A speaker explains how to reframe diversity and inclusion from compliance checkbox into business strategy. He warns women advancing through diversity programs risk being seen as peripheral, and advises involving P&L owners and male leaders to position the work as core to revenue, not a niche initiative.
Have you ever seen any practices that have successfully been able to take a compliance issue and turn it into something more commodity and kind of higher tech? Well, I would say on the diversity inclusion, there are some that have taken that. I mean, so it's basically how do you take a commodity and turn it into a strategic business initiative? So women's leadership, yes. If— and I would caution the females here, if you're on-tracked into a company through some diversity group, women's group, LGBT group, be careful because first impressions matter. And there's a general statement, in many instances those are underfunded initiatives in the organization that are not core strategic initiatives. So you might have the great stuff, but they're putting it in, you know, AA ball or something. So one of the things I've done with a lot of my clients, the female that gets invited to these events, say, listen, my stuff's for everyone, right? So I'll— I don't even do those type of events anymore, but if I do, who owns the P&L that's running it? I want them in the room with that male people in the room. Let them know, listen, my stuff is about moving business forward.
