Glass Cliff to Bridge: Crafting a Roadmap to Sustainable DEI in Engineering Construction Industry

After the murder of George Floyd and the call for organizations to be more equitable for Black people, the call for government to be more equitable for Black people, and so many other entities to bring in equity for Black people, organizations decided, you know what?

We're going to diversify, and we're going to recruit more Black people. But you did no internal culture work. you cause for many of you, I won't say all, many of you, if not most of you, cause more harm than you did good.

So the first thing that we saw with this diversity recruitment effort was tokenism and leadership roles. And so here you have underrepresented individuals who are often appointed to leadership roles during challenging times, as symbolic gestures.

See, we have a Black person, we have another person of color, and we have a woman. See, we're diverse. And I'll pause there because I want you to think, well, but isn't that what we're supposed to do?

If you looked at it from an equity lens, you wanna promote authentic representation because you wanna ensure that diverse leaders or leaders from underrepresented communities are selected based on their qualifications and not just for optics.

And I often get pushed back, oh, we have to lower our standards. And I often look, because I'll look in, especially in engineering orgs and tech, tech is the worst, I would say, wherein the requirements for marginalized people, women, people of color, is much more stringent, right, than anybody else that has previously held that role or that is currently in a similar role.

By understanding the glass cliff phenomenon and taking strategic steps to build bridges toward sustainable diversity, equity, and inclusion, the engineering construction industry can lay the foundation for a future where every talent can thrive without limitations.

If you missed this talk you can always rewatch: here.

Des Moines, IOWA!

Being an engineer will take you places...even IOWA!

I was invited to speak about Talent Retention & Recruitment at the American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Institute Conference last month.

There were three questions I asked the attendees to think about:

1. Who is staying with your organization?
2. Why are they staying?
3. How long are they staying?

Most engineering and construction leaders can’t answer these questions.

I once had an AEC leader tell me women stayed with his company because their company culture was great.

I asked a few of the women employees and guess what they said?

There was an employee benefit which allowed them to be caregivers while getting paid their full salaries!

Hint why I doubted the leader’s comment - I looked at their website and LinkedIn company page.

Before you start recruiting, consider finding out why your employees stay.

Another GLASS CLIFF webinar you don't want to miss!

This webinar is designed for women professionals, especially those in STEM of all levels who are looking to advance in their careers and make a positive impact in their organizations.

Reserve your spot now!

Hey! I wanna know if you're up for a challenge.

Because if you are then you came in right on time!

Join us for an insightful 3-Day Challenge tailored for ambitious Black, Latina, and Indigenous women like you. Gain actionable insights, proven strategies, and invaluable resources to propel your career forward.

Empower yourself with the tools and insights needed to unlock your full potential and progress in your professional journey.

Join us for a transformative 3-Day Challenge designed to provide actionable strategies and resources for career growth.

Register now to reserve your space.

Join PositiveHire

Where You’re Valued, Respected, and Recognized for Your Work