Success is best represented in these stories.

I find it intriguing to also read more than 70 of the advertisements in this issue. They tell stories of promoting women,

Original PDJ Is sue Sep/Oct 2010,

pg 11

View on ISSUU. com

By Edie Fraser

between shareholder return and a higher proportion of women executives.

We know these women profiled each year exemplify the financial success they help bring to their companies

"

Women are supporting women, and men are supporting women to insure that we have women worth watching and women business leaders, as mentors and in professional advancement.

"

of the women worth watching and of business pride in these women’s advancement.

Women hold close to 14% executive officer positions. Approximately 52% of management professional and similar positions are held by women. Read these profiles again and realize that these women are worth watching for movement to the executive suite. We applaud their success and their support of other women along the way. We review the studies about the strong correlation

and organizations.

It is with a sense of reflection after reading these annual issues of Women Worth Watching®, that they bring us inspiration and a sense of accomplishment that makes us all proud. With Women Worth Watching®, think success and good news and circulate this particular issue to many of your colleagues and friends. To the companies who nominated these women as role models in the pipeline of success, you make it easier to recruit women into your organizations.

You make us all proud. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

What Globalization Means for Diversity and Inclusion Efforts

By Susan Johnson

A

com View on ISSUU.

new era of diversity management is upon us.

Globalization has transformed society, economics and politics, greatly influencing demographics within the workplace. Not only are today’s employees more diverse, with minorities constituting 40% of the U.S. workforce in 2009, the heads of state—Barack Obama, Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf— reflect a sea change in perceptions of leadership. A multi-cultural, global workforce symbolizes a new way of thinking about diversity and inclusion efforts.

Even the term “diversity” needs to be redefined. Whether it is linked with race and civil rights in the U.S., languages and cultural sub-groups in European countries, or other cultural nuances in Asian and Latin American countries, “diversity” must encompass the innumerable differences found in the global workforce.

For many organizations, the definition of global diversity should encompass an understanding of the differences between countries as well as the internal diversity of each

sue Original PDJ Is , pg 49 May/June 2009

SPRING 2018

country. The scope must be global, and knowledge about the country’s customers, employees and suppliers is essential. Support from top management and clearly communicating the business case for diversity and inclusion practices are also important.

A diverse workforce alone does not equate to a successful global diversity management program.

Inclusion programs and initiatives that bring a heightened sense of awareness and sensitivity to differences often provide employees with tools to overcome the potential challenges associated with diverse, global teams.

These challenges can exist from country to country or in cultural sub-groups of one country, but with the right mix of diversity and inclusion practices, successful teams often avoid the “group think” that can plague homogeneous ones. With a shared mission and common set of values, diverse teams can develop better, more robust ideas and processes based on a variety of viewpoints. And, with increased levels of innovation and an ability to attract top-level talent, global diversity is a competitive edge.

In fact, diversity programs have had a positive impact on employee motivation and customer satisfaction for more than half of the companies that have implemented them, with a noted improvement in brand image for 69% of companies studied by the European Commission. In addition, Fortune 500 companies with three or more women on their board of directors had better financial performances than those with two or fewer, according to a 2007 study from Catalyst.

Clearly, a global perspective in diversity and inclusion management

is an economic imperative. With the U.N. reporting that restricted job opportunities for women cost the Asia and Pacific countries between US $42 billion and US $46 billion in GDP growth annually, business impact is a reality.

So, what can a global organization do with diversity dynamics changing so rapidly? Here are some suggestions.

To avoid any business consequences of an improperly managed diverse workforce, focus on inclusive efforts within an organization. In order to transform a business environment, inclusion practices must be imbedded into an organization’s bottom line and throughout its culture. Agree on a common definition of diversity that resonates within and outside a country’s cultural frame of reference. Once the culture of an organization shifts from a narrowly defined identity to one of cultural inclusiveness, a sustainable and successful model of global diversity is achieved. PDJ

77

Tackling Generational Diversity

By Melanie Harrington

T

here have always been multiple generations in the workforce, so why are we now preoccupied with Generational Diversity?

Because the urgency is real and the magnitude of the differences among the generations in today’s workplace is significant.

their commitment to the work, and the desire to stand out among a large group of peers. Also, they tend to find reward in titles, salary, and seniority.

Millennials (at the other end of the generation spectrum) were shaped by the Internet, increased off-shoring and

Four Generations in the Workplace Traditionals or Veterans, those born before 1946, make up approximately 6% of today’s workforce. Baby Boomers, those born between 1946 and 1964, make up the largest percentage of workers at 41.5%. Generation X, born between 1965 and 1977, are 29% of the workforce. Millennials (or Generation Y), born between 1978 and 1994, are almost 24% of the workforce. Researchers differ as to the time frames for the generational groups. However, it is not the dates, but the common life experiences of the members of a generation that are the greater predictors of generational behavior and workplace expectations. These four generations have had vastly different life experiences that affect what they expect and need in the workplace. For this article, I will focus on the largest generation in the workforce and the latest generation to enter the workforce: Baby Boomers and Millennials.

The experiences of Baby Boomers were shaped by the Vietnam War, the space program, civil rights, and the prominence of television. “Workaholic” was coined to describe Boomers because of

78

outsourcing of their parents’ jobs, parents sourcing their services back to companies after massive lay-offs, the Columbine shootings, and the war on terror.

Millennials see changing jobs as routine, and they want—and expect—work to be meaningful, flexible, and rewarding. They desire immediate access to information

and tend to be “cyber-literate” and media savvy.

The Generation Gap Working through generational differences is often difficult.

Conversations with a Baby Boomer managing a Millennial reveal comments such as, “They have no respect for seniority and my position,” “They have no commitment to the organization,” “Why do they question or challenge every single assignment I dole out…why can’t they just do it?” or “They are not willing to pay their dues.”

The Millennials are wondering, “Why is management so concerned about where I do my work as long as I get it done?” and, “Why am I working on these menial tasks? When will I get to present my ideas in the management meeting?” These comments are only a sample of the different perspectives held by these two groups.

Their concerns often fester as each group misreads the intentions of the other, tension builds and more energy, time, and thought get siphoned away from the organization’s critical needs.

The Boomer manager continues to be more frustrated, and the Millennial is online, searching websites for the next job

diversityjournal.com

"

opportunity.

Leaders attempting to manage this ever-widening generation gap cannot afford to throw up their hands in defeat. As Baby Boomers begin to retire (at the projected rate of 10,000 a day for the next 10 years), organizations will have no choice but to adapt the organizational culture to a generation with different life experiences and expectations.

Moreover, not only will organizations need to adapt their environments to the needs of the Millennial worker, they will also need to prepare for the generation to follow—the “Digital Native” generation, a term coined by Marc Prensky to describe those whose experiences represent a technological way of life that older generations may learn or master, but never understand in the way that the Digital Native generation will. Prensky notes that “Digital Natives are used to receiving information really fast… like to parallel process and multi-task…prefer their graphics before their text rather than the opposite...prefer random access

SPRING 2018

(like hypertext)…function best when networked…thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards…(and) prefer games to ‘serious’ work.”

Bridging the Generational Divide Many organizations have already begun to provide their management teams with a diversity management capability to bridge the generational divide.

The bridge building, however, begins with an acknowledgement of the cost of not adapting the organization’s culture, values, systems, and practices to an environment where Millennials and Digital Natives can contribute their full potential. Here are some practical adaption steps: • Engage Millennials in a variety of assignments that develop their skills and broaden their career opportunities; • Offer flexible work schedules and be open to alternative locations (like working from home, job sharing, etc.);

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2009,

pg 64

View on ISSUU. com

"

In these difficult economic times, all employees will need to reach across the generational gap to access the new ideas and technological savvy of the younger generations—and the wisdom, experience, and professional acumen of the older generations.

• Draw on the diversity of experiences, talents and interests of employees to foster innovative work teams that challenge assumptions and reward new ideas; • Create opportunities for more collaborative or teamworking groups; • Support work/life balance pursuits; • Foster professional development and mentoring opportunities, perhaps developing crossgenerational reverse mentoring initiatives; • Share knowledge and lessons learned in “real time” through mentoring and employee networks (real or online).

In these difficult economic times, all employees will need to reach across the generational gap to access the new ideas and technological savvy of the younger generations—and the wisdom, experience, and professional acumen of the older generations. PDJ

79

Diversity Isn't About Quotas When leadership reflects the diversity of the workforce, growth follows. Former Medtronic CEO Bill George, on the changes in leadership that brought his corporation to the forefront.

By Bill George

A

great misnomer in recent years is the equating of workforce diversity with quotas based on gender and race. Diversity is an essential element of a healthy, vibrant organization, but it’s not at all about quotas.

One of this summer’s biggest stories was the Supreme Court’s decision on the University of Michigan’s system of admission preferences for members of minority groups. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer commented recently that the court was impressed with the legal reasoning emanating from the amicus briefs of major corporations arguing for a system of preferences so they could create diverse, multi-faceted organizations.

Diversity in all its forms— national origin, gender, race, religion, sexual preference, cultural influences—is essential to attracting the most talented people to your organization and enabling them to contribute to the fullest extent of their abilities. Organizations that do not work hard at diversifying their workforce will find they are recruiting from a shrinking pool of talent. When they finally decide to diversify, they may find they are unable to attract and retain the best people from diverse backgrounds.

Having a wide range of diversity among your ranks is essential for strong teamwork and to enable everyone to feel fully part of the team. I have observed many organizations where people from diverse backgrounds never contribute their best ideas because they feel unwelcome and out of sync with the group. When the diverse backgrounds of team members are honored, people develop a higher level of commitment to the group’s purpose and are more willing to contribute fully.

80

"

When the diverse backgrounds of team members are honored, people develop a higher level of commitment to the group’s purpose and are more willing to contribute fully.

"

Beyond these obvious benefits of diversity, having people on your

team that represent the full gamut of life’s experiences is essential to sound decision-making. In such a diverse team, the group gets the benefit of a wide range of insights and the breadth of thought and opinion

resulting from different perspectives.

A diverse team is harder to manage, as inevitably differences of opinion surface and people want to be fully heard before decisions are taken.

But it is diversity, and the intense debates it generates, that leads to the best decisions. By calling upon the broad experiences of team members, you can avoid pitfalls and make better decisions. Without it, you may find a group of brilliant people all marching off the cliff together, much as we did in the 1960s with the Viet Nam war.

Ultimately, great organizations must be as diverse as the customers they serve. For global organizations this means having a broad array of nationalities and ethnic groups represented among the ranks of decision-makers, so that decisions reflect the interests of customers around the globe. Few, if any, organizations have achieved this level of diversity, but Coca-Cola and Nestlé are getting close.

Nestlé’s executive committee is so diverse that it does not have one Swiss national on it.

For three decades Coca-Cola’s executive committee has been dominated by a very diverse group of

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

make the tough decisions on people as we raised the bar for Medtronic leadership and performance standards.

Not everyone saw the benefits to increased diversity. As we were escalating our efforts to broaden Medtronic’s leadership, one senior manager came to my office and closed the door. “I thought we had a common goal to make Medtronic more performance-oriented and more competitive,” he said. “So I don’t understand why you’re pushing diversity.” I challenged his assumption that diversity would reduce our competitiveness. “In fact, it is just the opposite,” I said. “We need to create a more welcoming environment for talented women and people of color or we won’t be able to attract the best.

Original PDJ Is sue Sep/Oct 2003,

pg 46

View on ISSUU. com

non-Americans, a far cry from its Southern heritage. The final blow to Douglas Ivester’s ill-fated tenure as CEO was his attempt to force Carl Ware, a talented and popular African-American executive, out of the company. Ivester’s successor, Douglas Daft, not only brought Ware back but increased his authority and the company’s longstanding commitment to diversity.

When I joined Medtronic in 1989, I found myself surrounded by people with backgrounds similar to my own—white males from the Midwestern United States.

Although Medtronic employees came from highly varied backgrounds, our leaders did not. From the outset it was clear that our executive team needed more women, more African Americans, more Asians, more people from the East Coast and the West Coast, and more non-Americans. Until our leaders reflected the diversity of our workforce and our customer base, Medtronic could not become a truly global organization.

So we set out to diversify our executive ranks. Early in my tenure as CEO we added a very talented and highly experienced chief financial officer and promoted an exceptional human resources leader. The CFO grew up in an African-American family in the inner city of Detroit and achieved great academic and career success before joining Medtronic. I found that his wisdom and advice about people, not just finances, was invaluable.

Our human resources leader spent the first ten years of her career in the convent learning how to combine humanity with discipline, qualities that greatly benefited her leadership at Medtronic. She had courage to

This will make us much more competitive over the long run.”

It took several years to build a diverse management group, but the payoff in terms of Medtronic’s outlook and decision-making was tremendous.

Over the years we have added leaders from Zimbabwe, Japan, China, India, and a wide range of European countries as well as a large number of women to round out the executive team.

Although it took a number of years to diversify the Medtronic board, today’s directors include three women, one of whom is African-American, and a French-born CEO. Over the past ten years I have served on the board of Target Corporation.

Thanks to the leadership of CEO Bob Ulrich, Target’s directors and senior leaders come from highly diverse backgrounds, reflecting the company’s very diverse customer base. Today’s directors include four women, two African-Americans, and one Hispanic, and the executive ranks are filled with very talented minorities and women.

Not surprisingly, Target is highly successful in recruiting and retaining the most talented people for jobs throughout its organization from all diversity groups.

The perspectives of people with varied life experiences have made both these organizations more effective in decision-making and better able to appreciate the needs of their diverse customer base, just as they have in the many U.S. corporations that have made workforce diversity a top priority. PDJ

81

Front Runners Diversity Leadership Series A Conversation with Inside MFHA

By Gerry Fernandez

W

here does your personal belief in diversity and inclusion originate? Who were your role models? Was there a pivotal experience that helped shape your view?

I have a personal belief in diversity and inclusion initiatives partly because of my life experiences as a man of color and, from these experiences, the understanding of how diversity adds value to our lives. I have encountered many people who do not look like me, yet these encounters have added value to my life journey in extraordinary ways.

How did you get to your present position? What was your career path? How did you come to found MFHA? My career path has been linear in that my entire career has been in hospitality. From my hobbies as a youth to my first job, I have always been around food, lodging, and entertainment. A defining moment occurred when a high school teacher recommended that I pursue a career in culinary arts. This led me to Johnson & Wales University (Providence, R.I.) and started me down a path toward hospitality excellence and cultural exploration.

My real introduction to diversity and inclusion came from my early years with General Mills in Minneapolis.

It was there that I met Leslie Mays and Dr. Ron Brown, both diversity pioneers and great teachers. They taught me everything they knew, and I tried to absorb all their wisdom so that I could apply it to the foodservice and

82

hospitality industry. That is how I came up with the idea to create the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA). The rest, as they say, is history.

concept daily as we help companies and think through their diversity objectives.

Ernie Royal, famed restaurateur, taught me the importance of keeping things simple. He also demonstrated how to run a business from an entrepreneur’s point of view. That entrepreneurial spirit is still with me today and has served me well.

Who are your mentors? How did their business skill or style influence you? How did they help you in your professional and personal life? What business books or journals do Are you mentoring anyone today? you read regularly or recommend for aspiring leaders?

Black Enterprise, Nation’s Restaurant News, Profiles in Diversity Journal, Hispanic Business, IndUS Business Journal, Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, Good to Great by Jim Collins, The World is Flat by Tom Freidman, and Fierce Conversation by Susan Scott.

How would you describe your concept and style of leadership?

My approach to leadership is straightforward, wide open, and inclusive. I try to lead by example and to not be afraid to make mistakes.

No risk means no reward. Taking action is better than not taking action.

My early influences came from family, teachers, and employers. My mother taught me about the satisfaction of hard work and how to get a job done right. She taught me that shortcuts have consequences that are often detrimental to future opportunities.

A college teacher taught me the concept of POA: Plan. Organize. Act. I have never been able to master POA to the degree that he did, but it did teach me the concept of strategy. I use that

What are your specific responsibilities for advancing diversity and inclusion in your organization?

What are the strategies you employ to move inclusion forward?

I set the strategy for the organization.

It is our responsibility to help the industry shape the discussion and guide the agenda for the industry. I speak on behalf of MFHA and often on behalf of other companies about the value and importance of diversity and inclusion for our future growth.

diversityjournal.com

Were there any experiences that discouraged you or taught you hard lessons about diversity and inclusion implementation?

A difficult lesson for me to learn was that not everyone who works in diversity and inclusion is fully committed to the cause. Some people are only in it for the money or because they have the opportunity to gain visibility for their company or themselves. Another important lesson I learned is that competition around diversity knowledge is real and growing.

This is unfortunate because it impedes the growth of diversity and inclusion initiatives and, in some cases, it limits the growth of MBEs. How have you modeled your company’s diversity and inclusion initiatives in your own team selection, management, or development?

We have continually tried to practice what we preach by hiring diverse employees and consultants. We practice proactive inclusion whenever we look for service providers or contractors. We have regular exploratory lunches and meetings in diverse parts of the city. We attend diversity events regularly as part of individual development plans.

SPRING 2018

How are you measured in terms of performance? Is your compensation related to diversity performance?

I am evaluated on performance against the business plan. The business plan has diversity components, and my incentives are based upon our organizational outcomes.

What has been your proudest moment as the leader of this company?

My proudest moment was when we brought minority leaders together from across all segments of the hospitality industry to attend the first-ever diverse leadership reception in May 1997. That was a very rewarding experience. The energy and excitement in the room was electrifying. People knew that something very special was taking place and that we were all part of making history. Seeing the smiles and the pride exhibited on the faces of those who attended this historic event is something that will stay with me forever.

Are there particular areas or employee sectors you feel still need improvement?

Yes. In the food and hospitality industry, supplier diversity is the area in which we need the most improvement. Many companies in our industry have not even defined why supplier diversity is important. This attitude about supplier diversity has to change if we want communities of color to take our industry seriously. For an increasing number of community and civil rights organizations, the existence of a quality supplier

Original PDJ Is sue May/June 2006

, pg 54

View on ISSUU. com

Have you any “mottos” to rally your team regarding diversity and inclusion?

Every person, perspective, and experience can add value. Our challenge is to learn how to leverage them to the benefit of the enterprise.

diversity program is viewed as a litmus test for a company’s commitment to diversity. Minority groups understand that an effort to move toward supplier diversity will translate into growth for minority-owned businesses.

Do you have any words of advice for diversity practitioners who want to rise in their organizations? What do you say to people you mentor?

Learn as much as you can about diversity from all perspectives. Know your own blind spots, biases, prejudices, and weaknesses when it comes to culture and difference. Be honest with yourself and others about what you know and don’t know. Read everything you can put your hands on about diversity, inclusion, and cultural differences. The learning never stops, and the changes keep coming. Embrace change, but don’t be afraid to challenge new concepts.

Know the business of the company that employs you. Whether you are an employee working in the diversity department or a consultant who has been hired to help with a diversity initiative, you have to know the business. Know its values, know how the company makes money, know its core competencies and business model.

Then, and only then, can you effectively apply diversity and inclusion concepts to the enterprise. PDJ

83

What Payoffs CEOs want to see from Diversity and Inclusion But Aren't Getting!

By Dr. Edward Hubbard CEOs Want to Know the Impact of Diversity ROI on Initiatives but Aren’t Getting It! A study of CEOs analyzing what CEOs want from their Diversity organizations concluded that CEOs want to see the impact and ROI of their Diversity investments but instead receive only activity and satisfaction data. So, why aren’t Diversity & Inclusion Executives, Managers, Practitioners, etc. measuring their impact and sharing with their CEOs? After all, this is not exactly a revelation. Some of the leading reasons are lack of resources, lack of support from the CEO, lack of funding, lack of skills, etc. My take: these are all just excuses since there are a huge number of resources, books, workshops, etc., available. This strongly suggests that many Diversity Practitioners need a serious skill update or should excuse themselves out of the job. If they remain without these skills, at some point, they may face elimination and/or extinction.

This is the 21st century, with its emphasis on cutting-edge as well as “State of the Practice” technological and analytical advances, yet Diversity Practitioners are using old-fashioned measurement skills where the wheels immediately come off of their measurement system wagons. We haven’t been in the “Old West” of Diversity measurement for quite a few decades. State of the art Diversity ROI processes have been here for quite some time.

Accountability Trends Many enlightened business managers often take a professional business approach to Diversity, with ROI being part of the strategy. Top executives who watched their

84

diversity budgets continue to grow without appropriate accountability measures have become frustrated with this approach. In an attempt to respond to the situation, they have turned to Diversity Return on Investment (DROI®). Top executives are now demanding DROI® calculations from Diversity departments where they were not required previously.

So, what factors prevent us from mastering Diversity ROI measurement?

Here are a few excuses I hear that Diversity Practitioners say are consistently challenging and “Small Doses" to begin to address them: Issue-1: Lack of Skills and Orientation Many Diversity staff members neither understand ROI nor do they have the basic skills necessary to apply the process within their scope of responsibilities. Diversity ROI Measurement and evaluation is not usually part of the preparation for the Diversity job or taught as part of a university education focused on diversity. Also, the typical Diversity training program or intervention does not focus on results, but more on diversity awareness concepts, activities, or other issues. Staff members attempt to measure results by measuring learning only instead of the full range of Diversity performance intervention outcomes (at all 7 levels) that drive business. Consequently, this is a tremendous barrier to implementation that must be changed such that the overall orientation, attitude, and skills of the Diversity staff member are focused on business results, impact, and/or outcomes.

Small Dose-1: Build DROI® Skills and Measurement Orientation Don’t wait until you are asked about

the DROI® of your Diversity intervention to gain competency and business acumen in this area, start learning about DROI® today! Attend a Diversity ROI webinar, workshop, read books on Diversity ROI, Use DROI® tools, etc.

(Note: DROI® is a registered trademark of Hubbard & Hubbard, Inc., All Rights Reserved.)

Issue-2: Faulty Needs Assessment Many existing Diversity interventions are not based on an adequate needs assessment. Some diversity interventions have been implemented for the wrong reasons based on requests to chase a popular fad or trend in the industry. Even worse, they schedule training for everyone in the organization costing thousands or millions of dollars with NO measurable DROI®. If the intervention is not needed, the benefits from the program will be minimal or wasted.

A DROI® calculation for an unnecessary program will likely yield a negative value. This barrier can be eliminated by training and certifying diversity executives and practitioners in programs such as Diversity ROI Certification, training and measurement workshops, etc.

diversityjournal.com

• Describe the exact nature of a performance discrepancy • Determine the cause(s) of the discrepancy • Recommend the appropriate solution(s) • Describe the target population Issue-3: FEAR Some Diversity departments do not pursue DROI® measurement implementation due to fear of failure or fear of the unknown. Fear of failure appears in many ways. Designers, developers, facilitators, and program owners may be concerned about the consequences of a negative DROI®.

They fear that the DROI® measurement process will be a performance evaluation tool instead of a process improvement tool. Also, the DROI® process will stir up the traditional fear of change. This fear is often based on unrealistic assumptions and a lack of knowledge of the process.

Small Dose-3: Overcome FEAR by Taking Action The best way to overcome FEAR is by (a) taking action, (b) generating results, (c) evaluating the outcome, and (d) implementing improvements.

FEAR is often based on a lack of knowledge so the antidote is to "learn" and "master" the DROI® skills and processes.

Issue-4: Discipline and Planning A successful DROI® evaluation implementation requires much planning and a disciplined approach to keep the process on track. Implementation schedules, evaluation targets, DROI®

SPRING 2018

analysis plans, measurement and evaluation policies, and follow-up schedules are required. The Diversity Change Management team may not have enough discipline and determination to stay on course.

This becomes a barrier, particularly if there are no immediate pressures to measure the return. If the current senior management group is not requiring a DROI® evaluation, the Diversity Change Management team may not allocate time for planning and coordination. Also, other pressures and priorities often eat into the time necessary for an effective DROI® evaluation implementation. Only carefully planned implementation efforts succeed.

Small Dose-4: Build DROI® Discipline and Planning Focus There is really no substitute for implementing a thorough approach to a DROI® evaluation process. The practice of Diversity ROI evaluation should be an “industry standard of professionalism and competence” in the Diversity and Inclusion field and discipline. To do otherwise sets us apart from other professional disciplines such as Marketing, Sales, Operations, etc. that require standard metrics and analyses to determine their effectiveness and impact. Diversity ROI impact analysis must be implemented using effective project planning and management skills as well as following the DROI® methodology according to each step in its design.

Issue-5: False Assumptions Many Diversity staff members have false assumptions about the DROI® process that keep them from attempting DROI®. Typical assumptions include: (a) The impact of intervention cannot be accurately calculated, (b) Operating managers do not want to see the results of Diversity expressed in monetary values. They won’t believe it, (c) If the CEO does not ask for the DROI®, he or she is not expecting it, (d) CDO denial - "I have a professional, competent staff. Therefore, I do not have to justify the effectiveness of our programs", (e) Learning or this type of intervention is a complex but

Original PDJ Is sue

Fall/Winter 20 16, pg 48

View on ISSUU. com

Small Dose-2: Learn the Detailed Steps to Conduct a Comprehensive Needs Assessment Needs analysis is the cornerstone of any Diversity performance analysis effort. It provides you with appropriate justification for either developing or not developing your Diversity intervention. You must conduct a needs analysis, no matter how abbreviated, before any Diversity intervention takes place.

The objectives of a needs analysis are to:

necessary activity. Therefore, it should not be subjected to an accountability process, etc. These false assumptions form perceptible barriers that impede the progress of a DROI® evaluation implementation.

Small Dose-5: Eliminate Any False Assumptions Credible processes rooted in strategic performance-based sciences to calculate Diversity ROI have been in existence for over 30 years. Yet, Diversity practitioners have been slow to enroll and learn what it takes to be fully competent and capable in this scientific discipline. Let’s face it; the DROI® evaluation process and its associated analytics are here to stay. It’s only realistic that Diversity practitioners eliminate any false assumptions, wishful thinking and/or outdated measurement paradigms that prevent them from being effective. In the future, there are likely to be even more demands for DROI® analysis feedback, demonstrated credibility and intervention performance value that tie to the organization’s bottom line.

Using these processes has the added benefit of improving the effectiveness of all Diversity interventions we conduct. Only those Diversity practitioners who can operate as full strategic business partners will have what’s needed to survive for the long term. Do You Have What It Takes To “Survive”, “Thrive”, and “Drive” Real Business Performance using Diversity & Inclusion? The next move is yours! PDJ

85

By Tisa Jackson

D

r. Martin Luther King, Jr., said: “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others? Do not say you will do it ‘someday,’ now is the time. Do not say ‘someone’ will do it, you are the one...”

These words echo a familiar theme for diversity professionals, because we enter this work with a commitment to doing everything we can to achieve equity for all people.

86

Achieving progress is more challenging in this global economic climate. Recent financial strains have resulted in some companies cutting or reducing their diversity and inclusion teams. But the economic downturn offers some surprising opportunities, and forward-thinking executives recognize new business potential in that their clients and customers are more diverse. The following recommendations can help you lead diversity and inclusion transformation.

Change your mindset. Diversity and inclusion is much more than a program; it is a cultural change process comprised of programs, processes, policies and initiatives tied to business. Focus on key processes instead of primarily focusing on managing hiring or training programs.

Despecialize your thinking.

Diversity and inclusion has continued to expand beyond staffing and human resources. Depending on the industry and project, you may need to

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2011, pg

110

View on ISSUU. com

Leading Diversity & Inclusion Transformation

think like a marketer, buyer, public relations professional or business development representative in the course of a week. Savor the opportunity to make positive change and embrace the opportunity to de-specialize your thinking.

Challenge conventional wisdom.

Evaluate your organization’s needs and act accordingly rather than following the crowd. For example, focus on providing sponsors instead of just mentors to high-potential employees.

A sponsor can assist in assigning visible projects. A mentor is also important in terms of providing advice and serving as a sounding board, but opening doors to sponsorship can be a viable strategy in engaging executives of all backgrounds in developing diverse talent.

When looking externally, toward customers, suppliers, vendors and candidates, choose partnership over sponsorship. If you merely sponsor an event, the community doesn’t really get to know you. A partner creates a relationship and is actively engaged in organizations as a board member or speaker. You need to be aware of their mission so they can help you with your mission. Regardless of the economic environment, diversity and inclusion is an opportunity, not a problem. We are responsible for keeping the vision.

We must continuously challenge ourselves to lead the expanding scope and needs of diversity and inclusion within the business community. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

Inclusive Leaders Get BETTER RESULTS

By Catalyst

G

ood managers want to build high-performing teams—but it isn’t always clear how to do so.

According to Catalyst’s new global report, Inclusive Leadership: The View From Six Countries, the answer is simple: Ensure that your employees feel included at work.

The study, which contains the responses of 1,500 employees from Australia, China (Shanghai), Germany, India, Mexico, and the United States, shows that employees who feel included are more likely to go above and beyond the call of duty, suggest new product ideas, and innovate new ways of getting work done. The report also identifies four key leadership behaviors that predict whether or not employees feel included: • Inclusive leaders empower others.

They communicate effectively, avoid disparaging comments, encourage their team members, and help them to excel.

com View on ISSUU.

• Inclusive leaders create accountability. They believe in their team members and hold them responsible for aspects of their job performance that they can control.

sue Original PDJ Is Jul/Aug 2014, pg

SPRING 2018

• Inclusive leaders are courageous.

They aren’t afraid to uphold their principles and stand up for their team members— even if it means taking a personal risk.

• Inclusive leaders exhibit humility.

They admit their mistakes, seek to learn from them, and are open to other points of view.

They realize that diverse perspectives yield better results.

Furthermore, belongingness and uniqueness appear to be essential elements of inclusion in Australia, China, Germany, Mexico, and the United States, where most employees want to stand out from the crowd without standing out so much that they feel alienated. India was the only country studied in which uniqueness and belongingness were not perceived as distinct contributors to feelings of inclusion.

Inclusive leaders cultivate feelings of belongingness and uniqueness

simultaneously by focusing on their team members’ diverse talents and experiences—and avoiding stereotypes.

This kind of leadership can be scary and feel risky, but it’s ultimately worthwhile. The best leaders know that employees work much harder for people they admire and feel valued by than for leaders they resent.

Want to know how inclusive a leader you are? Take the quiz at http://pdjrnl.com/Inclusiveleader. PDJ

54

87

…Fund Diversity as a Business Objective…

C

ompanies cannot assume that because they have arrived at a status of a leader in diversity best practices that it is the end all, be all. Companies must continue to benchmark with other organizations and constantly access overall corporate business strategies and goals and link those to business objectives. A big focus of Fannie Mae’s strategy is to not lose the momentum around what we have achieved over the last eleven years in the diversity arena. Fannie Mae already has the highest number of women and minorities in our senior ranks so our goal is to continue to recruit minorities and women while simultaneously developing our internal candidate pools.

We are able to do this through our mentoring, job rotation, leadership training, and work-life initiatives and programs.

Corporate America needs to recognize that employees need tools to balance both their work and life initiatives; this will have a direct impact on retention, overall productivity and the financial bottom-line.

88

View on ISSUU. com

By Maria Johnson

What new organizational structures and resources will be needed?

Commitment from the top and financial resources are critical to the success of Original PDJ Is sue any diversity initiative. Companies must Mar/Apr 2003, pg 31 fund diversity initiatives as business objectives and not view them as human resource “programs.”

Organizations must realize that Fannie Mae was very diversity is not just the right thing

"

to do but it is a business imperative that needs to be treated as any other business objective that affects the financial bottom line.

"

visionary when we implemented our diversity program eleven years ago and the resources and support from senior management have a direct link to the long-term success of our diverse programs and culture.

There is much the industry can do to enhance the credibility of this work. The industry must treat diversity as a business initiative that impacts the bottom line in order to enhance credibility in the area of diversity.

Organizations must realize that diversity is not just the right thing to do but it is a business imperative that needs to be treated as any other business objective that affects the financial bottom line. Fannie Mae has managed to weave diversity into its corporate culture so that it is a part of our long-term success. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

The World of Chief Diversity Officers

By Nereida (Neddy) Perez

Who are/were your mentors? What lessons did you learn from them?

One of my mentors, a naval chief petty officer, said, “While the captain may be at the helm, it is the crew that makes the ship go… without the crew, nothing happens.”

Unless the people in the trenches are engaged in diversity, true change will not happen.

Do you teach anything different to those you mentor? If so, what is it?

You do not need a job title to be a leader; leadership is defined by a person’s actions and reactions, especially in a crisis. Just because someone tells you, “No,” it doesn’t mean you should give up. Where there is a vision and will there is a way.

Who in your family had the most impact on your upbringing and success?

My grandfather used to say, “There is always a solution to any problem. Sometimes it is around it, over it, through it or under it.” He was right.

What are your favorite books/authors and what impact have they had on your career?

D.A. Benton’s book, How to Think Like a CEO, helped me understand the basics of business as a first generation Latina in corporate America. Sun Tzu’s Art of War helped me understand negotiations.

How are you involved with your community?

Mentoring other women of color who, like me, are the first in their families working in corporate America.

Helping to bridge the technology gap in underserved communities.

What is your philosophy of life?

Each day is an opportunity to make a difference.

What is your most rewarding accomplishment?

The strong progress made in diversity efforts at KPMG after less than a year.

We’ve strengthened support to our internal minority networks, created a firmwide diversity scorecard, improved supplier diversity practices, established a disabilities network and strengthened our external partnerships.

com View on ISSUU.

Whom do you admire most?

Mahatma Gandhi, Desmond Tutu and Jimmy Carter because of their grounded, strategic leadership that transformed public policy and mobilized nations for the greater good of others.

sue Original PDJ Is Mar/Apr 2008,

SPRING 2018

pg 69

What is your favorite phrase?

A quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

What was your first paying job?

I was a teacher’s aide at the age of 15 at an elementary school.

What is your biggest challenge today - personally, professionally or both?

Patience. I remind myself every day that true change does not happen overnight.

Who are your real-life heroes?

My mom, who left Cuba at the age of 27 and faced many challenges as a single parent in pursuit of freedom and a better life for her two children. Actor Christopher Reeve and Stephen Hawkins, astrophysicist, who advanced humanity and science despite physical limitations.

What does it take to succeed in your position?

Empathy, humility, patience and persistence.

What is your first thought when you hear the term “diversity?”

A society/organization that acknowledges and values the uniqueness of each person. PDJ

89

Are Women Reaching the Top?

By Ilene H. Lang

To ensure long-term sustainability and to represent all company stakeholders, corporate leadership must adapt to today’s realities and anticipate tomorrow’s workplace.

Companies must position their leadership in the same way they position their businesses. Diverse leadership yields a crucial breadth of perspective and expertise, provides role models for future talent, and promotes good governance.

Ten Years of Slow Growth

The key findings show that in ten years, FORTUNE 500 companies have not doubled women’s share of board seats or corporate officer positions. The situation is far worse for women of color. Furthermore, even among the highest levels of leadership, women are segregated into less powerful and prestigious positions—they hold proportionately fewer board committee chairs, clout titles, and line positions. These factors contribute to the dearth of women CEOs—only eight FORTUNE 500 companies were led by a woman in 2005.

Diversity is Key to Long-Term Sustainability

The Catalyst Pyramid and Census findings show that many barriers to women’s advancement are still firmly in place. But there are many business reasons for organizations to increase diversity at all levels. As Catalyst President Ilene H. Lang explains, “Increased globalization and shifting demographics dictate that diversity

90

and the advancement of women in corporate leadership are strategic business imperatives that 21st-century companies cannot afford to ignore.”

In addition, our study, The Bottom Line: Connecting Corporate Performance and Gender Diversity (Catalyst, 2004), has shown that the FORTUNE 500 companies with the highest percentages of women corporate officers experienced, on average, a 35.1 percent higher return on equity (ROE) and 34 percent higher total return to shareholders (TRS) than those with the lowest percentages of women corporate officers did. While this study did not prove causation, it showed a strong correlation between companies that have diversified their senior management and companies that performed well financially.

Nevertheless, women struggle more than men as they climb the corporate ladder. Why? Our research has found that women face three significant barriers that men rarely face: gender-based stereotyping, exclusion from informal networks,

and a lack of role models. These obstacles combine to restrain women from top positions by pigeonholing their talents, restricting access to essential information, and discouraging their ambitions.

The Catalyst Censuses are evidence that there is a considerable amount of work that needs to be done before FORTUNE 500 companies will reap the extraordinary benefits of diversity. Across all FORTUNE 500 quintiles and industries, companies that harbor barriers to the retention and promotion of women will miss opportunities that women’s expertise, skills, and knowledge could bring to decision-making processes.

CALL TO ACTION CEOs Must Take the Lead

Gender diversity in the workplace is supported by a compelling business

diversityjournal.com

" Original PDJ Is sue Sep/Oct 2006,

case that argues for the health and sustainability of the organization.

CEOs, board members, and senior leadership know they can create tremendous change in their organizations by modeling and demanding desired behaviors. It’s up to them to take the next steps.

1. Define the Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion In the United States, demographics in the marketplace and employee base are changing dramatically. In order to be successful, companies need to be an employer of choice.

Companies that can attract, retain, and promote diverse employees will expand the talent pool available to them at all levels and have a greater likelihood of success in the marketplace.

At the same time, new customers, employees, and suppliers now come from all parts of the world, and it is important that leadership at companies with global presence reflect this reality. Breaking into new markets, understanding different employee cultures, and negotiating with non-U.S. suppliers often requires a deep knowledge of country-specific work styles, expectations, and practices.

A diverse leadership team is more likely to have this knowledge, and therefore success, than a homogeneous team.

SPRING 2018

2. Demand Diversity Organizational change will only come when it is clear that CEOs, boards, and senior leadership believe that diversity is integral to the achievement of key business goals. They must demand diversity and lead with actions that demonstrate the business importance of diversity.

3. Break Through Stereotypes Become aware of the existence and impact of stereotypes in your workplace. Don’t insist that women spend their valuable energies on disproving stereotypes. Alternatively, don’t penalize women whose behaviors don’t fit

pg 56

View on ISSUU. com

"

Organizational change will only come when it is clear that CEOs, boards, and senior leadership believe that diversity is integral to the achievement of key business goals.

stereotypes. Most importantly, don’t let assumptions based on stereotypes limit your expectations of women and what they can contribute to your organization.

4. Expect the Best Instead of assuming what women can’t do at work, provide opportunities for women to prove what they can do. Have high expectations for their contributions, and challenge them with meaningful work. Have equally high expectations for what your organization can do to advance women.

5. Hold Everyone Accountable Senior leadership must insist on accountability mechanisms that will induce behavioral change. Measure hard data and tie success or failure in achieving goals to major incentives that will kindle the transformation you demand.

6. Communicate A diversity strategy will only succeed if it is communicated as part of the business strategy. Publicly celebrate successes. PDJ

91

Avoiding Mistakes: Authenticity Starts at the Top

By Brenda J. Mullins

W

com View on ISSUU.

e all know that person— the one who buys a lawnmower and says he or she is a landscaper. What about the one who takes photography 101 and tells you he or she is the perfect person to take your wedding photos? They may mean well, but perhaps they are overstating their qualifications a bit.

In corporate America it is proven time and again that consumers, employees and stakeholders crave authenticity.

If you say you are something, then you need to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. When it comes to diversity issues, you can’t fake it. You either practice diversity as part of the culture or people will figure you out.

As Chief Diversity Officer at Aflac I am fortunate to work in a place where diversity is ingrained in the fabric of the company, which brings me to what I believe

92

is the first mistake that diversity professionals make. To be effective, you have to first gain buy-in at the very top—and it must filter down from there.

I speak with diversity officers from across the nation at trade events and conferences and I often hear stories from people who are struggling to make diversity a priority at their company. So the first thing I ask is whether or not the company has an official policy. Is it sanctioned from the top executive? Does your chief executive wear his or her diversity policy on his or her sleeve or is it a means by which to appear on a list? Until you get there, you are bound to struggle.

Circling back to the “landscaper” and “photographer” examples, the second mistake I have often encountered is the company or professional that says one thing but the facts don’t match. Diversity, for example, is not the same as affirmative action any more than cutting the grass is landscaping.

Diversity is a commitment—a part of the business plan to hire, retain and promote quality workers regardless of race, gender or orientation. In doing so, the company proves its authenticity and produces a workforce as diverse as the marketplace.

Finally, diversity is not a project, it is a culture. Numbers are important, but the professional

whose sole interest is in reaching a quota doesn’t help his company become diverse; he’s just counting the numbers. That person is making the mistake of viewing diversity as only numbers-driven when in fact true diversity resides in variety of thought. So the key mistakes to avoid are: • Failing to secure top level support • Failing to match rhetoric with reality • Treating diversity as a project, not a commitment It has been my experience that professionals that resolve these issues first tend to succeed more often than others. PDJ

sue Original PDJ Is pg 65 Nov/Dec 2011,

diversityjournal.com

Secrets to a Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

By John Sequeira y wish for you is that you will live in interesting times.” These words of wisdom were passed on to me many years ago and they are certainly applicable today as it relates to the field of Diversity and Inclusion (D&I). As D&I professionals, our work is intrinsically challenging, and in these difficult economic times it is even more intense. Looking back over the last twelve years of doing this work inside a corporate environment, I ask myself, “Why is it still so challenging after all the research, all the conferences, all the speeches from CEOs?” At a recent Diversity conference I attended, several D&I vice presidents and directors described their challenges.

Some were fighting to hold on to staff and budget, while others were worried about whether their own role would survive the next round of cuts. What’s that about?

How can something that was viewed as critical and a true ‘competitive advantage’ turn into something that is so easily expendable in an economic downturn? While CEO commitment to D&I continues to be extremely important, it’s not enough, especially in these most difficult of economic times.

There is no panacea for the work of D&I, but there are two critical ingredients not frequently talked about: partnerships and embedding. The partnerships I’m referring to are with the Human Resources community. What I have observed is that in those corporations where there is a strong partnership between the D&I department and the HR function, this work can survive and thrive in any economic climate. There are more HR Generalists and Managers in corporations than there are D&I professionals. Therefore, they have a great deal more face time with leaders across the organization. To the degree they are joined up with us, they provide the critical mass needed to influence change.

We can’t be everywhere, and there are more of them than there are of us.

SPRING 2018

In good economic times and with strong D&I champions in the senior leadership positions, I’m the first to admit that it can make our job a whole lot easier.

But when times get tough, it is our strong partnerships that will sustain all our hard work and achievements inside our corporations. HR professionals need to see the relevance and value of this work as much as we do. Now I know I’ll ruffle a few feathers with the next comment.

As a general rule, I don’t think we’ve reached out enough to our HR generalist colleagues and worked to bring them into the tent. We’ve never been out to beat HR, but we can certainly be better at joining them! More often than not, we’ve tended to operate in isolation, focusing more on our relationship with the senior executives and less with the HR leadership. In those corporations where the D&I department works hand in hand with colleagues in Human Resources, the net result is a strong foundation to resist the winds of change of a major economic downturn.

Where those relationships are not forged, we stand alone.

The other ingredient I want to address is the importance of embedding.

I’ve heard people ask the question, “Will D&I sustain itself during this economic downturn?” My point on embedding D&I is that we need to work to infuse D&I principles within the policies, procedures and systems of our organizations so they become part of how work gets done and not an add-on that can easily be dropped in tough times. I’m talking about influencing leadership curriculum, recruitment, talent development, succession planning, procurement and employee engagement. D&I must be blended into all of these systems, processes and activities in such a way that they do not rely on the D&I professional to be present to ensure it’s happening. We need to bring leaders and HR professionals to a level of awareness,

knowledge and skill where they are asking the right questions, at the right time and in the right places. This is when we’ll know we have made a true impact.

So my challenge to you is to focus on building those partnerships with your HR community and pursue opportunities to embed D&I throughout your corporate culture. If the work relies on you as D&I Director and one or two senior leaders for its lifeline, at some point you will find yourself in survival mode and wondering what hit you when those difficult times come. Take full advantage of the good times. Once the principles are embedded within the systems, processes and culture of the organization, they will be so hard wired it becomes virtually impossible to derail them when the difficult times come. PDJ

Original PDJ Is sue Nov/Sep 2009 , pg 37

View on ISSUU. com

M

"

93

When Bad Things Happen to Good Companies

By Weldon H. Latham

Latham uses a recent high-profile case to illustrate the importance of “genuine corporate diversity and demonstrable achievement of inclusion” for thwarting discrimination litigation.

P

articularly in the last ten years, more and more corporations have substantially strengthened their diversity efforts and made inclusive policies one of their corporate priorities.

Nevertheless, a significant number of these companies, some with impressive diversity records, still get sued for discrimination. The reasons are as varied as the number, size, and severity of such lawsuits.

One reason is, even good companies (with the best of intentions), sometimes get it wrong. Or one person violates company policy and practice and does or says something very wrong. Or the company’s policies and practices—while often exemplary—may fail to cover the situations that give rise to the claim. Or the claim is the result of a legitimate misunderstanding. Or maybe, just maybe, an unscrupulous plaintiff is calculating that the company will settle quickly, rather than risk injury to its sterling reputation for fairness and integrity.

Whatever the cause, it is clear that companies cannot expect that even the most fundamentally sound diversity policies and practices will guarantee protection from race and gender discrimination and harassment claims.

In some ways, such claims are the inevitable result of greater diversity. As the CEO of one Fortune 500 company observed, “the only companies with no

94

diversity issues are those that have no diversity.” The suggestion is that—when companies change from all-white male bastions and exclusive monolithic cultures to purposefully inclusive organizations that encourage diversity of thought and expression— cultural clashes should be expected (i.e., diversity issues).

Thus, not even strong and effective corporate diversity programs are exempt from discrimination litigation.

Even companies with enviable public records for diversity sometimes find themselves the target of discrimination allegations or charges that run counter to their reputation as leaders in diversity and inclusion. Let’s face it.

As long as there are plaintiffs’ lawyers, class actions, and the prospect of multimillion-dollar attorney fee awards, discrimination lawsuits are not likely to disappear.

The good news, however, is that genuine corporate diversity and demonstrable achievement of inclusion at all levels of a company certainly can cushion the blow of a discrimination lawsuit and help avoid permanent damage to the company’s good name.

A good example of this principle at work is BellSouth’s recent knockout punch in Hogan v. BellSouth, a race discrimination case filed by a former attorney in the company’s legal department. In record time (six days following oral argument), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit rejected allegations by Lisa Hogan, an African-American attorney, that she was fired five years earlier, by BellSouth’s then-General Counsel, due to race discrimination.

diversityjournal.com

BellSouth and its Legal Department have been known for advocating workplace diversity particularly through its 1999 “Statement of Principle,” wherein the chief legal officers of nearly five hundred major companies announced their commitment to corporate diversity and their expectation that the law firms that represent their companies promote diversity among their attorneys. BellSouth’s highly publicized reputation for corporate diversity, particularly in its Legal Department, undoubtedly gave the company much needed credibility in defending against Hogan’s claims.

Indeed, at oral argument one judge commented on the fact that BellSouth had gone the “extra mile” to resolve Hogan’s performance issues prior to terminating her employment.

Of course, not every company facing discrimination litigation by former or current employees will be able to emulate BellSouth’s reputation for success in the Hogan case. Additionally, diversity talk, without action, will not enhance any company’s position in discrimination litigation or the raft of other serious adverse consequences that accompany a credible lawsuit.

In the nearly ten years since coining the phrase and creating the

SPRING 2018

"

first ‘corporate diversity counseling’ practice which has served more than thirty-five Fortune 200 companies, my group of attorneys has found that there are, at least, ten factors that strongly contribute to an effective companywide diversity effort. Following the establishment of a corporate diversity and inclusion policy and specific goals and objectives, those factors include:

Original PDJ Is sue Sep/Oct 2005,

pg 50

View on ISSUU. com

"

Achieving corporate diversity and inclusion demands commitment, hard work, and sustained effort.

3. Sustained company-wide policy implementation and communication; 4. Comprehensive and effective diversity and inclusion programs; 5. Making diversity an integral part of the business mission and marketing strategy; 6. Securing a credible level of diversity in senior management;

1. Recognition of the need for improvement;

7. Designating a senior executive as the company-wide ‘diversity champion’;

2. Demonstrable commitment and involvement by the CEO and executive management;

8. Creating management accountability for diversity performance; 9. Providing sufficient/long-term diversity resources; and 10. Maintaining effective ‘early warning’ systems.

Achieving corporate diversity and inclusion demands commitment, hard work, and sustained effort. Companies that succeed will not only better position themselves to overcome claims of race and sex discrimination and preserve their corporate brand, but will reap the full range of concomitant business case benefits. Success, however, will require significant change from ‘business as usual’. PDJ

95

National Disability Employment Awareness Month

O

ctober is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a celebration started by President Harry Truman in 1945; the month is still dedicated to promoting the employment and advancement of disabled workers.

This is critical, because studyconfirmed facts illustrate that: • People with disabilities are more likely to stay with an employer than their non-disabled counterparts.

• Absentee and turnover rates are lower for people with disabilities and for older workers compared with “typical” employees.

96

Nov/Dec 2011, pg

20

• People with disabilities consistently meet or exceed job performance and productivity expectations.

• People with disabilities have a well-deserved reputation for innovation. Accustomed to adapting to a variety of situations, they are often quick to troubleshoot, formulate new ideas, and adopt cutting-edge solutions.

The official theme of this October 2011, as announced by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, is “Profit by Investing in Workers with Disabilities.”

This year’s theme honors the contributions of workers with disabilities and serves to inform the public that they represent a highly skilled, educated, talented pool that are ready to work and can help employers compete in today’s global economy.

Original PDJ Is sue

View on ISSUU. com

By Nadine Vogel

Keep in mind, the disability community represents the largest and fastest-growing minority segment in the world. In the U.S., it is surpassing the Hispanic population by 5%. People are often unaware that there are so many people with disabilities, unaware of the many challenges they face and equally unaware of the abilities they possess.

This is especially true in the workforce and workplace.

It's one thing for a company to be considered compliant from a regulatory standpoint, it’s quite another for a company to possess best practices and be considered an Employer of Choice.

Many organizations go beyond the basics

of compliance; one way they do this is by observing this month with some of the following activities: • Offer Disability Etiquette & Awareness Training sessions to managers and all levels of employees.

• Hold forums with disability experts and/or professionals with disabilities.

• Hold events that showcase the skills, abilities, contributions and achievements of people with disabilities both internally and in the larger community.

• Offer day-long mentoring and/or job shadowing (at all levels) for individuals with disabilities, perhaps those about to graduate post-secondary education if your company is geographically close to a school that offers programs for students with disabilities.

• Host resource fairs disseminating information from a variety of non-profit organizations and agencies representing local, regional or national presence. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

Vision of the Future Diversity Leaders

By Lisa Wicker

E

com View on ISSUU.

ven as substantial progress is apparent, we should caution against becoming complacent.

The future focus of diversity must build upon the foundation of the progress made and migrate toward more fully integrating business approaches that are aligned to support company goals.

The pace and breadth of change is not where it could be.

It’s important to keep the momentum moving forward. We can’t lose sight of the broader landscape of opportunity to expand the values of inclusion today in our educational systems, in corporate hallways and boardrooms, in academia and in many areas of government.

I believe diversity and being competitive go hand-in-hand. Yet, not everyone sees the connection.

Over the past several decades, considerable attention has been given to the changing demographics of our nation and world. Minority populations were projected to grow at faster rates

sue Original PDJ Is Jan/Feb 2011, pg

SPRING 2018

than the non-minority population to become the largest population group in many major cities in the United States, and coming to represent nearly half of the population by 2050.

The opportunity to create work environments that are truly inclusive and optimize both individual and organizational performance is the next level of diversity’s future. Getting there will require moving beyond the demographics. In the United States, we haven’t leveraged the opportunities diversity offers to the degree that other countries have, particularly in the field of education.

There is an opportunity to close the skill gap in math and science and languages. An educated, diverse workforce in math, languages and the sciences can propel diversity and inclusion to the next level. Here in the United States, higher education is not a ‘right’, but a ‘privilege,’ unlike in Europe where education is embedded into the social and economic framework.

Nevertheless, I am optimistic and view advancing diversity as a grand opportunity. In the future, challenges will remain, even as technology continues to advance.

We should continue to understand the implications and importance of workforce demographics and the impact ethnic and generational diversity have on business success.

Technology will transform when, where and how work is performed, and bringing aging or new entrants into modern work environments will be complex. The diversity challenge will become even greater. I believe corporations will win in the global marketplace when there is emphasis placed on people, process, technology and systems. The integration of these components will require establishing effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to collectively create and sustain more inclusive work environments in which human potential and business performance are optimized. PDJ

26

97

Diversity Fatigue: An Introduction to Human Equity™

By Trevor Wilson

breaking down silos between groups, who only have interest in their particular dimension of diversity. This is what we call diversity fatigue. A couple of years ago, this publication ran a fascinating series of essays entitled The Pioneers of Diversity.

It included the perspective of 30 leading thinkers on diversity. Each pioneer was asked to write a short essay on where diversity came from, where it is now, and where it needs to go next.

Not surprisingly the pioneers agreed on where diversity started.

Interestingly, most also agreed on where we are right now. To borrow another phrase from Obama, many felt we are at “a stalemate we’ve been stuck in for years.” The most intriguing reading of the essays, however, is the question of “where do we go next?”

There was virtually no alignment on that important question.

In 2010, I intend to use this space to introduce our perspective on the next step, Human Equity. In short, Human Equity is about maximizing on human capital.

It is about talent differentiation and maximizing on the diverse talents on so called intangibles such as a person’s innate strengths, unique abilities, personality, attitude, life experience, and virtues. As shown below, it represents the progression of the workforce from assimilation and tolerance to complete inclusion and utilization of diverse talents.

As the opening quote explains, we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together.

And as Einstein once said “we cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

Diversity fatigue can be, and must be, overcome. Human Equity could be the answer. Watch this space in 2010 for more on how. PDJ

Original PDJ Is sue Nov/Dec 2009 , pg

98

22

View on ISSUU. com

I

chose to run for the presidency at this moment in history because I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together.”

About the same time thencandidate Obama was speaking these words, I was meeting with two dozen leading diversity practitioners to identify some of the toughest challenges they are facing as we enter 2010. Among the usual responses of leadership buy-in, effective outreach strategies, and empowering employee network groups, came a new theme.

It was a theme that seemed to dominate the entire discussion.

None of us could put our finger on it until someone finally named it. As they so poignantly described it, “our organization is facing diversity fatigue.”

What, you may ask, is diversity fatigue? It is the Herculean effort required by diversity practitioners to keep the momentum going amidst the toughest economic crisis since the depression.

It is trying to sell and re-package the business case by showing specific return of investment at a time of limited dollars for any corporate imperative. It is trying to figure out how to creatively communicate diversity in an extremely time-scarce environment when people struggle to do more with less. It is maintaining the gains with front-line managers (the so-called ‘frozen middle’) who ask “when will this diversity thing end? Have we not handled it by now?”

It also includes the endless task of

diversityjournal.com

The Future of Diversity In the 30-plus years that I have been involved in some form or another with the issues of fairness, equity and diversity, so much has changed and yet so much has remained the same. Charles Dickens’ words still fit: “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.”

Original PDJ Is sue Jul/Aug 2007,

I

n the United States, legal discrimination was abolished with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other legislation; apartheid ended in South Africa; and there has been notable progress in solving human rights atrocities around the globe. However, as we are all painfully aware, too

SPRING 2018

much injustice, too many inequities and far too much intolerance of differences continue to cripple our ability to move closer to the type of world that inclusion advocates such as Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. envisioned—a nonviolent world where people would be judged by the content of their character, not the color of their skin, sexual orientation, physical abilities, gender or religious affiliation.

The issues of intolerance and injustice are at crisis proportions, and I believe that our ability to survive as a civilization is inextricably linked to our willingness to accept, leverage and optimize our differences for the collective good of the planet.

pg 75

View on ISSUU. com

By Mary-Frances Winters

The future conversation about inclusion must focus on the accelerating global interdependence for natural resources, labor and technology. The business case is compelling. We either learn mutual respect and appreciation, how to share power and collaborate, or we will suffer what could be dire consequences.

Time is of the essence. The power base is shifting from West to East, and many of us lack the cross-cultural competencies needed to work effectively with cultures very different from our own. We haven’t gotten it right yet at home, but it is clear that we need to expeditiously incorporate a global framework, even if the scope of operations is within U.S. boundaries. Myopic, ethnocentric thinking must give way to world views that are more relative than absolute and more fact- than assumption-based.

We have a lot of work to do. It is hard work, but we must persevere because our very survival depends on it. PDJ

99

ARE WE READY FOR A DIVERSITY 2.0 UPGRADE?

T

oday, there’s a twice-elected African American in the White House; a woman leader being touted as our nation’s most popular, if not the greatest, Secretary of State, and possibly next president; and CEOs and C-suite leaders of all races and genders. Yet, some still continue to ask for a business case for diversity.

I’ve read Profiles in Diversity Journal since 1999. I’ve seen it grow in its depth and breadth of coverage. Yet, with all that has been achieved and proven— much of it documented within the magazine—why is the hill still so steep to so many? Conversations about diversity and inclusion have become more nuanced, but many of the questions we ask are the same, and the support that we seek from leaders of corporations, government and non-government institutions, public and private schools pre-K through post-doctoral, stay unchanged.

100

Despite these growing complexities, women still earn less than their male counterparts for the same work; minorities are still disproportionately denied fair and equitable access to opportunities; gays still fight for rights granted to others freely by laws; and schools in some neighborhoods have become merely institutions, not institutions of higher learning.

At the core, I believe we have a framing issue. We have to ask questions, raise issues in a framework people already understand, and perhaps ask them from a very different point of reference.

I once asked a CEO why he couldn’t grasp the importance of diversity in his company, when every day he actively manages his financial portfolio to achieve just that. Or whether he ever had a shade of doubt about his daughter receiving a fair wage based on her education, contribution, and performance, or whether he views minority job applicants as needing to prove they are qualified while others are assumed to be so. These are questions that every CEO should ask themselves.

I often wonder what will come of the role of chief diversity officer (CDO) or the important work they do. Or the companies and institutions that either struggle or don’t want to accept the fact that diversity and inclusion strategies, nationally and most certainly globally, are what will bring growth and stability to the marketplace.

Legendary Green Bay Packers football coach Vince Lombardi,

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2013, pg

76

View on ISSUU. com

By Carlton Yearwood

every Monday morning after a loss, would stand in the center of the locker room, a football held high above his head, and say, “Gentlemen, this is a football.’’ What he was saying is that they lost because they did not execute flawlessly on the fundamentals. They needed to return to some of the basics that made them a winning, high-performing team.

What are the basics that we want to achieve in the workplace and what are the things that prevent us from executing flawlessly so we can win in the marketplace? Are we asking the right questions of our leaders? Are they data rich and information poor?

All in all, I believe we are actually moving along well in our journey—I do.

But it’s good when the positive jumps out clearly and is evident for all to see.

A short time ago, as a CDO summit was concluding, a well-recognized global business leader was so influenced by the proceedings he spontaneously shared a comment for all: “There should be no meetings where people and business are discussed where the CDO is not present.

The fundamentals of how people will become engaged and grow to be optimal contributors is missing when they’re not at the table.” This is how the skill and experience of CDOs become leveraged, contributing positively to the logistics of business and the growth of society. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

Helping Those with Disabilities Find Work

By Candi Castleberry-Singleton

"

By the end of both of these programs, participants are able to gain and maintain meaningful employment, lead productive lives, and become integrated into an adult work environment.

"

A

com View on ISSUU.

S THE LARGEST nongovernment employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC strives to develop the region’s workforce through various programs, including ones that focus specifically on eliminating barriers to working.

Some of these efforts include mentoring students with disabilities before graduation and assisting them with the transition from high school through the Young Leaders Academy. Our staff visits local schools and works with students on

job search activities, such as creating résumés and interviewing. In addition, UPMC offers Project SEARCH, an international one-year high school transition program for students with disabilities, which prepares participants for competitive employment through education and work experience. By the end of both of these programs, participants are able to gain and maintain meaningful employment, lead productive lives, and become integrated into an adult work environment.

Another route to recruiting successful employees has been through our military veterans. UPMC recently joined two national military employment coalitions that help veterans find and retain meaningful employment, including Wounded Warriors. UPMC recognizes the unique skillsets of our veterans and the unique ways they can be leveraged in our organization.

Once inside the organization, our WorkPartners program continues to support the needs of our workforce.

They offer accommodations from assistive devices to ergonomic assessments, as well as job retraining and modification for employees disabled after employment.

The UPMC Disability Resource Center reviews accessibility throughout our system and identifies ways to improve, provides interpersonal relations training and education for our professional and support staff, engages community partners, and ensures our policies regarding persons with disabilities reflect the unique challenges that face this patient population. PDJ

sue Original PDJ Is Jul/Aug 2013, pg

SPRING 2018

72

101

Windows on the Future Feature

I

magine this: A workplace where everyone feels valued, and where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. A workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. A workplace that is diverse and inclusive.

A workplace that allows people to work flexibly and seamlessly. At Ford Motor Company, we believe that the workplace of the future can be all of these things and more. How, you might ask, will we get there? We must start with leadership. Leadership comes from many places. Certainly, we must have direction and guidance from senior management, but ultimately all employees are responsible for driving diversity and inclusion. Communication will always be the cornerstone of leadership. Communication must be two-way and we must never lose sight of people’s need to speak and be heard.

Ford Motor Company’s Chairman and CEO, Bill Ford, has said that “a good company delivers excellent products and services; a great one delivers excellent products and services and strives to make the world a better place.” We echo that sentiment, especially as it applies to leadership. Great leaders strive to make the world a better place.

Leadership and vision come from within but also can be shaped by mentoring, training, and experiences.

It is no surprise that the demographics of the world are changing. We still are challenged to capture the wealth of that diversity and put it into practice.

For example, the aging of the population will force us to create innovative ways to keep key talent and experience while still allowing people the benefits and flexibility of retirement. Companies will have to work together with government to make this happen. Communities around the world are facing dramatic

102

changes in the workplace and in family life. New labor market realities are driving businesses to do more with less. This generation and the generations to come will not tolerate old ways of working. Technological advances are quickly changing how, when and where work gets done. There are already high-tech companies that have “virtual hallways.” In these hallways, employees from around the world can see and talk to each other as if they were physically in the same room.

It’s conceivable that the workplace of the future will not be bound by tangible facilities or portable equipment. Careers will not be consecutive steppingstones up the company ladder. People will move in and out of the workforce at a very individual pace, taking time for sabbaticals and “life time.” With that in mind, we must learn to recognize the “wholeness” of our employees—that they are not one-

dimensional.

Companies must ensure that employOriginal PDJ Is ees have the sue Mar/Apr 2003, flexibility, pg 32 support and resources they need to contribute their maximum at work while at the same time fulfilling their personal and family responsibilities.

Resources will continue to be scarce in the workplace of the future. That is why we will see more and more partnerships, as organizations strive to make an impact on society.

We must continue to strengthen private sector and government partnerships. Companies must work closely with schools and other community organizations to have an earlier influence on future workers.

Corporate leaders, government leaders, diversity leaders, societal leaders, and every single person on this planet all have a role to play in moving the world forward in diversity and inclusion.

Though it is difficult to predict the future, we can learn from the past and implement actions in the present. The phrase “it’s a small world” rings true today and it feels as if it gets smaller every day. Our challenge as corporate leaders is to take the lead to create an inclusive world where differences and similarities are celebrated and cherished. We must work to level the playing field to ensure equal access to opportunities for everyone. We cannot shy away from that challenge—we must embrace it head-on. We must all be accountable for creating a diverse and inclusive culture and making the world a better place. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

View on ISSUU. com

By Rosalind Cox

VIEWPOINT–4th Annual Women Worth Watching

By Steven L. Miller

T

his is a most important edition of Profiles in Diversity Journal: it celebrates the accomplishments of 77 senior women leaders, and it is the gateway for understanding PDJ’s ongoing focus on promoting women in senior leadership.

So many women leaders featured at one time—77—the most ever celebrated in the magazine’s history! As you examine their stories, you will find these leaders come from all sizes of companies, all disciplines, and many industries. Obviously we are making progress, real progress, in gender diversity at senior levels.

But we still have a long way to go in gender parity in leadership; if you doubt that, just consider how impressed you would be if we featured 77 men as leaders—not very, I would suggest. The point being that, while we celebrate these leaders and our progress, we are just beginning to make real traction toward gender parity.

Why is parity important? A number of business cases can be cited or developed, but for me there are three overarching reasons:

com View on ISSUU.

• the unique and growing heterogeneity of the American population;

sue Original PDJ Is , pg Nov/Dec 2005

SPRING 2018

17

• the pervasiveness of globalization; and • competition in the 21st century based upon intellectual property as opposed to brick and mortar.

The emerging demographics of America are virtually unique in the world as to diversity and complexity. Much of America’s future preeminence and success as a culture will depend on our ability to take advantage of the possibilities this diversity offers for the common good. A good first step on this journey is success with gender diversity.

Globalization is here for the duration and cannot be sidestepped. Success for businesses, non-points, and nations will depend on operating well in an all-inclusive worldwide marketplace for goods, services, and ideas. Learning from our domestic diversity opportunities can provide us a “leg up” in the world of globalization.

And finally, in the intense competition of intellectual ideas and leadership which will be the business reality for the coming decades, how can we not bring to bear all our nation’s human resources? As we work to leave no child behind, we must endeavor as well to leave no citizen behind. Success in gender diversity would be a major step to ensuring a competitive America in the years ahead.

Now, how do we get to gender parity?

As we reflect on these leaders’ stories, we notice the common theme of mentoring in their narratives. Leaders do not just happen.

They are nurtured. They are challenged in constructive environments. In a word, they are mentored—elevated and molded by farsighted leaders who care about the future of the enterprise long after they themselves will have left the stage.

It is a primary responsibility of the current “generation” of leaders of an organization to make the right succession happen, and happen well. Our 77 women leaders in this issue have had the benefit of mentoring by preceding leaders who took the time, interest, and risk to help develop these women’s careers, their futures. We honor more women today than in previous years because more senior leaders have become engaged in gender diversity development this last decade. Today we are getting traction like never before in moving toward gender parity, because increasing numbers of today’s senior male leaders are engaged in making diversified leadership a reality.

Now that band of enlightened standard-bearers will be joined by these honored women leaders who accept the commitment to extend the mentoring and diversity development that got them where they are today. The pace of progress toward diversity parity will depend on successful leaders who remember their journey, who helped them get there, and why.

So today let us celebrate these 77 senior women leaders. Let us read and learn from their experiences. Let us resolve to turn our learnings to action and thereby speed the progress. And if we do this, and are successful at gender diversity, we will be better able to tackle the more difficult diversity challenges of ethnicity, LGBT, and those with special needs and skills.

You see, gender diversity is just the beginning of the journey! PDJ

103

Speak From Your Heart Not From Your Notes

By Dr. Samuel Betances

E

loquence and persuasion demand that you do. But, to speak from your heart, you must be familiar with your notes. So familiar, in fact, that your mind will have organized your heartfelt concerns, and at appropriate intervals during your presentations, provide you with a proper perspective in order that as a professional, you will guide, facilitate and otherwise triumph in your quest as a diversity practitioner, trainer and consultant.

The mastery of your subject matter must be achieved before you address a group of workshop participants, if you would speak from your heart, while doing your intellectual duty as an informed, engaging diversity practitioner.

Deep within your soul—your seal of emotions—you must put ownership on what is worth knowing and sharing with colleagues in search for solutions for the urgent workforce diversity problems of our time.

Once your paradigms are in place, the lesson plans organized, the group exercise finessed, and the essential steps by which to facilitate collaboration and brainstorming sessions outlined, you need to practice connecting the flow from one critical phrase to the next. Embrace illustrations from the popular culture and the media to dramatize points. Feel the freedom that comes from not being tied to your notes. Your mind will be driven by an imagination able to make connections by which your paradigms and lessons can be best grasped by participants. Making

104

mental connections is the ideal goal to be achieved by professional keynote presenters and those who seek to motivate during the act of teaching.

Marilyn Ferguson said it best: “Making mental connections is our most crucial learning tool, the essence of human intelligence: to forge links; to go beyond the given; to see patterns, relationship, context.”

Know your stuff. Know it so well, and from so many different vantage points, that you can be creative on your feet. The most prepared speakers, facilitators and trainers are able to give the appearance of being “spontaneous.” They also can be said to “speak from the heart.”

Speaking without preparation leads to a communication disaster. There is nothing worse than for members of an audience to suffer through an embarrassed presenter who flubs an event because of lack of preparation.

In his book Anchors about ethical and practical maxims, retired Admiral Rafael C. Benitez counsels Naval officers when he says, “You may be unexpectedly invited to make some remarks at a social or professional function.

Anticipate these events and have ready an ‘extemporaneous’ message suitable to the occasion.”

If such preparation is essential for an unscheduled response at a social or professional function, think of the awesome task of having to motivate

leadership to identify and remove barriers alongside “rank and file” members of work teams in transforming the culture of organizations to be responsive to the challenge of change. What preparations will you have to undertake then? With the agenda and outline in your mind, get ready to utilize visual aid props, approaches and techniques you deem effective in conveying an urgent and passionate presentation from your heart.

Canned presentations are the worst. They are presentations repeated verbatim before a number of groups, but are not grounded in the experiences and concerns of a specific audience—in your client’s social reality—and are never illustrated in ways that respond to the needs and perspectives of real people in their places of work

diversityjournal.com

SPRING 2018

and derail the training event and its purpose. Eloquence about what the organization needs to do, can betrayed by contradictory behavior on the part of a facilitator.

This will short circuit the presentation and be all for naught. Speech, framed by life in conflict with injustices, is the best guarantee that words and phrases will equal eloquence and become persuasive in order to get the job done.

However, the opposite is also true.

A person who is not committed to upholding the charter of transforming systems, which have benefited some interest groups at the expense of others, will fail at inspiring and motivating participants to rid themselves of prejudice or embrace collective efforts at ensuring healthy, empowering workplace. Jokes that demean; sexist behavior which demoralizes; supporting practices which mentor, hire, and promote selectively from a single interest group; bashing white males; participating in the pre-selection of job candidates; over-monitoring of women and minorities; viewing diversity initiatives as a “program”

Original PDJ Is sue Winter 2001, pg 36

View on ISSUU. com

and society. That is why canned presentations are deadly in their outcome, when communicating.

Eyes glued to notes don’t fare much better. Passionless, matter of fact, mechanical presentations will invoke indifference, if not outright hostility, towards a presenter who does not take the time to respect the audience by exhaustive and timely preparation. Expecting participants to embrace lessons taught from a set of notes is a bit too much to ask. If, as a presenter, you do not model mastery of what you are claiming to be vitally important, why should they? The burden is on you to demonstrate what is worth knowing, remembering and illustrating.

The ultimate goal of careful preparation is to achieve that high level of communication known as eloquence—to express simple logic that ignites the listener’s imagination.

It is the ability to present powerful thoughts, packaged in warmth, and delivered with appropriate drama to those for whom the message is intended, in ways most likely to be appreciated by them. Eloquence, according to Ralph Waldo Emerson is nothing less than “… the power to translate a truth into language perfectly intelligible to the person to whom you speak.” Jean de La Brugine wrote that Eloquence is “… a gift of the mind, which makes us the master of the heart and spirit of others.”

In both cases, the responsibility of an eloquent speaker is a sacred one. To transfer thoughts and emotions from one being to another requires a well-thoughtout strategy on the part of the presenter. Without permission from participants, it is impossible for the presenter to be persuasive no matter how important the points being presented.

Language, oratory, and eloquence that is separated from the integrity of the person doing speaking, will likely cause injury

or “destination” rather than as a “journey;” bad mouthing past efforts; treating the task of preparation as unimportant; and, playing other games like these will sidetrack diversity. Such attitudes and practices will rob you of your essential legitimacy and integrity as a believable practitioner.

No amount of phraseology, impeccable timing, and drama can shape you into an eloquent persuasive voice, if you do not— deep in your own heart—feel strongly about your message.

John B. Gough defined eloquence as “… the transference of thought and emotion from one heart to another.” If you would speak from the heart, shape your message into one which is ever in conflict with exclusive, partial and unbalanced perspectives.

Let your heart burn with passion about our collective need to achieve common ground and to take measurable steps by which to identify and remove barriers frustrating our quest to develop a balanced workforce.

Be consistent in your words and deeds. Your efforts at being persuasive through eloquence depends on it.

PDJ

105

MICRO-INEQUITIES: The Power of Small

By Steve Young

O

nce an organization has traveled down the path of diversity education far enough to establish a solid foundation of awareness, where does it go next? This is a crossroads at which many businesses find themselves today, struggling to decide which path will most closely bring them to the next level of a truly inclusive workplace.

Picture diversity initiatives in the workplace as water filling a glass.

When the glass is full, it begins to overflow, no longer making any progress, simply remaining at the same level. The conventional approach for most companies that have been involved with diversity for some time is that it has already enjoyed its maximum impact. The glass is now filled to capacity with awareness and appreciation of differences, which have produced a wide variety of processes, policies and programs for identifying and dealing with overt acts of discrimination or intolerance. So how do you broaden and deepen understanding when the glass is overflowing? Answer: You create a bigger container.

JPMorgan Chase believes that bigger container is all about understanding and utilizing “The Power of Small,” a firm-wide educational initiative that focuses on the impact of micro-messages in the workplace.

Micro-messages are small, sometimes unspoken, often unconscious messages we constantly send and receive that have a powerful impact on our interactions with others; these micro-messages can be either positive or negative. Some common examples that take place in everyday interactions include a wink of understanding from across the table, a

106

distracted glance at the ceiling or your watch while someone is speaking, or an interested lean forward during conversation with a colleague. In a routine 10-minute conversation, two people will send each other, on average, between 40 and 100 micro-messages.

An isolated small message may not have a large effect; repeated, they can have a massive impact. Think of individual drops of water dripping repeatedly from a faucet, eventually eroding the strong enamel on a sink.

Micro-inequities are negative micromessages that erode organizations.

They are a cumulative pattern of subtle, semi-conscious, devaluing messages, which discourage and impair performance, possibly leading to damaged self-esteem and withdrawal. For example, microinequities can occur within a team when a manager or a colleague communicates different messages to people, usually

linked to a difference between them such as race, gender, age, sexual orientation or level. As JPMorgan Chase senior vice president of corporate diversity Steve Young says, “It is the subtle things that give us away.”

Micro-messages can affect such things as employee productivity, morale, absenteeism and turnover— all critical in the success of a company. Negative micro-messages can cause employees to withdraw, complain, question their own abilities, be absent from work frequently and possibly quit; conversely, positive micromessages can encourage employees to excel in their work, commit to the company, and feel motivated. Clearly, there’s a compelling business case for effective micro-messages.

Individuals who belong to groups that have been historically excluded and devalued because of their difference may have stronger reactions to microinequities. Negative micro-messages have been referred to as an “invisible force” that goads the high turnover of women and people of color that so many corporations struggle to analyze and explain. Therefore, it becomes all the more imperative for companies to focus on the power of these small messages in order to attract and retain a more diverse workforce. The power of micro-messages is even larger when you consider the impact on business partnerships and clients.

As a global company with over 90,000 employees in 52 countries, JPMorgan Chase knows that creating an inclusive and respectful work environment is critical to its success.

The product of several mergers of

diversityjournal.com

diverse financial services organizations, JPMC has capitalized on its skill with blending unique cultures and has approached diversity, along with many aspects of its business, with a broader scope. For JPMC, that broader scope of diversity awareness needed to span the globe—across businesses, borders and cultures. They believe that raising their collective level of understanding around micro-messages, and specifically micro-inequities, will do just that.

Sparked by research that had been performed at MIT, an internal team at JPMC realized the impact that microinequities could have on employees and, ultimately, on the company.

Partnering with key academic institutions and consulting partners, the JPMC team spent nearly two years developing a program called “MicroInequities: The Power of Small.” The program explores the impact of microinequities on individuals, team dynamics and the organizational culture, creating further understanding of how these subconscious messages can lead to large barriers that erode performance.

Participants in “The Power of Small” learn how to become aware of, discuss, and address micro-inequities.

Strategies for both the sender and receiver—everyone plays each role at some point—in preventing

SPRING 2018

Original PDJ Is sue Summer 2001,

pg 6

View on ISSUU. com

"

Negative micro-messages have been referred to as an “invisible force” that goads the high turnover of women and people of color that so many corporations struggle to analyze and explain. Therefore, it becomes all the more imperative for companies to focus on the power of these small messages in order to attract and retain a more diverse workforce.

"

micro-inequities are taught. Prevention techniques are explained and practiced.

Participants are encouraged to make a commitment to adopt these techniques as part of business as usual. In addition to developing skills to address microinequities in the workplace, awareness techniques are highlighted which will proactively create a more inclusive environment.

The Power of Small has been delivered over 100 times and is consistently given

high marks in evaluations, highlighted as being universally understood.

During the sessions, managers have experienced significant breakthroughs as they confront the huge impact that the micro-messages they send have on their teams’ performance. Although developed in the U.S., it is a concept that is applicable across all geographies and cultures and is being adapted for incorporation into either new or existing training across the globe. JPMC views this as one of the few programs that exist today which will be perceived equally as powerful across its entire organization­—truly a global diversity education offering.

Will this program create the bigger container and raise diversity awareness and skill to the next level? JPMorgan Chase believes the answer is yes. In addition to the firm focusing on the large and most visible actions that exclude, The Power of Small highlights the thousands of subtle messages that are communicated daily. By effectively managing these micro-messages, JPMorgan Chase seeks to dramatically reduce non-inclusive behaviors that critically impact productivity and their bottom line. PDJ

107

Collaboration Drives Success for Diversity Initiatives

By Mike Streeter

I

t’s been four years since an alliance of business came together in Rochester, New York, to sponsor the area’s first conference on workforce diversity. That event’s success led to formation of the Greater Rochester Diversity Council (GRDC), an organization that has become a defining and driving force for the region’s diversity initiatives.

Since it began, others have started to replicate GRDC’s program. It was the first collaboration of its kind in the country. Companies that were competitors came together to find innovative ways for achieving diversity in the workplace.

The GRDC’s primary focus has been to create a learning community within the business world to address the benefits of diversity. In monthly meetings, members share successes and collaborate to develop practical approaches for promoting and managing workforce diversity.

Important elements contributing to GRDC’s success are the diversity of membership and the structure of its bylaws. Its 22 members include employers from manufacturing, service, health care, banking and public utilities, as well as local colleges, universities and non-profit organizations. “We’re all peers on the council,” says Bill Simpson, a founding member of the GRDC and director of human resources for Nixon Peabody LLP. “Large employers do not have more clout. That’s beneficial because no one member dominates the council.” By the way it operates, the GRDC typifies the value of inclusiveness and the use of multiple perspectives to improve teamwork.

108

BUILDING BRIDGES

Similar organizations often founder when their members no longer wish to continue.

The GRDC has been successful in building bridges of understanding and common interest among member organizations. In the words of founding member, Clayton Osborne, vice president for strategic staffing and diversity, Bausch & Lomb, “GRDC has had a powerful impact on our diversity work. It allows us to share best practices and implement some of the tactics from other companies. We are able to use those practices by modifying them to Bausch & Lomb’s culture and our business needs.”

“One thing we did at Blue Cross,” says Glenda Lusk, who was with the firm for 20 years before moving to Nixon Peabody, “was create an internal network of minority employees to monitor their own professional development. This would have been difficult if we couldn’t turn to others for assistance. They helped answer questions, such as: ‘How do you start it and how do you keep it rolling?”

Another benefit noted by Osborne is the powerful impact that membership has had for him personally. “As the leader of Bausch & Lomb’s diversity initiative, it has been a source of development and awareness. It allows me to network within the community, not just in the area of diversity, but also in the areas of leadership and other community issues.”

An important outcome of the GRDC’s ongoing program is a mutual interest in

ensuring that all companies in the area are successful and healthy. As well as sharing diversity strategies, in some instances, those that do not directly compete share business strategies.

For example, companies that participate in career fairs and recruiting activities have formed an alliance to share recruiting strategies. At recruiting events such as those sponsored by the MBA Consortium or the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, they often collocate to promote the Rochester area and showcase jobs from several companies.

“It’s important to note,” says Osborne, “that the Rochester Recruiting Alliance is not just about the diversity.

There are economies of scale that result

diversityjournal.com

"

from collaboration. Each company sends representatives, but we share materials, collocate our booths and share information on job vacancies. It’s been extremely successful. As a result, we are attracting more people to our community.”

The best practice that is a direct outcome of the GRDC is the Senior Executive Roundtable. Top executives from member organizations came together to exchange and develop ideas on how business leaders in Rochester can be visible, active and effective in promoting workforce diversity. Leroy Valentine, manager of diversity and staffing, RG&E, cites the value of the process. “The Executive Roundtable is a great help,” he says. “It lets our CEO see what some of the more experienced diversity players have been doing and how they overcome difficult issues.”

In addition to sharing ideas, the roundtable provides leadership and resources to identify and deal with diversity issues that have broad impact on the Rochester community.

An example is the collaborative effort underway to work with employee networks and affinity groups at companies throughout Rochester to create an area-wide network structure that can serve as a resource to employees who are new to the community, as well as prospective hires.

SPRING 2018

BUILDING THE FUTURE

Since its inception, the GRDC has sponsored a variety of business and management educational events in the Rochester community to help local organizations in their discovery of the benefits of diversity. The full-day conferences, which have showcased many of the nation’s leading experts, have been, by far, the most effective tools in this effort. On May 16 & 17, 2000, the GRDC will sponsor its third biennial conference, Diversity 2 Thousand: Hear It! Feel It! Live it! at Nazareth College in Rochester.

This conference is clearly the GRDC’s most ambitious undertaking to date,

Original PDJ Is sue Spring 2000, pg

20

View on ISSUU. com

"

The GRDC’s primary focus has been to create a learning community within the business world to address the benefits of diversity.

because it represents the beginning of a shift in emphasis from just sharing ideas and concepts to more fully engaging and inspiring the participants. Ann Young, director of corporate diversity, Eastman Kodak Company, says, “In many ways, the conference themes, Feel It! and Live It!, are metaphors for the future direction of the GRDC as it begins to concentrate more on actions and tangible outcomes in addition to its work on education and raising awareness.” Kodak is the principal corporate sponsor of the conference.

“Our future,” says Osborne, “will involve expanding the number of members that can benefit from the GRDC. We want to increase the intensity and breadth of programs offered to member organizations, expand our biennial conference to a national conference so that best practices can be shared on a larger platform, and focus on areas that are linked to diversity not yet fully explored and shared.”

In the eyes of many, the GRDC itself is a best practice. “We get kudos whenever we hold events where people can learn and network,” observes Simpson. “The learning comes in many forms, from collaborating and participating in programs, to meeting different people and creating new contacts. We think we’ve found a formula that can help other cities if the employers are willing to exchange information and help one another.” PDJ

109

All Roads Are Good

By Gerald McMaster

One hundred and twenty pairs of moccasins “perform” at this installation of the National Museum of the American Indian, representing cultures from the Arctic to the Mexican deserts.

Their diversity in form and material remind us all that there is great beauty and peace when we walk in unison.

A

s we begin to appreciate and accept the idea of diversity, cultural wars are still being waged over personal, tribal, ethnic, and national identities by a new force that is globalization. As an invisible but powerful force upon our daily lives, what impact will globalization continue to have in a post ‘9-11’ world? Similarly, how and where will the voice of diversity find its listeners in a world of competing voices? Ironically, globalization and diversity coexist in North American society while they find varying resistance in other countries. These two ideas are significant in North American history, yet for American Indians they have particular resonance: on the one hand, we know there was always enormous diversity amongst Native American cultures; while on the other, the powerful forces of modernity almost totalized these cultures into one ‘Indian’ identity. It is against this background that I want to speak about an art project that is based on the metaphor of diversity.

In 1993, along with several other American Indians, I was asked to participate in an unusual exhibition at the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). Instead of an exhibition driven by a museum curator, the museum asked members of the Indian community to be curators and, in turn, the museum

110

staff became facilitators in the process.

We were brought into New York City for a week to “mine” the museum’s collection, the results of which would form the exhibition called All Roads Are Good: Native Voices on Life and Culture. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet and work with many individuals from various U.S., Canadian, and Latin American tribes. The museum’s stated intention was to “bring the essential voices of native peoples themselves to the interpretation of our cultures and the things we have made. […] to tell […] in their own unfiltered voices why this cultural patrimony is important to them and how it reflects and defines their cultural realities.”

After spending the week going through the collections I was particularly drawn to the beautifully crafted objects created by artists from the North American Plains; yet I was troubled by the thought that my competence resided not in historical but rather with contemporary objects. I considered with care the potential of stepping within boundaries of controversial issues of the sacred and sensitive.

(For audiences foreign to this idea, it must be realized that Native religious practices were once unlawful; consequently, many religious items were rendered useless or confiscated by

authorities. Some of these objects ended up in museums; now many of these Native practices are being revitalized; as a result, tribes are repatriating objects they consider sacred or sensitive.) As well, selecting only Plains Cree objects seemed limiting.

So, I looked elsewhere. It was then that I decided to reflect the exhibition’s title, All Roads Are Good. But what objects could I use that were neither sacred nor sensitive? I began selecting moccasins – or “maskisina,” meaning shoes or footwear in the Plains Cree language – because of their ubiquity, and their many shapes and sizes aptly expressed the exhibition’s theme of multiple perspectives; as well as being a metaphor for diversity.

I selected more than 120 pairs representing cultures from the Arctic to the Mexican deserts. I wanted many different kinds, not just the beautiful, but also ones that showed diversity in form and material, since their

diversityjournal.com

"

group-ness would form a great beauty.

I had to consider what they would communicate and, correspondingly, how they would be installed. I was given a twelve-foot diameter space to work within; and so, the idea of creating an installation inspired me to interpret the moccasins as a “round dance.” From then on it was easy to arrange them in a circle, beginning with children’s moccasins in the center, with adult pairs moving out in concentric circles.

The idea or message for this work is that we each have a particular perspective or view of the world; that when taken together, multiplicity lives through dialogue; we need to bump up against and recognize one another.

Thus, by selecting a large number

SPRING 2018

of moccasins, I hope the viewer would understand diversity through the density of moccasins. To communicate this idea, I used the sociality of the Plains Cree Round Dance.

This Round Dance is performed by people, young and old, male and female, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, holding hands, moving right to left in clockwise direction, to the heart beat of the drums.

As more people participate, more circles begin forming around the singers, until there is a series of concentric circles. The actual dance step has each person lifting, in unison, their left foot and dropping it down beyond shoulder length, with the right foot dragged over. This repeats itself endlessly. The entire room resonates as all the bodies move in time as one continuous heartbeat. In the installation I wanted the effect of movement to come through, so the left moccasin of each pair was lifted on an angle, and in the center, I placed a drum and drumstick to indicate the position of the singers.

In its original sense the Round Dance speaks to local and tribal identity, but for this installation I wanted more. I wanted, simultaneously, to express the common historical identity of the American Indian, while implying that each person’s voice is personal, consensual and communicative. But one may argue: Isn’t the Round Dance installation a form of globalization? I’d say yes; but to dance is a choice, not a requirement or enforcement.

Original PDJ Is sue Jan/Feb 2002,

pg 26

View on ISSUU. com

"

As we begin to appreciate and accept the idea of diversity, cultural wars are still being waged over personal, tribal, ethnic, and national identities by a new force that is globalization.

The moccasin installation’s popularity continues to grow with museum staff, visitors, and the media. The museum’s interpreters, who take great pride in speaking to visitors, have long enjoyed the installation’s many nuances. In fact, there is one area in the installation where visitors can stand as if they were part of the circle; it is a wedge space that’s cut into the middle of the circle where visitors can walk into the middle of the circle to see works up close or pretend. As well, museum guards find great solace in watching visitors’ enthusiasm, recognizing the effect the installation has on visitors. And this past August I was interviewed on the Antiques Road Show to speak about the Museum and the installation. Staff continually asks that it remain on view for visitors; regrettably, the installation is to be dismantled over the next year after being on display since 1993.

I often wonder how long the circle of moccasins can sustain itself; maybe forever, since some consider the idea an act of art. For me, in the wake of the September 11 tragedy, with the NMAI located only blocks from “ground zero,” art is an essential reminder of happier times. I say this only because the Round Dance installation, as a metaphor for diversity, life, and happiness, in its own microcosmic way expresses the hope of a better tomorrow; when we can all live together in peace and harmony, while respecting each other’s differences. PDJ

111

PART 1

In my view… elements for a successful process a special guest editorial and part 1 of a 2-part series

By Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., DBA

M

anagers have frequently asked different versions of the question, “What constitutes a successful diversity process?” Sometimes these are individuals in corporations where nothing at all has been done in the diversity arena. In other instances, they are managers in companies where significant efforts have not produced the desired results. In particular, this latter group often is truly puzzled and disenchanted, and indeed, may wonder if there is any such thing as a successful “diversity” process.

I believe that there are “successful” diversity thrusts, but that the definition of “success” is evolving, along with an understanding of the requirements or determinants of a “successful” diversity effort.

THE TRADITIONAL APPROACH The core elements of the traditional approach have been in place for over thirty years, and observers for some time have lauded corporations for their success with this framework.

These main elements include: root assumptions, principles, practices (manifestations), benefits, and challenges.

ROOT ASSUMPTIONS Root Assumptions provide the undergirding for the traditional approach, and form the foundation on which this effort has been based.

Two deserve mention because of

112

their prominence: Amends must be made for past exclusion and denial of equal opportunity.

It is assumed that through slavery and related subsequent practices, equal opportunity was denied to AfricanAmericans and other minorities. Later, this assumption evolved to address the exclusion of women. This approach also assumes that this exclusion was “wrong” and that some amends are required.

The “isms” are the basic forces behind the denial of equal opportunity. The assumption in the early days of this approach was that historical and current racist practices had inhibited the provision of equal opportunity to all. Strong sentiment existed that the elimination of prejudices and related practices

would generate equal opportunity.

Another significant observation is that this discussion progressed without the vernacular of diversity.

This was possible because the traditional approach was not conceived or perceived as being about promoting diversity, but about righting the past wrongs of exclusion and denial of equal opportunity. That this corrective

diversityjournal.com

"

process would generate diversity as a byproduct only became apparent some time later.

PRINCIPLES As corporate leaders embraced the root assumptions, certain principles emerged as guiding lights for corporate practices. These principles affirmed the foundational assumptions and provided context for their manifestations: You must not discriminate illegally.

This became the rallying point.

Corporations embracing this approach displayed a serious desire to stamp out any discrimination based on race and, eventually, on other targeted attributes. At a minimum, this meant that segregation policies and practices were outlawed.

Today, most organizations work to uphold this principle in theory and practice.

You must not sexually harass.

As the equal opportunity umbrella expanded to cover women, this became a critical principle. Like the discrimination provision, this guideline now constitutes a bedrock of corporate equal opportunity aspirations.

You must be sensitive. Two aspects come into play. One,

SPRING 2018

you must be sensitive to how and when your behavior may have a discriminatory impact. This sensitizing was seen as critical in efforts to eliminate or minimize the “isms.” Two, you must be sensitive to the cultural backgrounds of others. Ethnocentrism was to be discouraged, so that the inclusion of “different” individuals would be facilitated.

PRACTICES As these root assumptions gave rise

Original PDJ Is sue Fall 2001, pg 46

View on ISSUU. com

"

Often through Affirmative Action programs, corporations have varied their recruitment practices to assure that they contribute to minimizing exclusiveness.

to key principles (guidelines), so did the principles give rise to practices: Strong CEO Support. Most successful examples of the traditional approach share this common feature.

While the form of this support can vary, the CEO must figure out how to make his or her endorsement meaningful and visible.

Special Recruitment Efforts. The practice of making special efforts to seek and recruit talented minorities and women has been a key aspect of the traditional model. Often through Affirmative Action programs, corporations have varied their recruitment practices to assure that they contribute to minimizing exclusiveness.

Awareness Training. Here, managers seek to help associates realize how and when their behavior can have a discriminatory impact.

Advocates of this practice have assumed that “aware” individuals will be better positioned to avoid undesirable behavior.

Mentoring. In an effort to assure that promotional and developmental systems are inclusive, many corporations introduce formal mentoring for minorities and women.

113

PART 1

In my view… elements for a successful process continued a special guest editorial and part 1 of a 2-part series

High Potential Lists. To help identify individuals with high upper mobility potential, some organizations use a “high potential list.” In those instances where the lists have not been representative with respect to minorities and women, managers have created separate lists for those employees.

Cultural Celebrations. To foster acceptance and understanding of the multiple cultural backgrounds that may be present in an organization, managers can encourage day-long or even week-long celebrations.

Community Outreach. Supporting community organizations concerned with minority and women affairs has become a common practice for demonstrating sensitivity and acceptance.

BENEFITS The traditional approach to minimizing exclusion can be comprehensive and, as such, requires considerable resources. Fortunately, the traditional model also can produce substantial benefits: Increased Representation. Without a doubt, corporations can realize enhanced representation through the traditional model.

Enhanced Upward Mobility. The traditional approach can foster upward mobility for minorities and women through all levels of the hierarchy. Typically, companies that have been successful with the traditional approach have been able to develop and advance minorities and women to the highest levels.

114

Enhanced Esteem. Success with this approach often generates an increase in positive feelings about the corporation among minority and female employees. Even when issues arise, a greater willingness exists to give management the benefit of the doubt.

Decrease in Incidents. Where there has been success with this model, at a minimum, the ability to react to incidents effectively increases.

Consequently, the probability of an explosive situation declines because of the corporation’s enhanced sensitivity.

Public Recognition.

Corporations excelling with the traditional framework stand a greater chance of making the lists of “best places” for women and/or minorities. Additionally, their managers often receive accolades from community groups for their equal opportunity activities.

SUSTAINABILITY: THE ULTIMATE CHALLENGE A reader of a draft of this article

asked, “What’s wrong with the traditional approach? It seems okay to me!” The problem is that ultimately it cannot be sustained.

Intensified efforts generate diminishing results.

The executive utilizing the traditional framework alone is like the driver of a new car with mysterious ailments. Coming off the showroom

diversityjournal.com

"

An approach that has been evolving over the past fifteen years is Diversity Management. With a different perspective, it has the potential to complement traditional efforts and to enable sustainable progress.

"

floor, the car offers so much promise and drives well, but repeatedly breaks down. Regardless of the dealer’s efforts to correct the problem, it persists until the seller and buyer pronounce it to be a lemon.

So it is with the traditional model; it can work well and produce great results, but always breaks down before arriving at the desired destination. Fortunately, unlike the “lemon” analogy, the traditional’s ailments do not qualify as mysterious.

It promotes white male backlash. In the midst of concerns about reverse discrimination and preferential treatment, the traditional approach generates resentment and resistance among white males, regardless of whether they are racists.

Except in times of collective societal guilt about exclusion and denial of opportunity, white male backlash has always been a risk.

It promotes backlash from minorities and women. After a few years of serious implementation of the traditional framework, women and minorities started to complain that they were stigmatized by efforts to bring about inclusion and equal opportunity. Some beneficiaries of the process resented not being able to prove that they really were “qualified” and would have been successful without “special arrangements.”

It does not promote effective management of the inevitable byproduct of diversity. If a company improves the ability to be inclusive with respect to minorities and women,

SPRING 2018

it likely will experience an increase in behavioral diversity. If the corporation's managers do not address this diversity effectively, it can work against the organization and undermine its inclusion/equal opportunity work.

Because of these “ailments,” the ultimate result is a frustrating cycle characterized by intensifying effort, diminishing returns and burnout: Stage 1 Recognition that the organization has problems with exclusion and equal opportunity, and the selection of the traditional model as the potential remedy.

Stage 2 Successful implementation and realization of significant progress with inclusion and equal opportunity.

Stage 3 Celebration of progress and enjoyment of benefits.

Stage 4 Emergence of “ailments” accompanied by the loss of previous gains. Increasing effort with diminishing returns.

Stage 5 Frustration and burnout. After a period of dormancy and withdrawal, decision is made to try the traditional again, with a renewed determination to “do it right this time.”

Some well-meaning corporations have made multiple passes at

“doing it right this time” without any success in getting out of the frustrating cycle. Indeed, one can argue that our society is also stuck in this predicament.

NEXT STEPS The traditional approach to fostering inclusion and equal opportunity can generate seasons of great pain and great joy. So, a corporation that just a short time ago enjoyed everyone’s praise, can find itself facing an “incident” that suggests previously acclaimed progress was more apparent that real.

This seesawing between acclaim and condemnation can lead managers to either settle into a maintenance mode of intense effort without relaxation in hopes of avoiding the frustrating cycle, or seek a complement to the traditional as a way of achieving sustained progress.

I endorse the latter view. Although the traditional option has limitations, it can greatly advance the causes of inclusion and equal opportunity.

Corporations should adopt it, while simultaneously seeking a complement to assure sustainable movement.

An approach that has been evolving over the past fifteen years is Diversity Management. With a different perspective, it has the potential to complement traditional efforts and to enable sustainable progress. In Part II of this series, we’ll explore how Diversity Management can complement the traditional inclusion/equal opportunity model.

PDJ

115

PART 2

In my view… elements for a successful process a special guest editorial and part 2 of a 2-part series Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., DBA

S

everal root assumptions lay the ground work for the Diversity Management approach, and they differ significantly from those that make up the foundation for the traditional perspective. For example, Diversity refers to any collective mixture characterized by differences and similarities. While this definition obviously covers a mixture of employees, it also embraces any other mixture one might encounter.

116

The tasks of promoting inclusion and equal opportunity can be viewed as diversity issues.

Stated differently, the more inclusion and the more equal opportunity a corporation generates, the greater the probability of substantial, significant diversity among employees.

This holds regardless of whether a manager explicitly intends to foster diversity.

Difficulty in dealing with diversity (mixtures characterized by differences and similarities) can contribute to difficulty in achieving sustainable progress with inclusion and equal opportunity.

Individuals who have difficulty dealing with diversity mixtures can be described as “diversi-

ty-challenged.” This condition hinders efforts to achieve racial and gender inclusiveness, regardless of whether racism and sexism exist.

The more capable an organization’s members are with diversity, the better prepared the organization will be for the challenges that can come with effective implementation of the traditional model. The basic implication is that Diversity Management can complement the traditional framework and enhance the likelihood of sustainable progress.

Obviously, these assumptions indicate that racism and sexism are not the only significant sources of difficulty in bringing about inclusion and equal opportunity.

They imply that failure to broaden your scope beyond traditional thinking can also hinder the sustaining of this progress. In other words, achieving inclusion and equal opportunity may be more difficult than emphasizing elimination of the “isms.”

A DIFFERENCE IN PRINCIPLES From the limited experience that exists with the implications of the Diversity Management model, certain principles are emerging.

While they parallel those of the traditional model, they differ greatly in context and emphasis.

Mindset shifts are critical and essential. While most U.S. organizations have firmly

diversityjournal.com

"

Original PDJ Is sue Jan/Feb 2002,

endorsed the need for progress with inclusion and equal opportunity, a major mind shift and expansion will be required to embrace both the traditional and complementary approaches.

Conceptual clarity must be achieved. Simultaneously, organizational participants must gain conceptual clarity with respect to: • Managing Workforce Representation (assuring the presence of different groups in the workforce at the desired levels and to the extent desired) • Understanding Differences (assuring harmonious relationships among the various groups represented in the workforce) • Managing Workforce Diversity (assuring the development of organizational capability to deal with differences and similarities in the workforce) • Strategic Diversity Management (assuring the development of organizational capability to deal with differences and similarities in any aspect of the corporation’s operations, and not just in human resources).

The representation (inclusion) and diversity questions must be asked.

SPRING 2018

Unless these inquiries are raised and answered, progress will be inhibited: Representation • What group do we want represented in the workforce?

• To what extent do we want each group represented?

Diversity

pg 46

View on ISSUU. com

"

The basic implication is that Diversity Management can complement the traditional framework and enhance the likelihood of sustainable progress.

declining, managers have not been definitive regarding their stand on behavior diversity.

If an organization has diversity, it will have diversity tension. Its participants will have to develop the wherewithal to pursue common objectives effectively in the midst of similarities, differences and tensions.

This is at the core of Diversity Management.

• What kind of variations (if any) do we want in workforce behavior?

• To what extent do we want behavior variations?

Most corporations have agreed in principle that they want to be inclusive, but have not specified for which groups representation is sought, or to what extent. Without these specifics, it is difficult to be clear as to what would constitute success.

Generally speaking, corporations have not entertained the behavior variation inquiry. The assumption typically has been that assimilation would inhibit any behavior diversity that might come as a byproduct of inclusion. Although the efficacy of assimilation in this regard is

117

PART 2

In my view… elements for a successful process continued a special guest editorial and part 2 of a 2-part series

The business rationale for fostering inclusion and equal opportunity, as well as Diversity Management, must be clear. Because of the magnitude of effort and change required to promote inclusion and equal opportunity, not to mention the culture change implicit in the Diversity Management model, emphasis must be placed on the business rationale. Further, experience with the traditional perspective suggests that while legal, moral and social responsibility motives can be valid, they are not sufficient to generate sustainable progress.

The organization and its participants must become Effective Diversity Respondents (EDRs). EDRs posses the ability to respond to diversity mixtures in a manner that maximizes the achievement of organizational and personal goals.

The individual is the cornerstone of the organization’s Diversity Management capability. Accordingly, managers and individual contributors must develop an ability to respond individually and collectively to diversity mixtures appropriately.

Community progress with Diversity Management must be encouraged. Often when executives first differentiate between the perspectives of the traditional model and Diversity Management, they ask, “How am I to do this with society stuck in the traditional mode?” They complain that any progress would be compromised as their associates moved back and forth between the company and their communities. This means

118

companies will have to assume a leadership role, given that most communities have not placed Diversity Management on their agenda.

of assuming and modifying culture as needed. Here, reference is made not just to manifestations, but also to root cultural assumptions. Cultural change is key to enhancing the potential for sustainability.

ILLUSTRATIVE PRACTICES Development of the Business Case.

To affirm the principles and Implementation in large part will be assumptions of Diversity Management, determined by the degree to which some practices are likely to become a compelling business case is develcritical determinants of success. They, oped and imbued throughout the too, will reflect the differentiation organization. Without this rationale, between the traditional and motivation will likely be insufficient evolving framework. to bring about the magnitude and Strong CEO Support. CEOs will complexity of change implicit in the have to take the lead along many traditional and complementary fronts. Perhaps, most importantly, approaches together. they will have to model not only Application Sessions. Since we the mindshift process, but the are conceptualizing Diversity broad application of Diversity Management as an acquired Management whenever it can capability to be used when and strategically benefit the corporation. where it may be beneficial, This will mean application beyond practice in utilization must be diverse human resource mixtures. encouraged at all levels.

Broader applications will strengthen Community Involvement. the business case.

Given the community’s contextual Education and Training. Both importance as discussed earlier, will be required to assist managers executives must reach out to and individual contributors to influence its thinking. In this regard, become Effective Diversity corporations might invite community Respondents. Education will be leaders to briefings, or they might needed to facilitate the requisite fund educational efforts in the mindset shift and growth in diversity community. The goal would be to maturity, while training will be broaden the external environment’s essential for the acquisition of the perspective on equal opportunity diversity skills: (1) identification of and inclusion issues. diversity mixtures, (2) analysis of diversity mixtures, and (3) selection ILLUSTRATIVE BENEFITS of appropriate responses to As discussed, the likelihood of diversity mixtures. sustainable progress with equal Cultural Change. At the heart of opportunity and inclusion will be Diversity Management are the tasks increased, primarily because the

diversityjournal.com

"

Because Diversity Management does not position differences as implicitly bad, and because it encompasses all differences and similarities, minorities and women are likely to feel less 'targeted' and, therefore, less susceptible to stigmatization.

combination of the traditional model and Diversity Management generates less backlash. Because Diversity Management does not position differences as implicitly bad, and because it encompasses all differences and similarities, minorities and women are likely to feel less “targeted” and, therefore, less susceptible to stigmatization. White

SPRING 2018

males are included in the definition of diversity.

This is how Diversity Management works to create an environment that accesses the talent of all employees.

Corporations effectively implementing Diversity Management also gain an enhanced capability to address all diversity mixtures.

Workforce mixtures are not the only ones requiring attention in corporate America. As corporations progress in acquiring Diversity Management capability, they equip themselves to deal with any diversity issue.

CHALLENGES Without a doubt, time and the magnitude of the implementation process are the two greatest

"

challenges. Implementation will demand enormous time for education and training, application practice sessions, and the modification of corporate culture.

In today’s competitive and dynamic economic culture, managers are reluctant to allow themselves or associates to be away from “work” for major chunks of time. Similarly, the short-term focus of many executives makes it unlikely that a corporation can stay focused for the five or ten years required to institutionalize real cultural change.

For me, the challenge becomes not whether to proceed, but how to get around barriers to implementation. For example, electronic learning offers promise for more efficient and effective education and training. Enhanced skills within the core of a business might strengthen the time period a company can stay focused on one issue like cultural change. Clearly, innovation and creativity will be crucial for implementation.

The irony is that Diversity Management capability (the ability to address a mixture characterized by differences and similarities) is required to develop and implement a process comprised of the “traditional” and “strategic.”

But regardless of implementation challenges, organizations desiring success with diversity will have to master the diversification of their approaches. Otherwise, they risk being in a frustrating cycle indefinitely. PDJ

119

Raising the bar

It’s About Leadership

By Ted Childs

Competing in the global market is tricky enough.

Leading it demands innovative vision and solid skills in corporate diversity.

T

here’s a great deal of debate about the qualities needed for a successful diversity executive. “What attributes does a diversity executive need to be effective in corporations today?” is a question asked by experts and senior line executives. Others ask, “How can a diversity executive work in the corporate boardroom, but stay in touch with the various constituency groups and their needs, and still remain credible and effective?”

These are good questions, and there are many good answers that address them. During my 35-year IBM career, I’ve thought about these questions often, and about the answers even more. Over and over again, I come to the same conclusion: it’s about passion and leadership.

Your success comes down to how you answer these questions: Do you exhibit leadership both in your personal approach to diversity and the policies you embrace for your company, and do you care about the outcome of the debates you engage in—do you hate to lose?

To answer these questions, I draw my response from two people that I have learned from and admire greatly. The first example comes from professional sports. The second example comes from business. Both are legends. I’m talking about Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Tom Watson, Jr. of IBM. “Life is not a spectator sport,” said Robinson, who broke the baseball color barrier in 1947. “If you’re going to spend your whole life in the grandstand just watching what goes on, in my opinion you’re wasting your life.”

Robinson lived as he believed. From 1942-45, while in the Army and before his baseball career, Robinson challenged segregation at Camp (Fort) Hood. As he went through military channels stating his cause to superior officers, Robinson’s

120

protest led to desegregation at the camp.

He also once faced and defeated court martial proceedings, after refusing to move to the back of an Army bus when the driver gave the order. Robinson’s protest, a legitimate one, since Army regulations prohibited discrimination on government vehicles, eventually led to all charges being dismissed.

Robinson lays out a valuable lesson for diversity executives today. Our work is not for spectators, but for those who thrive on change. Not for change alone, but change that is a catalyst for improvement—creating fairness when it doesn’t exist, moving organizations from separate but equal points of view to inclusiveness, and migrating people from conflict to collaboration.

Diversity leaders can also learn from the leadership of Tom Watson, Jr. When it involved IBM, he also sought to live by his values as he led the business. In his book, A Business and Its Beliefs, Watson said, “If an organization is to meet the challenges of a changing world, it must be prepared to change everything about itself except its basic beliefs as it moves through corporate life. The only sacred cow in an organization should be its basic philosophy of doing business.”

And so, he identified three basic beliefs to serve as the cornerstone of IBM’s approach to business. They were: 1. Respect for the individual.

2. Service to the customer.

3. Excellence must be a way of life.

Watson lived and led by these beliefs. And he walked the talk. In a personal meeting with Mr. Watson in 1990, I asked him why he wrote what I believe was America’s first equal opportunity policy letter. The letter,

written in 1953, communicated his commitment to fairness and inclusion.

Mr. Watson replied that during negotiations with the governors of two southern states regarding the building of IBM plants, he told them that there would be no “separate but equal” racial policies at IBM. To ensure the governors took him seriously, he wrote a letter to his management team and made the letter public. As a result, he said, both governors responded by choosing payroll and tax dollars over bad social policy—they chose progress.

In our meeting, Mr. Watson also said, “My father taught me that if we take care of our people, they will take care of us.”

He applied that concept to all employees.

I believe that every diversity leader must be passionate about the people working for their company and their customers. Leaders must also help all people involved with their business understand that workforce diversity can be the bridge between the workplace and the marketplace. Passion is contagious, and when combined with leadership, the equation is very effective.

But the most important quality for a diversity leader is the ability to motivate others to be part of the leadership, and see it as part of their personal day-to-day performance. A leader must be able to draw others into the debate and be the catalyst who can convince others that helping to change the content and character of the workplace makes the team

diversityjournal.com

stronger and a better performer in the marketplace.

So, why is leadership important?

The answer is simple: our work is not done. First, we have not solved the problems of gender and race. Women represent more than 50 percent of the world’s population, but they’re not 50 percent of our workforce and certainly have not achieved parity on our management and executive teams. They are, however, increasingly becoming members of our executive teams and owners of their own businesses. We must view them in a more important and inclusive context —as workforce talent and customers.

The issue of race has been a pivotal item in our nation since its founding.

Today, driven by immigration patterns, the growing presence of people of color as citizens, business owners and customers puts this issue on the social, business and political agendas of many countries.

Second, the gay and lesbian workplace issue achieved legitimacy as a discussion topic in the last decade. The driving force was the debate around whether or not to offer domestic partner benefits. Although approximately 145 Fortune 500 companies offer domestic partner benefits today, many other companies don’t. And while the domestic partner benefits issue is still a legitimate topic of discussion, we need to move forward within the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender [GLBT]

SPRING 2018

"

discussions to address issues of leadership. Do we have equivalent programs to attract, develop and retain GLBT talent as we have done for women and people of color?

Are we being evenhanded? Are we just saying, well, gay and lesbian people work here, so we need to solve this benefits thing? Or, do we see them as a part of our core business environment—employees, leaders, and customers? We must ask the same inclusion questions about our disabled community. Is our approach to “disability” anchored in sympathy, or based on respect for the individual and a high regard for “ability?”

Third, a key emerging issue is the concept of being global. Do you envision your company as a global business?

Do you see a business that is limited to conducting its day-to-day operations in your particular country, or do you have a perspective about your company that crosses borders? What are your expectations about your business’ conduct in other countries? Do you have a commitment to ensure fairness in the treatment of women, people with disabilities, gays and lesbians, and ethnic minorities—no matter where you do business? IBM has people in more than 70 countries, 68 of which have some form of workforce diversity-related legislation. Are you taking steps to understand the workforce diversity legislation in each country where you do business?

Workforce diversity is a global topic— in the workplace and marketplace—and successful businesses will have a borderless view and an unyielding commitment to ensuring that workforce diversity is part of their day-to-day business conduct.

Success must also be measured as it pertains to a company’s composition and its program content. A company’s management team must ask itself: “Do we look like our customers, at all levels of our business? Do our programs reflect an

Original PDJ Is sue Sep/Oct 2002,

pg 18

View on ISSUU. com

"

Passion is contagious, and when combined with leadership, the equation is very effective.

understanding of the demand for talent in a competitive worldwide marketplace?

Is our business culture one that fosters inclusiveness and tolerance in each country where we do business?” And most important, are we using workforce diversity issues to improve marketplace performance and grow shareholder value?

To be successful, we must continue to look toward the future, not the past. And, I believe diversity leaders play a key role in that process. If we are to address the complex issues in the 21st century, such as the continuing core issues of race and gender, the growing issues of child and eldercare, the emerging issues of multiculturalism, tolerance of religious practices and the full inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace, then diversity professionals must lead. They must lead because businesses cannot get there by themselves.

I also know the world is smaller today than it was when I was a boy growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts.

But one thought has guided me during my lifetime: My mother continues to tell me to always set high goals. She says, “Never reach for the mountaintop.

If you fall, you may fall to the bottom of the mountain. Always reach for the stars; if you miss you may land on the mountaintop.” We still have several mountaintops worth pursuing.

If reaching for the stars will help our companies have the most diverse, talented workforce we can assemble in our respective marketplaces—then it is a goal our shareholders, customers and employees deserve we pursue. PDJ

121

jabberwocky: do you mean what I mean?

By Stephanie Lovett

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.

W

hen Alice came across the poem “Jabberwocky” on the other side of the looking-glass, she said to herself, “It seems to fill my head with ideas, only I don’t exactly know what they are.” Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll (the penname of Oxford mathematics lecturer Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) in 1865, and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass and what Alice Found There (1872) have had just that effect on their readers. Like all great literature, they leave us vibrating with the awareness of meaning, with a sense that important ideas are at our fingertips if we just knew what we were looking at.

In the case of the Alice books, this feeling of powerful but elusive meaning has been so strong that readers and scholars have been asking for well over a century what they really mean. The answers have been wildly varied, asserting that the books are satires of Oxford University life or British politics, Freudian nightmares about growing up, among many other theories much more quirky as well as more legitimate. One reason for the overwhelming sense of meaning in the Alice books, though, is that they are in part about meaning itself.

Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) was a logician at heart, even more than a mathematician, and his faith in logic permeated his life. As a logician, meaning and communicating meaning was his primary concern. His fame today rests on his two Alice books, the book-length comic poem The Hunting of the Snark and his stunning portrait photography.

He also wrote another novel for children and several treatments of mathematical subjects, but his perception of his contribution to mankind, the mission

122

of his lifetime, was a three-volume series on symbolic logic. He feared he would not live to complete this work, and in fact he died an untimely death from bronchitis after only the first volume had been published.

Carroll’s passion for logic was an expression of his concern that every individual have the tools to be fully the authentic human he or she was meant to be. He was very unhappy to see people taken in by specious arguments and misled by clever rhetoric, taking positions in politics and religion they might not actually agree with and that might even be harmful to them. He was sure if everyone were educated in how to sort out the actual content of a statement from any emotional manipulation and verbal fireworks, they would be free from being co-opted by ideologies and be able to understand what was really being said to them and be able to in turn say what they really meant.

Today, few people have read the extant volume of Symbolic Logic, but countless people worldwide have read the Alice books, which have been translated into over 70 languages. While our thinking skills would no doubt benefit from Carroll’s explicit instruction in discerning the true meaning of a statement, we can all absorb the implicit lessons of Alice books in not being bamboozled by clever words and dealing instead with the facts of the matter. The Alice who is defeated by the Caterpillar’s badgering interrogation. “Who are you?” learns to see through verbal sleight of hand and intimidation, and by the end can face down the bombastic Queen of Hearts, dismissing them all as a pack of cards.

So, let us step into Alice’s shoes and

consider what we should make of the word “diversity” when we hear it, talk about it, and make decisions based on our perceptions.

Anyone who has sat on the board of directors of a corporation, an educational institution, or a community nonprofit has had a moment of wonderment while listening to the words that fly around the room—wonderment that these people could have come together for a united purpose, be speaking the same language, be looking at the same handouts, and yet each mean something entirely different when they speak. A board table can sometimes be a veritable Mad Tea Party, where everyone is speaking at cross-purposes, working from their own private assumptions, and not really listening to what the others are saying.

And yet, although the Mad Tea Party is awash in rudeness, silliness and chaos, it does not lack the most important element of an effective board meeting—meaning. On the contrary, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare make a point of pure meaning:

diversityjournal.com

“I do,” Alice hastily replied; “at least—at least I mean what I say—that’s the same thing, you know.”

“Not the same thing a bit!” said the Hatter. “Why, you might just as well say that ‘I see what I eat’ is the same thing as ‘I eat what I see’!”

When your board comes together to discuss diversity, they may very well mean what they say, but it’s very likely that they are not saying what they mean to. In today’s jargon-driven corporate environment, most of your board members have probably pigeonholed “diversity” as a euphemism. In doing so, they have not only stripped the word of meaning, they have also left it open for each person to employ the word to convey their own idea of what it means, just like Humpty Dumpty does: “I don’t know what you mean by ‘glory’” Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously, “Of course you don’t—till I tell you.

I meant ‘there’s a nice knock-down argument for you!’”

“But ‘glory’ doesn’t mean ‘a nice knock-down argument,’” Alice objected.

“When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean—neither more nor less.”

Diversity is a sensitive subject for most boards, and as members feel their way around the discussion, trying to be tactful and not offend any minority members of the board, reveal their own biases or accuse others of insensitivity, they are especially likely with this term above all others not to question basic

SPRING 2018

assumptions and define what they really mean. The very unfortunate result of this delicacy is a decision-making process that may be sloppy to the point of uselessness.

If one director is assuming “diversity” is the latest buzzword for affirmative action for African-Americans, and the next director thinks it’s shorthand for “Why don’t we have any female VPs?” and the next thinks we’re strategizing to move some Asians from engineering into management, and no one has bought into the actual concept that the company is going to benefit from the energy and perspective of employees at all levels from all kinds of backgrounds, then the ensuing discussion will be close to gibberish. The subject of institutionalized prejudice may be delicate, but your organization is not going to be able to make meaningful decisions about allocating funds and human resources if the board is unwilling to be crystal clear and totally up-front about what the exact nature of the problem is and how they are going to solve it. If your organization wants a cosmetic diversity program—one that exists solely to prove to the world that you are cognizant of this issue—it doesn’t matter what the content of your discussions is, but most of you have a

Original PDJ Is sue Winter 2001, pg 22

View on ISSUU. com

“Then you should say what you mean,” the March Hare went on.

mandate to roll up your sleeves and put the time and money you’ve been given to something that is going to produce real results.

The diversity director knows what he or she means by “diversity,” but the board members and other employees are equally serenely sure that their understandings are correct. If the meaning of a word like “more” can be sliced this thinly, the possibilities of “diversity” are endless: “Take some more tea,” the March Hare said to Alice, very earnestly.

“I’ve had nothing yet,” Alice replied in an offended tone, “so I can’t take more.”

“You mean you can’t take less,” said the Hatter: “it’s very easy to take more than nothing.”

Your board may not have the nerve to ask questions about the real nature of your problem and the goals of your diversity program, and so ultimately it is up to the diversity director to see to it that the discussion is as clear and meaningful as it can possibly be. It’s no accident that the expression “being on the same page” has permeated the language so quickly, since unspoken, hidden assumptions will completely distort, stall, or kill the possibility of any worthwhile and effective outcome. So, get your board on the same page—and you can take that page from Lewis Carroll. PDJ

123

By The Most Reverend Anthony M. Pilla

W

e live in a complex society and in an increasingly shrinking global community. Ethnicity is clearly one of the most complicating and influential aspects of these realities.

Especially here in the United States, our ethnicity and heritage contribute to the richness of what we call the American experiment. Conversely, this powerful aspect of life is also the source of tension, conflict, fear, and hatred, both here at home and abroad.

It is no wonder, therefore, that while we enjoy the “melting pot” experience on a daily basis, we are also reminded of the need to be vigilant against the insidiousness of prejudice, stereotyping, and overt bigotry. The tragedy of prejudice is that it reveals the sad ignorance of those who practice it.

It is the lazy and uninformed mind that speaks of others in sweeping generalizations, applying epithets and monikers in substitute for beautiful names, personal biographies, and genuine individual identities. Without exposure to and the real celebration of the artistry, genius, courage, and faith of a people, we are left only to persist in the ignorance of prejudice.

My faith and training have convinced me that, other than the grace of God, there is only one thing that is truly

124

essential to both the authentic celebration of our ethnicity and our vigilance against defamation of various communities—and that is education. The key to authentic and blessed diversity is a “learnable task” and a function of the mind that the heart will follow. Education is the road to knowledge and we cannot hope to love one another until we truly come to such knowledge.

I am often puzzled and saddened by the manner in which we speak of diversity. Too often, diversity is promoted only as an unpleasant but necessary remedy to an injustice. Clearly, tolerance is such a remedy and experience tells us that many people receive such imposed tolerance with no little discomfort.

But that is such a negative view of the opportunity that diversity presents to us. The theology of the Catholic Church offers its subscribers a vision of community and diversity that is a gift, an enrichment, a desired blessing for which to strive. In fact, any attempt to isolate or exclude is confronted with the warning that “life without the complementarity of others is no real or full life at all.”

Diversity, meaning the true respect for, dignity of, and complementary nature of each human life and history, is the source of our fullness as a human species and community. Sadly, our migration habits, our residential, educational, and even our worshipping choices do not reflect a natural inclination toward or belief in

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2004,

pg 70

View on ISSUU. com

The Divine Nature of Diversity’s Calling

diversity. But our experiences of real diversity among loving, well-informed, and trusting brothers and sisters confirm the divine nature of diversity’s calling.

I have often lamented that there is no more segregated time in our great city than “worship time.” And the irony of that reality is that it is one God, the same God, that all worshippers gather to praise. If only we who worship could see the face of God revealed and reflected in the many diverse faces that are turned toward heaven!

We have the know-how and the capacity to change our minds and hearts on this important topic. Our friends in the marketing industries, who even now help pastors to “identify their brand” and to “target their audience,” have demonstrated to us the benefits of seeing the whole field. Our drive to succeed in the business world assists us in opening our eyes to the varied nature of the audience and the potential for great things by amending our product. That is education, that is critical knowledge and training.

Sharing my ethnic, religious, and cultural uniqueness with others and enjoying theirs is, without a doubt, the deepest joy of my life. I believe that, like leaven in the dough, those who have tasted the sweetness of a diverse life can widen the community of those who enjoy its benefits. I am convinced that we can do this as a human family, that we ought to do it for the sake of life, and that we must do it in order to claim our status as the children of God. PDJ diversityjournal.com

Putting PDJ articles INTO ACTION

By Nicole Hawkins

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress and working together is success.” – Henry Ford

I

com View on ISSUU.

often choose this Henry Ford quotation when speaking about my community because it epitomizes our diversity initiatives. In fact, I used it during my final interview for the first-ever position of Diversity Director at the MuncieDelaware County Chamber of Commerce (Muncie Chamber).

Profiles in Diversity Journal (PDJ) magazine was my biggest resource in preparing for the final interview and continues to be my favorite resource as I blaze trails in this new role. I love the fact that the articles in PDJ are written by actual diversity professionals. These articles are literal examples of diversity and management theory in everyday business practices.

In 2001-2002, TEAMwork for Quality Living (TQL), a local nonprofit organization, conducted a study on race relations in our community and found that more than 75 percent of non-whites believed there to be discrimination in the workplace. Additionally, high school and college graduates continue to leave the area to seek employment in more openly diverse locations.

With this in mind, the community joined together to form many socially

sue Original PDJ Is , pg 44

May/June 2004

SPRING 2018

based forums and action teams to address the issue of cultural diversity.

However, the business community was lagging behind in this effort. As the largest business organization in Delaware County, the Muncie Chamber positioned itself to partner with other organizations to see that diversity is understood and prepared for in workplaces throughout the area.

Representatives from TQL presented their findings from the race-relations study to the Board of Directors of the Muncie Chamber.

The workplace diversity committee concluded that a full-time diversity director would be needed to implement the goals and objectives more efficiently and effectively. It applied for a grant to the Community Foundation of Muncie, Ind., and in January 2004, the Community Foundation awarded the Muncie Chamber approximately $50,000 to begin its diversity programs.

The Workplace Diversity Committee at the Muncie Chamber served as the search committee for the diversity director position. I applied for the position and became a final candidate for the diversity director position. My last task in the interview process was to present the business case for diversity. I was confident in my presentation skills and the research that I had conducted thus far; however, I felt as if I need more examples of real-life applications of diversity programs and how they impact a company’s bottom line. I recalled the many articles I read in PDJ at the local public library.

My strategy for the presentation was to cover the who, what, why and how of diversity in Muncie, Ind. It is fairly simple to present the case that America’s face is changing and it is affecting the way we make and spend our money, but what about the face of Muncie and the way Munsonians make and spend their money?

PDJ helped me answer that question.

I began with diversity within Muncie—a community comprised of people from a variety of backgrounds, economic levels, styles, perspectives, values and beliefs.

The people of the Muncie community also come in all shapes, sizes, shades and hues, not to mention, the variance in physical abilities. The challenge has been for our community to accept and embrace our diversity as a wonderful asset for our business practices.

Michael Hyter’s article in the January/February 2003 issue of PDJ helped me immensely by providing answers to the why and how of diversity initiatives. The September/ October 2003 issue guided me in appealing to CEOs as the diversity champions of their organizations.

And the July/August 2003 issue on supplier diversity gave me many ideas to present to larger corporations in the community to encourage diversity in their business practices, not just their recruitment and retention strategies.

PDJ helped me get the job as the first ever diversity director for the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and I am ever so grateful for the quality and practicality of the articles in this magazine. PDJ

125

10 Elements for Creating a World-Class Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Program

By Michael C. Hyter

M

ost organizations today understand the necessity of fully tapping the contributions of a wide variety of people in order to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse, global marketplace. So most organizations want to ensure that their diversity initiatives are planned and implemented in a manner that allows them to attract and leverage the contributions of a broad pool of talent. There is a set of key components in creating diversity programs that support organizations to utilize their diversity to become more productive—elements that hold true across all industries, regardless of geography, size or history. #1: Understand the Difference Between Diversity and Inclusion Although the terms diversity and inclusion are often used interchangeably, when planning an initiative it’s helpful to differentiate between the two. Focusing on diversity typically means that the organization works to expand the number of individuals from various groups—more women, Hispanics, people of color, etc.—and to ensure that those individuals are appropriately represented in all functions and at all levels. This is an important focus, but on its own it is often insufficient in meeting an organization’s desire to expand its competitive advantage. To truly ensure that expanding the range of differences enhances an organization’s performance and productivity the business needs to focus on inclusion. By that we mean that an organization needs to ensure that it not only attracts a diverse group of employees but that it provides them—regardless of which group they belong to—with challenging tasks, real authority within their span

126

of control, and the support to grow and develop. This approach to including all employees, in whatever ways possible, in the important work of the business is what stimulates people to stretch their skills and increase their capacity to contribute to the business—and it’s what enables companies to get the best return on their investment in human capital.

Recently, in a large company we work with, a manager who went through diversity and inclusion training was assigned the job of putting together a task force to improve sales. This manager, reflecting upon the training he had just received, included an employee on the task force whom he wouldn’t have thought of before.

This person made a crucial recommendation that ended up increasing sales by over a million dollars. The lesson here is that this person was already at the company and the diversity existed, but the decision to include this person was what made the difference to the bottom line. # 2: Make the Business Case for Inclusion It’s clear that inclusion is a business issue once diversity and inclusion are understood to be a means by which an organization can ensure that all employees are given the opportunity to stretch their skills and capabilities.

Any company that can increase the skill set and contributions of the majority of its workforce enjoys a true competitive advantage. Seen in this light, diversity isn’t addressed only because it is the “right thing to do,” or because a positive and proactive approach to diversity is the best defense against bias-related litigation. Rather, implementing diversity and inclusion programs

has a positive effect on the bottom line. They are a means to increase profits and productivity by tapping the contributions of a broader pool of talent, not simply an awareness exercise. Inclusion initiatives, focused on supporting employee development, improve employee performance, increase productivity, reduce turnover, and make the company more attractive to potential employees and customers. # 3: The CEO and Leadership Team Must Accept Diversity as Their Personal Responsibility As with any other serious business objective, the CEO and leadership team must not only buy in to the diversity and inclusion initiative, but also take personal responsibility for its success. Too often diversity is viewed at various levels in an organization as a purely HR issue to be lumped in with other, more expendable, “feel good” programs. Yet senior leaders rarely take such a hands-off approach to items seen as critical to the bottom line—creating a new brand, opening

diversityjournal.com

"

a new market, a major cost-cutting effort. In today’s marketplace, people represent the only compelling competitive advantage for companies. It is in the best interest of the company and the leadership team not only to head a diversity initiative, but to make all employees aware of the real importance of diversity to the success of the business as a whole. Leaders need to model what’s expected, provide a clear vision, and hold others accountable—in other words play all the roles they would play in any other initiative important to the bottom line. #4: Assess Needs and Formulate a Specific Diversity Plan It’s important to start by identifying the issues that need to be addressed.

Often, an organization will be aware that there are diversity-related problems, but will have trouble

in identifying and addressing what those problems are. This is why needs assessment and careful strategy development are crucial. When faced with serious diversity issues it’s easy to “try something, try anything,” but that approach is seldom successful.

Taking the time to locate and address the specific needs of your company will help a diversity program succeed.

For example, if African Americans in mid-level management feel that they’re being kept from moving up as quickly as their white counterparts, a needs assessment can investigate if there is indeed a gap and what interpersonal and organizational factors may be getting in the way of advancement. Once the causes are understood it is easier to put together a targeted initiative that gets at the real issues.

It’s unlikely that such a problem (or a host of other issues) can be solved by a blanket diversity initiative that merely trains all staff about the importance of diversity.

By looking at specific problems and attempting to address them, a company will achieve greater success than it can by merely “going through the motions” of a general diversity program. # 5: Define “What’s in it for Me?” Too often, diversity is viewed as an issue of race or gender—and therefore not of any real benefit to a large percentage of the corporation. Once employees understand that the emphasis is on supporting the development of all employees, they’re more

SPRING 2018

Original PDJ Is sue Jan/Feb 2003,

pg 49

View on ISSUU. com

"

By inclusion, we mean that an organization needs to ensure that it not only attracts a diverse group of employees but that it provides them—regardless of which group they belong to—challenging tasks, real authority within their span of control, and the support to grow and develop.

likely to understand they have something to gain from the initiative and embrace its objectives. Once diversity is viewed in terms of not just race and gender, but also of age, sexual orientation, level of education, geography and other factors, it is much easier for employees to accept its importance as a business issue.

However, having defined diversity broadly, it’s essential that leaders not take their eye off the ball with respect to women and people of color. Historically those two groups have felt the greatest impact from the lack of development and positioning. # 6: No Blame—Shared Responsibility A common mistake in addressing diversity related issues is to seek to assign blame or guilt for the past historical ills and current mistreatment of some groups or individuals. While a particular event or mindset might be the very reason why a diversity initiative was undertaken in the first place, it’s not productive to single out those employees who have made mistakes in the past or induce guilt for past social wrongs. The purpose of a diversity program is to foster shared responsibility for increasing understanding and improving future relationships. The purpose of a diversity initiative and diversity training should be to mobilize, not polarize.

127

10 Elements for Creating a World-Class Corporate Diversity & Inclusion Program continued #7: Set Clear Expectations and a System of Accountability If everyone is to share responsibility for an initiative’s success, it’s critical that everyone be clear about the expectations for their contribution.

What are the standards for respectful interaction? How are managers expected to coach and develop others? How will interpersonal conflict be resolved? Whatever the expectations, the company needs to use all the channels regularly employed to communicate expectations around other important initiatives. There also needs to be a system for holding people accountable. This could include incorporating standards for inclusive behavior into the performance review process or tying some portion of a manager’s bonus to employee survey results.

Behavior that is clearly out of line with the expectations must be addressed quickly. Regardless of which items are included in a performance management document, if employees see a pattern of disrespectful behavior that is allowed to continue, it sends a clear message about the real expectations and level of accountability. # 8: Create Measures to Assess Progress An important step to take to make sure a diversity program is not just a surface-level objective is to set specific goals and then assess progress.

It’s not enough to simply feel that a change has occurred and that there are no longer problems. A diversity program must be treated in the same way that any other business objective is treated, with a clearly set starting point that can be referred to as a benchmark and then a means for tracking progress over time. Often

128

organizations already collect data related to levels of productivity, morale and retention that could be incorporated into a diversity measurement. The key step is to assess how the company’s efforts toward inclusion affect these measures and then reinforce those things that are effective and revise those that are not. # 9: Create a Broad-ranging Initiative Diversity isn’t a stand-alone issue, and needs to be central to an organization’s employee development strategy. Diversity cannot be achieved by a one-day training event. Just as diversity is a complex and involved issue, the plan used to address it must be similarly in-depth.

Strategic planning, assessment, measurement over time, links to other initiatives, policy and practice review, training and mentoring must all be used to effectively create and maintain a diversity program.

One of the most common stumbling blocks in building a diversity program is to place too much emphasis on recruitment as the solution to a lack of diversity and inclusion. While hiring more diverse employees may make it seem on the surface that the “problem is solved,” just hiring people to meet a quota does not facilitate true inclusion.

While hiring is surely important, it’s just the first element of an inclusion program. Effective inclusion also involves retention, development, mentoring, and advancement. #10: Provide Sufficient Resources and an Appropriate Infrastructure Just as with any other business objective, the financial and human resources required must be made available. Holding diversity training sessions alone is not a sustainable

method by which to build diversity and inclusion. It is important to build an infrastructure—to have the organizational practices, personnel, and budget necessary to develop a broader pool of talent. A simple diversity program might seem like a cost-effective way of quickly addressing the issue of diversity, but it will not achieve the desired goal of increasing business success. By providing an infrastructure to build a diversity and inclusion initiative, and carefully forming a company-specific approach, organizations can utilize their diversity to ensure future business success. Being sure that the right practices, employee development activities and rewards systems facilitate the development of all—in alignment with the business objectives—is the key to a successful initiative. In today’s uncertain economic environment, the one undeniable competitive foothold is a company’s capacity to develop a broader population of talent to the highest standards.

Diversity is an important business objective that must be dealt with as such and not treated as an awareness exercise or “the right thing to do.” By understanding a broad definition of diversity, providing an infrastructure to build a diversity initiative, and carefully forming a company-specific diversity initiative, organizations can utilize their diversity to ensure future business success. PDJ

diversityjournal.com

Inclusion Asks Us to Build New Bridges

By May Snowden

SPRING 2018

business case for diversity that all stakeholders can understand.

Leaders must reach deep within their companies, but also reach out to external allies who add credibility and provide proof points for the value of our diversity and inclusion efforts. External advisory panels lend an invaluable outside perspective. Kodak’s external advisory panel, for example, enlists former Spelman College President and current President of Bennett College Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, and attorney Eric H. Holder Jr., the first African-American to serve as U.S. Deputy Attorney General.

Increasing workforce inclusion asks us to build new bridges for recruitment, professional development and advancement, as well as retention. Diversity initiatives must take root with employees, then reach out to touch suppliers and customers. A clear business case must set the direction for the organization, and measurement tools must gauge leadership accountability.

Within many global businesses, “diversity champions” often emerge in sales, manufacturing, human resources, operations, customer service and recruitment. Their efforts help steer the organization’s efforts. At Kodak, a Global Diversity Leadership Team— including HR, technology, business managers, senior executives, and communications professionals—helps shape our diversity plans. In addition, employee network groups and other counsel advocates help create awareness and engage employees in transforming the business’ culture to one of inclusiveness.

Management also must recognize diversity trailblazers for their efforts.

The CEO Diversity Award, initiated at Kodak in 1998 by then-Chairman and CEO George Fisher and current CEO Dan Carp (then President and COO), recognizes senior leaders who

DaimlerChrysler is

Driving Exce llence

Chrysler Group Presid and the environment ent and CEO Dieter Zetsche “Many Talents, One that makes Company, Winni not just a motto ng Together” , but a blueprint for business succes s.

A Window On The Future Special Section

Affir mative Acti on

Corporate Ameri ca Joins Diversity’s in the Supreme Battle Court. What you need to know from Hollan d & Knight LLP.

What are the challe nges and opportunitie s facing today’s diversity practitioner?

And what do they see on the corporate horizo n?

Some of today’s top look at the future professionals take a of corporate divers ity.

Plus Presiden t i a l Aw a r d w i nners from Of fice Depot, Ea stman Kodak, and more.

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2003,

pg 40

View on ISSUU. com

D

emographic and market realities have driven corporations to widen their understanding of the cultures and lifestyles of their employees, suppliers, and customers. The path forward, however, requires truly giant steps to engage and accelerate our efforts of diversity and inclusion.

Such steps begin at the top levels of corporations. CEOs, CFOs, and COOs, working with diversity leaders both inside and outside their organizations, have led the way to execute strategies of diversity and inclusion. As new cultural changes emerge, the need for increased buy-in, outreach, and third-party validation has increased.

Facing increased pressure to grow market share and customer loyalty while recruiting and retaining top talent, senior executives must have a strategic plan for their diversity efforts. Many leaders begin by establishing operating principles or values for the organization, linking them with the company’s “critical few” business objectives, then framing them in a straightforward

role-model exemplary leadership and embrace the mindset and behaviors which lead to a diverse and inclusive work group.

Diversity and inclusion must be companywide initiatives, but can originate from different sources. While Kodak has a Global Diversity Office and Chief Diversity Officer, one such initiative—“The Winning & Inclusive Culture”—began as a cultural transformation within our Global Manufacturing operations. This strategy defines continuous learning, celebration of our differences, and our shared vision of playing to win in our marketplaces and with our people.

Today, this effort spans leadership commitment, employee education and performance management across Kodak.

In addition, companies can focus on supplier diversity events that encourage minority and women-owned businesses to take part in face-to-face conversations with purchasing decision-makers.

The goal of such far-reaching efforts is stellar performance across the organization. An inclusive organization, in which management models the behaviors, clearly communicates the business imperatives for diversity and inclusion, and creates participation among all stakeholders, can realize increased productivity and heightened ability to innovate. PDJ

129

An Evolving Curriculum

D

r. David A. Thomas, Professor of Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management at Harvard Business School, is probably one of the most widely read researchers of the advancement of ethnic minorities in corporations today. A noted authority on the challenges of managing a diverse workforce, mentoring, minority executive development, career management and leadership, Thomas has produced an overwhelming body of work reported regularly in publications like the Harvard Business Review and the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

“I like to think that my research will ultimately help people of different backgrounds bring a fuller sense of themselves to the workplace. Only then will they be as effective as possible in their organizations.”

David Thomas pioneered the research that explores the influence of race on the development and effectiveness of individuals and groups in organizations. His work combines three strands of intellectual interest. His first interest, mentoring, was the core of his work in the late '80s and early '90s, when he studied the influence of race on developmental relationships in organizations. “Mentoring seems to be profoundly different in cases where lines of race and gender cross, as opposed to cases in which they do not,” says Thomas.

To delve into this phenomenon, he conducted an 8-year study, surveying and interviewing mentor-protégé pairs at communications companies, law firms and financial services organizations.

Thomas’ work also deals with the

130

broader question of career development and advancement of racial minorities in organizations, and how organizations shape the racial dynamics of individuals and groups within. Through his research, Thomas found facilitating positive outcomes—outcomes that benefit both the individual and company—to be the most pressing issue. “The demographics of the workforce are widening and organizations are moving toward total quality, cross functional integration, and empowerment,” he says. “The role of leadership is out of the ‘command and control’ paradigm.

In this environment, managers are going to have to know how to address issues of diversity effectively.”

A popular and respected professor, Thomas teaches and acts as Course Head for the first-year, required MBA course Leadership and Organizational Behavior (LEAD), a course which puts particular emphasis on the important task of developing well aligned, high performance organizations and on the challenges of leading change in organizations. Thomas also lectures in several of the school's Executive Programs and participates as a core faculty member in Harvard Graduate School of Education's Urban Superintendent Program and in Harvard Divinity School's Leadership Development Institute. In 2000, Dr. Thomas was named the first

H. Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration.

Professor Thomas holds Bachelor of Arts, Master of Philosophy, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Yale University, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University. His continued consultation and research has helped both companies and individuals leverage mentoring as a developmental tool. His book, Breaking Through: The Making of Minority Executives in Corporate America, was co-authored with Harvard Business School Professor John J. Gabarro (Harvard Business School Press 1999). Breaking Through has received critical acclaim and was the recipient of the 2001 Academy of Management's George R. Terry Outstanding Book Award.

We’re delighted to have the opportunity to share with you the work of this extraordinary mentor. A Diversity Journal exclusive, “Why Do Most Mentoring Programs Fail to Deliver on Their Promise?” is a thought-provoking study into the mentorship process.

diversityjournal.com

Original PDJ Is sue

By Dr. David Thomas Most mentoring programs fail to produce the benefits that their designers and champions hoped they would. Many times the mentoring effort produces unintended negative results, such as cynicism about the organization’s commitment to development and employee satisfaction.

When formal mentoring programs are the outgrowth of diversity initiatives, failure can significantly undermine the entire diversity effort. So, why do most mentoring programs fail? My observation, over two decades of researching, mentoring and consulting with companies on the design and development of these programs, is that most efforts violate one or more of the seven design principles I prescribe for the successful implementation of a mentoring program.

7 Design Principles for Mentoring Programs 1. Well-Defined Target Populations 2. Clear Goals and Objectives 3. A Program Design that Aligns with the Program’s Goals and Objectives 4. Education and Support for Program Participants 5. Program Feedback and Evaluation Mechanisms that Promote Learning and Adaptation 6. Executive Sponsorship and Senior Management Support 7. Integration of the Mentoring Effort with the Broader People and Organizational Development Strategies

Principle #1: Well-Defined Target Populations

One of the most frequent causes of program failure has its origins at the very beginning of the program. What is the protégé population that the program is trying to serve and what are the developmental needs that members of this group have in common? Single programs that attempt to serve people across multiple levels of the organization and with a broad range of tenure most often fail. This one-size-fits-all approach can send mixed signals.

For instance, programs that target minorities or women as protégés often place entry-level persons and

SPRING 2018

Jan/Feb 2003,

pg 6

View on ISSUU. com

Why Do Most Mentoring Programs Fail to Deliver on Their Promise?

seasoned managers in the same program. It is then difficult to design a process that fits both groups’ needs and the more senior minorities often worry that they will be viewed by their mentors as less accomplished and experienced than they are. The better solution would be to have two distinct mentoring initiatives.

Clarity about the target protégé population should guide the identification of the appropriate mentor population.

Too often there is a mismatch between protégé needs and the criterion used to select mentors. For example, a program designed to address the socialization of entry-level employees often assigns mentors who are much too senior to their protégés. While it may seem like a wonderful perk to have a senior vice president as a mentor, such persons are often too far removed from the experience of the entry-level employee and unable to adequately help the protégé.

Principle #2: Clear Goals and Objectives

The intention to create a mentoring program usually emerges from an acute sense that it will improve employees’ experience, skills or opportunity structure and provide benefit to the organization.

Too often the goals of the program never gain more clarity than this vague belief that mentoring will provide some combination of benefits. Lack of clarity about goals and objectives can also come

131

Why Do Most Mentoring Programs Fail to Deliver on Their Promise? continued from mentoring being identified as the most implementable solution to a large and systemic problem, such as a lack of diversity in management. Any realistic assessment of this problem reveals that mentoring is only a part of the solution.

The goal to produce more senior-level executives provides little clarity about how the mentoring pair should approach the relationship as a developmental opportunity. The designers of these programs must step back and ask “What is the larger problem we are trying to solve?” and “How does participation in a mentoring relationship help to solve that problem?” The goals and objectives are built around the answers to these questions. Goals may then speak to issues of providing protégés expanded opportunities to network with senior executives, or increasing senior managers’ personal involvement in the development of high-potential minorities. These goals and objectives then form the basis for defining the role expectations

132

of protégés and mentors as well as the minimum level of commitment required to meet those goals.

Principle #3: A Program Design that Aligns with the Program’s Goals and Objectives

All too often the program design is not consistent with its goals and objectives.

Take, for instance, a program designed to develop high-potential managers to assume general management responsibility at a large pharmaceutical company. An explicit need was for these managers to gain a broader perspective on the organization and the various functional areas of the company. Despite the aims of the program, protégés were matched with senior managers in their own functions.

This occurred because as the program coordinators began to consider the criterion for matches, they focused on issues like making it easy for mentors and protégés to meet and who might be more comfortable with whom. The designers also thought they needed to respond affirmatively to protégés’ expressed desires. As they spoke with the protégés about potential matches, they found that most of them preferred a mentor in their functional area. Lost in the decision-making process were the original goals and assessment of why the effort was needed in the first place.

The end result was a loss of focus on the programs goals and misalignment of its design with them.

Programs should always be designed around the assumption that effective engagement of the mentors and protégés with one another will result in a selfsustaining relationship. Therefore, the length of time that a pair is part

of the formal mentoring program should not be left open-ended. The optimal length of time must be defined by the needs of the target population and the goals and objectives of the program. For example, a program for MBAs hired into a rotational management development program should set the duration to coincide with the training period. Similarly, a program designed to facilitate a particular skill acquisition needs to reflect the time usually required for a particular learning objective.

A major reason for misalignment is that creating alignment often requires changing or challenging basic assumptions and practices in the organization. Designers of these efforts must see part of the role as being a change agent. This can require educating protégés, mentors and executive sponsors about the requirements for a successful program. It also can mean going against the preferences of participants and helping them move out of their comfort zones. Part of the education process in mentoring initiatives should be designed to address these issues.

Principle #4: Education and Support for Program Participants

Too often, program designers assume that simply putting people together will lead to the formation of a relationship.

When relationships fail to form, lack of protégé motivation or insufficient mentor commitment is the usual scapegoat.

Each explanation assumes that the parties knew what they were supposed to do in the first place. My experience is that this is seldom the case. Education should always be a part of the program design.

I have never found this idea to be a hard

diversityjournal.com

"

Programs should always be designed around the assumption that effective engagement of the mentors and protégés with one another will result in a self-sustaining relationship.

"

cross-cultural and cross gender mentoring. Organizations that are fast-paced, and high-pressure cultures with unpredictable workloads, need to address time-management issues.

The need to support mentors and protégés seldom ends after the initial education modules. There may be other points in the program’s time frame when it makes sense to bring together participants for educational activities. Program managers should also have mechanisms in place to support individuals who need coaching or counseling about how to make the most effective use of their relationship.

sell, but its execution is often problematic. Frequently, program designers mistake orientation sessions for education modules. In the former, notebooks with lots of articles, forms and pronouncements are given to the participants. Attendance is voluntary and often only the protégés are invited, because the mentors are assumed to be too busy or expected to know how to mentor.

On the other hand, effective educational support of program participants has several features. First, it is a requirement to participate in the program regardless of role. Second, the education module should have a workshop format that allows participants to explore their own assumptions about building developmental relationships and creates a forum to hear from others.

Third, the curriculum should directly address specific challenges that are likely to present themselves for participants. For example, programs that are targeted toward minorities or women should address issues related to

SPRING 2018

Principle #5: Program Feedback and Evaluation Mechanisms that Promote Learning and Adaptation

Frequently, we discover that things are not working after it is too late. Perhaps even more problematic is our failure to know what is working and to diffuse that knowledge across the program to participants such that learning and experimentation are facilitated.

Feedback about how relationships are progressing should be assessed at several intervals during the program.

Coordinators should use this information to evaluate how they need to support mentoring pairs. An efficient intervention is to send out a program update that provides participants information about best practices and allows them to reflect on how they can leverage their relationships more effectively. Interim program feedback is also important to plan educational events and modify the program design.

Summative evaluation occurs at the end of the program and, where

appropriate, may extend well beyond the program’s official endpoint. For example, a program with the goal of increasing employee retention might require tracking the retention of program participants for two or three years to assess whether retention is higher among those who participated in the program than those who did not in prior years.

It is crucial that these summative evaluations measure behavioral and affective outcomes directly related to the program’s goals.

Principle #6: Executive Sponsorship and Senior Management Support

Where the top management is not associated with the mentoring effort, it usually fails to secure adequate resources and support from management.

Successful designers of these programs understand this and often seek out an executive sponsor. The effective executive sponsor spends visible time on the program and participates as a mentor where appropriate.

Often there is a need to generate support and understanding among the senior managers and bosses of protégés and mentors. These individuals are critical to sustaining long-term success. Failure can result when these individuals refuse to give participants the flexibility they need to fully engage with their mentors.

Executive sponsors need to take the lead in this work. For example, when the executive sponsor of a telecom company’s mentoring program became aware that senior managers were not supporting the effort as a business initiative, he took action. The next senior staff meeting was extended by three hours to include educating the senior managers about their leadership role in

133

Why Do Most Mentoring Programs Fail to Deliver on Their Promise? continued the initiative. Furthermore, the executive included the success of the program in each senior manager’s unit as a criteria for assessing their performance on the “developing people” leadership competency that all were measured on in the annual appraisal process. As a result, complaints from protégés about senior managers’ lack of support for the program declined precipitously. As they became more engaged, several of these senior managers expanded the mentoring effort within their units.

Principle #7: Mentoring Efforts Should Complement and be Integrated with Key HR and Leadership Development Efforts

Mentoring programs are most effective when they complement and are reinforced by other people, development and business practices. Mentoring alone will seldom address the root causes that make a formal program necessary.

Thus, it is important to make sure that mentoring is an integrated part of a larger effort and commitment to creating a developmental culture within the organization. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago has effectively done this with their mentoring initiative.

Several years ago when the new president was appointed, he saw the need to reinvigorate the culture. He began a culture change process that initially did not have mentoring as one of the key strategies. At about the same time a group looking at issues related to workforce diversity identified mentoring as a core strategy for addressing a number of issues that had emerged in their study. The president of the bank, aided by the executive sponsor for the program and the program coordinator, was diligent about making sure that the

134

mentoring project was seen by all as part of the overall culture change strategy.

Design choices for the program were also made in a manner that reinforced other aspects of the culture change.

There was also attention to transferring learning from the mentoring process to other people-development initiatives that were underway.

Conclusion

My research over the past two decades has consistently shown that when implemented effectively, mentoring programs can provide significant benefits to participants. Thus the message from the fact that most

programs fail is not to abandon these efforts, but to make the upfront investments in design and education that will allow them to succeed on a large scale. PDJ

Leaving a Legendary Mark:

Two careers that bridge education, leadership, and community On the cover: Dr. David A. Thomas poses before a portrait of a legendary leader of Harvard Business School, H. Naylor Fitzhugh. In 2000, Thomas was honored to be named the school’s first H. Naylor Fitzhugh Professor of Business Administration.

“It was an honor,” says Thomas. “He introduced innovations in business and business education that translated into opportunities and economic benefits for African Americans. He was a counselor and mentor, and an advocate for building constructive relationships across differences of race and community. I’ve tried to pursue parallel themes in my own work, and involved myself in helping organizations better understand and successfully manage diversity.”

Naylor Fitzhugh graduated from Harvard Business School in 1933, one of the first African Americans to graduate from the prestigous school. He was a business and community leader in his hometown of Washington, D.C., and was a member of the city’s New Negro Alliance in the early ‘30s. He served as faculty member of Howard University for over 30 years, and was one of the co-founders of the Howard University Business School. In 1965, he became the first and highest ranking black executive in corporate America as a marketing executive at PepsiCo, and is credited with conceptualizing the principles of ethnic-based marketing that are now widely used by companies everywhere. Always the mentor, he developed “Learn and Earn,” the award-winning educational program in conjunction with the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) that introduces high school students to business through hands-on economic education. He was also the founder of the National Black MBA Association.

He maintained his ties to HBS, helping to found the Black Alumni Association and becoming its first chairman in 1978. He passed away at the age of 82 in 1992.

diversityjournal.com

® Profiles in Diversity Journal invites your organization to participate in our 17th Annual Women Worth Watching® special celebration issue.

Nominate one of your most influential women executives.

This special issue will showcase the 2018 Women Worth Watching from companies, organizations, and nonprofits around the world.

Those nominees selected for participation will receive a full page/full color feature article in the publication. Simply provide us with an essay, high resolution corporate logo and photograph and we take care of the rest. Being in this years issue will bring acclaim to their companies for promoting women's leadership within the ranks.

Nominations are closed for 2018 and will reopen early 2019.

Since 1999

®

Learn more about this special edition and review Women Worth Watching profiles at:

All Things Diversity & Inclusion

www.womenworthwatching.com SPRING 2018

135

Microtrigger Stories: Have You Experienced These Kinds of Triggers?

By Janet Crenshaw Smith

M

icroTriggers are those subtle behaviors, phrases and inequities that trigger an instantaneous negative response. Here are some samples for you to consider.

information I am disseminating, or are completely dismissive. I think it may be time to change industries or jobs.”

-Anonymous

Age of Innocence

A Lesson in Rhetoric

Office Etiquette “A few months ago I was in a meeting with my supervisor (in his office), when a colleague knocked on the door. Though she realized we were in the middle of a discussion, she proceeded to interrupt our meeting to discuss minute office details. I was annoyed, but didn’t get truly upset until it began happening frequently. The kicker was when I interrupted a meeting she was having

136

-N. Benjamin, M.A. PDJ

-Anonymous

Professional Pet Peeve “I work in the human resources department, and one of my biggest MicroTriggers is when I am in a roomful of professionals who do not trust my judgment. I think it may be attributed to my title, but I constantly feel as though I have to prove myself to the professionals of the organization I serve. When I give a presentation, during meetings, or simply when I send an email to the company listserv, I feel as though people are constantly asking ‘if I’m sure’ about the

m

-R. Trigg, SPHR

with our boss to discuss time-sensitive information. She got irate and called a team meeting. Not only did I lose respect for her, but I lost respect for our boss who appeared to have lost all authority.”

Original PDJ Is sue Mar/Apr 2009,

pg 64

View on ISSUU. co

“Nearly two decades ago, while working with a major manufacturer, I used the term ‘you people’ at a meeting attended by a vice president of the organization (who was the only African American in a high position at this company). It was around the time Ross Perot had also used the expression at an NAACP meeting and was widely criticized.

Although neither Mr. Perot nor I meant anything negative, I quickly learned (after a closed door session with the VP) that many African Americans are offended by its use. This experience actually led me to broaden my career in HR and develop a strong interest in Diversity. Words ARE important. Intent does not equal Impact.”

“I am the youngest person on my 5-person team. I am well aware of this fact, but my co-workers are constantly bringing this up. They say things like, ‘you are so brilliant to be so young’ or ‘I’ve been doing this since I was your age’ as if to suggest that being older means something of greater value in the workplace. I am in my position because I am well-educated and have a strong work ethic. I truly feel that being young in the workplace can be both a blessing and a curse.”

diversityjournal.com

Want a career that changes the world?

A national laboratory is where you belong.

Idaho National Laboratory promotes a vibrant culture of inclusive diversity that fuels growth and drives innovation.

Through strategic collaboration, employees apply skills that significantly contribute to solving the nation’s most critical safety and security challenges. Our employees utilize worldclass scientific technology to push the limits of creativity in ways no other entity can. If you want to change the world, a national laboratory is where you belong. Visit our career website today to find out how to join our team.

inlcareers.inl.gov

WOMEN WORTH WATCHING It’s the Aflac tradition to employ the best and brightest in their fields.

Congratulations to Teresa White, retiree Janet Baker, Julia Davis, June Howard and Brenda Mullins for being named to Profiles in Diversity Journal’s Women Worth Watching list.

Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus. In New York, Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of New York.

WWHQ | 1932 Wynnton Road | Columbus, Georgia 31999 Z180611

EXP 5/19