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Living Corporate: Media as Mentorship

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I often ask my audiences, “What perspectives does your network IGGNORE?” If you’ve read Network Beyond Bias or attended one of my programs, you know that “IGGNORE” is an acronym that represents different aspects of diversity. One great way to learn from different perspectives is to seek out media from non-traditional sources. You can even think of media as mentorship!

My friends at Living Corporate, for example, offer a variety of timely content that highlights the experiences of black and brown people in corporate America.

Podcasts

The Living Corporate podcast offers career advice and expert insights, all from the perspectives of people of color. Hosts Zach and Ade share their own experiences, interview guests, and respond to listener letters with honesty, sincerity, and vulnerability. Podcast topics range from “Ramadan at Work” to “Disabled while Other.” Newer episodes also include “Tristan’s Tips” to help young professionals with job search strategies. Also, be sure to check out Episode 10: Help, where Zach and I talk about allyship in the workplace.

Blog

The Living Corporate blog features articles that help underrepresented professionals navigate the corporate landscape. I’m particularly proud of See It to Be It, my own interview series highlighting professional role models in a variety of industries. The goal of this series to draw attention to the vast array of possibilities available to emerging and aspiring professionals. Particular attention is paid to support systems available for people of color within the industry. The first two articles feature Dana Beckton (Healthcare Industry) and Barrington Salmon (Newspaper Journalist).

Media as Mentorship

Regardless of your own demographics or background, you can learn a lot from Zach, Ade, their guests, and their team of writers. I know I have!
Remember, you can find mentors in lots of places, including print and online media, social media, and podcasts.  When seeking out mentors, try to learn from people with as wide a variety of perspectives as possible. And remember to think of media as mentorship. You will pick up insights you never could have imagined!

Status Quo: How Male Allies Can Effect Change

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I happened to be visiting a city recently where I had family and a couple of meetings. Between engagements, I stopped for some lunch and sat outside to enjoy the beautiful weather. While I was sitting on a bench in a surprisingly not-so-clean park, a gust of wind lifted up my napkin. As it danced in the air, I thought to myself “Ah, just let it go – the place is littered anyway.” For the record, this is atypical for me as I’m a strong anti-litter guy. As luck would have it the wind blew it back right where it started. It actually landed right on the bench next to me. It occurred to me then how the littered environment adjusted my thinking, or more correctly how I adjusted my thinking to the environment. That day I was willing to accept litter and my being complicit  with it. But that is what happens, people adjust and get comfortable, and complacent. They don’t often challenge. And status quo remains so.

We Don’t See Who’s Not There

Too often we accept things as given. Women are underrepresented, and undervalued, in a great many places. Most people simply accept this, and just don’t notice. In fact, only 33% of men believe there is gender bias in the workplace. Far fewer (only 10%) believed that women are treated unfairly at their own workplaces. Men have become so accustomed to seeing mostly men in power positions that when just one woman is added among nine male leaders, 50% of men say that is good female representation.

Recently, I was working on gender issues for a large federal agency. At their national training center, I noticed an evaluation exercise was taking place with an all-male group. I asked the exercise coordinator why all the evaluators where male. He said, “Because these are the guys that always do it – I know they can.” I pressed on, “Are there women who would also have the capability?” He had to pause and think. “Yes, but …”

This is no isolated incident. For example, 75% of all conference speakers are male. (Editor’s note: Here’s a woman for your keynote stage!) And progress is not being made. There has been a 25% drop in the number of female Fortune 500 CEOs since 2017, for example. This, despite media’s attention on the outliers, the rare new female face at the head of the corporate table.

Status quo remains status quo until challenged.

Where Are the Women?

One way to challenge is very simple – just ask, “Where are the women?”

If you see an imbalance in male panelists at a conference – ask, “Where are the women?”

When you see a conference program that is dominated by male speakers, ask, “Where are the women?”

And when you walk into a meeting where most of the seats are occupied by men, ask, “Where are the women?”

Of course, this is not an original idea. “Where are the women?” has been written about in the Huffington Post, Fast Company, and any number of other publications. But that does not mean the call to action is heeded.  Even where obvious disparities exist, too few speak up and ask even simple questions concerning the disparity.

Why Don’t We Ask?

When people witness any number of forms of injustices, there are three key reason why they don’t act:

  1. Bystander effect – the belief that others will take responsibility and act
  2. Conformity – pressure/fear/trepidation against upsetting the opinion of the majority or to act against it.
  3. Psychological standing – a sense of not having skin in the game – the sense that it is irrelevant to them or not their place to intercede.

Do you recognize conformity as “not upsetting the apple cart”? Accepting things as given, rather than challenging the situation? Comfort and complacency go hand in hand.

I do wonder about that park I ate lunch in, how many people notice the litter and how many would notice one more piece of trash. What if I had not only picked up my own trash, but also started picking up a good deal of it. Would others join in, or would they just think I was nutty: fighting a losing battle, and musing about what difference I could possibly make. I don’t have these answers, but I do know others witnessing my actions would consider those actions if only briefly. The starting point to solving any problem is to get people to consider the problem.  To get others to see that status quo, especially where unacceptable, need not be accepted as given. Sometimes it takes just one person, and perhaps just a couple of words to shed light that turns into actions by others.

“Where are the women?”

by David S. Rowell – The Parity Consultant

Learn more about David’s work at http://www.parityconsultant.com

 

Welcoming LGBTQ+ Employees: 6 Strategies

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Why Should Companies Show They Value LGBTQ+ Employees?

Employers know that employees need to bring their full selves to work if they are to contribute at the highest levels. At the same time, research tells us that half of LGBTQ employees are still in the closet at work. (Source: Human Rights Campaign).  Many companies have created Resource Groups or a Diversity Council to provide a sense of community and safety for LGBTQ and other underrepresented employees. Even so, most companies’ LGBTQ professionals are still holding back, struggling to present themselves authentically, and leaving trust (and talent) on the table.

How Can Companies Make Their Workplaces Safe for LGBTQ+ Employees?

  • Include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in your non-discrimination policies.
  • Allow employees to self-identify as LGBTQ and track the retention, performance, promotion, and satisfaction of these employees as a group.
  • Provide equitable benefits for LGBTQ employees.
  • Provide training to all employees, and especially to managers, to ensure your workplace is inclusive.
  • Be careful what behaviors you tolerate. Encourage employees to be bystanders who say “We don’t do that here” when someone makes a derogatory comment about any group of people.
  • Offer specific training to help emerging and aspiring LGBTQ+ leaders see the unique value they bring to the workplace.

How Can Companies Be Intentional About Recruiting LGBTQ+ Talent?

­Organizations like Reaching Out MBA make it easy for employers to connect with highly motivated, high-potential LGBTQ talent. At Reaching Out MBA’s annual conference, dozens of employers woo potential employees in a trade show-style recruiting session.

How Can Colleagues Show Support for Their LGBTQ+ Peers?

If you seek to be an ally to the LGBTQ community, speak up. If you admire the courage it takes to come out at work, say so. Don’t delete your sister’s wife or your uncle’s boyfriend from your family’s stories or speak about them in hushed tones. Your LGBTQ colleagues are constantly watching you to see if you’ll supportive or hostile to them. When someone does come out to you, ask simply, “How can I support you?” Then, give them the support they have asked for. That’s what makes you a true ally.

Is Your Company Leaving Talent on the Table?

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Half of your LGBTQ employees are still in the closet at work. (Source: Human Rights Campaign)

Why should you care?

Employees need to bring their full selves to work if they are to contribute at the highest levels.

Perhaps you’ve already created Resource Groups or a Diversity Council to provide a sense of community and safety for underrepresented employees. Even so, most companies’ LGBTQ professionals are still holding back, struggling to present themselves authentically, and leaving trust (and talent) on the table.

What can you do about it?

Bring in experts to work with your Pride ERG and other emerging LGBTQ leaders!

In a new collaboration, John Tedstrom (Tedstrom Associates), Erin Passons (Passons Consulting), and Amy C. Waninger (Lead at Any Level) have combined their decades of leadership experience and thought leadership to help your LGBTQ employees be “Out & Outstanding” at work!

Out & Outstanding is a unique leadership development program designed to enhance the abilities of your corporation’s LGBTQ professionals to contribute and lead.

Together, we’ll uncover hidden leadership strengths of your LGBTQ work force, build a trusting and supportive professional cohort, and empower your leaders to tackle new, more complex and demanding assignments that have greater impact on your bottom line.

Read more about our new Out and Outstanding program here or contact us for more information!

 

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John Tedstrom, Founder & CEO of Tedstrom Associates, has held senior leadership positions in government, academia and business, integrating issues of national security, economics, and social justice. He served in the White House where he advised President Clinton on Russia and Ukraine, founded and led major international organizations fighting AIDS and other global maladies, and directed research and taught economics and national security policy at RAND and Columbia University.  Most recently he founded NextGen Leaders, to support the career advancement of younger LGBTQ professionals.

Dr. Tedstrom serves on the Boards of the Victory Fund, Equality California, and the Global Business Coalition for Education. He is active in Democratic politics and served on the Foreign Policy Committee, LGBT Policy Committee and National Finance Committee for the Obama for President campaign in 2008. He has lived in Munich, Moscow, and Kyiv and earned a Ph.D. in international economics and Russian studies from the University of Birmingham, England. He is the author of dozens of articles; his book, Socialism Perestroika and the Dilemmas of Soviet Economic Reform, was published in 1990. He is certified to teach Primordial Sound Meditation.

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Amy C. Waninger, CEO of Lead at Any Level LLC, works with organizations that want to build diverse leadership bench strength for a sustainable competitive advantage. She is the author of several books, including Network Beyond Bias: Making Diversity a Competitive Advantage for Your Career.

Amy is a Professional Member of National Speakers Association and a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner. Her other credentials include two degrees from Indiana University and a World’s Best Mom coffee mug.

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Erin Passons is the president and founder of Passons Consulting.  She has spent her career helping business leaders, managers, and employees improve their performance and effectiveness, and is an expert in coaching and facilitating workshops using StrengthsFinder.

Erin is also the founder of StrengthsNetwork San Diego, an association for StrengthsFinder professionals and followers in the Southern California region.  Erin earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California-Santa Barbara and received her MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Job Descriptions: Focus on Activities

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In response to a recent Lead at Any Level post regarding job descriptions that attract diverse candidates, Omer Molad at Vervoe offers the following additional advice. (Editor’s note: This content originally appeared on the Vervoe blog and has been republished here at the request of the author.)

Here’s how to write a job description that will attract the right candidates.

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”

– Greg Anderson

Why Focus on Activities?

People are hired to perform value-adding activities. While companies have different approaches to how they hire, their goals are usually the same. Every company wants to hire high-performing people, not people who just look good on paper.

Despite this simple and obvious assumption, too many companies ignore activities and focus on things that don’t indicate performance. This happens at every stage of the hiring process. For example:

  • Many job descriptions focus on what candidates have done in the past.
  • Screening is based on candidates’ backgrounds.
  • Assessment methods often don’t simulate the tasks are performed in the role.

Instead, use on-the-job activities as the guide for the entire hiring process. If you follow this principle, you will hire people who perform the value-adding activities you require.

Here’s how it works.

The Job Description

“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

– Lewis Carroll

Defining the role is the foundation of hiring. If you do that incorrectly, the entire hiring process will be steered in the wrong direction. The clearer you are, the higher your chances of attracting the person you want.

The problem with so many job descriptions is that they are aren’t linked closely enough to the daily activities of the job. Let’s change that.

A good job description should have three sections:

1. Start with why

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

– Simon Sinek

This approach is entirely applicable to job descriptions. Sell candidates on your company’s vision and story. Sell them on the role and the culture. This will achieve two things. First, it is likely to increase the quality of applicants. Second, candidates will be more likely to invest in the application process and make an effort if they buy into your “why”.

Conversely, candidates who don’t relate to your vision or culture will opt out. Mission accomplished.

2. Describe the role in activities

Outline, point by point, what the successful candidate will do every day. Keep it simple and be very specific. No clichés, no jargon. Candidates need to understand how they will spend each day, what they need to achieve, who they’ll be working with and under what conditions.

This is a great way of managing expectations. By communicating to candidates what they’ll be doing in the role, you are forcing them to ask themselves whether they can do those activities well and how much they enjoy doing them. This presents another opportunity for less suitable candidates to opt out.

3. State your requirements

The previous two sections should make this part easy because you’ve set the scene. Candidates already know what your company stands for and what they’ll be doing in the role. Now you can add some more detail about the type of person you are looking for and how you expect them to approach the role.

Don’t worry about years of experience, grades in college or anything else that’s not activity-based. Bring it back to activities and use plain English.

Describe the kind of person you’re looking for by listing how you want them to approach the role. Put thing in context. Instead of “strong communicator”, write “clearly communicate customer feedback to the product team”. Instead of “flexible”, write “prepared to join calls with developers late at night when necessary”.

You should also use this section to articulate the attitude and behaviors you’d like to see. Candidates already know from the previous section what they’ll be doing on a daily basis. Now explain how.

Here are some examples of good job descriptions and a useful guide on how to write one.

Candidate Screening

“The doors of wisdom are never shut.”

– Benjamin Franklin

With a good job description and scenario-based assessment, candidate screening is simply not required. To learn more about why you don’t need to screen candidates read this.

But in short, screening is not about activities, it’s about a candidate’s background. Ruling people out based on their background is counterproductive. Instead, set candidates up for success with a savvy job description, and then assess the ones that want the job based on that description.

Don’t worry about receiving too many applications from people who aren’t qualified or ignore the job description. That is solved automatically in the assessment stage and you won’t need to lift a finger.

Scenario-based Assessment

“An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises.”

– Mae West

Your job description will attract people who want to be part of your journey, and want to do the job you advertised. That’s the theory at least.

Now it’s time to find out how it stacks up.

The assessment stage, which is the most important part of your hiring process, should be entirely based on activities. Go back to the job description and choose the most important on-the-job activities.

Create simulations of those activities so you can see how candidates perform in real-world scenarios. To learn how to write a great interview script read this.

Use automated interviews to deliver the simulations to candidates online.

Some candidates will not make the effort. Others will find the activities too challenging. Others yet will see that the activities are not aligned with their interests or passions. The most motivated and qualified candidates will prevail.

It’s easy to read a job description and apply for a job. However, when candidates are asked to perform challenging tasks, they need to be motivated and confident in their abilities. You’ll only need to view and score completed interviews and you’ll know who measures up within minutes.

Using automated interviews based on activities, you can audition candidates for the role. They will, in turn, get a chance to do the role, albeit in a small way.

The candidates who perform well in the automated interviews will have proven they can do the activities you want them to do in the role. Seeing first hand how well they perform each of those activities will help you confidently make your hiring decision.

By focusing on activities, you can create a hiring process that reflects your role and how you want it to be performed. It’s a simple and effective method to hire people who can, and want to, perform the activities you consider to be value-adding.

About the Author

Omer Molad is the Co-founder and CEO of Vervoe

More on this Topic from Lead at Any Level

Interested in learning more about overcoming biases during the hiring process? Check out my new book, Hire Beyond Bias: How to Pick the Best Person for the Job.