According to a 2009 study conducted by the Greenlining Institute ("Diversity on Foundation Boards of Directors", www.greenlining.org, April 2009) foundations - which often fund organizations that work with diverse populations - lack diversity themselves.
The report focuses on the nation’s top 46 foundations and their boards of directors, concluding that only one out of four board members is a person of color.
The report concludes that “56.5% have no Latinos on their boards, 37.8% have no African Americans, and a startling 69.6% have no Asian Americans.” Hispanics are the least represented minority group and account for only 8 percent of the 46 organizations’ board members, despite being the fastest growing minority group in the US.
Perhaps the most significant implication of the Greenling Institute’s research is the assumption that if a foundation board on not diverse, and if funding decisions are based on board or trustee members’ notions of what causes deserve to be funded, traditionally under-represented group needs may be deemed unworthy – i.e. due to the lack of diversity in foundation leadership, minority-led organizations receive less funding.
Research shows this assumption to bear some truth.
In the same report, Greenlining states that “foundations with diverse boards are also overwhelmingly the most diverse in their grantmaking; 47% of all grants to people of color-led organizations in 2005 were made by the foundations with the top 10 most diverse boards.”
So, if having a diverse board of directors or senior leadership team has an impact on the distribution of charitable funding, why do foundations remain predominantly homogeneous?
Most likely it is for to the same reason that for-profit boards have been criticized for a lack of diversity: candidates are often found through current members’ personal and professional networks….and recruiting from such a narrow pool greatly reduces the chances of recruiting diverse talent.
In order for foundations to expand their breadth and depth of giving, it is critical that they recruit diverse leaders with various racial/ethnic, cultural and work experiences. This will aid charitable foundations in their efforts to fund the important work of minority-led organizations.
Bridge Partners LLC understands the value of having a diverse leadership team and supports organizations as they aspire to build a more inclusive work environment.
We have written extensively about the advantages of welcoming diverse directors onto for-profit and non-profit boards, as well as senior leadership teams and encourage you to browse our corporate website http://www.bridgepartnersllc.com, as well as our board-focused offering http://www.directorshipinsights.com.
Current demographics show that the healthcare sector in the US (hospitals, healthcare systems, academic healthcare centers, health plans, insurance providers, and federal organizations) is faced with a more diverse patient-base than ever before, and this demographic trend is set to continue.
It is projected that in 2050, Hispanics will make up 24.4%of the US population (an increase of 188%); Asian/Pacific Islanders will makeup 8% (an increase of 213%); Blacks will comprise 14.6% of the population (a 71% increase); and Non-Hispanic Whites will increase by 7% to make up a total of 50.1% of the nation’s population.
This change in America’s demographic poses several questions for the healthcare sector.Are healthcare providers equipped to provide services to an increasingly diverse population in the US? How will they compete with one another for the nation’s best administrators/management, faculty and medical staff? What steps can healthcare organizations take in the short-term that will support them in better-serving the needs of an increasingly diverse population in the future, positioning them as leaders in health services provision and as employers of choice?
The Business Case for Increased Diversity of Healthcare Practitioners
Healthcare institutions can benefit enormously as a result of diversifying their patient-facing workforce.The first, and perhaps most important, benefit is improved quality of care.The need for diversity in healthcare begins with the primary concern of all healthcare providers - patients. Much like their symptoms and ailments, patients cannot be treated in a one-size-fits all manner.
A diverse healthcare workforce makes communication with, and ultimately treatment of, a diverse patient base more effective.For example, research by the Patient Advocate Foundation has shown that African American and Hispanic communities in particular face increased health challenges due to the higher than normal incidence of some diseases, with the most prevalent being cancer, diabetes, heart and kidney disease.
The healthcare issues that ethnic minority patients face can be compounded by language and cultural misunderstandings, hindering effective communication between patients and the medical staff, and potentially leading to inadequateor inferior service, damaging the doctor-patient relationship.
Conversely however, when healthcare organizations develop close relationships with patients and their communities, the benefits include better utilization of resources, services tailored to meet unique community needs, more substantive data and research information, better physician relationships and referrals, and increased loyalty amongst both staff and patients.
The demographic and disease management statistics make the business case for a more diverse healthcare workforce clear.However, there remains great room for improvement.
According to the 2008 US Department of Labor statistics, the number of diverse physicians and surgeons did not reflect that of the population (6.2% Black or African-American; 7.8% Asian; and 4.7% Hispanic/Latino).The proportion of diverse Registered Nurses was 10% for African Americans, 7.8% for Asians, and 4.7%for Hispanic/Latinos.Clearly there is more to be done to close the gap between healthcare practitioners and the populations that they serve.
The Business Case for Increased Diversity in Healthcare Administration & Leadership
In addition to increasing diversity among healthcare practitioners, it is also imperative for healthcare organizations to build a diverse senior management team that will reflect its employee and patient-base.This will ensure a continually fresh perspective on how healthcare organizations provide culturally competent care and meet the emerging needs of an increasingly diverse community.
However, here too there is room for improvement.A 1992 study conducted by the AmericanCollege of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) and the National Association of Health Services Executives (NAHSE) showed that minorities represented 20% of hospital employees but less than 1% of senior-level management positions.
In the nearly 17 years since these statistics were released, while the issue of leadership diversity in healthcare has been highlighted, and the business case has become even clearer as the result of an increasingly diverse demographic, sadly the statistics have not improved dramatically.
The negative impact of this is not just reflected in health services provided - organizations that fail to demonstrate a commitment to diversity in their own senior management team will likely also be adversely affected when it comes to recruitment and retention.These organizations have been shown to lose significant numbers of their high-potential diversity hires to competitor organizations that offer more obvious opportunities for advancement (mentoring and senior role models are key to retention, particularly for a minority employee base).
However, if potential employees’ perception of an organization is that of one that reaches out to a diverse population and is staffed by a diverse workforce, then recruitment initiatives will benefit, resulting in an increasingly diverse employee base.
The cost to businesses of not being adequately diverse is very real. Research has shown that candidates actively eliminate consideration of organizations that demonstrate a lack of ethnic or gender diversity.
Conclusion
The rapidly changing demographics of the US should serve as a catalyst for healthcare providers to review current diversity and inclusion practices and make improvements where needed.The results of doing so will include improved healthcare administration, innovative solutions to healthcare issues, increased cultural competency, a more engaged and committed workforce, and improved community outreach and patient-doctor relationships.
When it comes to healthcare, the case for leadership and practitioner diversity can no longer be viewed as a matter of choice.
Pursuing a college education in America is viewed by some as an inevitablenext step toward success. But for many ethnic minorities in the US, higher education is far from inevitable - academia itself must play a role in changing that.
Diversity & the Student Population
Center for Public Education statistics on higher education show that, in 2005, Whites comprised 65.7% of the total population of students who had enrolled in a degree-granting institution compared to only 30.9% for minority students (Blacks, 12.7%; Hispanics, 10.8%; Asian or Pacific Islander, 6.5%; and American Indian/Alaskan Native, 1%).
However, with a rapidly increasing diverse population, US college classrooms ought now to begin filling up with higher numbers of minority students.
It is projected that, by 2050, Hispanics will make up 24.4% of the US population (an increase of 188%),Asian/Pacific Islanders will make up 8% (an increase of 213%), Blacks will comprise 14.6% of the population (a 71% increase), and Non-Hispanic Whites will increase by 7% to make up a total of 50.1% of the nation’s population.
With regards to matriculation, the academic environment, faculty, and staff will need to actively support this more diverse student body.Going forward, academic institutions cannot rely solely on the increasingly diverse demographic eligible for higher education.They must acknowledge and address the cultural and economic barriers that may prevent students of color and first-generation college students from pursuing a college degree, ensuring that the student body more accurately reflects the population that the academic institution serves.
Diversity’s Impact on Academic Leadership
The change in America’s demographics poses several questions for the higher education system.Are academic institutions equipped to effectively educate the most diverse student body in the history of the US? How will colleges compete with one another for the nation’s top students? What steps can colleges and universities take to create an inclusive culture that supports increased diversity on campus?
The first step required to prepare for this demographic shift is to assess current recruitment strategies and retention programs for diverse students and faculty, and to gauge the learning environment and campus culture.Are students and faculty of color present now? If not, what are the obstacles and/or barriers to increasing diversity on campus?
In order to begin answering and resolving any of the above questions, the right leadership needs to be in place.This is likely to require a diverse team.
But the reality is that there is little diversity within the leadership ranks on campus.In 2003 (the most recent year for which data is available) only about 15% of US faculty in colleges and universities were minorities (Black, 6%; Asian/Pacific Islander, 5%; Hispanic,4%; and American Indian/Alaska Native, .5%).Nearly half of college faculty were White males (47%) and 36% were White females.Perhaps this reflects the fact that only about 17% of academia’s executive, managerial, and administrative staff members were minorities?
These statistics clearly need to be addressed and some progressive and forward-thinking have already begun that journey.Change may take longer to come about at others.The reality is such, however, that leaders in academia cannot ignore the need to analyze, assess and improve diversity practices on campus.
Conclusion
Not only is diversity in academia proven to lead to a more successful learning experience for students, it is also critical for replenishing the nation’s workforce. Additionally, a diverse academic environment is a significant addition to an academic institution’s reputation and brand which, in turn, helps recruit new student and faculty, as well as financial support.
Colleges and universities that are not yet equipped to fully welcome and support a more diverse student body can start now by taking an honest look at their leadership, faculty and campus culture.If the environment remains one that appears to present barriers for traditionally underrepresented groups, talented faculty, students and funding will go elsewhere.
A people-driven business, the retail industry caters to (and often defines) the needs of its consumers.
As an early adopter with regard to formal corporate diversity initiatives, the retail sector used to be considered a high-profile innovator and driver of diversity recruitment programs, while supporting the needs of a diverse employee-base.
But does that remain the case today?Did the retail sector rest on their laurels following early diversity “wins”, only to become less proactive in advocating and innovating in the diversity arena?
This would appear to be the case, with the retail sector falling behind other service-based industries such as healthcare and financialservice providers in regard to innovation around diversity and inclusion.For example, the 2009 DiversityInc Top 50 companies for Diversity® list does not feature a single retailer.
(For the sake full disclosure, JCPenney, Macy’s and Target did make it onto the 2009 “Top 25 Noteworthy Companies” list, which is defined as “rising diversity-management leaders” that are close to earning spots on the Top 50 list.)
Of course, one might argue that, as an early adopter, diversity has been woven into the day to day operations of the retail sector and no longer requires proactive focus (has it really?). Or that the retail sector has suffered significantly in the current economic crisis and therefore lacks budget to fund significant diversity programs (a short-sighted excuse).
But all is not yet lost.There is a crystal clear business case for re-energizing retail diversity programs.One that becomes more important during times of economic challenge, not less so: BUYING POWER.
Women’s Wear Daily recently published an article in its business section on this very subject.Citing a study conducted by the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business, WWD journalist Dick Silverman notes that:
- Hispanic-Americans are by far the fastest growing minority population in the US and, as such, have almost doubled their 2000 purchasing power to $951 billion in 2008.
- The buying power of 39 million African-Americans is $913 billion; of 14 million Asian-Americans is $509 billion; and of 3 million Native Americans is $61.8 billion. Forecasters predict that these numbers will increase considerably by 2013.
The implications of these continued demographic and economic shifts are highly significant for retailers.How they stand out from competitors in connecting with a diverse consumer base is a key economic driver that they will ignore at their peril...and the solution is not simply to focus on multicultural marketing campaigns.
In order for retailers to attract diverse customers, they must work to establish a relationship with those customers.
The first step is to do some homework - acknowledging, studying and understanding the variances in generation, geographic location, style, size and personal needs/preferences of a diverse consumer-base.Natalie Weathers Nixon, associate professor in the fashion industry management department at Philadelphia University, is quoted in the WWD article: “The misperception that all minorities in America live in the same place and do the same types of things is slowly but surely starting to break down.”
But even with the right merchandise at the right time, price and location, companies that lack diversity in their employee base will remain a step behind their competitors who have built diversity into the framework of their corporate culture.Consumers are more likely to shop and spend where they feel most comfortable and welcomed, which is reflected not only in the merchandise displayed but also in the environment – the store location, the demographic of the sales associates, the signage and the store format.
Retailers that are struggling to find a competitive edge in today’s tight economy might find significant opportunity in reviewing their diversity and inclusion practices (or lack thereof). What does the executive leadership team and board of directors look like? Is it representative of the current US demographic? How diverse are the store management teams? Are they knowledgeable of the local population’s cultures and preferences? What brand messages are being communicated to consumers both in-store and in the media?Are buyers, visual merchandisers and product development/design teams being included in existing multicultural and diversity initiatives?
This article does not wish to suggest that no one is considering these issues, but there is still so much more that retailers could do to innovate with regard to multicultural and diversity initiatives.
Investing in a diverse leadership team will help retailers recruit and retain a diverse employee base, as well as (re)connect with a rapidly growing, diverse consumer-base.Certainly, if retailers do not innovate in the face of a clear population trend, they will be left behind.
BridgePartners LLC (http://www.bridgepartnersllc.com) is a retained executive search firm with a focus on social responsibility, and placing senior-level women and diverse executives.
We believe that, in order to stand out from the competition and be successful in today's environment, companies must establish themselves as progressive, forward-thinking entities that are ready to take on today’s complex challenges. As a result, both diversity in the workplace and conducting business in a sustainable and socially-conscious manner are now recognized as key drivers of bottom-line growth and corporate reputation.
With this in mind, Tory Clarke and Larry Griffin, founding partners of Bridge Partners LLC, developed CSR Insights, a network and knowledge-base related to social responsibility leadership, in addition to the firm’s core diversity search practice.
“It is no longer enough [for businesses] to merely meet demand and make a profit.” says Clarke. “They must now do so in an ethical and responsible fashion, reflecting the needs and perspectives of their customers, employees and investors. This requires strong social responsibility leadership and, increasingly, a seat in the C-suite.”
CSR Insights (http://www.csrinsights.com) supports hiring organizations as they gain an understanding of the skill-sets and experience that are most effective in a successful social responsibility executive, as well as assisting those organizations in indentifying candidates for senior social responsibility leadership roles.
CSR Insights also seeks to educate and counsel both current and future social responsibility leaders on the evolution, challenges and requirements of what is an increasingly complex function. Membership is free and members are encouraged to visit the site frequently, as Bridge Partners LLC continually drives new content to the website, including exclusive studies, links and resources.
Griffin noted that CSR Insights already has many registered members who are either current or future social responsibility leaders, or serve as the executives who make hiring decisions about these roles.
The initiative is not simply about "profile matching" – it is about education and access. Its aim is to demonstrate to hiring organizations that there is a broad population of talented diverse professionals that populate senior executive levels, with the necessary skills, integrity, experience and understanding of social responsibility, to be effective and impactful leaders within the function.
In previous entries, Bridge Partners LLC (http://www.bridgepartnersllc.com) has explored the genesis and evolution of the social responsibility leadership function and how it compares to the development of the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) role, as well as the responsibilities that might fall under the umbrella of this function and how social responsibility leaders can be set up for success.
Here, we conclude the series by examining the background, experience and skill-set that a successful social responsibility leader might introduce to an organization.
As we have previously discussed, the specific social responsibility challenges that each company will face in the short-term are likely to differ. And, because there is no 'one-size-fits-all' job description or profile, the skill-sets and experience required of social responsibility leaders will differ as well.
Yet, as leaders in the field continue to 'carve out' the specific task of driving enterprise-wide social responsibility initiatives, certain characteristics and skills are consistently identified as integral to their success.In order to identify these key characteristics, Bridge Partners LLC went directly to those who would know best - we asked leading social responsibility executives from a variety of sectors.
It was particularly interesting to hear that few of these executives believed, at this point in the evolution of the function, that a prior significant expertise in sustainability or social responsibility was a pre-requisite.In fact, given that the field is relatively new and has yet to establish its own path to the executive suite, it seems that the first generation of social responsibility leaders are more likely to come from within the manufacturing, supply chain, finance, communications, diversity, or marketing departments.In other words, the majority of pioneers in this field will hail from other functional backgrounds.
Since a defined career path for social responsibility leaders has yet to be established, we asked instead which personal attributes/skills did the current social responsibility leaders consider to be key to their success.In no order of importance, they are as follows:
Strategic approach with the flexibility to adapt to different situations/scenarios;
Excellent communication and presentation skills, an ability to relate effectively to multiple levels of seniority and functions, often in multiple geographies;
Strong influencing, persuasion and consensus-building skills;
Sound judgment and strong level of integrity;
Open-minded, willingness to go outside one’s comfort zone;
Ability to build and communicate a business case;
Experience working through complex and sensitive issues;
Personal credibility, impact and leadership presence;
Management style that can lead small teams across multiple sites;
Information-seeking, data driven;
Action-/results-orientation;
Internal and external alliance-/relationship-builder with a consultative style;
Innovator with a continual drive to improve and challenge status quo;
Listening skills;
Passion.
Our key take-away from speaking with the current generation of corporate social responsibility leaders is that, in the shorter-term at least, executives who combine these personal characteristics/skill-sets with a passion for sustainability or social responsibility have the potential be very successful.
Just as with the diversity leadership role, the social responsibility function will continue to develop and define its focus according to the needs of the economy, consumer sentiment and corporate demands.As individuals carve out a career and expertise in the area of social responsibility, the role will inevitably become better-defined and the level of direct functional experience will increase.So, too, will the credibility of the role and its acceptance as an integral part of the strategic decision-making team, just as we saw with the diversity function.
In our previous post, we explored the ‘why’ aspects of social responsibility leadership, drawing a close comparison between the anticipated evolution of this role and that which we have already seen in the role of the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO). In this entry, Bridge Partners LLC (http://www.bridgepartnersllc.com) considers the ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects of the role – what responsibilities fall under the umbrella of this function, and how can social responsibility leaders be set up for success?
Role and Responsibilities
Much like the challenge that Chief Diversity Officers faced, a significant hurdle to establishing the role of the social responsibility leader (we are choosing to call this individual the Chief Responsibility Officer, or CRO) is in defining the scope of the function, and determining how success will be measured.
A CRO’s broad responsibility might theoretically include anything from managing public relations and corporate reputation, to government/investor relations and external affairs, community affairs, compliance and social risk management, business ethics, sustainable manufacturing and supply chain, or social change.
The short-/medium-term dominant focus of each CRO’s role, and how success will be measured, will most likely be defined by the challenges that a company is currently experiencing, or believes it will face in the future.For example, if enhancing corporate reputation, managing environmental issues, or improving government relations are a strategic short-/mid-term necessity, success might then be measured in terms of increased positive press coverage, gaining the support of activist groups or fund managers, or increased lobbying influence.
Whatever the immediate drivers, given the broad range of issues that might fall within or touch upon the CRO’s remit, it is imperative that an organization define exactly what results it requires from this function and how those results will be measured.
Gaining Support for Success
History has shown that the relative success of diversity-inclusion initiatives is often directly tied to the CEO’s commitment to the function and whether the incumbent social responsibility leader is viewed as a credible business partner who plays a role in the strategic decision-making process.
Initially, a company’s senior-most diversity executive reported into the office of the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Human Resources, or the General Counsel. Today, that executive is more likely to have a seat on the executive management team and/or report to the CEO. The same reality will apply to the CRO role.
A social responsibility leader’s placement in the organizational hierarchy will be a leading indicator of how corporate social responsibility is regarded within a company and the subsequent credibility and impact of the function. If the lesson has been learned, the CRO’s progression up the corporate decision-making chain will happen faster than that of the CDO.
In order to stand out from the competition and be successful in the 21st century, companies must establish themselves as progressive, forward-thinking entities that are ready to take on today’s complex challenges.
This can be achieved using several approaches but, increasingly, a large number of these approaches fall under the umbrella of ‘social responsibility’.For example, developing and implementing ethical and sustainable business or manufacturing processes, championing diversity-inclusion, enhancing corporate reputation and employer brand through philanthropic endeavors, investing in alternative energies, etc.
Given the current economic environment, leaders of many organizations may be forced to adopt a “go slow” approach to social responsibility and be selective when deciding in which initiatives to invest resources.But doing nothing in the social responsibility space is no longer an option for innovative, successful companies.
There is yet to be a standard, broadly adopted organizational structure that dictates where the responsibility for social responsibility initiatives lies – it could be with the CEO, the communications or marketing team, the supply chain or manufacturing team, or with the diversity team.However, we are seeing an increasing tendency in many companies (and one which we believe will become even more prevalent going forward) to create a new leadership role or function that ‘carves out’ the specific task of driving enterprise-wide social responsibility initiatives. For the sake of this commentary, we will refer to the individual that takes on this role as the ‘Chief Responsibility Officer’ (CRO).
In this entry, Bridge Partners LLC (http://www.bridgepartnersllc.com) discusses the ‘why’ aspects of social responsibility leadership. We explore the business case for the function, drawing a close comparison between the anticipated evolution of this role and that which we have already seen in the role of the Chief Diversity Officer (CDO).
In the next entry, we will discuss the ‘what’ and ‘how’ aspects of the role – what responsibilities might fall under the umbrella of this function, and how can social responsibility leaders be set up for success?
We will conclude the series by examining ‘who’ – what background, experience and skill-set constitutes the ideal social responsibility leader?
Historical context
Like the CDO, the role of the CRO has broadly come about as the result of public scrutiny.
Initially, the drivers of the diversity function were EEO, affirmative action and compliance concerns.Companies reacted to discrimination and class-action lawsuits by appointing an executive to lead a newly-established ‘diversity program’, so as to reassure employees and shareholders that the issue had been recognized and the ‘same mistakes’ wouldn’t be made again.
In this context, consider how the legal or reputational implications of an oil spill, the publishing of a damning climate-change report, the discovery of human rights abuses in a company’s overseas manufacturing operations, or a CEO’s jail sentence for unethical trading activities, might correlate to the appointment of a high-profile social responsibility executive.There are a few who might see this as coincidence, but there are many more who would see it as a ‘fire-fighting’ reaction.
Both the Chief Diversity Officer and Chief Responsibility Officer roles have at their core a commitment to identify the company with the multiple constituents with whom they interface - their employees, customers, investors, and communities in which they operate.
In more recent years, the diversity function has moved away from compliance and trouble-shooting by establishing a clear economic imperative, and has come to be seen by the majority of organizations as a key strategic, bottom-line-enhancing necessity. In much the same way, in order for the social responsibility function to be recognized as a formal and vital role, the business case needs to be established.
Business Case
As mentioned above, the business case for both the CDO and CRO role revolves around the same four key constituents: investors, employees, customers, and the community.The business case for social responsibility can therefore be viewed as follows:
1.Employees: A meaningful social responsibility effort can improve employee retention and engagement, while also providing a competitive recruitment advantage over companies that do not highlight their commitment.Many potential employees no longer want to choose between making money and ‘making a difference’, and will show a preference for an employer that enables them to do both.
2.Investors: Corporate social responsibility is increasingly being viewed as a factor in improving financial returns.Aside for benefits related to direct cost savings on energy/materials etc, minimizing social risk can be key to investor confidence. Many shareholders (both individual investors and major fund managers) are now ‘socially screening’ funds, incorporating quality of management assessments into their stock valuations. Furthermore, financial indexes have been created to track the financial performance of companies noted for their commitment to CSR. For example, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes are based on assessments of corporate governance, risk management branding, climate change, supply chain standards and labor practices.
3.Customers & the Community: In addition to organizations attempting to minimizing their impact on community resources, social responsibility is also an increasingly effective form of improving consumer and community relations. Used as a form of advertising, ‘social labeling’ is no longer confined to firms like Ben & Jerry’s or The Body Shop. Consumers deciding which brand to buy, or a community group assessing an organization, will often factor in their impression of the organization’s level of social commitment.
On the eve of an historic event, we pose an important question, “Can the US be considered a role model to other nations with regard to diversity and leadership?”
We asked ourselves this question after reading a recent article in the UK newspaper The Guardian- “Race still a bar to the boardroom” (January 8th 2009), which discussed the findings of a recent UK study, Race to the Top, conducted by the charity Business in the Community (BITC).The study concluded that “management prospects are disproportionately bleak for people from a black or minority ethnic background – and are likely to worsen over the next decade unless action is taken.”
Sandra Kerr, National Director for the BITC’s Race for Opportunity campaign, expressed concern over the recent findings in her commentary “Race Inequality is Increasing in the UK Workforce”, on the BITC website:
“Barack Obama won the US presidential election with a message of hope, “Yes, we can!” His election showed the American dream to be alive: an African American with a very un-American sounding name won the most high profile management job in the world. “Could it happen here?” we asked. We might not wear our values so brazenly – there’s no such thing as the British dream - but surely opportunity and hope are as plentiful in UK society? Race is no barrier to success in the UK?….Depressingly this seems a long way from the truth….“
So, is the US a role model for other nations in embracing diverse leaders in political, corporate and public environments?Those who would agree, like Kerr, believe the election of the first African-American US president is a clear indication that “Yes, We Are.” With the highest glass-ceiling shattered, it could be argued that there is now less standing in the way of success for all Americans.
However, others believe that the US still has a long way to go before it could be considered a global role model for embracing diversity.Despite the “headlines” of Obama’s victory and his relatively diverse cabinet, US labor statistics consistently report the under-representation of women and ethnic minorities in senior management, boards of directors, and other high-profile positions in Corporate America.
Either way, there is an opportunity ahead.At Bridge Partners LLC, it is our belief that leadership benefits when it draws from a diversity of thought, perspective and experience.The election of Barack Obama and the diverse appointments to his cabinet will undoubtedly influence the manner in which US leadership is perceived, both domestically and abroad, in both public and private settings.If the US is to be viewed as a role model for other nations, we hope that it is for this ability to embrace change and opportunity.
Given the seemingly endless negative economic news that we are currently absorbing every day, Bridge Partners LLC has been looking for a silver-lining – and we found it in the fact that the country is making great progress when it comes to appointing high caliber diverse executives in the political realm.
Thanks to a precedent begun by Clinton and continued through to today’s choices by Obama, we now see a broader range of high-caliber individuals in the administration, all of whom bring a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds – a true reflection of what strong leadership can look like.
Just how diverse is Obama’s cabinet thus far? According to a study conducted by NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service and The Washington Post, on December 3rd “of the 28 White House staffers Obama has appointed so far, 43 percent are women and 29 percent are a racial minority.” And those statistics have changed over the past week.
Specific to the cabinet, as of the time of writing 10 nominations have been formally announced, with an additional 5 expected nominations – of those 15 individuals, just 7 are white males.
In a December 3rd Huffington Post article (“Obama is delivering diversity, but some seek more”), leaders of prominent organizations representing traditionally underrepresented groups expressed concern, but overall were hopeful that Obama would appoint at least one person from each of their populations.To these comments President-elect Barack Obama has responded that once he has filled all positions, “I think people are going to say, this is one of the most diverse Cabinets and White House staffs of all time.”….and so far he has fulfilled that promise.
So what does a diverse cabinet mean for the rest of us, and why does Bridge Partners LLC feel so good about it? The answer to both is clear:
Firstly, diverse leadership in our government will ensure a broader perspective and subsequently an effective decision-making process with regard to finding solutions for our nation’s most difficult problems.
And secondly ‘corporate America’ will hopefully learn from the lesson being taught on Capitol Hill.Many executive suites and boards of directors are still significantly lacking in diversity, and the excuse of there not being enough qualified, diverse candidates now seems even more absurd, given the progress being made in the political sector.
