"Like portfolios, organizations benefit from diversity. Effective leaders resist the urge to people their staff with others who look or sound or think just like themselves...They look for good people from many molds, and then they encourage them to speak out, even disagree."~Warren G. Bennis
👋 Hello everyone,
Here are a couple of posts you might have missed:
📚 Book Summary:
This week's book is "Workforce America!" by Marilyn Loden and Judy B. Rosener
It was really interesting to read a book on employee diversity that is 31 years old. It made me think that it would be somewhat outdated; we have come so far, and so much has changed, but it is NOT true—This book was a great intro for me to this important topic.
One of my favorite take away from the book is this:
"When a company president uses sport and military analogies repeatedly in a speech at the annual shareholders' meeting, it is the maverick who is likely to suggest that other metaphors might be more appropriate—given the fact that many are not comfortable with such references. When an ethnic, homophobic, racist, or ageist joke is told during a coffee break, it is the maverick who will object. When there is a gossip circulating throughout the office about someone "sleeping their way to the top," it is the maverick who is questions the accuracy of the rumor. And each time this occurs, it is the maverick who will be accused of having no sense of humor or of being overly sensitive."
✅ Actionable advice:
Also from the book: James E. Preston, president and chief operating officer of Avon Products, is a leader of a diverse organization who appreciates the subtleties of language. For example, while he acknowledges that everyone can learn to speak "Militarese" and "Sportspeak," he is not reluctant to ask the key question: "But...why should they have to?" To set the stage for culture change, organizational leaders must take an early, active, and visible role. Endorsing the value of diversity and communicating this throughout the organization.
🧠 5 things I'm thinking about (Marts 29, 2024)
1.Opportunities to expand the business
2.Testing Microsoft CoPilot
3.Interviewing great candidates for Civil 3D Enablement
4.Expansion & Growth Contest
5.Autodesk Leadership Development Program
Reading "The Customer Success Economy" by Nick Metha & Allison Pickens
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