‘Design-thinking’ to future solutions: My path from engineer to Dell’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer

As a black man born in South Central Los Angeles, I came into this world a diverse person. I was very fortunate to have a loving family who always challenged me to ask “why.” My upbringing fueled a passion to solve problems, which is why I chose a career in engineering.  As an engineer, I’d develop software and innovate on the technology stack to improve processes and business performance. Eventually, I was selected to be a leader. As I managed teams, I found myself mentoring and sharing my knowledge with more and more colleagues — helping them solve problems and build on new ideas.

As time went on, I became increasingly aware of the homogeneous environment I was working in and as a problem solver, I recognized the opportunity to try to find new ways to diversify. At my previous company, SAP, I helped establish the Black Employee Network (BEN), which focused on positively influencing and impacting employees of African descent in the process of recruiting, retention, mentorship and upward mobility. My commitment to BEN, involvement in the creation of other innovative D&I programs, and my belief and focus on D&I as a business imperative, led to an opportunity to lead diversity & inclusion as part of the SAP’s Office of the CEO. Today, I am bringing my awareness of technology, diversity and my experiences as a diverse technologist to Dell, where I’m partnering with the organization’s leaders to solve one of the biggest challenges facing the technology industry, perhaps our global workforce, today.

Today, 40% of global employers report they are facing a talent shortage. Today’s business environment is built on adaptation and successful businesses must be nimble, responsive and able to compete in an interconnected global marketplace that is represented by an increasingly diverse demographic. For example, the fastest growing minority segment in the U.S. labor force, Hispanics or Latinos, reached 26.8 million in 2016.  And according to McKinsey’s Women in the Workplace 2017 report: despite earning more college degrees than men for the last 30 years, women remain underrepresented at every level in corporate America.

Businesses that welcome diversification of their workforce and who have strong commitments to inclusion are rewarded. It’s been proven that organizations that embrace gender diversity are 15% more likely to succeed. When you layer ethnic diversity on top of that, the figure rises to 35%. In addition, Gallup studies show that customer satisfaction is 39% higher with inclusive workplaces.

Diversity is a core strategic business imperative. As organizations look to digitally transform, it’s essential they look beyond infrastructure and into the need to evolve talent. At Dell, we believe that diverse teams drive more innovation, which in turn energizes employee engagement and boosts corporate performance. Our differences are a strength, and inclusive leadership is a competitive advantage. As Dell’s Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, I see my job as ensuring diversity and inclusion are part of our identity — not something we do, but rather who we are.

Dell is making digital transformation real for companies every day, ushering in the digital future. And I see talent transformation as a key enabler here. No matter what sector you’re in, the future is technology. We need to make sure we’re setting up the next generation for success while retaining today’s technology workforce. A culture of inclusion will continue to be critical so everyone has the opportunity to succeed in our all-digital world.

As an engineer, I apply ‘design thinking’—where you focus on solutions and actions that can be taken toward creating the preferred state—to innovate. ‘Design thinking’ can help us cultivate more diversity and inclusivity into our DNA. I envision a world where we apply AI and machine learning to help identify, neutralize, and even eliminate the bias in our talent processes. I can also envision using avatars and virtual reality to further equalize the interview process. By focusing on the future state and applying new technologies, we can innovate to accelerate the diversity within our organizations and inclusivity in our cultures.

We’ll make it real by ensuring diversity and inclusion are part of who we are. And in doing this, we’ll increase our innovation and strengthen our relationships with our customers and partners. Sounds like good business to me.

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