CEO Leadership in the Diversity and Inclusion Lanscape
I’m a bit of dork but I get turned on by seeing CEOs stepping up and owning the diversity and inclusion work. Check out press release about 150+ CEOs to Commit to Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace. It takes courage and a willingness to be vulnerable to do this work. It’s a smart business decision but not everyone feels comfortable dipping their toes in the diversity and inclusion waters.
Why do CEOs or senior leaders steer away from diversity and inclusion work? Is it fearing the unknown, lack of knowledge or they don’t want to make a mistake that keeps them from taking the leap? The risk vs. reward scenario is huge. There is an amazing opportunity for leaders to create employee engagement while growing their business’s market share.
The shifting demographics makes this a smart and strategic move. The need for skilled talent is such a big driver for companies today. The largest population in the workforce today is millennials and they are the most diverse generation in history. A large percentage of our urban school districts are majority minority which means our talent pipelines or the people you will be hiring over the next 10 years most likely won’t come from the same sources, backgrounds or communities that they have in years past. The time for bringing awareness to this reality is now.
Why is this important to understand? You will need to have teams and systems in place to help you source, hire and retain the best possible talent. Your processes will need to be reworked to ensure you are creating unbiased hiring practices. Your people processes are key to your brand, staying relevant and competitive. Investing in your people systems will drive your success.
You most likely have people on staff that are ready, willing and able to help guide a lot of this work. Top down leadership is key for developing the mindset that will be integrated across the full landscape of your operations. The exciting thing about this work is it can create a crazy impactful cultural shift for your company or organization.
Potential benefits for doing the work:
· Talent Attraction
· Creativity & Innovation
· Improved Problem Resolution
· Engaged Teams
· Market Share Growth
· Improved Research & Development
· Increased Productivity
· Lower Turnover
Mistakes will be made, that’s a given but owning them and your willingness to address those mistakes openly and honestly will create authentic intersections of deeper learning and understanding. This builds your D&I muscle, if you are managing the process well. You do not have to know everything. This is not a race, there isn’t a finish line, it is a journey.
Come on, dip your toes in the water! You don’t have to dive into the deep end but you definitely need to start testing the waters.