How can you create a more diverse technical leadership framework?

1 Assess your current state

The first step to creating a more diverse technical leadership framework is to assess your current state. How diverse is your technical leadership team in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, and other dimensions of diversity? How do they reflect the diversity of your customers, users, and stakeholders? How do they interact with each other and with the rest of the organization? How do they support and mentor diverse talent? You can use surveys, interviews, focus groups, or other methods to collect data and feedback on these questions. The goal is to identify the gaps, strengths, and opportunities for improvement in your current technical leadership framework.

3 Implement your action plan

The third step is to implement your action plan to achieve your vision and goals. This involves designing and executing initiatives, programs, and policies to support and promote diversity in your technical leadership framework. For example, you should recruit and hire diverse candidates for technical leadership positions, using inclusive and unbiased criteria, processes, and tools. Additionally, training and development opportunities should be provided for technical leaders and potential leaders, focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion skills as well as technical and leadership competencies. Furthermore, a culture of feedback and accountability should be created where technical leaders are evaluated and rewarded based on their performance. Moreover, networks and communities of practice should be established so that technical leaders can connect with diverse role models and mentors. Finally, progress and achievements should be communicated and celebrated to highlight the stories of your diverse technical leaders.

4 Evaluate and improve your results

The final step is to evaluate and improve your results from your action plan. This involves measuring and monitoring the outcomes and impacts of your diversity initiatives, programs, and policies on your technical leadership framework. You can use quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze data and feedback on your diversity metrics, such as representation, retention, satisfaction, engagement, innovation, and performance. You can also use benchmarks and best practices from other organizations and industries to compare and learn from your results. The goal is to identify what works and what doesn't, and to make adjustments and improvements accordingly.

Creating a more diverse technical leadership framework is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires commitment, collaboration, and adaptation. By following these steps, you can start and sustain your journey towards a more diverse technical leadership framework that can benefit your organization and society.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?