A POSSIBLE Publication
SPECIAL EDITION
3
Lead Your Way We need a more diverse definition of leadership. Nelson Freitas
EDITOR IN CHIEF Rebecca Bedrossian POSSIBLE Portland
DESIGN & ART DIRECTION Paz Ulloa
5
CONTENT MANAGER Laura Wolf POSSIBLE Seattle
7 9 11
The Long Haul
Jen Henderson
I recently read a quote by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella : “Continuous process of
Originally published in Adweek.
renewal is what makes human progress possible.” This reflects our agency culture. We’re
Stuck in the Middle with Me On acknowledging my privilege.
As with this year’s 3% Conference theme “Beyond Gender”—it’s more than race/
Carla Sparks
ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability-level. It’s all of this together, and then some. Because simply hiring someone isn’t enough anymore. We’ve got to work and make sure
Beyond Duh Enough talk, it’s time to do something about diversity. Jon Dietrich
The Future of Business Depends on These Four Traits The importance of embracing the so-called soft skills. Liz Valentine
everyone is onboarded into the organization, engaged with the teams, gets invited to speak, and feels included. This is the only way to create a community of belonging where everyone brings their best selves to work. In return, we deliver the best work for clients. This takes time, effort, and dedication from senior management through the entire organization. We’ve been talking the talk. The awareness is here. We value the ideas and skills everyone brings to the table, and it’s time to put a plan into action and walk the walk. It won’t always go smoothly, there will be bumps in the road—yet there is progress. And we’re in it for the long haul.
Originally published in Forbes.
PRODUCER Arce Caban POSSIBLE Portland
My gender transition helped pave the way for future agencies.
continuously striving toward diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
POSSIBLE Costa Rica Tony Aguero POSSIBLE Portland
Freedom Is Best
On the following pages, you’ll find articles on women in leadership, transitioning on
13
Why Workplace Diversity Mat ters
the job, femininity and the future of business, AI and diversity, a manbassador’s aha
On coming back to the Midwest and finding community.
moment, and more. These pieces reflect our thinking, our culture, and how we work together. This is our collective voice.
Christopher Reint z Originally published in The Cincinnati Business Courier.
PRINTER B&B bbprintsource.com
15
Is AI the Solution to Adland’s Diversity Problem? It has the potential to disrupt recruiting as we know it.
POSSIBLE is a creative agency whose
Martha Hiefield
mission is moving brands by moving
Originally published in MediaPost.
people. More than ever, brands rise or fall on the sum total of the experiences they create for customers, not just the success
17
Jaime Klein Daley Originally published in The Huffington Post.
the globe, POSSIBLE brings results-driven
21
marketing solutions to the world’s most
Let’s work together: possible.com/careers. Martha Hiefield CEO, Americas POSSIBLE Seattle
Shut Up and Hire Her
A client called me out, thankfully. Joe Crump
dynamic brands, including Microsoft ,
Procter & Gamble , AT&T , Shell , and The Coca-Cola Company.
and with each other.
Q&A with Kelsey Pytlik of Gild Collective.
that move are making customers’ lives With more than 1,500 employees around
improving the lives of individuals through stronger relationships with customers, brands,
The UX of Implicit Gender Bias
or failure of a given ad campaign. Brands easier, more entertaining, and rewarding.
As I’ve said before, the future is only as good as who we are. Our work must be about
22
How I Learned Gay Empathy Breaking down walls begins with understanding. Matt Winkler
23 pov@possible.com possible.com
I Work with Game of Thrones Warrior Queens
Four things agencies can learn from the women of Westeros. Rick Albano
2
Lead Your Way Nelson Freitas Chief Strategy Officer for North America
Wunderman
How do we produce a diverse class of leaders? My job has long been to observe brands and culture, and make recommendations to companies on how they can succeed. People like me typically advise brands to know who they are, play to their strengths, be authentic, and have their own voice. We can offer the same lessons to young leaders today. Just as brands discover and live their true identities, leaders can too. We can urge them not to fit a mold, but to create their own mold and figure out who they are and what works for them. We can encourage them to know their own strengths and develop their own unique and special leadership style. How can we all do this? Live your truth. It starts by being yourself. The world isn’t as closed to alternative viewpoints as it once was. Leadership is not about conforming to a specific image anymore. Instead, make leadership work for you and what’s great about you. Get in touch with your strengths and weaknesses and develop them, while using mentors to inspire you. Keep building your craft. You’re going to be most comfortable and influential being yourself when you know how to do your job well. This doesn’t, of course, mean you have to For all we hear about progress towards equality for women in the workplace, two simple facts prove just how tough and slow that progress really is: Women get more college degrees than men, but, if current trends continue, it will take them until 2085 to reach parity with men in leadership roles in business. Really. So what can we do about it? While there is no one answer, it’s clear that to get diverse leadership, we very likely need a more diverse definition of leadership. For years, the corporate world was based on a top-down, command-and-control style best suited for industrial and manufacturing-based companies. That resulted in a climate where businesses favored just one kind of leader: the strong and decisive decision-maker. These kinds of leaders are, of course, valuable. But they have become a one-size-fits-all mold—a default archetype. In a world where creativity, agility, and diversity are paramount to success, we can’t limit the variety of talent and the strengths of the people we have in leadership roles. Every company has many people in leadership roles, and they should not
be perfect. There are no perfect leaders. You should set your own, ambitious standard of exceptionalism and then use every opportunity to develop and progress towards it. Walk in someone else’s shoes. Empathy is a massively underleveraged quality in business today. Whether you’re working with teams, clients, or partners, it makes you relatable, human, and someone we can embrace and be inspired by. If you can’t understand or relate to what people around you are doing, you can’t really lead them. It’s also really the only way you can develop talent. And with Millennials and GenZers expecting relatability and authenticity, empathy has become a must-have for leaders everywhere. The final point, of course, is that we can’t do this on our own. Many companies with great intentions still struggle to be open to a diverse and multifaceted approach to leadership. To get there, they need to be more welcoming not just to different kinds of people—but to different kinds of leadership styles as well.
be all the same. The truth is that leaders can be any type of person. They can be strong but also be graceful. They can be assertive yet also be thoughtful. They can talk about achievements and about mistakes. They can be open about that feeling of being an imposter we all have as we take on new roles. And they can also be traditional, top-down decision-makers too.
3
Today, we still need the leaders of years past. But we also need leaders who aren’ t afraid to empathize, admit mistakes, and nur ture a more thought ful and creative culture.
4
Freedom Is Best
Editor’s note: This article was written by Jen Henderson when she was Director of Technology at POSSIBLE Cincinnati. It’s time. It’s hard to believe, but here I
Why did I choose? There are too many
As it happens, giving people freedom to be
am. My boss, the managing director of
reasons to list here. But one crucial
who they are isn’t just the right thing to do,
POSSIBLE Cincinnati , introduces me to a
component was that, being ready in other
it’s good business.
conference room full of my peers. I begin
aspects of my life, I knew that POSSIBLE’s
the presentation.
parent company WPP held inclusive
When people hide behind masks, they
policies towards minorities, including
can’t get air. If they can remove that mask
My home life is unique, I say. Click. Slide
LGBT people. I sought a job at POSSIBLE
safely, without discrimination, the energy
1 is a photo of my kids. As I talk about
partly because of that.
they spent keeping secrets goes elsewhere, namely into their career. Employers should
them, it’s clear how proud I am. The typical beaming dad. I go on. We celebrate an
I came out to my bosses soon after joining
not be surprised if they see an uptick in
unusual holiday at my house—a holiday the
the company. It was nerve wracking, to say
productivity.
kids made up. Click. A calendar appears,
the least. When their immediate reaction
with March 24 marked as “Maddy’s Day.”
was to offer their full and sincerest
Company culture, too, is likely to benefit.
support, my gratitude ran as deep as my
The office may feel lighter. Healthier. People
My kids invented the word “Maddy,” I
relief. At the time, I was dressing as male
may breathe easier, knowing they’re in a
explain. It’s a blend of Mom and Daddy,
in the office, then changing at home.
place that honors everyone there. That was
because we don’t celebrate Father’s
But because I had started a medically
certainly our experience.
or Mother’s Day. Click. The next slide,
supervised transition, I was beginning
another photograph, shows me with my
to look more feminine. How would we
Back in the conference room, my peers stare
children. It’s not the version of me most
proceed when it was time to come to work
at the screen.
people in the room know.
as my true self?
The transgender population is small, from
Transition is an extremely unusual event
my kitchen, surrounded by my kids. With my
0.2 percent to 0.3 percent, therefore most
for most people in an office. HR and I
hair in a long bob, I’m dressed as the woman
people have never knowingly met a trans
realized there was no policy for helping
I have long known myself to be.
person. The unknown breeds fear. Fear
managers navigate legal and social issues
breeds hate. In 2015, there were more
associate with such an event. So, with help
The room erupts in applause. People hug
killings of trans people than in any other
from HR, I wrote one.
me. They congratulate me. The next day, I
The photo—that “big reveal”—shows me in
show up to work as Jen. And an amazing
year on record, and trans people are four general population. When employed, 90
different. As a leader, I was public about
percent report harassment, mistreatment,
my transition. Others won’t want to be.
It’s just another day at work. I’m the same
or discrimination.
Management should ask: How involved, or
person the agency hired. Only now I have
not, would you like to be? Would you like
the freedom to bring my entire self to work,
Fear can also advance legislative agendas.
to tell your peers, or would you prefer that
without fear that someone will discover my
North Carolina ’s “bathroom bill” now
management do so?
big secret.
public restrooms. It and similar bills in
We wrote with a focus on bringing dignity
People take to calling me “Jen” quickly.
other states also strike existing LGBT
to the process, respecting the needs of
As per our policy, I use the bathroom with
nondiscrimination statutes.
both the transitioning person and those
which I identify. And it is 100 percent a
around that person. Which means everyone
non-issue.
bans trans people from using certain state
5
thing happens—nothing.
times more likely to live in poverty than the
We recognized that every transition is
Given this atmosphere, the decision to
has the right to ask questions without fear
transition comes with risks: potential loss
of reprisal. The resulting document reflects
of employment, friends, family, safety and
our values as a company that cherishes
dignity. But the truth is you don’t choose
diversity and the inherit value of every
Jen Henderson
to be transgender. You choose to do
employee.
Capital One
something about it.
Freedom really is the best policy.
6
Stuck in the Middle with Me Carla Sparks Writer POSSIBLE Seattle
Shortly after the 2016 election, I fell into a well of self-pity. A woman I respected and admired fell just short of a seemingly impossible dream. Being close enough to touch it, to grab that ring for women everywhere, made the pain of failure worse, more specific. It was a precise but familiar ache. As the product of a public school education, I grew up believing that if you work hard enough, you will get the success you deserve. The hardest workers are owed the most success, however that is measured by the individual. I did not learn about microaggressions, or economic disparity, or inherent biases, or any of the numerous other factors that get in the way of that imperfect equation working out. So, you can imagine my surprise when I was not elected Senior Class President, after working so hard. I was shocked, but I shouldn’t have been. I lost to a popular male student who ran track, made the teachers laugh, and never had to try very hard. I tried way too hard for everything, and was the type to instill panic in my classmates when I raised my hand in class, for fear that I would ask for extra homework. To be honest, I was also kind of a narc. After his victory was announced, the Senior Class President elect consoled me by saying I could take on the responsibility of planning the 10-year reunion. I pressed on, firm in my belief that all those hard work tokens would earn me something even greater later on. Maybe life was fair, and I would get what I felt I deserved, it just wasn’t then. Neither of us planned the reunion. Cut to January 2017. The scene: a white woman (me!) still self-indulgently stewing in her own juices. Somehow, I’d still failed to achieve the grail of Being Happy or Feeling Satisfied all the time as I felt I deserved, and now I had the convenient excuse of some macro discontent to tap into. The election, mixed with a particularly dark and uninspiring winter, gave me lots to complain about. And I kept complaining on into the spring and summer. I got really good at feeling sorry for myself. I only snapped out of it when my mentor told me, “Don’t be dumb. Defeat is for pussies. Help another woman achieve something.” I love her.
7
But what could I do? I wondered. I was so wrapped up in trying to get myself ahead, to an intangible level of “success” always just out of reach. I hadn’t bothered to fully acknowledge what I’d already gained or how I could bring someone with me. Any success or achievement I’ve enjoyed has been partly because of hard work, but is mostly due to people reaching down to lift me up, advocating for me in key moments, and giving me a platform. It’s hard to know where you stand when you head is so far up your own ass. The first step in the head-in-ass removal procedure was to know my context. Another popular term for this is acknowledging your privilege. Some privileges I was born with (white, cisgender, hetero, able-bodied, parents who are still together and would post bail for me, not allergic to dogs, the list goes on and on). Some privileges I have gained over time (being taken seriously in my career, being thought of to contribute to this publication, co-workers who know me well enough to laugh at my jokes, the ability to do winged eyeliner right the first time, etc.). A quick inventory revealed that while I am not In Charge of the World (as I had once assumed would someday be possible for one lucky, hard-working person), I have access I can leverage to help others. Once I acknowledge which rooms I have access to, and where my voice will be heard, I can figure out how to use that to amplify the voice of others. There is not a limited amount of success in this world, for which we all must compete. But for some of us it’s easier to find and climb the ladder. Knowing that, and that there will always be someone who’s doing better than you, and someone worse off than you, I encourage you to take stock.
Allow yourself to wonder who had to work t wice as hard to get half as far. Then reach down to lif t up. It ’s what I’m tr ying to do, because only thinking about myself is get ting dull.
8
Beyond Duh As a middle-aged white guy in 2017, I by definition regularly find myself with the “What do I do” face. The one we tend to make when we’re smart enough to understand there’s an important conversation happening but not prepared to add anything, so we’re waiting for the conversation to end. It’s the face I catch myself making too often when the subject is sexism in advertising. It’s a daunting, complicated conversation. Even if you’re paying attention, you will struggle to find new points to make. But here’s the freeing thing: We, middle-aged white guys, don’t have to make a new point. In fact, it’s probably better if we don’t try. Better if we just listen and consider. Maybe think over situations past and present and, instead of looking for an explanation where there wasn’t sexism, considering how there might have been. Or how past experience could have led someone to believe there was. And what part, even tacitly, we may have played in any of it. I attended The 3% Conference in 2016. I went in thinking I’d hear what an a-hole I was for a couple days. Instead, I was referred to as a “Manbassador” (which, to a writer’s sensibilities, is barely better) and came away convinced not noticing inequalities is a crappy alibi. Advertising is a liberal business. It’s not hard for most of us to agree women should be treated equally, or that we’re stronger with diverse viewpoints. “Duh”, we say. But see, “Duh” is just not enough. It’s not enough just to agree. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard—one that involves doing, or maybe just doing more. Be conscious about it. Watch for inequities. Be a mentor for women, or help someone find one. Hear women, make sure they’re heard, ask why they aren’t being promoted. The 3% Conference has a smart list of micro-actions to aspire to. It’s hard not to feel accused. It’s hard not to explain your personal innocence. It’s hard to talk about it without feeling the need to establish “not me.” But this doesn’t have to be about us, and we don’t have to make it about us to act as champions for equality, rather than innocent bystanders. We can’t just wait this conversation out.
Listen. Consider. Then do. We may not be the accused, but if we stand idle we are par t of the problem.
Jon Dietrich Group Creative Director POSSIBLE Seattle
9
10
The Future of Business Depends on These Four Traits
Women and men need to put these skills into practice. Here’s how:
EMBRACE EMPATHY Empathy is simply putting yourself in another person’s shoes to better relate to their circumstances, perspective, or challenges. Showing colleagues, direct reports, and clients that you understand their position and care about their future pays infinite returns. We’re usually pretty good at doing this with teammates—letting them vent about some injustice or misunderstanding and offering advice or encouragement—but not always with the people we manage or the people buying our services. The next time an
Until recently I attributed much of my success to my mother.
employee misses a deadline or phones it in, understanding why it happened will give you clues about what’s going on with that person and how to guide them in a positive
She is a taboo-smashing go-getter who rose out of blue-collar South Jersey to become
direction.
a doctor in a big-city ER. She was a career woman ahead of her time who dealt with gunshot wounds, stabbings, and gang fight casualties in the toughest neighborhood in
SHOW AND TELL
Philadelphia , but still had to fight her own battles to be taken seriously and paid fairly. It’s a no-brainer that being open with people builds trust and helps equip and motivate My mother told me that I could do anything I set my mind to, and that ambition and
them to do quality work. But transparency takes many forms. Being clear about company
fearlessness will take you far.
goals and challenges allows employees to think innovatively about how they figure into those goals. Sharing your priorities and leading by example gives others permission to
It has.
spend time on the things that matter to them. I have a colleague who used to omit the fact that she had kids so her employer wouldn’t think her loyalty was divided. Today,
Thirteen years ago, I quit my job to restore balance to my life. Two years later, I co-
she doesn’t hesitate to bring her kids to the office and is up front about leaving early to
founded a creative agency. Today, we employ 130 incredibly talented people and work for
catch a game or performance. Her behavior sets the tone for the larger team she leads
some of the best known brands in the world. I chalked a good deal of this success up to
and gives everyone confidence that they don’t need to hide important facets of their
my competitive streak and tendency to speak my mind. They are strengths I picked up
lives.
STOP, COLLABORATE AND LISTEN and motivating employees is that a whole set of other traits—empathy, openness,
So much lip service is paid to collaboration. And that’s just the problem. Collaboration
driven, and passionate. And recognize that
collaboration—were just as critical to my success.
has a proactive connotation: jump on in, share your ideas, talk. But sometimes the best
the playing field isn’t level. In fact, it only
way to surface original solutions and perspectives is to sit back and listen. Especially for
becomes more tilted as women ascend the
The so-called soft skills. They are traits commonly associated with women although both
leaders. Your job as a leader is to create an environment where people want to share and
ladder.
men and women have them in spades. The problem is these qualities have been devalued
support one another, not try to come up with the next face-melting idea on their own. Set
in the work world in favor of being assertive, decisive, and taking risks. But times have
the tone by letting the team know why a given project is important and what the goals
I have much to thank my gritty role-model
changed. Today it is critical to bring forth both the hard-nosed and bighearted and
are. Then let others do the talking.
mother for and have benefitted from being fearless and ambitious. But I’m lucky to
expand our definition of leadership.
WORDS MAT TER
Swift, a POSSIBLE Agency, Portland
be part of a generation that brings more balance to the equation.
In our hyper-connected world, the economy is powered by collaboration and innovation,
CEO
as opinionated, pushy, or emotional, pause and recast the feedback as forthright,
What I discovered over the course of building the business, nurturing relationships
Liz Valentine
Banish adjectives like shrill, abrasive, and strident. Instead of critiquing an employee
from my mom, and ironically, considered masculine qualities.
not only size and strength. Adaptability, communication and conflict resolution are no
“Women are caught in a Catch-22 situation regarding leadership. If they are strong they
longer nice-to-have skills that might garner you a few bonus points come performance
are seen to be aggressive, and if they work more in a consultative way they are seen to be
If my own daughter and son learn to see all
review time. They’re essential to sparking cooperation in team settings, relating to an
weak,” says a senior manager, who happens to be a woman, who participated in a 2007
of these traits as part of their leadership
increasingly diverse workforce and getting the information you need to do your job.
Catalyst study about leadership stereotypes. This enduring double standard is based on
tool kit, I’ll know we’re making progress.
our perception of men as typical leaders—the norm against which we evaluate women.
11
12
Why Workplace Diversity Matters
Part of bringing people into our community is letting them know they are wanted. They are. Deeply. But attracting and recruiting a more diverse workforce is only part of the In 2015, my career brought me back to the Midwest to live and work. To be honest, I was apprehensive about coming back to the region where I felt as though I couldn’t be myself. The good news is we seem to have changed. We both seem less judgmental. Every single instance in which I thought I would face prejudice, the wonderful people of this city have surprised me. I have felt overwhelmingly welcomed and appreciated. Clearly, the work of many of this city’s business leaders to encourage tolerance and acceptance is paying off. Of course, there will be those of you who haven’t shared in the warmth that I have received, and there is still much
equation. Another part is making sure that once they are in the door, they are valued and treated well. Mentoring programs, advisory boards, and flexible benefits that accommodate unique family situations are just a few initiatives that can be implemented to make a workplace more inclusive, welcoming, and productive.
As an industr y and a communit y, we need to continue to make sure we reach and retain diverse candidates—or, as we at POSSIBLE like to call them, our future leaders.
more to do. I work in a creative industry and despite our openness at POSSIBLE, even we have a gap of diversity in our
Cincinna ti office. The advertising industry as a whole has a stunning lack of diversity. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , of I’ve returned to the Midwest after running away more than 20 years ago. I was born and raised in Terre Haute , Indiana , and graduated from Indiana University in 1991. Leaving my home wasn’t a tough decision, considering my life here during that time wasn’t easy. I grew up gay in a time when the HIV epidemic led to the vilification of all LGBTQ people—especially in my Midwestern neighborhood. So, I headed off to Los
Angeles and eventually New York City in search of a community in which I felt I could belong. My experiences along the way have caused me to develop a great deal of empathy for those who felt like the underdogs. In turn, my closest friends and colleagues
13
Christopher Reintz
are those people who now fit into a bucket
EVP, Account Management POSSIBLE Cincinnati
corporate society calls examples of
the 582,000 Americans employed in advertising and communications in 2014, fewer than half were women, only 6.6 percent were Black or African American, 5.7 percent were Asian, and 10.5 percent were Hispanic. (I wasn’t able to obtain statistics on the LGBTQ population.) These already low stats become even more glaringly obvious when you look at senior leadership. We urgently need to change. Sure, it’s the right thing to do from a human perspective, but it’s also the right thing to do for the work we create and ultimately our clients’ businesses. Creativity needs diversity in order to be relevant and cutting edge. Without this, our ability to do our jobs awesomely will be compromised.
“diversity.”
14
Is AI the Solution to Adland’s Diversity Problem?
But, is it working? Not only has minority representation not improved much in Silicon Valley, but also recent studies show unconscious bias training can have the opposite of its intended effect. In a poorly implemented program, people actually become more accepting of bias; excusing prejudice because they think they can’t help it, or worse— because everybody else is doing it. The truth is that our gut reactions and biases have evolved over millions of years. We’re incredibly efficient at processing lots and lots of information, but it often leads us to think too quickly about what requires a lot more time and attention. Put another way, our greatest asset can also be our greatest liability: we’re human. Luckily, there are tools being created that aren’t. Artificial intelligence has shown itself to be a relatively effective aid in combating bias throughout the recruiting and interview process. Here are two companies that I find particularly interesting:
GapJumpers [gapjumpers.me] serves as an initial blind audition—making the hiring process more about objective skill, than race, sex, or pedigree. The company already has the attention of the ad industry and is showing it can produce results.
Textio [textio.com] is a site that scans job description text to help recruiters see (and adjust) biased language and therefore skew their overall applicant pool. Bonus points for eliminating buzz words, which we could all do with a few less of in our industry.
Years ago, I never would have questioned whether my job would be relevant in the
In this business, technology changes all the time, and if change doesn’t excite or inspire
future. After all, people are best qualified to hire people. Lead people. Support
There’s a growing body of evidence that
people…right?
demonstrates the hiring process can be heavily influenced by unconscious bias,
But as advances in technology disrupt
even among experienced recruiters and
industry after industry, employees in every
hiring managers. The term “unconscious
sector are forced to become more and
bias” became a hot topic in the tech
more introspective and future focused.
and ad industries over the last several
“Future-proofing” no longer applies to
years. The theory is that every person
just systems or buildings, but individual
harbors prejudices that affect how we
careers as well.
make decisions, big and small, on a daily basis. That same evidence purports
artificial intelligence. In some ways I think there are parallels to be drawn between that and the backlash against pro-diversity movements, even though both have been shown to improve your bottom line. Inevitably, there will be those who feel change as a threat. But not everyone. Cindy Gallop , in her August 2016 interview with Ad Age said: “I’m not doing this because I’m a woman, OK? I’m doing this because it is the right thing to do. I am doing this because I quite literally want to weep when I see the enormous possibilities inherent in the massively untapped pool of talent and creativity of women and people of color that our industry is spectacularly failing to leverage.”
So, how might the role of talent
that unconscious bias is one of the
management change in the coming years?
main culprits keeping places like
And how do we remain a valued and
Facebook predominantly male and white.
something even more brilliant and inclusive. Artificial intelligence has huge potential
The term itself was first made popular by
through the door, then we can focus even more on developing our emotional intelligence.
and
necessary part of our organizations?
15
you, then you won’t make it very long. I’ve noticed a lot of fear and negativity around
More than ever before, we have the tools and knowledge to transform our industry into to disrupt recruiting as we know it. If we can trust it to get a more diverse talent pool The result is stronger relationships, more time to develop junior talent and empathize
Maybe the first step is to concede what we
these companies that—coming under fire
already don’t do well and what technology
for dismal diversity statistics—made their
might help solve. Because across the
trainings on unconscious bias available
Martha Hiefield
board, there’s one thing that recruiters in
to the general public. Their goal was
Not to mention helping others think more creatively about what a career path looks
CEO, Americas POSSIBLE Seattle
our industry (and beyond) seem to have
to promote greater diversity by raising
like in the 21st century.
failed at systematically: Diversity.
awareness in everybody.
with management, and to foster a culture that is thoughtful and bold.
Because I guarantee you one thing—it ’s going to look dif ferent.
16
The UX of Implicit Gender Bias
There’s an online quiz that’s become quite
On the flip side, how can I help my female
popular in the world of implicit bias study.
coworkers avoid what I’ve personally
It’s a basic program, asking you to sort
experienced as well, that dreadful case
words under two columns as they appear
of imposter syndrome that seems to
on a plain, black screen. The game starts
afflict even the most ambitious and high-
innocuously enough; I’m presented with
achieving women?
two columns, titled Male and Female. A name pops up on the screen, and I sort the
I reached out to Kelsey Pytlik , an
name with a click of the “E” or “I” key. It’s
advertising alum and women’s leadership
easy; I’m encouraged and eager to answer
trainer, who now runs Gild Collectiv e
quickly.
as CEO, to talk about the truth of implicit gender bias. A former UX
Then the real test kicks in. Two words
designer, Kelsey applies principles of
appear in the left column, and two words
user experience design to help people
show up in the right. Male and Career.
identify and understand the genesis of
Female and Home. Kate. Mike. Executive.
gender bias, which is often both subtle
Wedding. Professional. Cousin. Still
and still pervasive in today’s office
doable.
environments. As creator and facilitator
Until the order switches. And my
team specialize in confidence building
processing time slows down greatly.
and career development, while preparing
of workshops for women, Kelsey and her
future leaders to identify, respond to, and As a woman, I’m dismayed to admit that
resist instances of implicit bias in their
it’s much easier to keep things in check
organizations.
and move faster when the female and family categories are on the same side. And as a female professional who’s no stranger to the effects of implicit gender bias in my own career, I should have aced this quiz, right? Thinking back to my early years in the industry, I wondered about how my experiences may have accidentally created biases I carry with me today. And I thought to my young daughter, who hopefully will never be told in reviews she’s too opinionated or too confident in her ideas (“feedback” that I’ve heard multiple times). Did it take me longer to internalize the lessons I should have learned? When women in our industry moved on from Seducing the Boys Club (check it out, the book is real) t o Feminist Fight Club, had my mind neglected to catch up?
Jaime Klein Daley EVP, Strategy and Insights POSSIBLE New York
17
18
JKD: First things first, I imagine the
JKD: I can imagine. I’m sure there was the
JKD: That’s fascinating. We rarely talk
Similarly, if you grow up with experiences
While you may not be able to change
notion of gender bias was something
“husband” one?
about the fact that the way you present
in which every CEO is a man, you shouldn’t
another person’s user flow, you can call
yourself influences how others interact
be surprised by the hiccup in your brain,
it out and redefine where the wireframes
with you.
making it harder to piece things together.
don’t match.
supporting you at home. Or asking about
KP: And vice-versa. It’s a two-way
The wireframe of gender bias impacts how
Your live state is under your control. And
KP: Absolutely. Like most of us, I
whether we’re going to start a family soon
street, the way someone “logs onto you”
you process your experiences.
it’s up to you to call for a redesign.
encountered gender bias in my career
when we were talking about growing the
is unique every time, because that user is
before I could put a name to it. But without
business.
you experienced firsthand? It seems like everyone I’ve spoken with has their own
KP: Yes. The assumption that you’re able
story…
to start this because you have someone
coming with a different perspective. And it
FLAT DESIGN
knowing what it was, it was hard to know
impacts your confidence, and what you put
Flat design is the way that you intend to
how to respond.
out into the world.
present yourself, putting yourself out there
JKD: How do you really know if you’re
for others to interact with you. Here’s the
experiencing implicit bias?
JKD: What happened next?
I talk about implicit bias having four
catch. In the world of UX, you sometimes
components: user flow, wireframe, flat
find that your flat designs don’t match your
KP: Do you find yourself thinking about
design, and what we call the “live state.”
wireframe. In other words, your conscious
the things you say or do being taken
thought and your unconscious bias don’t
seriously? Do you need to prove yourself
USER FLOW
always line up. You may say to yourself, “I
in a way that takes away from your
From a UX perspective, the user flow
spend every day thinking women are just
ability? If so, you’re probably experi-
curriculum, I was thinking about how we
shows how a user navigates through an
as competent as men,” but that doesn’t
encing some sort of bias in your work.
I would doubt myself. Was I not being
could make something like unconscious
experience and the pathways to follow; it
mean your mind doesn’t experience those
listened to for my own opinions because
bias more accessible. It’s scary to admit
also shows the different places or sources
momentary hiccups in the wireframe.
I was young? Because I was new to the
that you carry biases with you wherever
a user is coming from (a news article,
company I worked at? I realized that I
you go—and to say that women have it
social media, for instance). Basically, users
Flat design illustrates your best intention
probably wasn’t the only one feeling this
too. It’s hard to wrap your head around it.
are coming to you from different places,
for how you want to be perceived and
way, and I pivoted my efforts to career
I started thinking of different elements
and their history will impact what they’re
understood.
development, helping other young women
of UX and drew parallels to different
looking for, expecting to see, and the
find their voices and establish their
elements of gender bias. And ultimately,
way they achieve their task. Think of how
LIVE STATE
thing to remember is that it’s not a
authentic talents.
how they all ladder up to the finished
people’s upbringing, past experiences, or
I talked about confidence earlier, and
confrontation because people often don’t
product.
societal inputs influence their worldview;
here’s where it comes into play. There’s
know they’re doing anything wrong. The
all that impacts how they meet you.
always a chance that things won’t line up
best thing you can do is call it out and
perfectly when you go live and present
help someone recognize it. Then you’re
yourself to others.
not just defending yourself; you’re doing
As a UX designer, my confidence at work had always come from knowing the user and standing up for user needs. I realized
KP: We grew the business! I had been so
that if I didn’t have the user to fall back
immersed in user design and now, after
on, my own opinions would have fallen into
starting Gild , I’m immersed in confidence
the background.
building and leadership. In building the
The true realization happened when we started Gild Collectiv e and went through an accelerator program to grow our
User flow illustrates that people often
business. Out of 1000 companies applying,
come from a complete set of beliefs and
10 were chosen for funding, and we were
understanding when they meet you.
JKD: What advice would you give someone who is experiencing what you’ve described?
KP: Well, different people have different styles of communicating. The important
a service, helping educate others while We often find there’s a gap between the
improving your company culture overall.
way we want to be seen and the way others
the only all-women team.
JKD: Any parting advice?
WIREFRAME
perceive us; either a lack of confidence
We encountered so many well-meaning
I describe the wireframe as a blueprint for
(not competence) holds us back, or our
people who didn’t realize they were
the digital experience, identifying where
audience comes from a different set of
KP: Learn from the past, but don’t dwell
treating us differently. And I found myself
things should go and how they should
experiences (and user flows).
on it. To me, this is all about people
asking the question, “Would they have
function. That’s the construct of your
asked men this question?”
unconscious bias. It creates shortcuts in
Our live product ties both sides of the
your brain to help you process information
equation together. Imagine how our
more quickly, so you can function.
presentation style changes when we’re
starting to move towards an equal future,
not feeling confident. Our voices get For example, our experience of seeing the
softer, we speak in filler, and we pass up
sky has created an expectation that the
opportunities for advancement. While
sky is blue every time we look up. But if
our flat design may be ready to go, our
the sky were to change to neon green, it
confidence doesn’t seem to match.
would take us longer to process that it is
Fortunately, this is one area we can
the same thing we understand as “sky”.
control.
between and among men and women. Ultimately, we believe that having a sense of communit y and building each other up is one of the most valuable resources we have.
[Continued from page 18]
19
20
Shut Up and Hire Her Joe Crump Managing Director POSSIBLE New York
How I Learned Gay Empathy Matt Winkler Account Director POSSIBLE Seattle
Somewhere in the world a room full of advertising agency professionals is brainstorming
I’ve been in advertising for 17 years, and
about ice cream or air freshener or headache remedy. And if the data is correct, there’s
that’s the first time a woman had ever just
an 89% chance that everyone in the room—or at least those making the decisions—is
flat out said it: The emperor is buck naked.
male.
It hurt. And then the epiphany smacked me in the face: In a business driven by white
The enlightened among us know that this is both ridiculous and pathetic. It’s intellec-
men talking to white men about white men,
tually and creatively wrong, as well as culturally deaf and maybe ethically bankrupt.
as Cindy Gallop says, meaningful diversity
And yet, it’s perfectly normal. Over the course of almost two decades in advertising,
will happen when—and only when—smart
I’ve driven brand strategies for breakfast cereal, cell phones, cookies, quick-service
clients demand it.
restaurants, sneakers, luxury clothing brands—and on and on—all targeted at women.
There is reason to be encouraged. HP ’s
As agency leaders we contend with this bald-faced fakery in a handful of ways. We craft
CMO Antonio Luci o has driven real
elaborate gender-aware research plans for our clients’ brands. We deploy qualitative
and rapid diversity within the agencies
and quantitative insights to prove we can “get inside her head.” We self-consciously cast
that serve his brand, and other huge
in unconscious bias. And we hitch our creative wagons to woman-focused causes and
advertisers like Verizon and General Mills have followed suit. I sincerely hope
pro-bono campaigns to win awards and wrap our agencies in warm, femvertising fuzzies.
those blips become a landslide. And I feel
pitches and key client meetings with strategically placed women. We dial up HR training
extremely fortunate that in July I joined Are these confessions hitting too close to home?
an agency where our CEO is a woman. Our CFO is a woman. And our CCO is a
To me, agency life has for years felt like a real-life version of The Truman Show, where
woman. Thirty-eight percent of our creative
our clients are Truman , and we’re the ersatz residents of Seahaven , all of us carefully
leadership (ACD and higher) is female.
staging an intricate fiction that we came to believe ourselves. The gender balance of our
My own office in New York City is now
focus groups somehow compensated for the utter absence of it in our offices.
60% female. And we’ve supported and partnered with The 3% Conference from its
Thanks to Kevin Roberts and Cindy Gallup , most agencies today are on high alert, if not
early days. We didn’t jump on the diversity
truly woke, to the pathetic state of affairs in the male/female ratio of agency leadership.
bandwagon—we helped build it.
I built an emotional wall, but I knocked it down. A wall, you ask? Some people in society find out that you are different as a child because of the way you are—because of the way you were born. You are ridiculed because of the way you act, the way you are physically, because of your gender identity or your sex. You tend to find ways to protect yourself from pain received by others as you would with any bully. Instead of learning how to let others in, you learn how to shut them out. Now, this isn’t an absolute, but this human experience exists, and we need to acknowledge it. We need to confront it in order to move forward, together.
Dan Savage and the It Gets Better Project [itgetsbetter.org] inspired a movement that aimed to start this conversation. To break down these walls earlier on in life for the
LGBTQIA community. The movement expresses, at an emotional level, that you are not alone. We are together. How can we help each other begin to deconstruct our emotional walls?
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENCES We are all unique. We have different perspectives and upbringings. If they are comfortable, start by asking someone what their life experiences have been. You may be surprised that you have a shared human experience.
LISTEN, DON’ T TALK We tend to talk over each other in this industry. Try listening more rather than talking. You’ll be surprised about how much you learn about someone, their experiences, and how you can learn to work together toward a shared goal.
Because they are savvy—they’re marketers, after all—they’re making the right noises, and taking steps in the right direction. Teeny, tiny baby steps. The industry has moved
As for me, I’m no dummy. I won’t have
from a total of 3% female creative leadership to 11%. Nothing to sneeze at. And yet, as 9
another traumatic chem-check like that
out of 10 account planners will tell you: 80% of buying decisions in the US are driven by
again. Ever. So I’ll be the guy who’s hiring
women. So, I kindly wonder: Are you freaking kidding me with that 11%?
that woman ECD. And her girlfriend. And that lady CD. And that female head of
As a managing director and a gay guy in a passive-aggressively heteronormative
Marketing Science. And on and on until
business, I know a little bit about being on the wrong side of the industry demographic
The Truman Show gets cancelled. In
curve. But if I was going to place a bet—and I hope I’m not outing anyone here—I’d wager
case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good
that there are substantially more gay men in senior agency roles than there are women in
evening, and good night.
CONNECT, AGAIN AND AGAIN It doesn’t end with one conversation. Begin to formulate a connection point frequently that begins to peel back the emotional onion, which allows them to open up even more. It is amazing to see how relationships evolve over time. When we begin to deconstruct our walls, we begin to understand each other. To become better allies for each other in our shared efforts. At POSSIBLE, I’ve learned that we are a diverse community of workers and we embrace our differences and lean on each other when we need emotional support. This is why I work here.
the same roles. We still have work to do. We need even more LGBTQIA leaders to stand up and begin
21
But change is coming at last. Just a few weeks ago I was in a chemistry-check meeting
discussions that many of our straight allies don’t even know how to start. Not because
with a potential client. After 30 minutes or so the client, let’s call her Michelle, looked at
they don’t want to, but because they need our support to make that first step. We have
me and my two colleagues—all of us males—and observed pointedly, “But our customer is
an obligation to start those conversations in our shared efforts to make our industry and
female, and you’re all guys.” Chem-check fail.
workplaces even more diverse.
22
I Work with Game of Thrones Warrior Queens
When I first met the two female founders of the agency Swift 10 years ago, I sensed a strength I had never experienced at male-led startups. There was this dynamic energy— girl-boss swagger that was both confident and humble. A desire to be the best, but not at the cost of integrity or compassion for fellow colleagues. Here are four ways to hold off the White Walkers and Lannisters alike—and come
3. See the realm from 30,000 feet.
was treated like a member of the family. The leaders continually put their trust
out stronger.
the world from a flyover high above, is
The day I committed to the company, I
The title sequence of GoT, where we view a reminder to zoom out and study the
in my talent, elevating my skills, pushing 1. Fight fiercely for your people—and
big picture of marketing and advertising
me better. And we won a lot of business
they’ll fight for you.
in order to zoom in on threats and
together. As the company grew, the same
Daenerys Targarye n, “The Mother of
opportunities. Do you know where you sit
loyalty was extended from the top to more
Dragons,” rules with an iron fist, but all
in Westeros ? Such perspective is essential
than 100 employees, creating unstoppable
in defense of her people. Without the
to crafting and updating a game plan for
momentum powered by a magical combi-
support of the Dothraki and Unsullied
your future.
nation of innovation and people-first culture.
armies (not to mention two huge dragons),
my creative thinking and generally making
she wouldn’t be the force that she is. To
Leaders brace for industry churn by taking
During our agency’s rise, Game of Thrones
create this powerful alliance, she earned
the time to identify agency-defining
became a cultural phenomenon, and I
the trust of these fringe cultures.
services and continually look for the white space to make change. For example,
ended up bingeing two seasons on a sick day (a surefire way to take your mind off
For our company that means saying
diversifying our capabilities keeps us
your own aches and pains). The struggles
no to unreasonable clients, fighting
strong and agile. We’ve invested heavily
and triumphs of characters like Daenerys
for inspiring work, involving people in
in Strategy and Data Science to help craft
Targaryen , Arya Stark , and the ever-loyal knight Brienne of Tarth were captivating.
decision-making—or which accounts
powerful campaigns that hit emotional
to go after—and respect for work-life
highs and business goals.
balance. Protecting and trusting your team When I returned to work the next Monday,
empowers your most valuable resource to
4. Power to the alpha female.
I was sitting across from our CEO (no
work smarter and contribute in ways that
An alpha female is not the same as the
makeup, hair tied in a wild knot) and it
aren’t always anticipated.
alpha male. The Game of Thrones rulers inspire by playing against type. They
struck me—she was so similar to many
Rick Albano Executive Creative Director Swift, a POSSIBLE Agency, Portland
of the power femmes on the show:
2. Keep your “House” in order.
are not mere ice queens who shut down
decisive and fearless, yet empathetic and
Not every creative shop appreciates
emotion and chase the cliché of dictatorial
thoughtful. A balance of qualities typically
process. You’ve heard the complaints
male power (except Cersei ). They are
classified as masculine and feminine, a
about constraining big thinking or
strong and compassionate. Calm under
combination critical to the company’s
hampering one’s unique approach to
pressure, cool as Khaleesi . There are
growth and success.
research and ideation. The truth is most
numerous scenes where women leaders
humans require a deadline to get the work
stand over chess-like battle plans, always
In advertising, winter is coming. It’s
done and like to know who’s responsible
listening to their advisors’ strategic
always coming.
for what.
recommendations.
Whether it’s the threat of clients
Working at an agency founded by women
taking creative in-house, consultancies
gives me mad respect for efficiency. It’s
and media agencies adding creative
not the stuff of humblebrags but it’s a key
capabilities, brand teams working directly
arrow in your quiver. For House Swift ,
with tech platforms, or ever-shrinking
we regularly assess how departments
budgets and timelines, there’s always an
are organized—from names to reporting
outside force (or ten) advancing toward the
structure to where people sit. In the 18
gates of the kingdom. The landscape can
months since we moved into a new space,
often feel like a battlefield. Who are your
we’ve switched desk assignments three
dragons? How do you win the hearts of
times, and are better for it. Whether you’re
your teams?
more House Stark or House Tyrell , take stock and see if there’s room to work smarter.
23
I see this at work, where we have a rock-solid foundation of respect for one another ’s opinions and unique skills. It ’s an environment that encourages and rewards diversity of thought and experience, where t wo women have expanded the definition of leadership and possibilit y. 24
POSSIBLE is a WPP Digital agency. pov@possible.com possible.com