MAGAZINE THINK TANK AT
GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
WYN TALKS
TM
DR. TIFFANY DOTSON MASTERING THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
COPING WITH CRISIS IN A VUCA WORLD
RODNEY GILLESPIE THE POWER OF FINANCIAL ACUITY
Level Up
with
MICHELE THORNTON GHEE
LETTER
CEO FROM THE
EW Walton
Thank you for doing something that may seem a bit
old-fashioned. Whether you are reading this magazine to improve your leadership skill set, tap into the who’s who of diverse business leadership, or simply comb through for spelling errors, this ten minutes is your time to grow. And that’s what the team at LEAD360 wants you to do. In a time when information is instant, we are working to create a bold new publication for business leaders that improves strategic business solutions, encourages collaboration of people and ideas across industries, and highlights those who are winning against growing odds. Our organization focuses on business leaders from many sectors. Whether you are a middle- or senior-level Fortune 500 corporate executive, micro-corporation leader, public sector leader, or education leader, you will find value in the LEAD360 approach. The “360” asserts that leaders have more than a set of competencies to cultivate. To create a truly meaningful executive life, we must also grow our connections, community, and consciousness at work, at home, and in the world. Total well-being benefits us all and is fundamental to the golden thread of this magazine, everything we do, and everything we offer you, including the summits and academy. LEAD360 asks the tough business questions and addresses the unspoken truths in a professional yet fearless manner. And although analyzing and sharing
“
In this challenging time for Black corporate leaders, we need an organization that is bold and courageous in its approach to leadership development. LEAD360 is that organization.
”
descriptions can be useful, the leaders, academicians, and writers who contribute to this publication will focus more on finding and delivering solutions. Please enjoy this preview of the magazine we envision bringing to you for years to come. We are confident that you will find something of value in our innovative approach to enhancing strategic business leadership! EW Walton, PhD, MBA
CONNECT WITH US!
VIEW
LEARN MORE
WYN™ TALKS
ABOUT LEAD360
(SCAN OR CLICK HERE)
(SCAN OR CLICK HERE)
CONTENTS 5
19
12
8
14
23
5
ABOUT LEAD360 SENIOR LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION
7
RODNEY GILESPIE
8
DR. TIFFANY DOTSON
The Power of Financial Aquity One Scholar Practitioner with a side of Super Fun
12
WORLD-CLASS FACULTY
14
EMPOWERMENT: Michele Thornton Ghee
19
COPING WITH CRISIS IN A VUCA WORLD
23
WHERE DO WE WYN?
LEAD360 provides access to an amazing lineup of executive talent
A Journey to Increase the Prevalence of Black Senior Leaders
See LEAD360 at Georgetown University www.lead360wyn.org/thinktank
Our pursuit of excellence begins with a passion for diversity and inclusion. At Liberty Mutual, we foster an atmosphere of respect, where our collective differences and similarities constantly inspire and empower us.
LMI.co/Diversity
We are an equal opportunity employer.
| THE ORGANIZATION | WHO WE ARE
ABOUT US LEAD360 is a senior leadership organization delivering premium learning experiences and talent connects through a community of high-caliber leaders and inclusive companies. Victor Blackwell, CNN New Anchor and Dr. Eric Wynstin Walton, CEO of LEAD360 discuss world leadership issues at the LEAD360 Senior Leadership COMBINE.
OUR PURPOSE
OUR CRITERIA
OUR SYSTEM
FOR ORGANIZATIONS
MIDDLE MANAGERS
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
LEAD360 exists out of the ongoing need to attract, develop, and illuminate a pipeline of value-adding senior business leaders of color.
High performing and high potential Middle Managers (Managers, Directors, VPs) who aspire to achieve E-Level and C-Level roles.
FOR LEADERS
SENIOR LEADERS
LEAD360 offers executive development that addresses both GM competence and cultural navigation.
Senior Leaders with general management experience desiring to further their influence as executive officers. Our program is designed for two distinct yet complementary company-sponsored senior leadership levels. Our criteria precludes field individual cotributors and other non-leadership roles.
• Senior Leadership COMBINE • WYN Academy • Executive Coaching • Thought Leader Development • Needs Assessments
PIPELINE DEVELOPMENT • Corporate Connection Forums • Executive Interviews • Industry Advisory Boards
| THE ORGANIZATION | WHO WE ARE LEAD360 EXECUTIVE ADVISOR:
RODNEY GILLESPIE
Rodney Gillespie is a Global executive with broad leadership experience. He is currently the Global Head of Renal, Anemia for AstraZeneca and is responsible for the Global Ambition, strategy and launch of a first in class drug for CKD, Anemia in Dialysis and non-Dialysis across the globe.
With over thirteen years’ tenure with the company, Rodney commenced in the United States where he held a number of senior roles in managed markets, marketing and sales leadership, before assuming posts in the UK and in South Africa. He has successfully led global product and brand teams in driving product launch performance in the US and Europe. Rodney has led the commercial strategy implementation as Commercial Head for AstraZeneca’s International region Diabetes portfolio where he worked closely with emerging markets to successfully launch multiple brands. Through his role as Country President AstraZeneca in South Africa, a position held from 2016 through mid 2019, Rodney had overall responsibility for the P&L, strategy and direction of the company and has developed a deep understanding and insight into South Africa’s healthcare and pharmaceutical industry. He has secured partnerships with various stakeholders including the National Department of Health to advance healthcare access for patients with respiratory disease as well as cancer. Rodney has led the strong growth of the Growth Platform of products, with highlights around Symbicord and Pulmicord growing faster than the market, double digit growth of the Dexes in Oncology and one of the best launches of Forxiga, for diabetes, in the world. He has also led launch excellence of innovative oncology products for emerging markets, helping AZ to put a stake as a leader in the fight against cancer in key markets across the globe.
Rodney has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Commerce & Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA and Masters of Business Administration, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Rodney has a passion for participating in activities/organizations that allow him to give back to disadvantaged communities and kids. Rodney is on the Board of Directors for The American International School of South Africa and is a member the South African Chapter and London Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. He is also a member of the London Chapter of Sigma Pi Phi.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 7
See Rodney’s Interview Click Here
DR. TIFFANY
Dotson: ONE SCHOLAR PRACTITIONER WITH A SIDE OF SUPER FUN By Dana Johnson
The high school senior superlatives that try to tell the future may not always come to be. But whatever qualities others saw in the adolescent Dr. Tiffany Dotson were clearly correct. Voted “Most Likely to Succeed,” Dr. Dotson, now at the young age of 43, has already spent decades, over 24 years to be exact, working—and succeeding— in growing leaders.
LEAD360 MAGAZINE | 2019 FALL Edition Edition | Page 8
Dr. Dotson, Vice President Global Leadership Learning and Talent at Liberty Mutual, helps all seven thousand managers across the organization, from the front line to senior executives, “be more confident, more capable, and more competent.” This role condenses down to providing all leaders a learning and development curriculum. The numerous tools available to managers are made up of a hybrid of inhouse and curated modalities—from leadership assessments to one-onone coaching and from simulations to virtual microlearning available at the ready. Some managers are identified and placed on special tracks: accelerated development for those who want to climb the ranks at a faster pace and faculty development for those perfecting their facilitation skills for the various learning programs and initiatives at Liberty Mutual.
The daunting task would seem impossible to manage, but Dr. Dotson, supported by a full learning development team, is beyond qualified. “I was born to do this. I don’t know how to do anything else but grow leaders.” Dr. Dotson, often described as “positive” and “sparkly” by colleagues and reports, has been on track to fill this Liberty Mutual role since her days as a serious and focused latch-key kid who spent a couple of hours reading—history and self-improvement books being her favorites—until her two older sisters came home from high school each day. Mentored by her beloved books, Dr. Dotson began down a path of curiosity and interest that laid the foundation for her grounded but open and perhaps unconventional worldview. Still, no shrinking violet, a duality was apparent early as she was also encouraged by an eighth-grade teacher to discover and develop her love of public performance as she participated in cheerleading, debate, and dance. “I never had a fear of public performance, and she helped activate that in me. I became comfortable in front of people in many different capacities.”
“
I was born to do this. I don’t know how to do anything else but grow leaders.
Dr. Dotson credits two families—both her own and the Huxtables—for establishing her incredibly strong work ethic and for opening her eyes to possibility. “My family upbringing taught me a lot. Everybody in my family worked all the time. They taught me that my life is my responsibility. The greatest gift I got from them is this notion of self-sufficiency and independence.” Although she has lived away from her family for many years, they reach out to one another, often daily. Through the years, their gems of support and acceptance have served Dr. Dotson well. She learned early from them to go full throttle after her dreams and to be authentic, even if her true self happened to be different than most. Attending Chicago’s Jones College Prep High School, a business-focused school then known as Jones Commercial, Dr. Dotson went to school parttime and went to work part-time as a receptionist. Although she fully intended to go away to college, a workplace offer of full tuition and expenses paid at Northeastern Illinois University was impossible to turn down, so she remained in Chicago, taking on a fulltime position in human resources with her employer on top of beginning her undergraduate career. Restricted to the twenty-four hours the heavens dictate, the young Tiffany didn’t have a lot of time for extracurriculars between class and work. “I was too responsible. I didn’t have a lot of fun in college, I was so serious.” She did make the commitment to pledge the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, which she values tremendously. Unlike the steadiness of sisterhood, Tiffany’s studies evolved over time with the same intensity of self-evolution that showed itself at a young age. Tiffany began as a journalism major with the ultimate goal of becoming a news anchor, but after learning that she’d have to put in years and years as a reporter first, she switched to philosophy—the study of the concepts of logic, beauty, knowledge, and morals. But a sudden and dramatic shift came from nowhere her sophomore year when a sociology class plunged her into a deep dive into leadership with Adolf Hitler. The assignment was for students to choose a leader in history that they disagreed vehemently with. The twist came when the students were next assigned to write a paper showing the effectiveness of their leadership, whether the leaders’ actions were perceived as right or wrong. “I had a hard time arguing—in the space of leadership—that what he did was ineffective. It was useful to study him because he was very effective at inspiring an organization . . . He put up a compelling vision, got people to rally behind it, got people to execute flawlessly. I became fascinated.”
“
...If you’re going to learn, you’ve got to go and get that for yourself.
She immediately decided to study the psychology of leadership and management to help people to not be seduced by charismatic leaders or swayed by propaganda, to help people “learn how to think better, make better decisions [for themselves].” So between working in human resources and majoring in human resources development, Tiffany became all about the business of people and what makes them tick. Her depth and breadth of knowledge of leadership only deepened and grew broader at Columbia University, where the intellect garnered a master’s degree and later a doctorate, both in Adult Learning and Leadership. There, she thrived in an environment where she was attracted to and very interested in others who were also inquisitive about the world. Dr. Dotson is attracted to the same kind of people now. In fact, like most true educators, that’s how she spots the leaders today. “I’m really attuned to people who are curious, and when they are curious, I tap into that . . . . I stalk leaders out. It’s the people who challenge the status quo . . . but mostly they’re thinkers. They’re not people who come with all the answers but people who come with the questions.” One prong of Dr. Dotson’s mission is to help people break away from conventional thinking and conventional ways of knowing. She believes
wholeheartedly that education is done to the student and becoming learned is done by the student. “If you want to be educated, you can go to the confines of our institutions and get educated. That’s great. I did it. But it’s not enough. If you’re going to learn, you’ve got to go and get that for yourself.” Those managers that fall under her realm of responsibility see her live these words with authenticity in the work that she does at Liberty Mutual. And those who have been fortunate enough to work with her come to recognize very quickly that Dr. Dotson not only brings incredible value to the table, especially around very intellectual topics such as neuroscience, she can also grace a room with her sparkle. She is often told by co-workers that her presence brings good energy, positivity, and a genuine and attentive sense of caring. It seems that even an intense thinker and doer as she, a self-described “scholar practitioner,” can be appreciated for being “super fun.” But Dr. Dotson has not found her career path to be without challenges. Often the only woman of color in a leadership role at executive meetings, the words shared carrying her ideas and perspectives have at times fallen on deaf ears. She has also had managers that have tried to suppress her intellect, giving orders
times fallen on deaf ears. She has also had managers that have tried to suppress her intellect, giving orders and not allowing her to come up with solutions on her own. Still, she has overcome with self-confidence and competency, never feeling like she has to prove a thing. “I’ve just showed up and showed out. They’ve come to their own conclusions.” Dr. Dotson has clearly done the work to be the leadership guru that she is today, but she also acknowledges that the power of diversity and inclusion has benefited her. She believes that companies should welcome differences to create an environment where all people can thrive and succeed. This requires companies to demonstrate cultural dexterity—the ability to
“
...I’m really attuned to people who are curious, and when they are curious, I tap into that . . . . I stalk leaders out.
understand one’s own culture and upbringing while also understanding the culture of others—and an inclusive environment. Only then will companies foster employment engagement, innovation, and enhanced business results. “For companies to succeed in today’s global marketplace, they must attract and retain talent of all backgrounds and experiences. They must have in place teams who reflect the diversity of their clients, customers, and the communities they serve.” Dr. Dotson feels well placed and well utilized at Liberty Mutual because of the company’s beliefs around diversity and inclusion. There, employees are encouraged to serve customers, the community, and the company through a lens of diversity and inclusion.
She believes there is talent across all peoples, and as an authority in the field of adult learning and leadership, with years of both theoretical and practical experience in her cache of knowledge, if anyone should be able to make that statement, it would be Dr. Dotson. In fact, it would be wise for all to heed her broad perspective on what leadership is, who wields it, and how powerful it can be in the lives of others. “To me, leadership is influence. Not only does everyone, from my perspective, have the potential to lead, but everyone is leading right now. In every interaction you have, you’re influencing someone to be bigger or smaller than they are right now.” Dr. Tiffany Dotson is a participating LEAD360 Think Tank leader. The mission undertaken by the approximately two dozen participants is to understand and propose actionable solutions to challenges affecting black leadership. We thank Dr. Dotson for her time, energy, and insight.
LEAD360 Senior Leadership COMBINES are headed up by dynamic leaders such as Dr. Shirley Davis and Bakari Sellers. Davis is president and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, Inc., a company built on the depth and breadth of her expertise: diversity and inclusion; performance management; twenty-first century leadership; career navigation; employee engagement strategies; recruitment, development, and retention strategies; personaL reinvention; and more. In short, Davis’s trove of knowledge holds solutions for how to lead in a diverse, global, virtual, and connected world and would be invaluable to any leader, from any industry, at any level.
Shirley Davis President and CEO SDS Global Enterprises, Inc.
THE
This global workforce expert is also a masterful speaker. Davis currently serves on the board of the National Speakers Association and is a Certified Speaking Professional, a credential granted by the same organization to only the top 12% of speakers worldwide. An exceptional communicator, Davis is an experienced facilitator of gatherings of all kinds—workshops, retreats, and seminars—and has been featured or quoted in many major media productions and publications, from NBC’s The Today Show to the Wall Street Journal. Davis was recently covered in Inclusion Magazine and is the author of The Seat: How to Get Invited to the Table When You’re Over-Performing but Undervalued.
WORLD-CLASS F A C U L T Y
Bakari Sellers, attorney, politician, and hisry-maker, will be the subject of a LEAD360 one-on-one about today’s climate. An authority on the political and cultural state of our country, we anticipate a sure-to-be compelling interview that will set the tone for and lead us into a town hall-style discussion. Sellers truly has his finger on the pulse of American politics, becoming the youngest African American elected official in the nation to represent South Carolina’s 90th district in the lower house of the state legislature from 2006 to 2014. Bakari Sellers Political Commentator CNN
LEAD360 provides access to an amazing lineup of executive talent—all willing and eager to share stories of their own experiences of walking through the world as Black leaders. Our faculty casts light on the shadows and bring messages of aspiration, inspiration, and celebration for two days of connection and community.
Beverly Smith
National President Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Deborah Elam
CEO Corporate Playbook
Avis Jones-DeWeever
Stan Blackwell
Executive Dir. Global Talent Gilead Sciences
Dr. David A. Thomas President Morehouse College
Natasha Bowman
Marcus Johnson
President and Founder Performance ReNEW
CEO and Founder FLO Wine, LLC
Cindy Kent
Maurice A. Stinnett
Board of Directors Best Buy
VP of Diversity, Inclusion and Culture
Kelci Trent
Regional Business Director Johnson & Johnson
Charmaine Ward-Millner Corporate Relations Director
Brooklyn Nets
Georgia Power
Founder Exceptional Leadership Institute for Women
Tim Goodly
Tanya Spencer
Keith Wyche
L. Michelle Smith
Dorinda Walker
Jesse Tyson
Michele Thornton Ghee
Victor Blackwell
Cher Jones
CEO Cultural Solutions Group
Nicole Pitts
President Goodly Consulting Group
President and CEO National Black MBA Association
EVP, Business Development Endeavor Global Marketing
Dr. Tiffany Dotson
VP and Regional GM Wal-Mart
News Anchor CNN
Senior Pastor Zion Church, DC
VP, Global Leadership, Learning and Talent Liberty Mutual Insurance
Monique Stoner
La’Wana Harris, CDE, ACC
Bob Oliver
Yolanda Hawkes
Thomas Dortch
Talent Solutions Leader Koch Industries
President and CEO TWD, Inc.
Derick Gant
Darryl Smith
Andrá R. Ward, MSPOD
Nick F. Nelson
Founder and CEO Ethintegrity
Global Board of Directors HBA
Performance Coach 24klifecon.com
Pastor Keith Battle
Global Sales Operations Leader GE power
Executive Advisor CELLIX BIO Sciences, Inc.
Senior Client Partner Korn Ferry
President and CEO The KhafreWard Corporation
CEO GemStone Consulting Group
CEO BRANDPRENUER
CEO No Silos Comm, LLC.
Digital Marketing Expert #JustAskCher
Renee Sterling-Daniel VP, Regulatory Controls Goldman Sachs
Rob Gore, MD
Executive Director Kings Against Violence Initiative
Rodney Gillespie
Global Head Renal, Anemia AstraZeneca
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 14
Empowerment.
A MORE NOBLE MISSION IS DIFFICULT TO FIND.
MICHELE THORNTON GHEE
A MORE PASSIONATE VISIONARY IS DIFFICULT TO NAME.
LEAD360 is both honored and over the moon to welcome Michele as a keynote speaker to the 2019 Senior Leadership COMBINE. Both a perfect fit for an organization on a mission to empower black leaders and a perfect example of doing so in her own life, Michele Thornton Ghee is the personification of leveling up. This media and marketing expert is on a meteoric rise—now author of three books (the latest, Success on Your Terms: The Essential Guide, was published earlier this year), a compelling and inspirational speaker, and the rightful recipient of numerous awards and honors, Ghee motivates everyone from young girls to grown men. Michele marks a particular turning point in her life that set her on the road to success, when she promised the father she was about to lose to cancer that she would make him proud. After high school and ten years of working jobs with no future, Ghee went back to school and graduated from Golden Gate University at the age of thirty with a degree in business.
Ghee stepped into her power then and has been garnering more self-awareness, confidence, and critical skills since. Still, the most powerful thing about her is that she believes and teaches that you don’t have to experience such a heartbreaking and mind-shifting catalyst to claim your own power. But you do have to be willing to take on the hard work to develop it. Fortunately, Ghee provides plenty of tools, resources, and support in serving up her potentially life-changing message to individuals, groups, and communities through speaking engagements, workshops, and digital and technology platforms. In addition to empowerment, Michele’s breadth of expertise covers leadership, diversity and inclusion, work–life balance, relationship building, strategy, time utilization, capacity, and revenue generation.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 15
“
Leadership is not created in the hallways of corporate America but [in] what you do outside of those walls.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 16
Today, this transformation agent has some impressive numbers under her belt: She has over twenty years of experience in corporate America and has managed over a billion dollars in revenue for some of the largest media companies, including CNN, A&E, The History Channel, the Weather Channel, and BET Networks/ BET Her. Currently, Michele is Executive Vice President of Business Development for Endeavor Global Marketing, where she and her team help brands better leverage the cultural relevance of the world to create programs that deliver measurable brand and business value. But the work that Ghee has used to influence the world around her goes far beyond the walls of big and influential companies. On her website, these words of wisdom are posted in white on an electric yellow background: “Leadership is not created in the hallways of corporate America but [in] what you do outside of those walls.” On that same web page are the ten steps of the Stratechic framework, an aspirational yet practical creation that guides women in how to be strategic in their life planning. The framework and how to apply it is the subject of the author’s first two books. Ghee is also founder of GirlBiz, “an organization focused on the business of making girls great through a hands-on afterschool immersion.” It is innovative work like this that has brought recognition and praise to Ghee. In recent years, Michele has received the Woman to Watch Award from Multichannel News (2018), Working Mother of the Year Award from She Runs It (2018), Unapologetically HER Award from Tené Nícole (2017), Sister Accord Leadership Award from the Sister Accord Foundation (2017), Change Agent Award from the Black Girl Magic Awards of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Chapter at Ohio State University (2016), Champions for Youth Award from the East Oakland Youth Development Center (2016), Jesse Banks Foundation Humanitarian Award (2015), and named a ChurchGurl Foundation Champion Honoree (2017). She has also been presented with an ADCOLOR Change Agent Award (2009) and an Impact Award (2009) from CNN. The Oakland native continues to create the life she finally believed she deserved, meanwhile inspiring and motivating others to do the same. Residing in New Jersey, Ghee is the proud wife of Antony Ghee and the blessed mother of Taylor and Jordan. We are thrilled to have Michele Thornton Ghee close out the 2019 LEAD360 Senior Leadership COMBINE as the headline keynote speaker!
HOW EFFECTIVE LEADERS
COPE WITH CRISIS IN A VUCA WORLD AND
WYN ANYWAY TM
By Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq.
Change can happen at a moments notice. Yet, being nimble and willingly disposed to addressing it head on is what differentiates the most effective leaders from those who fall headlong in times of crisis. One of the most important aspects of my work is helping senior leaders to navigate change—the kind of change that can make or break an organization from the inside out. There’s no question that the world around us is constantly in flux, and thus, it is particularly useful for leaders to learn to become more responsive to the evolutionary dynamics of the workplace environment. Cutting-edge research indicates that ability to pivot and adapt to change is critical to performing at high levels and to avoiding burnout from the all-too-common—and otherwise unavoidable—occupational stress. In a piece entitled, Learning Agility: A Construct Whose Time Has Come, Kenneth P. De Meuse, Guangrong Dai and George S. Hallenbeck explain it this way, “A significant consequence of today’s dynamic, complex, and uncertain business environments is that leadership skills are subject to continual obsolescence and displacement. To be effective, leaders must demonstrate the flexibility and agility to adapt their behaviors as situations change. The willingness and capability to learn from experience and subsequently to apply that learning to perform successfully under new or first-time conditions becomes one of the most critical
success factors for managers and executives.” This suggests that far beyond the bounds of technical expertise exists a palpable expectation for leaders to develop key soft skills in order to effectively navigate uncharted business waters: Enter agile leadership. Agile leadership is the ability to competently and confidently steer an organization through volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). • Volatility – The nature, speed, volume, magnitude and dynamics of change • Uncertainty – The lack of predictability related to expectations, issues and events • Complexity – The intricacy and interrelatedness of issues in the context of organizational dynamics • Ambiguity – The lack of clarity surrounding the universe of conditions and the meaning attached to them However, even for the most agile of leaders, leading an organization can sometimes feel like navigating a ship through mine-infested waters: disaster is likely to strike at some point, no matter how sure the hand on the helm. Data breaches, customer service debacles, recall fiascos—the crises are everywhere, and countless institutions have been sunk by an unseen bombshell. But in many cases, it isn’t the crisis itself that causes an organization to founder; too often it’s a
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 19
leader’s response to the crisis that causes the greatest damage. A disaster is a moment of truth for an organization. It’s a time when competent leaders prove their mettle and when serial pretenders are exposed. A crisis is almost always an indication that something needs to change within an organization. Sometimes that change is structural. Policies might have to be revised, or mission statements might need to be tweaked. Other times that change comes in the form of new leadership. If the person at the helm can’t make good decisions during these turbulent times, the organization might have to look elsewhere for a replacement. Nonetheless, a crisis does not mean failure is necessarily afoot; effective leaders recognize that a crisis is merely an ‘opportunity riding the dangerous wind.’ Instead of capitulating, they think clearly, act decisively and choose to WYN anyway. If you want be a more effective leader—especially in times of crisis—consider the following important steps as you work to strengthen their agility muscle: Step 1: Be honest with yourself In order to right the ship, an effective leader must start by confronting hard truths. A leader can’t justifiably be blamed for a force majeure or for some other unforeseeable, unavoidable stroke of bad luck, but many crises are caused by the organization itself. Faulty security procedures might be at fault, or poorly trained personnel could be the culprit. If a crisis is triggered by a structural failure, a good leader will analyze the organizational flaw to determine how it contributed to the crisis. If the crash happens because of the captain’s miscalculation, an ethical leader will self-evaluate and honestly own mistakes. To err is human; to take responsibility is divine. Step 2: Act carefully but quickly After diagnosing the problem, an agile leader must work carefully with the response team to craft a strategic plan. All options must be brought to the table and weighed, no matter how implausible or undesirable they might seem. Once a decision has been made and a plan has been developed, a leader must immediately put it into action. Time is usually the enemy in such scenarios, so there can be no dillydallying or feet dragging. Many crises demand same-day responses, and any delay will be perceived as incompetence or indifference, both of which can exacerbate a crisis. Such was the case with the delayed United Airlines response to the dragging incident involving Dr. Dao.
The brand suffered socially and economically as a result. Remember, careful and quick must go hand in glove in this stage. Step 3: Stay focused Be aware that once the action plan is set into motion, there will likely be further challenges and setbacks. Even if a leader’s response to a crisis is impeccable, some critics and competitors might take this opportunity to kick the organization while it’s down. Previous mistakes might be brought back to the forefront, and old controversies might have to be re-litigated. It’s natural for a leader to feel doubt and fear as the problems pile up. If you start to lose focus on the big picture, it might be necessary to take step back from the situation and seek outside advice. But it’s important not to despair. If the response plan is sound and the organization’s intentions are good, then steady yourself and push through the pain. Also, remind yourself that smooth seas don’t make good sailors. While it’s not always possible for an organization to preempt or recover from a crisis, even when headed by a brilliant leader, it is possible to take lessons from every disaster. Failure today could mean success tomorrow. Try to hold on to that truth when the storm is raging. Then, choose to address the challenge head on and WYN anyway by leveraging these fundamental steps.
Karima Mariama-Arthur, Esq.
Founder and CEO, WordSmithRapport A leading authority on leadership development and organizational performance management, Karima brings more than 25 years of comprehensive, blue chip experience in law, business, and academia to every client engagement. A shrewd advisor to distinguished organizations from DC to Dubai, her expert insights help clients to successfully navigate today’s ever-changing and competitive global business environment. Karima is the author of the internationally acclaimed leadership guidebook, ‘Poised For Excellence: Fundamental Principles of Effective Leadership in the Boardroom and Beyond‘ (Palgrave Macmillan). As an extension of her work, she speaks regularly both national ly and internationally in her areas of expertise.
Hundreds Hundreds of of millions millions of customers of customers benefit benefit from from our our global global team team of builders of builders Amazon is a company of pioneers Amazon is a company of pioneers who bring varying backgrounds, who bring varying backgrounds, ideas, and points of view to inventing ideas, and points of view to inventing on behalf of our customers. on behalf of our customers. LEARN MORE AT AMAZON.COM/DIVERSIT Y LEARN MORE AT AMAZON.COM/DIVERSIT Y
Amazon is an Equal Opportunity Employer Amazon is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Behind These GreaT Walls
You’ll Join the Company of Great Minds
GeorGetown University’s McDonoUGh school of BUsiness offers master’s degree programs in business and leadership that match your schedule — daytime, evening, or weekends. study on our campus in washington, D.c., or in a series of intensive modules around the world. what truly distinguishes Georgetown’s McDonough school of Business are the people you will meet. our world-renowned faculty members are committed to an exceptional educational experience, and our students bring rich and varied backgrounds to every class. if you understand the rewards of leadership and the value of knowledge, you will know why Georgetown Means Business.
For more information, visit GeorgetownMeansBusiness.com
Georgetown Means Business
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019
WHERE DO WE
WYN? A Journey to Increase the Prevalence of Black Senior Leaders Within the E-Suites and C-Suites of the Fortune 1000
E. Wynstin Walton, PhD, Tiffany Dotson, EdD, Dana Johnson, MS
PURPOSE The LEAD360 Think Tank kicks off a five-year undertaking, with an aim to increase the prevalence and success of Black leaders within the E-suites and C-suites of corporate America. It is understood that bringing about the necessary changes won’t happen alone; the process will require the collective action and sharing of ideas, strategies, and best practices of all the attendees and their organizations. Together, a cohesive community of motivated leaders—from different industries, geographies, and organizations—can drive meaningful change. In coming months, Fellows will continue working in small groups to develop solutions for implementing sustainable cultural changes in increasingly diverse organizations. Armed with key insights generated during the think tank at Georgetown, the LEAD360 research team will guide the cohort of leaders in an examination of these concepts.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 23
LETTER FROM THE CEO
PROGRAM LEADERS CINDY KENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS BEST BUY Kent has more than 25 years of experience across a variety of roles and segments of the health care industry. Prior to joining 3M in 2013, she worked at medical device maker Medtronic and pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co.
DR. TIFFANY DOTSON Dr. Eric Wynstin Walton, founder of LEAD360, WWW.LEAD360WYN.ORG sought out how to together create a sustainable effort that produces long-term results. Fortunately, LEAD360 has engaged some well-recognized thought leaders for their valuable insight. Game-changing executive leaders Cindy Kent, former unit president at 3M, and Rodney Gillespie, president, South Africa at AstraZeneca, feel that to have truly significant results we must craft strategies and approaches that are courageously disruptive. Further, Dr. Lisa Coleman, senior vice president, Global Inclusion and Strategic Innovation at New York University, and Dr. Tiffany Dotson, vice president of Global Talent, Leadership and Learning at Liberty Mutual Insurance, advised that our new think tank approach contain the following elements:
1 2 3 4
A consistent yet expandable group A five-year plan and corporate commitment
VP, GLOBAL TALENT, LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING
LIBERTY MUTUAL INSURANCE An executive development and leadership scholar-practitioner with over 20 years of experience, Dotson is a highly accomplished, results-driven executive leadership and organizational development professional with proven ability to facilitate corporate and academic success.
DARRYL SMITH SENIOR CLIENT PARTNER
KORN FERRY HAY GROUP Smith is an executive within the leadership and talent consulting practice with over 25 years of experience covering a broad range of professional roles. Currently, Smith is a specialist in the areas of diversity and inclusion, employee development, and employee engagement.
LA'WANA HARRIS
Inclusion of both senior commercial and diversity champions
GLOBAL DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CONSULTANT
A stream of cutting-edge publications (white papers, electronic documents, magazine articles)
An inspirational leader and dynamic speaker, Harris is a Certified Diversity Executive, an ICF credentialed coach, and a global leadership development professional who has dedicated her career to aligning performance with business strategy.
HEALTHCARE BUSINESSWOMEN’S ASSOCIATION
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019
METHODS Leaders gathered at Georgetown University on April 26 and 27, 2019, for the LEAD360 Think Tank. The clear objective was to strategically accelerate the progress of some of the most talented people in corporate America into positions where they can best move the organization. Twenty-four senior leaders (diversity officers and vice presidents) undertook the mission to understand and provide pathways for companies, diversity leaders, and the thousands of Black executives in the United States and on expatriate assignments. During the two days of collaboration, the team of fellows focused on how to bring about changes to their organizations and industries over the next few years. The group reviewed prior work, provided additional insights, and charted a new path forward. To reduce bias in the study, the organization hired an outside research agency to observe the contributions, process, and lessons learned. In 2012, the research group of the National Executive Forum (NEF dba LEAD360) took on the task of understanding the landscape for Black middle managers and executives. This work began in collaboration with Cornell University and included one follow-up meeting. The purpose of the first part of the Cornell project was to understand the major barriers to the success of Black executives. Not surprisingly, we found that exclusion from opportunities, political bias, and microaggression lead the list of unpalatable challenges to upward mobility. In addition, the group derived that more access to leadership development, sponsorship, and profit and loss responsibilities are likely components of the roadmap for success. The participants of the NEF–Cornell think tanks of 2012 and 2017 stepped into the ambitious work of
exploring solutions to address the dilemmas of Black leaders within organizations, targeting the four most significant areas for potential change, or opportunity. The thought leaders identified the key challenges to the arriving and thriving of Black leaders at the E-suite and C-suite levels as follows:
1 2 3 4
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 24
Access to profit and loss opportunities Sponsorship, mentorship, and networking (organizational connectivity) Access to executive leadership development and coaching Political bias, microaggression, and exclusion (unhealthy culture)
FINDINGS FROM LEAD360 THINK TANK AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY
FINDINGS FROM LEAD360 THINK TANK AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY
The team worked to develop solutions that would directly impact the four areas of challenges. The collective agreement was that the beneficiary leaders could initiate most of the solutions and would not have to rely on their organizations to begin the groundwork. The group felt that this initially autonomous approach would increase the success rate of putting the solutions in action. Table 1 is a summary of the challenges and their associated organizational solutions.
ACCESS TO P&L OPPORTUNITIES
TABLE 1.
SPONSORSHIP, MENTORSHIP, AND NETWORKING
NEF-CORNELL UNIVERSITY THINK TANK CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS Challenge
Proposed Solution(s) • Avail opportunities as the need arises.
Access to P&L Opportunities
• Offer more stretch assignments with predetermined sponsorship and development opportunities. • Establish pipeline relationship with key organizations.
Organizational Connectivity
Access to Executive Development
Unhealthy Culture
• Create systemic knowledge-shaing events among senior leaders. • Establish communication with both high performers and high potentials. • Partner with executive education at top schools, including HBCUs with graduate programs. • Partner with a wider range of historically Black leadership organizations. • Research, inform, plan, and act on creating an unapologetically inclusive culture.
The teams of 2012 and 2017 agreed that most higher-level oportunities for Black leaders exist in staff roles. Even when awarded C-level titles and compensation, the leaders are often expected to look successful with little staff, budget, or true authority. In addition, many of the think tank attendees believed that Black leaders who do attain P&L responsibilities often find it difficult to overcome bias and the lack of executive sponsorship.
The opportunity here is to increase the presence and effectivness of formal programs for sponsoring emerging Black leaders in corporate America. Participants explored the topic with the understanding that sponsorship, mentoring, and networking are different from one another. Sponsorship is active advocacy for a protégé that involves leveraging personal political capital to provide opportunity and support for their success. Mentorship is the act of nurturing and guiding but is not as active as sponsorship in the level of support and advocacy. Finally, networking is making introductions and directing people to purposeful contacts, with little other involvement.
ACCESS TO EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Leaders increase opportunity in this area through establishing a pipeline of Black senior talent equipped with the developing or demonstrated key competencies of critical thinking, social and emotional intelligence, learning agility, and self-awareness. The pipeline requires moving talent in and then facilitating their flow from one stage to the next, until a candidate is ready to enter the senior ranks. However, the participants felt that high-level learning opportunities were not as accessible to diverse groups, especially at the levels of middle manager to early senior leader. Deeper conversation revealed that even when Black middle managers receive the financial support to attend a leadership development program, they may not receive the same level of political support or workload forgiveness.
POLITICAL BIAS, MICROAGGRESSION, AND EXCLUSION The participants felt that Black leaders were being placedincreasingly aggressive and exclusive biased cultures not conducive to upward mobility for those outside of the in-group. The group also asserted that leaders who are able to read and understand workplace cultures and to exercise choice in their own placement are fortunate, particularly if they do so before advancing to the senior level. To address this issue, leaders must learn how to identify bias, microaggression, and exclusion as well as adopt strategies to help navigate them, even if that means planning an exit.
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 THINK TANK 2.0: LEAD360 AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY Using an enhanced methodology, the Georgetown Fellows worked to understand how we can expand and enhance the landscape for Black senior leaders. Prior to the meeting, fellows received literature to review and pre-work assignments to complete. During the meeting, time was scheduled to discuss focused scenarios. As mentioned previously, LEAD360 enlisted a research partner to memorialize the contributions and present additional insights.
THE PROCESS Darryl Smith, senior client partner at Korn Ferry, led a trust-building exercise, stressing the need for the attendees to form deep, authentic, and meaningful connections that would allow each person to bring their full, true self to the community. To kindle thoughts on the think tank topic, Smith then described the context that CEOs of large organizations are facing and summarized some key questions that CEOs wrestle with regarding talent.
1
Are we prepared with the right talent?
2
What are we doing to attract and retain the right talent?
3
Are we developing our talent?
Before working together to craft solutions that address these big-picture questions as they relate to the experiences of Black leaders in corporate America, the fellows examined the various challenges that these leaders face. This process involved reviewing the articles that had been assigned as pre-work, brainstorming to name specific challenges (later grouped into the categories of pipeline, leadership, incentive, and systemic), hearing a case study, pinpointing the crux of the problem, and deciding on which challenges to target.
DRIVING CHANGE Machiavelli said it best: “It ought to be remembered that there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new." Smith paraphrased this fitting quote to launch an examination of how to overcome the obstacles of executing organizational transformation. The fellows recognized and discussed several critical elements of action for reducing resistance to change, summarized here:
Convey a sense of urgency.
Garner support from others by communicating why change is important and necessary by sharing our lived experiences.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 26
Wield some degree of leverage and control.
Identify those who are at risk of loss and show them compassion and empathy.
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS
INCREASE CONNECTIVITY
The think tank group then stepped into the ambitious work of exploring solutions to address the dilemmas of Black leaders within organizations, targeting the three most significant areas of potential change:
Work group participants built on previous think tank discussions that recognized the critical need to focus on the various levels of connectivity—sponsorship, mentorship, and networking. Moving beyond naming the challenge and laying out basic proposals for change, the fellows brought their own experiences and insights to propose a set of actions, described below in Table 2. The ultimate desired result is an increased number of Black executives in corporate America who feel connected, supported, and engaged.
sponsorship, mentorship, and networking executive leadership development political bias, microaggression, and exclusion The fellows split into three work groups to further examine the areas and propose actionable solutions to address them, which are discussed and summarized in the next three sections.
TABLE 2. LEAD360-GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CONNECTIVITY ACTIONS AND RESULTS Proposed Actions
Expected Results
Create a cross-industry resource on how to sponsor Black leaders.This is a set of tools that provides understanding of what sponsorship is and how it plays out in an organization. This resource could include an online curriculum, books, articles, influential videos from expert speakers, visiting speakers, and more.
Robust and tangible action plans for sponsoring Black leadership talent
Create a pledge for c-suite leaders to network with Black leaders in their companies. The pledge, based on other types of such agreements, creates positive pressure on executives.
Engage sponsors and protégés in training on self-awareness around unconscious biases.
Expanded visibility and exposure to Black leaders
Empowerment in recognizing how race shows up at work and access to tools that support how to talk about race
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 DEVELOP THE PIPELINE Both organizations and individuals have responsibilities in establishing and maintaining the pipeline flow. Organizational responsibilities include disciplined processes for recruitment, development, and measurement. Recruitment and development of talent result in pipeline flow, whereas measurement of progress is necessary for accountability. Individual responsibilities involve taking ownership for personal development and growth, which includes seeking out mentors, creating opportunities for exposure, being comfortable with the uncomfortable, asking for feedback and coaching, learning the industry, understanding the organizational context and the unwritten rules, and figuring out who is winning in the organization and why. A second think tank work group developed and defined a series of stages through the senior leadership pipeline, proposing an accompanying approach for each stage. The fellows aimed to construct a well-defined process to decrease subjectivity and keep talent on track. The progression begins when an emerging leader enters the leadership pipeline and ends when the individual is ready for promotion to a senior role. The fellows suggested tools and resources as well as connections and collaborations for those navigating the pipeline:
STAGE 0 | Unaware of senior leadership opportunities Even before entering the pipeline, the goal is to build awareness of leadership opportunities.
STAGE 1 | Aware of senior leader aspirations
Career development becomes more intentional. The organization has clarity, rigor, consistency, and discipline for promotional decisions.
STAGE 2 | “On-track” to becoming a senior leader
Continuous development and exposure are the focus. Organizations can engage in readiness asessments to provide both qualitative and quantitative data on each candidate’s readiness. Organizations provide mentors, coaches, and sponsors for talent on the verge of being ready.
STAGE 3 | Existing and ready now
Ongoing development continues, including executive coaching, along with further exposure to senior leaders in the organization.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 28
BUILDER,
CHANGE AGENT, INNOVATOR
Stan Blackwell is known by the LEAD360 executive team as a game-changing thinker. Stan brings a wealth of knowledge from his notable experiences in creating high-performing talent communities and building effective teams. Stan successfully ascended from talent acquisition consultant to senior director, Executive Search and Strategic Acquisition, at Medtronic. Currently, he serves as executive director of Global Talent Communities at Gilead Sciences. Stan’s spirit of excellence in leadership enriches our executive community and permeates our entire organization. We are fortunate to have him as one of our Think Tank Fellows.
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 Following the work group’s presentation, participants shared several observations centered around providing managers with tools and training and improving performance review systems and processes, all of which result in emerging leaders receiving much more specific and actionable feedback. Also debated was whether it is realistic that individuals be more proactive in managing their own advancement while still having to answer to the demands of delivering exceptional business results. Ultimately, the participants concluded that both systemic changes and individual advocacy are necessary.
SHIFT CULTURE The challenge is to shift the culture of organizations and create more inclusive environments to bring equity to all leaders, subsequently increasing the well-being and reducing the attrition of Black leaders.The work group examined the three areas, citing examples to illustrate, critical questions to address, and potential solutions for each.
TABLE 3. LEAD360-GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CULTURE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS Area of Focus
Political Bias
Critical Questions
Potential Solutions
• How do we share infor- mation about unspoken norms and biases?
• Which specific biases keep Black managers out of leadership roles?
• How are we educating leaders about these biases?
• How do you change the culture when the power structure is set up to marginalize Black people?
• How do we shift the culture?
Microaggression
Exclusion
• Provide tip sheets on uncon• Provide forums for scious biases that can be used discussion. by leaders when making talent decisions. • Create boot camp • Give organizations and Black workshops. leaders language to use when bias is happening. • Build relationships to create familiarity, comfort, and trust.
• How do we educate hiring managers on the work realities faced by Black leaders?
• How do we create more inclusive environments? • How do we create a feeling of belonging? • How do we show appreciation for and value the uniqueness of each individual?
• Provide tools for dealing with microaggression. • Create a common language.
• Take a global view to create leadership opportunities for all people of color, not only Black leaders. • Increase execution of visions for diversity, inclusion, and opportunity, especially in the “messy” middle of organizations, where implementation is often lost. • Train leaders on what to look for in promotion conversations. Alternatively, ensure that an enlightened person is present during talent conversations.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 29
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 THINKING BROADER Other thoughts from the seasoned leaders were welcomed and encouraged. Throughout the think tank session, participants posted ideas for solutions on a flip chart under the categories of people, process, or miscellaneous. These results were compiled for further exploration and possible application to already identified or new areas of challenge.
LESSONS LEARNED Our post-mortem observations included inputs beyond the respective team inputs. The organization aimed to better understand the attitudes and approaches of today’s business leader. Further, we sought to understand how to frame the problem. Last, we intended to gather information to outline how we might advance a system of meetings, workshops, and publications that can create disruptive, positive change. This section discloses four top-line observations, with more to come in our Phase II white paper.
Increasing the prevalence and success of black senior leaders occurs on three distinct levels. This lesson is perhaps the most impactful, as it frames the way the think tank will structure its workstreams. After listening to the challenges of this cross-industry team of senior line and staff leaders, we discovered that the challenges are viewed differently by those who work from each corporate vantage point. Therefore, our solutions, presentations, and publications strategy must speak to the C-suite, E-suite (departmental), and individual executive levels. The Corporate Executive Decisions at this level emphasize the financial importance of having an inclusive culture for Black leaders, with the following key questions to consider:
a. What is the relationship between culture and the bottom line? b. How are we maximizing talent opportunities? c. What is bias costing us? d. How do we communicate our inclusion goals?
The Commercial Leader and Diversity Champion General management-level decisions are geared toward both departmental success and corporate alignment. Leaders at this level should consider the following key questions:
The Individual Executive Here, an organization creates a linear focus on its slate of high-performing and high-potential executives. Decisions here primarily focus on funding, development, opportunities, and networking.
a. What strategies for inclusion and diversity are most effective? b. Are the inclusion initiatives adequately funded to meet objectives? c. How do we represent all diverse groups?
d. From where do we source more elite talent? a.
How do we provide authentic sponsorship?
b. Do Black executives have the proper funding and support to be successful in their roles? c. Are we providing ample leadership development opportunities? d. What opportunities are we ensuring for career acceleration?
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 TABLE 4. WYNNING SOLUTIONS-BASED FRAMEWORK Desired Outcomes Organizational Levels
Increased opportunity and placement
Highly developed leaders
Increased P&L responsibility
Corporate
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
Departmental
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
Individual
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
Challenges/Solutions
NEXT STEPS
It takes more than 1.5 days to conduct a think tank. We ran short of time. On a positive note, we now have the opportunity to present some of the impressive pre-work during the next phase of our connection. Of note, our next full think tank session will require a 2.5-day live commitment, with a system of smaller meetings and virtual connections to yield pre-defined results.
We need a realistic framework for changing the trajectory. When synthesizing the prior work, works cited, and new insights, the researchers were better able to understand the enormity of the challenge. As a result, a new way of looking at the problem emerged. In assessing the described challenges, we decided to frame our work with a 5-year strategy. The new framework overlays the aforementioned three levels of the organization with desired outcomes. This method will allow for the measurement of incremental growth through statistics and surveys, instead of setting out to boil the ocean.
A culturally diverse team that focuses on only one cultural group can be effective. We had the opportunity to hear the candid opinions and revelations from representatives of different cultural groups during our discussions. This forum allowed for frank dialog on tough topics, with participants walking away from the meeting in a greater space.
The LEAD360 Think Tank wrapped up having met the aim of connecting the team, scrutinizing the state of black corporate executives, and executing the first step of the long and involved process to effect change. In the upcoming months, LEAD360 will illuminate the team purpose, develop white papers from the data collected, and initiate a strategic planning process. The valuable contribution of the think tank leaders will be compiled along with information from previous work. All data will then be cross-referenced with our research team and other executives who lead in similar spaces. LEAD360 is currently contemplating strategies for the publication of the think tank proceedings and results, presented in various print and video formats. Over the next several months, the LEAD360 Think Tank will lead the fellows and adjacent researchers through a series of proprietary engagements consisting of virtual and live planning meetings. These meetings will occur on a quarterly basis with explicitly defined goals and agendas for each engagement. The outputs will create near-term benefits for the fellows while adding greatly to the body of practical, actionable, and addressable knowledge. The intent is to then apply this wealth of knowledge contributed from superbly experienced and dedicated leaders to make real movement on a real problem. Stay tuned.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 31
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | SUMMARY 2019 LITERARY FOUNDATIONS Our thought leaders challenged LEAD360 to take a bold and truthful look at the current landscape and develop strategies based on strength, not desperation. As a result, our new think tank strategy builds not only from the work of prior teams but also from hard-hitting recent literature that brings living color to todays’ challenging environment for Black senior leaders. These articles speak truth without fear of the unpopularity that plagues most real efforts to address the lack of Black executives. Listed in chronological order is a summary of each work:
“The Truth About Mentoring Minorities: Race Matters” (2001)
The theme of mentoring arises often in the solution toolbox. Here, Dr. David A. Thomas discusses why it is imperative that Black talent be mentored differently than White talent. A three-year, in-depth study steeped in both anecdotal and data-driven evidence, his research parses into stages the differences in the career trajectories of Black and White leaders and explores the challenges of the critical work of mentorship. This report is a writeup of a town hall meeting made up of eight Black leaders of varying levels of experience representing the public and private sectors and a vocal audience who provided additional comments about the challenges facing younger leaders. The group also addressed answering the challenges with three areas of focus: 1) mentorship and sponsorship, 2) development to drive performance, and 3) examination of social issues that affect Black people.
“Rising African American Leaders: Challenges for a New Generation” (2006)
This article profiles five Black men from various backgrounds and experiences who found themselves in the same predicament—unemployed. Supported with national statistics from past years and proposed reasons for the disheartening numbers, the piece includes the story of an accomplished Black executive who was let go and then struggled to find a new position as he observed four White counterparts’ return to the workforce within months.
“For Black Men, A Permanent Recession” (2014) “Charged Up: The Value of Discretionary Energy in the Workplace and How to Harness it to Achieve Superior Performance” (2016)
Recognizing that some employees choose to work harder than they need to, Korn Ferry has created a model that depicts how even a fraction of an increase in this energy could transform an organization. The two components of the model are Organization Enablers (how organizations shape the environment through purpose and vision, choice and focus, and accountability and fairness) and People Drivers (how organizations get the right people doing the right things through clarity, capability, and commitment). Highlighting the outcomes of a think tank deep dive into the issue of the lack of Black corporate leaders, this article covers not only the what but also the how for changing the narrative. Attendees shared their common experiences in the business world, including sometimes feeling isolated and fearful, but agreed that talking and acting together brings strength. The crux of the work involved holding up each category of challenges against a vision for 2020, with participants sharing ideas on solutions for bridging the gaps.
"LEAD360 Summit” (2017)
“The Critical First Year: What New Chief Diversity Officers Need to Succeed” (2017)
This report summarizes the findings of an online survey to 81 chief diversity officers in higher education, healthcare, and academic medicine. Brimming with thoughtful advice and insightful quotes, the subjects emphasize the need for support from the top and a firm plan for CDOs to effectively carry out the critical work of creating a culture that values and maximizes institutions’ most important asset.
“The Self-Disruptive Leader” (2019)
A disruptive environment calls for self-disruptive leaders—those who can ADAPT (anticipate, drive, accelerate, partner, and trust) in the face of volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. In a global examination of leadership in 18 key markets, Korn Ferry determined that only 15% of current leaders are self-disruptive. Companies must shirk the traditional ideas of leadership and begin to develop talent who can drive business performance through continual transformation, innovation, and connection.
“The Black Executive’s Truth and What We Can Do About It” (2019)
Author Michael Hyter, a business leader with over 30 years of experience in the corporate realm, calls for change in the disparate instances of development and advancement experienced between Black and White leaders in the workplace. To accomplish this change, he believes that businesses and their Black leaders must work together to call out the biases leveled against the success of its Black leaders. The bottom line of companies, in turn, would be rewarded as they eliminate obstacles to free up a largely untapped resource.
“Why African American Talent is Opting Out" (2019)
This article highlights the professional stories of younger people who chose to leave the corporate world behind to forge their own paths. It also discusses the reasons why this switch is occurring more commonly in today’s climate of bias in the corporate setting and opportunity in independent careers. To address the need for organizations to put diverse and inclusive leadership teams in place even as the pool of high-potential Black leaders is shrinking, a call is made for a multicultural approach to business strategy that allows Black talent to feel valued, heard, and connected.
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | THINK TANK FELLOWS SINGLETON BEATO
JOHNEL EVANS
CAMILLE CUNNINGHAM-PIERCE
Chief Diversity & Engagement Officer McCann Worldgroup
Vice President, Inclusion & Diversity Becton Dickinson
Senior Director, Head of Global Diversity & Inclusion Whirlpool Corporation
NADINE REDD BLACKBURN
LA'WANA HARRIS
JASMINE PREEHAMETH
Head Diversity, Inclusion & Community Outreach EA
Global Diversity and Inclusion Consultant Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association
Director, Talent Acquisition & Strategic Sourcing Gilead Sciences
STAN BLACKWELL
YOLANDA HAWKES
DARIUS REID
Executive Director of Global Talent Communities Gilead Sciences
Talent Solutions Leader Koch Industries
Director of Sales Whirlpool Corporation
ERANIA BRACKETT
DARYL HOLT
DR. DOUGLAS SCARBORO
Senior Director, Commercial Marketing, Patient Management Business Unit Medtronic
Vice President/ Chief Operating Officer EA
Senior Vice President Memphis Regional Executive The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EDDIE BONNER
NIKKI JACKSON
BERNARD SCHMIDT
Principal Diversity & Inclusion Manager, CMG Training and Leadership Development Genentech
Senior Vice President & Regional Executive Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Vice President of Automation Jacksonville Transportation Authority
DR. LISA COLEMAN
CINDY KENT
DARRYL SMITH
Senior Vice President, Global Inclusion and Strategic Innovation New York University
Board of Directors BEST BUY
Senior Client Partner Korn Ferry Hay Group
MANDISA DIGGS
MARK KRASNOW
HENRI WARD
Vice President, Diversity & Inclusion Octagon Sports & Entertainment Network
Chief Executive Officer BullsEye Resources
General Manager, Healthcare & Insurance Verticals Fiserv, Inc.
DR. TIFFANY DOTSON
VAUGHAN MITCHELL
Vice President, Global Talent, Leadership and Learning Liberty Mutual Insurance
Sr. Partner Operations Manager Amazon
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 33
LEAD360 THINK TANK at GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY | BIBLIOGRAPHY
Aguilar, C., and Bauer, J. (2017). The critical first year: What new chief diversity officers need to succeed. WittKieffer. https://www.wittkieffer.com/webfoo/wp-content/uploads/The_Critical_First_Year_CDO _Survey_2018.pdf Allen, R. (2014). For Black men, a permanent recession.” Al Jazeera America. http://America.aljazeera.com /features/2014/10/for-black-men-a-permanentrecession.html Hyter, M.C. (2019). The Black executive’s truth and what we can do about it. Savoy. https://docs.wixstatic .com/ugd/6e4eb8_fd4daeb54605434496d13bc8f4561a28.pdf Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, as prepared by Wenger, M. (2006). Rising African American leaders: Challenges for a new generation. http://www.racialequitytools.org/resourcefiles/wenger.pdf Korn Ferry. (2019). The self-disruptive leader. https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/6e4eb8
_4e91310b33df420da2d688ca7230c807.pdf
Korn Ferry. (2019). Why African American talent is opting out. https://www.kornferry.com/perspective -african-american-talent Korn Ferry Institute. (2016). Charged up: The value of discretionary energy in the workplace and how to harness it to achieve superior performance. http://static.kornferry.com/media/sidebar_downloads/ Korn-Ferry-Institute_Charged-up.pdf Marsh & McLennan Companies. (2018). The journey of African American insurance professionals: Past and present. https://www.marsh.com/us/insights/research/the-journeyof-african-american-insurance -professionals.html National Leadership Consortium. (2017). 2017 LEAD360 Summit: Where can we win? https://docs.wixstatic .com/ugd/6e4eb8_52e373b40cdb4f37960347e3bb6ed75f.pdf Thomas, D. A. (2001). The truth about mentoring minorities: Race matters. Harvard Business Review (79)4, 98–107.
LEAD360 Magazine | FALL 2019 Edition | Page 34
Creating Opportunities for Black Executives
2019
FOR LEADERS ONLY JUNE 4-5, 2020 | ATLANTA, GA
WWW.LEAD360WYN.ORG