Keeping conversations about race front and center

Recently I met with a group of Black business executives to discuss their experiences and perspectives on leadership within US companies and firms. I knew I would be the only white person in the room, and I suspected I might be uncomfortable. What this conversation made clear to me is that my discomfort was only a limited glimpse into what many of my Black colleagues experience each day -- and that having candid conversations and being uncomfortable at times is essential if we want to continue to progress in diversifying the leadership that is critical for our firms and our communities.

Diversity -- at every level of an organization -- is a strategic imperative for success. In fact, of the CEOs we interviewed for PwC’s 2015 Global CEO Survey, 85% of those whose organizations have a diversity and inclusiveness strategy said it has enhanced the performance of their firms. In order to succeed in the fast-changing, interconnected global marketplace, multinational firms need CEOs and executives who are culturally aware and also prepared to navigate diverse cultures, geographies, and markets.

It’s not enough simply to say that we care about diversity or that we’re committed to eliminating racial disparities in the workplace. American firms have encouraged diversity for years, yet today only five Black CEOs currently head Fortune 500 companies and only 15 total have ever held these positions. Within my own firm, and across my profession, we continue to strive towards greater diversity, but while we have a clear destination, we’re not there yet, either.

As business leaders, we must devise strategies and implement programs to recruit, nurture, develop, and promote our Black colleagues as global business leaders. And in our own offices and workplaces, we have to hold ourselves accountable each and every day.  This starts with asking some uncomfortable questions -- beginning with ourselves. Do you mentor only colleagues who look and sound like you or whose backgrounds and experiences mirror your own? Do you require diverse slates of talent for executive hires and look beyond “the usual suspects?” Do you consider who might be missing when you think about a broad talent pool? Are you prepared to disrupt the status quo? These are questions I continue to ask myself and my leadership team so that we continue to learn, challenge ourselves and move to action.  And let me be clear, we are not only concerned with developing Black leaders. We are focused on developing leaders who represent all dimensions of diversity within our firm and our profession.

In fact, that is one of the reasons I’m pleased to take advantage of opportunities with ELC (Executive Leadership Council) to discuss race in the workplace openly.  This month the ELC -- the preeminent member organization for the development of global black leaders -- released a study on global leadership for the 21st century and will hold its 2015 Regional CEO Summit. Leaders from multiple industries and sectors will come together to consider the impact of the “diversity imperative” on global business. I’m looking forward to listening, sharing experiences, and respectfully challenging each other, as well.  

Business leaders check balance sheets and monitor global markets throughout the day. We must keep conversations about race and diversity front and center, and incorporate them into our daily work. One conversation on one day isn’t sufficient—diversity must become a part of our corporate DNA.  And I would add that while conversation is important, it can’t be enough. We need to move to action -- making changes as individuals and as organizations -- that allow us to develop the diverse leaders we need within our businesses and within society more broadly.