Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | February 6, 2023 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Upli people with different experiences V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L A lot has changed since I wrote this opinion column for WBJ's last Women in Leadership edition, as I've done every year since 2019. Aer reading my contribution in 2022, my friends could sense the burnout I was experiencing, and most weren't surprised when I announced I was departing from my long-time job, and career, in the nonprofit world at the Girl Scouts of Central & Western Massachusetts. By switching jobs and industries, in some ways it appeared I was taking an easy way out from my personal commitment to better my community; but I can tell you, the decision wasn't an easy one to make. I was leaving an orga- nization with a mission of female leadership development to a predominately male-led industry for a Global 500. Every year I check the Women in the Workplace report from business consultant McKinsey & Co., in partnership with LeanIn.Org. At the time of my transition, only 4% of C-suite positions were held by women of color (it's now 5% for 2022). is weighed heavy on me; would I have a voice in the room? I remember sitting in the first manage- ment committee meeting in my new job at Saint-Gobain Abrasives - North America, and I was more nervous than is in character for me. Out of the 15 people in the meeting, only four of us were women and only one was a woman of color (me). I brought this up with my other half that night, looking for assurance I made the right decision (He is my biggest cheerleader). As the weeks went by and my confidence and comfort level grew, I knew it was the right jump. It wasn't anything I did personally, but it was prac- tices, processes, and attitudes allowing me to contribute as my authentic self within Saint-Gobain. e Harvard Business Review published an article in 2019 stating while women of color have the confidence, qualifications, and aspirations to reach leadership posi- tions, the lack of support in the work environment stifles their ascent. I think of my own experience these past nine months and encourage other companies to look at how they can include their women of color teammates. If you hire someone to do a job, trust that you made the right choice and allow them to get it done: Don't micro- manage, and make sure to acknowledge their contribu- tions. New, outside perspectives should be welcomed. Ev- eryone has different lived experiences. Embrace the fresh set of eyes and allow opinions to be heard. Make sure to invite them along, even if you think they're not interested; I accompanied our environment, health, safety, and sus- tainability team for a Mass. Department of Environmental Protection visit, even though it didn't pertain to my job. I appreciated the invite and learned something new. If your company's culture is set up to support women of color in leadership roles, you'll attract more candidates. Being the "only" in a room is tough. It's up to companies to ensure the "only" in the room isn't the "last." Melanie Bonsu community relations manager for Worcester manufacturer Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. - North America. BY MELANIE BONSU Special to WBJ A T H O U SA N D WO R D S B Y R A M Ó N L . S A N D O V A L Diversifying your leadership pipeline Melanie Bonsu S ince May, none of the 15 Central Massachusetts public companies listed on either on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ have been led by a female CEO, the longest stretch of time this has happened since at least 2007, when Carol Meyrowitz began her reign atop Framingham's TJX Cos. e gender imbalance isn't as acute looking at a broader base of Central Massachusetts businesses, but it's far from parity. From 2018 to 2022, WBJ's e Boardroom Gap investigation found the percentage of women in executive positions and board seats at prominent private companies, as well as a number of large nonprofits, hovered between 33%-37%, which is slightly below the national average. In the past three years, a significant amount of attention has been paid to addressing this disparity, although a willingness to change can be a far cry from actual change, and the pace of measurable progress has been slow. Diversifying leadership ranks requires both a commitment to talent development and a rethinking of what makes for a talented and skilled leader. Having not just more women, but also people of color, rise to the most senior ranks requires a robust pipeline of talent from those groups in the executive positions immediately below the top slot: the C-suite, division heads, and board members. In order to diversify that level of management and governance, more women and people of color need to be developed in the skills of executive leadership. Beyond education, mentoring, and encouragement, though, is the need to recognize people who have different experiences, backgrounds, and work styles than those who have traditionally risen to the top of the business ladder. If you're always looking to check the same boxes on what makes for an effective employee, an effective manager, and an effective senior executive, you're more likely to miss out on those who can bring fresh and innovative approaches to your organization. Understanding where these unique talents lie takes time and attention. Listen intently to the women and people of color in your organization, to better understand how they approach their jobs and the ways that can help your business culture evolve in a positive direction. Talk to other companies inside and outside of your circle who have had success in building a diverse roster of talent, to see what their secrets to success are. Be open to ideas you may have dismissed five years ago. Signs of that new thinking are in the air. In our Flash Poll at the end of January, we asked business leaders if they would hire someone who had served time in prison and was looking for a fresh start. A decade ago, the answer would have been a resounding no. Now, in 2023, only 12% answered with an outright no. Times are changing, and leaders are recognizing the change. The above Editorial is the opinion of the WBJ Editorial Board. The Viewpoint column, the A Thousand Words cartoon, and the Word from the Web commentary represent the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of WBJ or its staff. WBJ welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Send them to bkane@wbjournal.com. W W

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