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Friends,

I hope you've all had a productive start to the year. In lieu of our
traditional "update" newsletter, I wanted to share a few thoughts on a
topic close to my heart: diversity & inclusion.

When I entered the C-Suite and had the authority and the power to
influence the teams around me - I hired and developed a
high-performance team and put diversity to work. I know what it's like
to be overlooked, underestimated, disregarded, and sometimes
disrespected. I know what it's like to be excluded and
under-leveraged. As you consider integrating diversity & inclusion into
your business strategy, I wanted to share a few thoughts from my
experience on how to do that effectively:

1) Diversity is not a nice-to-have; it's a must-have. Ethnically diverse
organizations are 35% more likely to outperform their peers. Companies
in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have
financial returns above their respective national industry medians. The
data are clear, and yet we often treat diversity like it's the "nice"
thing to do. The reality is that, if you want to grow, learn, and solve
tough problems - you have to have bring new perspectives to the table.
You have to be challenged. Diversity is absolutely a must-have for your
bottom line, and you have to role model that belief for your team.

2) Start with a qualified, diverse slate of candidates. We are tribal
people by nature - which means we are more comfortable with people
like us; people who think like us, who look like us, who have the same
experiences. It means we probably go back to the same places to find
candidates for open roles. Is it any surprise we end up with a slate
that lacks diversity? You have to hold yourself and your team to a
higher standard. Do not move forward with the decision-making process
until you have identified a qualified, diverse slate of candidates.
Every time.

3) "But she's never done this job before." You'll hear a lot of
resistance when you undertake this process. That's natural. You'll
likely hear about the risk in hiring someone who has never done the job
before. That's often the case for someone who is different. The
reality is that the risk of having a team of people who all think the
same is actually much greater, because you won't solve your toughest
problems. Look beyond the job experience to the skills and qualities
that are needed to do the job well. You may have to provide additional
support and resources to ensure they are then able to do the specific
job you are filling. Make sure that's a part of the hiring process -
identifying the skills and qualities - and then the resources they
need to do the job well. You want to set them up for success.

One of the most important lessons I have learned over the years is that
human potential is our greatest resource. It's our only limitless
resource and it's the only resource we need to solve our most
intractable problems.

If you're looking for more great resources on building your diverse
team, I've included some pieces I've been reading and that I hope will
spark your thinking.

Have a great week,

Carly

Working on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity with your team? Sign-up to
be the first to know when my digital course launches and bring it to
your team in April.

Diversity & Inclusion in Corporate Social Engagement

A Report by CECP

The relationship between business and society is undergoing profound
transformation. Leaders in corporate, government, and civic society are
increasingly calling for business to rethink its fundamental purpose,
look beyond economic value, and make a more meaningful impact on social
issues. As business embraces this purposedriven leadership more fully,
CECP has been tracking a growing focus on diversity and inclusion (D&I)
among corporate social engagement (CSE) executives. CECP's monitoring
has spanned a range of perspectives, including structure,
accountability, and reporting.

Read More >>>

The Challenges Facing Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Leaders

Adweek

The responsibilities of chief diversity officers and the like have
changed over the years. Early iterations of the role primarily focused
on getting talent from various backgrounds through the door, but it now
encompasses far more.

Read More >>>

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5 Hiring Pitfalls to Avoid

Nonprofit Quarterly

The world of philanthropy is having its reckoning when it comes to
equity, and the time couldn't have come soon enough. Across the
country, organizations are seeking to be more thoughtful about how they
approach the communities they serve and take steps to embed equity into
their work. But it takes more than talking a good game to bring good
intentions to life. To make legitimate progress, we must move beyond
words and into actions.

Read More >>>

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Working on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity with your team? Sign-up to
be the first to know when my digital course launches and bring it to
your team in April.

"

"Diversity of opinion is the dynamite that blows up the logjams that are
keeping groups stuck."

Carly Fiorina

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Unlocking Potential & Carly Fiorina Enterprises
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Alexandria, VA 22314
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