Diversity and Inclusion
Sponsored by 3M
“Diversity and inclusion” are words I hear a lot—at 3M, in discussions with friends, and at companies I visit. They’re important. Diverse teams are stronger and more productive, and I find them much more stimulating. We need to accept each other and each person’s uniqueness. However, sometimes it can be hard for us to fully accept ourselves, particularly if we feel we may not completely conform to a particular workplace stereotype. For example, I think women can struggle with being authentic, particularly when it comes to making the transition from individual contributor to manager.
I’m certainly not an expert on authenticity. There are many good articles, books, and podcasts about authenticity, and I encourage you to review them. However, when a very close friend of mine suggested I think more about this topic, I realized I have been thinking about it, ever since I transitioned from individual contributor to manager twelve years ago. A significant reason that I love my job as a manager at 3M is that I’m able to both lead and be myself. I tend to be passionate, stubborn, and outspoken yet nurturing. (“Difficult” has been used to describe me a few times.) I can be tenacious: I will fight for what I believe in. I also like to take care of people and hear about my employees’ lives. I believe that my managers and I should be able to step in for our direct reports, that we need to be both manager and leader. I’ve learned to be (fairly) honest about my weaknesses, and I have hired people who have strengths in those areas. I really appreciate working for a company that is not trying to create a “cookie-cutter” manager but rather one that nurtures and embraces a variety of leadership styles. In my experience, 3M has been very true to its values of diversity and inclusion.
Having a diverse team, with an authentic leader, is a foundation for success and is an ongoing journey. Here are a few things I try to keep in mind as I work to improve my leadership style:
- Listen more and talk less. In many cases managers are not there to teach; they are there to prioritize and focus their team, remove roadblocks, help identify development opportunities, and celebrate success.
- Learn to ask insightful questions and listen carefully to the answers.
- Don’t feel that you need to solve every problem for your team; help them find the answers themselves. Managers and leaders do not need to be the smartest person, the most knowledgeable, or omniscient. They just need to appreciate and utilize their employees’ talents and knowledge.
So, for those women developing their leadership styles or making the transition from peer to manager, I offer a few thoughts to contemplate: be true to yourself and your values, surround yourself with people who have strengths you don’t, learn your team’s expertise, roll up your sleeves and work alongside your team, and remember that you’re there to lead, inspire, and prioritize. And for the rest of us, let’s remember this is a team sport. Whether you work for a woman or a woman works for you, let’s continue to learn together, improve together, and support each other.
Comments
It is important that Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) are practiced in every aspect of our life — starting with the workplace. D&I are more than just HR checklist items; they've grown into a cultural phenomenon that — when executed correctly — has a direct effect on the culture of the organization. These days, it's more crucial than ever to ensure that the workplace is embracing this practice. Whether your workers are part of the LGBTQ community, belong to minority groups due to their gender or ethnicity, or they are significantly older or younger than the majority of the workforce, it is important for them to be included and accepted in the day-to-day workplace for their personal successes and those of the organization. That is exactly why every company, association or organization needs a strong written D&I policy, program, and procedures to embrace and emphasize. If you want the workforce to be excited about and actively involved in where they work, a strong D&I program can instill a passion that's contagious and shared throughout the company. Engagement and empowerment can be marry technology with interoffice communication. Employers can collaborate with employees through newsletters, videos and upcoming business meetings and social events. Tools like these can vastly improve communication and enhance employee engagement, which also contributes to greater transparency, honesty and respect across the enterprise. Another import factor of having a culture that embraces diversity and inclusion plays a huge role in the overarching confidence of the company, organization or association. This allows for a larger platform for innovation, creativity and a variety of perspectives that will leave employees feeling like they are in a safe place and respected to be themselves and produce their best work. Finally, D&I policy, program, and procedures build up people' morale, and foster a total healthy work environment that is more attractive for prospective employees. It also helps improve a sustainable brand, image and reputation, which can be attractive in a bear market. A higher caliber of industry professionals will want to join a company that strives to provide a comfortable, supportive, and inspiring atmosphere where people of different ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations can flourish. It also helps attract investors so the company, organization, or association can prosper in a global economy.
By Bernard Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA on June 10, 2020 3:59pm