I\u2019ve turned down an interview for a public company board seat because there was not a single woman on the board or on the executive team. No ethnic diversity, either.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nWe in the tech industry annually publish our diversity stats and are being more transparent about our strategies and actions in more comprehensive annual ESG and Diversity reports. Most will readily admit that the progress is slow and there are mindsets and practices that we still have to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Slowly, we’re getting past the empty diversity and inclusion promises that don’t include concrete plans to change fundamentally unfair structures and systems within companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Today, the research and the evidence is compelling. Intel and Dahlberg published their \u201cDecoding Diversity\u201d report that showed the financial and economic returns of diversity in tech \u2013 notably, massive expansion of overall markets. For individual companies with representative boards, leadership teams, and employee populations, they saw increased market value, revenue, and profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But good intent isn\u2019t getting us anywhere close to full representation. This is especially true with gender and ethnic representation in leadership. The data shows the significant delta between the overall representation of women and people of color and their representation in leadership teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s clear that this issue is impacting our ability to attract the talent necessary to accomplish our business objectives and fulfill our missions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve got to move from good intent to results. But how?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve been thinking a lot about diversity in leadership. There\u2019s no silver bullet, of course. We can focus on hiring and we can develop from within. No doubt, we have to do both, but let\u2019s concentrate on development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Developing leadership capability is about breadth, not depth. It\u2019s not about gaining more acumen \u2013 presumably, a person has already demonstrated expertise within a relevant domain. It\u2019s about vision, people, managing an operation, and understanding how the whole and the parts are connected across the entire business. Leadership theories abound and can be studied from a book. But mostly, we learn leadership on the job from experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I think back on my own winding career path, exposure was key. Exposure to accomplished leaders who taught me a lot as I watched them operate. These people provided feedback on my performance and offered advice and counsel on my career. Exposure to the strategic work of the organization. Being tapped to lead special projects and to work on things that mattered more than everyday run-state. There was a lot of nurturing going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then there was sponsorship. More than a few times, I was asked by executives \u2013 mostly nudged\u2026 ok, sometimes even pushed! \u2013 to move into another role. More than a few times, that meant moving my family to another state. More than a few times, it was a pretty big risk for everyone because I had no idea how to do what they were telling me to go off and do. But, they believed in me. They saw value I had to offer and potential in me that I didn\u2019t believe I had.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, a professional contact who I don\u2019t know very well invited me to a Board of Directors conference. I\u2019m not yet on a public company board, but he saw an opportunity to sponsor a woman who is at a point in her career where being on a board is a viable pursuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who controls exposure? Who offers sponsorship? Who\u2019s doing the nurturing and the nudging?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The current leadership, of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDevelop everyone to the exclusion of no one.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThat was the mantra repeated in a diversity course I took way back in the 1990\u2019s. I didn\u2019t realize its power then, but it has stuck with me. When we \u201cdevelop everyone to the exclusion of no one,\u201d then we will start to address diversity in leadership. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Are we fully aware of the amazing talent we have in our organizations? Are we aware of the people who are different than us \u2013 who don\u2019t run in the circles we normally run in \u2013 who we don\u2019t naturally gravitate to because their proximity is not as comfortable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it\u2019s simple. Broaden our view of the talent within our organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Great advice, but without something else, it\u2019ll turn into just another good intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Accountability \u2013 it\u2019s what we can\u2019t run a business without. Why don\u2019t we apply it to this topic? It requires data and measurement. Insights. Action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s pretty easy to measure the obvious. Who gets promoted? Who\u2019s identified as HiPo talent? If you grade people, who is rated at the top? How do we account for all that exposure and sponsorship?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is where more sophisticated and transparent solutions must be introduced. In order to gain insight into whether or not everyone can develop and ensure no one is excluded, we must do the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n