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Women Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion
It has been 54 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson issued E.O. (Executive Order) 11246, requiring government contractors and subcontractors to implement affirmative action policies to expand job opportunities for minorities. The order was amended in 1967 to include women.
Although there are millions of highly-educated, intelligent, successful and independent women in United States, women remain underrepresented in many corporate boardrooms and throughout the corporate world. This is not surprising when you consider that most diversity and inclusion initiatives are developed to comply with corporate governance and self-regulation, often under the heading “Corporate Social Responsibility” (or CSR). The problem is that in most organizations, these initiatives are usually poorly funded tactical initiatives disconnected from broader, more substantial, and well-funded general training and development programs. They may be well-meaning, but they are misguided in their approaches.
Evidence bears out what – on a practical level – we already know. As global talent shortages grow more severe, new ways of engaging and developing tomorrow’s business leaders are needed if organizations are to have sustainable talent strategies. Without clear policies on how to achieve gender diversity, businesses are unlikely to meet future needs and they are likely to fall behind competitors as global battles for the best talent grows.
Gender diversity policies are important because workplace culture has a profound impact on an employer’s ability to retain women. As such, I applaud organizations such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Uber, American Express, Facebook, Nike and Amazon Studios for appointing women of color as diversity and inclusion officers. The appointees are:
- Candi Castleberry Singleton, vice president of inclusion and diversity at Twitter
- Rosanna Durruthy, head of global diversity, inclusion and belonging at LinkedIn
- Bo Young Lee, diversity and inclusion officer at Uber
- Sonia Cargan, chief diversity officer at American Express
- Maxine Williams, global chief diversity officer at Facebook
- Tamika Curry Smith, vice president, global diversity and inclusion at Nike
- Latasha Gillespie, head of diversity, equality and inclusion at Amazon Studios
Given the impact women have had in initiating and executing positive change around the world, I’m baffled by the apparent lack of confidence in women leaders. The snail’s pace of progress on gender equality results from a need to improve thinking at senior corporate levels. There should be no doubt that there are women who are adequately trained and experienced and or that they are available and ready for high-level assignments. The same is true for qualified black women. It is up to current corporate leaders and governing boards to assume responsibility for hiring, grooming and promoting underrepresented groups and opening doors of opportunity to them.
As far back as 1995, author and women’s leadership consultant Sally Helgesen documented in her book “The Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership” the ways in which women leaders excel over their male counterparts. Author and speaker Michael Stallard wrote in a March 2019 article for “Government Executive” that women leaders continue to outperform their male counterparts for the same reasons Helgesen outlined. She found that women leaders:
- Place a high value on relationships,
- Have a bias for direct communication rather than following the chain of command,
- Put themselves at the center of the people they lead,
- Are comfortable with diversity, and
- Are skilled at integrating their personal lives and their lives at work rather than compartmentalizing.
As Stallard notes, these are now considered ideal leadership traits regardless of gender. It is important to create spaces in which every candidate – regardless of gender or ethnic background – can bring his or her whole, authentic self to the interview process and eventually to the workplace. Real inclusion is creating an environment where everyone feels comfortable and confident that they belong. Organizations such as Twitter, Facebook, Amazon, American Express, Uber and LinkedIn have made great strides, but even they need to do more.
“Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance”.
There is also a dimension of diversity based in life experiences. These include such things as where you went to school, the languages you have learned over time and the skills you have gained during your career. Capturing all dimensions brings to the workplace a rich combination of backgrounds and perspectives that ultimately foster a dynamic and innovative work environment. When leaders focus on creating teams that value different points of view, the true potential of diversity unfolds.
Diversity is one of those things that practically everyone talks about. Most organizations – on websites and in promotional materials – bring up the degree to which they value and commit to diversity. Yet, there is consistent evidence that these organizations are not making the marks when it comes to quantifiable actions and results.
Diversity is about understanding that everyone is unique and embracing individual differences. These can include race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other hidden identities or statuses. Diversity is about respect and acceptance. The evidence bears out what – on a very practical level – we know; diverse teams are more creative and productive.
“Although diverse teams outperform homogeneous teams, it doesn’t happen automatically. It must be intentional and cultivated” – Phidelia Johnson
Here are some tips for creating and improving diversity initiatives:
- Establish concrete goals, targets and benchmarks for achieving equal engagement of women and men in decision-making, especially in the areas of policy, employee relations and budgets. This includes such things as wellness initiatives.
- Develop policies and programs to build a critical majority of women leaders, executives and managers in strategic and ethical decision-making positions.
- Ensure equal access for women to promotional opportunities, productive resources, information and education and training – including leadership training – in order to facilitate their full and equal involvement in decision-making processes at all levels.
- Facilitate networking among women in decision-making positions at all levels, including making sure everybody rotates through roles and challenges so as to maintain an unassimilated view of things.
- Encourage men in decision-making positions to promote gender equality and empowerment of women and support women’s involvement and leadership in decision-making processes at all levels.
- Promote efforts to eliminate stereotypes, including in education and training programs, and encourage the portrayal of positive http://pacjhomecare.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01 of women as leaders in all areas of the organization.
- Promote women’s candidacies in elections through the adoption of specific training programs, recruitment drives and financial incentives, especially in majoritarian electoral systems where women may face greater challenges in getting nominated.
- Promote recruitment and career development programs that equip women with managerial and technical skills to enable them to assume decision-making positions at all levels, especially in financial decision-making.
- Adopt clear rules for candidate selection within departments, including (as relevant) the implementation of goals for achieving equitable representation of women candidates with different perspectives.
“In order for organizations to realize the full potential of all of their employees, CEOs must create a culture where women can bring their whole selves to work and don’t have to model their behaviors on that of men.” – Phidelia Johnson
In 2019, women remain 26 percent less likely to be in the workforce than men. While women have been increasingly assuming leadership positions in business and politics, progress in assigning mentors or sponsors in boardrooms has been slow. Anyone who is unable (or refuses) to see the business case for diversity does not understand the science around diversity and how it actually makes business sense. Diversity needs to be looked at holistically. It is not a linear process, but rather an intricate and complex equation of human capital expressions that if unlocked has the power to drive unstoppable innovation and growth. A future of work in which women no longer lag behind men is within reach, but it will take a quantum leap, not just hesitant incremental steps, to get there.
Author:
Phidelia Johnson is a global Human Resources Practitioner with eighteen years of leadership success. With a focus on streamlining Human Resources administration, she’s well-equipped to find the right solution to a myriad of concerns. Her experience as a commercial business leader gives her a unique ability to advocate for both the employer and the employee.
In her down time, Phidelia is a master of her kitchen, creating wonderful dishes filled with passion and flavor. If she’s not cooking delicious food, she’s stretched out with a good book. She hopes to use her experience to help others, guide company leaders to best practices, and help build better professionals and stronger organizations.