How I build inclusive, merit-based teams

A friend of mine recently asked me if organizational leaders should focus on diversity and inclusion or outputs and outcomes. I laughed and told him, “Yes.”

In all seriousness, this is a classic case of “both / and.” Both efforts are essential to creating true meritocracy in the workplace – an environment where people are evaluated and rewarded based on their talent and performance. And both are essential to an organization’s long-term success.

As a leader, it’s our job to make sure our workforce reflects the communities we serve, and that our colleagues are inspired to be themselves and ready to perform at their best. But it’s not just about creating an environment where diversity is embraced – we need to hold our teams accountable as well, setting high standards and creating a plan to achieve them. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

How, why, and the way I lead my teams is guided by what I’ve learned from my own career, which has taken me around the world. I’ve seen firsthand what works and what matters most when it comes to organizational leadership to engage teams and build better outcomes.

Creating workplaces where someone can be “Souheil,” not “Sam”

In my senior year of college in the late 1980s, I started sending out resumes to employers across the globe. A colleague at the time asked me, “Have you considered changing your first name on your resume from Souheil to Sam?” Unfortunately, disparities and discrimination in interviewing and hiring exist in the U.S. and elsewhere. My friend was worried that if a manager couldn’t pronounce my name, it might hurt my chances of being hired. It was never something I considered because I wanted to be true to myself and my heritage. Thankfully, I was able to land that first job – because someone judged me based on my potential to contribute, not on my name. Suffice it to say, I will always be grateful that people saw me as the choice to make, not as a chance to take.

After coming to the U.S. as an immigrant, I worked and lived in Muslim countries as a Christian, and I worked and lived in Europe as a non-European. But I’ve never felt isolated at work. I’ve always had leaders and mentors who cared about me and sponsored my development – and I’ve always felt an obligation to do the same for those around me.

As leaders, we need to embrace people’s experiences and backgrounds, and get to know them as individuals. This is what will bring them back for more. This is critical in recruiting, and just as important in retention and development. I’m excited about creating diverse slates of candidates – and we’re intentional about the way we work to recruit diverse, exceptional talent. Importantly, we back that excitement up with measurement. We have goals and metrics for both initial and final-round interviews, and it’s important to me that we meet these goals. ?

I’m also passionate about providing brave spaces for people to share their own story and heritage. This has been a north star for how I lead. That’s why I believe so strongly in Northwestern Mutual’s employee resource groups and my own service as an executive sponsor of our Hispanic Employee Resource Group (ERG). That’s also why I feel strongly about organizing team meetings and outings, scheduling one-on-one check-ins with colleagues inside and outside my organization, setting up skip-level meetings with my team’s direct reports, and actively participating in as many divisional and companywide events as I can. The greatest power that any leader wields is his or her humanity. Those human connections keep an organization together.

Encouraging curiosity and ambition

While working to build an inclusive meritocracy, it’s important to underscore a message to individual contributors that relationships and careers are a two-way street. Managers are not the only ones tasked with the heavy lifting. All team members need to do their part. Work harder and more strategically than everyone else. Deliver the best-possible results. Demonstrate the value you bring to the table – and do everything you can to get to know the culture, the people and the values of the organization you're joining and embrace them. I mentioned earlier that my work colleagues never allowed me to feel isolated. I never allowed myself to be marooned on an island, either. I’ve always tried to learn as much as I could about an organization and how it ticks.

I’ve also tried to do the same with my co-workers. Early on, I met people who loved fishing, so to build relationships, I learned about the sport and went fishing. I even figured out how to clean and prepare the catch for dinner. In my role as Chief Operating Officer at Northwestern Mutual, headquartered in Milwaukee, I’m often surrounded by Green Bay Packers fans. So, I learned about the game, the team and the players. It sounds simple, but it’s too often overlooked. If you expect others to respect and appreciate your unique background, show that same respect for others’ interests and passions, too. This is more important than ever as teams and organizations try to navigate a hybrid work environment amid the pandemic. We have to find ways in a 2-D environment to create a 4-D relationship.

We don’t have to choose between meritocracy and inclusivity. I encourage leaders to approach their role with an abundance mentality and choose to win in both arenas – driving exceptional outcomes for their people and for their customers. As a leader, I ask: are you focusing on these same things? In similar or other ways? Let me know.