Why Inclusion Matters to Me

This past year, it was my honor to become the sixth CEO of Intuit. In my new role, I continue to prioritize Intuit’s strong culture of inclusion and belonging. There are many different elements that go into sustaining and growing a successful company. I believe a culture of inclusion is one of the key building blocks because it creates an all-important foundation where truly great work can take place.

I believe strongly in the power of inclusion, because for me it’s personal.

I was born in Tehran, but my family left before the revolution when I was nine and moved to Orlando, Florida. I didn’t speak a word of English. I still remember it like it was yesterday, the feeling of sitting in the classroom with everybody talking but I couldn’t understand a single word they were saying. On top of that, it was also the middle of the hostage crisis and I was bullied all the time because of where I was from. 

I wanted to be invisible. I did not want to raise my hand, read aloud, or draw attention to myself in any way. I would skip school and wander the orange groves by myself until it was time for the bus to take me home. My grades subsequently tanked. I tried to hide this from my mom by retrieving my report cards from the mailbox at home before she could read them. Eventually, reality caught up with me and I got kicked out of school, and switched to another school.  

That experience as a child stayed with me for years. I went through much of my life feeling that I couldn’t – or shouldn’t – be my whole self. When I was in college, I was approached by the other Iranian students who asked if I spoke Farsi. I didn’t want to share that I did. That early childhood experience of exclusion and bullying had imprinted a lasting scar that made me want to reject key parts of what made me who I am. 

Looking back on it all now, I know I’m not alone in having these types of childhood experiences. Countless people around the world feel exclusion every day. It might be because of their skin color, gender, nationality, age – or any one of the range of differences that make each one of us incredibly unique. Exclusion saps confidence. Undermines dreams. And keeps too many talented people from living up to their full potential. Experiencing exclusion can stay with you for a lifetime, and I know first hand how high the cost can be. 

I’ve worked hard to fight through the challenges I faced as a child and am proud to have taken advantage of the opportunities this country gave me to follow my dreams. Many people helped me along the way, and because of them, today I feel blessed to work for and lead a company where everyone is encouraged to bring their whole selves to work.  

In my time leading teams, I have seen the massive power of inclusion up close. People prosper and do their best work when they feel welcome and don’t feel pressure to keep parts of themselves hidden. In my next post, I will share some of the practical things I’ve learned along the way about how to build an inclusive culture.  

My experiences as a nine year old boy in Florida formed who I am today. They will never go away completely. And that’s okay. It reminds me why inclusion is so important — and why I fight for it every day.