How Great Leaders Approach Diversity

 

By Allan Schweyer, Senior Executive Consultant

Over the past 30+ years, I’ve observed that great leaders help each employee, manager, and colleague identify known and hidden biases that might lead to acts of discrimination, microaggression, or exclusion. The best leaders exhibit honesty and courage by going beyond rote training modules to educate everyone in the historic fact of systemic racism; not to shame the majority but to build perspective and empathy.

This remains rare, however. So how do leaders and organizations do it?

You’ve probably seen it firsthand: leadership sets the climate of transparency and vulnerability in the organization (or lack thereof). Diversity flows naturally from proactive and non-discriminatory hiring practices driven by leadership that understands the business advantages of a representative workforce. Inclusion follows where CEOs, chief people officers (CPOs), and other executives lead through courage, truth, and example.

At its core, this has everything to do with prioritizing mental health. No company can claim a commitment to employee wellness until people can deal with their stresses or worries openly and find help. Of course, wellness extends to inclusion and belonging. Until historically excluded minorities, whether based on race and ethnicity or sexual and gender preference, can express themselves, dress, and share their ideas and perspectives openly – within social and business norms – creativity and innovation will suffer. More importantly, workplace belonging and wellness cannot emerge until everyone enjoys psychological safety and can bring all of their constructive thoughts, ideas, humor, and perspectives to work.

When it comes to execution, effective leaders and organizations first make their commitment known and set strategic goals around diversity (as above, this should include implications for the culture and employee engagement). Then, as an organization matures and progresses, it integrates consideration of diversity factors into every important decision and every aspect of the business – from eliminating biases in hiring, celebrating ethnic holidays, offering training where appropriate, to checking the culture itself for systemic biases. Ultimately, leaders make a public commitment to change, including openness in sharing data around hiring, pay, promotions, and minority representation in senior positions.

Diversity and Inclusion Confer Competitive Advantage

In the digital era we inhabit, literally everything organizations achieve depends on people. Everyone competes for the same talent, every successful leader understands they must compensate competitively, invest in employees’ learning and development, and provide the resources workers need to do their jobs effectively. Most know and believe in the overwhelming evidence that employee engagement drives higher productivity, better business outcomes, and lower attrition. Thus, failure to engage, include, and leverage the full talents of the workplace represents not only a moral lapse – it invites disaster. It exposes unfitness for executive office.

Great leaders know they won’t always get it right, but they work with other experts, listen to their employees, keep learning, and set the intention to create a vibrant, healthy workplace and culture that embraces diversity. This requires tremendous courage and empathy but results in stronger, more innovative, and resilient organizations more capable of attracting and keeping top talent.

If we can help you on your journey, visit DEI360.org.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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These People Who Followed Their Passions Share How And Why They Did It

 

Want to build a life and career around something you’re passionate about? Great! Now how do you feel about intense struggle, repeated failure, and constant change?

To be sure, those are things pretty much all of us are bound to face in our careers, but it’s far more likely you’ll have a tougher go of it if you’re dead set on following your passion. That’s why so many advise different approaches to finding work, suggest ways to turn your ho-hum gig into your “dream job”, or counsel giving up an a passion career altogether.

But the fact is that some people do follow their passions and find it actually works out. One reason they’re a small minority, though, is because we live in a world that glorifies words like “passion” and “purpose” when it comes to life and career choices, but almost completely ignores the pain, failure, and even chaos that tends to precede achieving that. That’s a recipe for widespread disappointment.

So we asked five professionals across a range of fields to share the raw, unfiltered truth about struggles they experienced as they set out to follow their passions and, ultimately, pulled it off.

Read my and Danielle Harlan’s article in Fast Company to find out what they said.

Special thank you to Julie Lythcott-Haims, author of the New York Times bestseller How to Raise an Adult; Elizabeth Meyer, funeral director and author of the upcoming book Good Mourning; Casey Gerald, founder and CEO of MBAsXAmerica and TED speaker; Adam Braun, founder of Pencils of Promise; and Aspen Institute fellow Cathy Casserly for sharing their stories.

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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Have You Ever Wondered How People Define Success?

Success seemed really simple in elementary school. You get an A on your math test—success! You win a game of foursquare—success! You play a solo in your band concert and don’t miss a note—success!

Adult life is much more complex than acing a spelling test every Friday. As a result, each person’s definition of success is unique.

I wanted to know how others define success, so I turned to my peer groups on LinkedIn and asked them just that. I started by sharing my definition of success in order to open up the dialogue.

What was the result? I learned that many of us hold similar ideas about success. In fact, I noticed four trends in people’s definitions of success: relationships, purpose, contentment, and the importance of striving for goals. Take a look at the wonderful responses below, and you will see what I mean.

What is Your Definition of Success?

 

1.  Success is About Relationships

David Morlah

Teamwork & Leadership Guy/Baseball Scribe

Success is making a lot of money and having power and control over other people. Okay, just kidding. I believe success is all about relationships with people. It’s maintaining long term friendships and being at peace with all in your family. It’s about forgiving those who may have done you wrong and harboring no bitterness or deep regrets. If you are loved, and if you love others, you are successful.

Ed Gilbert

Vice President Business Integration at Truven Health Analytics

Success is being able to look back in life and note the influence and guidance that you have provided to others. It is the long list of people that seek out my advice about career, business or personal matters. That is when you know you are successful.

2. Success is Finding Peace and Contentment in Life

Allan Griff

Independent Plastics Engineer/Anthropologist

David’s kidding shouldn’t be dismissed so easily. Altho its unPC among us levies to go after money and power to make more, we are surrounded and often dependent on people who have those values, and need to understand how they tick, and not just toss their values into the trashosphere. I want to free myself from such goals as “success” and prefer the idea(I) of contentment. Good health (no extremes) and good genes help. Please remember that some of us (not just us engineers) don’t thrive on personal relationships, but somehow muddle through them and find contentment in believing what we see (science) and not seeing what we believe, observing from the outside, and thinking on the inside. Yes, I want to earn enough money to free me from economic anxiety, and I want power, but over myself and not others. Anne, thank you for asking us this question. I hope lots more of us are thinking about it even if they don’t post.

Rhyz Buac

Vice President – Finance and Operations at Alenter Resort Hotels Corporation

When you are happy and satisfied/contented of what you have then you are already successful

Kathy Barany, PHR

Principal, Strategic Management Solutions

Love David’s definition…all except that first line that had us going! To me, success is personal and professional. personally, it is being healthy and happy; healthy being physical and emotional, and the happy part is all that David said. Professionally, it is being happy with what we do and having a healthy attitude towards mistakes along the way; we learn from them.

3. Success Starts With Identifying Your Purpose

Ruth M.Schimel

at Career & Life Management Consultant

 

I don’t believe there’s one definition of success because each of us has unique interests, goals, and needs. Once there is a sense of purpose, defining success becomes more accessible, varying with time and experience.

Ruth Schimel, Ph.D.

Author of “Step Into the Success You Want: Sparking Your Powers”

 

For 10 years or so I did not do much with music, which had always been probably my favorite way to find peace but also energy. I sang in an a cappella group in college and in church choirs and community choruses after that. When I moved to Texasin the late 90’s I stopped singing for various reasons. In the last two years I have begun to sing again with a barbershop chorus and a quartet or two as well as an excellent choral group associated with, but not part of, the church where I used to belong. I find that I missed that chance to perform more than I realized. It need not be singing, of course. Painting, crafts, dancing, acting, public speaking or playing an instrument are all equally rewarding depending on your talents.

Spiritual satisfaction is perhaps harder to come by. I believe, however, that “success” includes some philosophical reflection on why we are here. Without getting too preachy, we could all benefit from some soul searching about our place and purpose in the world. Many find that in a church or other religious organization but meditation or a walk in the woods or volunteering at a youth or senior center also provide insight.

Best wishes to your readers for success however they define it.

4. Success is a Process, Not a Specific Goal

Larry Smith

Business Development, The Belt’s Corporation

Success describes the fulfillment and peace of mind people acquire from nurturing and developing their minds(perpetually learning), bodies(physical/emotional wellness), and spirit(discovering maximal perspectives that yield lifelong and immediate purposes). It requires developing, implementing, and refining three strategies at once. Then the Magic happens…

Mark C. Miller

International (Latin American) Financial Risk Management

I would say that success is the process of identifying, and striving to reach, our own aspirations…perhaps we can repeatedly halve the distance to meeting those aspirations; in any case, the real success seems to come from striving for or toward something that we find meaningful, not from a final result of actually having arrived there.

Good luck to all.

Emilly Filloramo

Success & Happiness Catalyst | Confidence Coach | Author | Speaker | Nutritionist

Success is giving all that you’ve got, knowing that you did go outside of your comfort zone, pushed through the obstacles, picked yourself up after failing and doing it over and over again. All in the name of leaving this world a better place than you have found it.

Karen Fox

Environmental Research/GIS Analysis

Knowing that I have the power to turn a potential disappointment into an opportunity for gratitude.

Acknowledging that, what I might have done better today, is something I can always strive for again tomorrow. (No room for regrets)

Being there for my friends and family and allowing them to do the same for me.

(…and having my mortgage paid off!!!)

Let’s continue the dialogue.

As I mentioned in my interview with Cornell University, success to me is working with fully engaged clients, giving back to my community in the form of teaching and mentorship, and living my purpose. But what about you? How do you define success? I’d love to know.

 

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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Creating Workplace Culture That Actually Works

 

Workplace culture often seems like some sort of abstract concept. We think, ‘Oh to build a great culture at work, we have to create something that mimics Apple’ or some other hot, tech company. In reality, building a dynamic work culture is much simpler, based on how the organization’s values, attitude and behavior manifest daily in person to person exchanges.

A recent article in Ragan cited twelve workplace characteristics that will have employees packing their bags and updating their LinkedIn profile as they look for a new job. When you go through the list, you’ll likely be walking down memory lane, recalling situations in previous jobs, or perhaps even your current, where the atmosphere was stifling.

To avoid this type of attrition, let’s focus on three lessons learned:

1. Leadership is key. Let’s face it, we mimic our surroundings. If we’re new on the job, and not in a leadership positions, we often observe and copy the behaviors of others around us. Leadership is key in setting the standard,  and clarifying expectations throughout the organization.
2. What’s the real issue? Many employees bring you the symptom of a problem that they want you to solve. Your job as a manager is to dig deeper and find the real issue, by asking questions such as, “What’s underneath all this?” or “What’s the most important issue we need to look at now?”. Once the employee sees the real issues, help them tie it back to its impact on the team and organization. This will then start to create real change.
3. Structure enhances productivity and networking will aid efforts. Your colleagues are bright and good at what they do. However, what do they do? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out. Help every employee create a LinkedIn profile and encourage them to connect through the company page. Why is this important? When you’re trying to figure out who handles media inquiries, it’ll only take two minutes instead of an hour!

Simple habits build success. Take a look around your work; where do you see yourself succeeding? Start with what’s working and expand from there. What can you work on next?

Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send me an email, or find me on Twitter.

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Four Ways to Build Organizational Purpose

 Purpose is often cast aside as a non-essential to an organization’s success. Finances, IT, sales and product are discussed far more often than purpose. Yet purpose is the driver – without an employee feeling a sense of purpose, the salesperson would be listless and the product engineer would lose creativity. In times of crisis, purpose is more important than ever. It inspires employees to move beyond inertia to action. But what is organizational purpose and how can a manager strengthen it?

What is Purpose?

David Packard, Co-Founder, Hewlett-Packard said:

“Purpose; it’s like a guiding star on the horizon —forever pursued but never reached. Yet although purpose itself does not change; it does inspire change. The very fact that purpose can never be fully realized means that an organization can never stop stimulating change and progress.”

So, what does that mean in real life? Well, have you ever had to drag yourself out of bed, to go to a job that you hated? It’s like pushing a heavy rock uphill.

But when purpose is motivating your actions, everything feels very different. You have a kind of lightness, even when things are intense, or tough. And the same thing is true for organizations. You can feel when an organization is animated by purpose. And that’s a feeling that people want to have. It’s also a feeling that drives better performance.

Annie McKee, the founder of Teleos Leadership Institute, studied dozens of big organizations, and interviewed thousands of people who work there. What she learned is that when we feel negatively about work, we don’t process information well. We don’t think creatively or make the best decisions. But when our feelings about work are positive, the opposite is true. McKee also found that the thousands of people she interviewed listed three things that made them feel good about work.

Things that makes people feel good about work:

1.    First is a meaningful vision of the future. People want to contribute to a future that matters to themselves and others.

2.    The second thing that makes people feel good about work is great relationships. Whether people are leaders, managers or employees, “close, trusting, and supportive relationships” are a big part of what motivates them to contribute.

3.    The third thing that made McKee’s subjects feel good about their work was — wait for it! — a sense of purpose. And if their personal purpose is intertwined with their organization’s purpose — whether it’s ending hunger or creating better widgets — that’s even more positive.

What is Organizational Purpose?

So, if purpose is so important, what exactly is it? An organization’s purpose is not the answer to the question “What do you do?” which typically focuses on products, services and customers, but rather the answer to the question “Why is the work important?” It conveys what the organization stands for in historical, ethical, emotional and practical terms. In other words, purpose is central and enduring to an organization’s culture.

Purpose, Mission, Vision and Values

It’s easy to confuse the difference between purpose, mission, vision and values. Here is a simple way to remember:

Purpose	=	Why	:	Why the organization exists
Vision	=	Where	:	Where the organization aspires to go in the future
Mission	=	What	:	What business the organization is in
Values	=	How	:	What the organization values and how those values are manifested in a workday

Here’s an example for a fictional startup called Connecto:

Purpose	:	Create a globally connected community
Vision	:	Connect 23% of the world by 2025
Mission	:	Build an online platform that allows people to post local news
Value	:	Speak Up! (this allows people to speak up and disagree if they see something going astray)

Why is Purpose Important?

Now that we know what purpose is, why is it so important?

Many studies have shown a strong link between purpose and performance. When employees embrace purpose—when the organization lives it, and not just creates colorful posters about it—the performance shoots up. A survey of the leaders, employees and customers of 50 companies in the fields of technology, media and telecommunications; consumer products; and financial services was carried out by the Boston Consulting Group.

The results of this survey were analyzed using measures such as total shareholder return (TSR), revenue, and EBITDA growth. The results showed that when the organizational purpose was truly ingrained, it correlated strongly with ten-year TSR.

Another reason that purpose is important is because employee expectations are changing. Along with it, the demands of always-on transformations have exposed the limitations of using carrots and sticks to influence employees. To counter this, organizations are understanding the need to appeal to head and heart with not only the extrinsic motivators but intrinsic motivators as well. These Intrinsic motivators include employees’ desire for meaning, connection, and joy in the work, as well as the desire to contribute, develop, and achieve. Purpose is one of the most powerful intrinsic motivators because it speaks to both the head and the heart.

Benefits of Purpose

A 2016 poll by the Gallup Organization shows that only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work. The reason why most engagement efforts fall short is that they’re designed to cultivate employees’ commitment in generic, general ways and not attach any purpose to them. Employees must internalize the organization’s purpose, so they make decisions that clearly support those priorities. Ultimately, they design and deliver on brand customer experiences that strengthen the brand’s competitive position and build equity in the brand.

Below are four benefits of organizational purpose:

1. Instill Purpose in Employees

Employees may be very good at compliance, but in today’s global competitive marketplace, going through the motions is not good enough. Organizations need employees who are engaged and come to work with a sense of purpose that comes from knowing that what they do matters to others. When employees are engaged in their work, they enjoy what they do and tend to be more productive.

2. Provide Clarity

Fearing ambiguity leads to narrow thinking and reactionary behaviors. Embracing clarity can open the door to allowing employees to see possibilities that they wouldn’t have otherwise seen. Purpose then drives clarity because it “connects the dots” for employees. They know what is expected of them and why.

3. Stimulate Innovation

Knowing what an organization stands for can open the door to purposeful teams. It enables employees to think of new ways of doing things for a reason — that is, to meet the mission of the organization. That depends upon purpose.

4. Groom the Next Generation of Leaders

Organizations that survive more than a generation are typically those that have developed a leadership cadre who inherited the mission and have been shaped by core values. Purpose leads to intentional employee development.

What Does Purpose Look Like?

You may wonder what organizations claim for their purpose statements. Here are some examples:

“The purpose of Disneyland is to create happiness for others. And you see, the beautiful thing about saying, “We’re going to create happiness” was then I could say, “Look, you may park cars, clean up the place, sweep the place, work graveyard and everything else, but whatever you do is contributing to creating happiness for others.”

– Van Arsdale France, Founder, University of Disneyland

Purpose is like the roots of a tree. Strong roots — strong purpose — provide the tree with nourishment, good health and the ability to sustain itself. If the roots go deep, your tree, and its entire corner of the forest, will prosper. But if roots are shallow, and starving — because you never feed them with purpose — eventually, your tree will fall down. And it won’t just fall down by itself. It’ll take other trees down with it.

We would love to hear from you! What’s your organizational purpose? How is purpose driving your motivation levels and enhancing the business performance? Let’s share experiences. Leave a comment below, send us an email, or find us on Twitter.

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