When did you get the critical business importance of diversity? We surveyed chief diversity officers and leading diversity executives at companies in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® list and DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies to find out the exact moment they realized diversity was their company's future and essential to their own personal development. Here's what they said.
See more "Aha!" moments and the most successful business strategies from chief diversity officers in the Lessons Learned From the Top 50 roundtable in the Nov./Dec. 2007 issue of DiversityInc. Subscribe now for the latest innovations in diversity management and more from the experts.
What was your "Aha!" moment?
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I realized early in my life that treating people as individuals with respect for who they are, not what they look like, was paramount to building successful relationships, running profitable businesses and living a peaceful life anchored on strong values. Decades ago, I also learned that while all men and women were created equal, the treatment that they received was not always the same. I learned that when I treated individuals with respect and dignity and expected the best of them, I often got their best. At times, I also saw the opposite, when people were not being respected and someone made someone else feel powerless or insignificant.
So, I've learned to treat individuals individually and embrace them for what each of them has to offer. Expect the best and most of the time you will get it.
—Raymond Arroyo
Chief Diversity Officer, Aetna
One of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies in 2007
I recall—as a novice diversity practitioner in 2000—my first drafts describing why diversity was important to SunTrust. We called it our business case for diversity. One of the five elements of the case was a statement that said "diversity is the right thing to do." The right thing to do for me at that time meant doing the "right thing" for social justice, human rights and being a good corporate citizen. It was showing our good-faith efforts. My "Aha!" was revealed to me by an executive who said that "doing the right thing" for diversity isn't just the "feel-good stuff," but it is the "right thing to do" because it is right for our shareholders, clients and employees. He pointed out that the business case for diversity is inherent in sustaining our competitive advantage, and that is why "diversity is the right thing to do." Our competitive advantage comes from serving ethnic and other emerging markets; talent management; cultural competence by our associates; and valuing the perspectives and ideas of others to promote innovation.
Closely tied to this epiphany is that managers and leaders respond to the call for action when it is clearly about enhancing the return on investment (ROI).
Today, I see it more clearly. The best performing companies, i.e., those with sterling ROIs, are the companies with robust diversity strategies and practices aligned with the business.
—Carolyn Cartwright
Senior Vice President, Corporate Diversity, SunTrust Banks
One of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies in 2007
One of my own personal "Aha!" moments relating to diversity as a Comerica employee is when I was appointed as the marketing representative to the newly formed Arab and Chaldean American Initiative Team in 1999. This was one of the first market-segmentation initiatives that Comerica launched, and being a member helped me to better understand the cultural richness of the Arab and Chaldean markets by really becoming immersed in the market.
The team held its meetings at different venues in the community and had several cultural training sessions. This helped us to understand the unique financial needs of the community, but more importantly, it gave a window into a wonderful culture and different ethnic segments comprising the Arab and Chaldean markets. This was my first Comerica experience with really reaching out to a particular market segment. As a result, I was so thrilled to obtain the position of manager of diversity one year ago. It's my privilege to hold this position and contribute to the education of all colleagues regarding the value of diversity.
—Janice Tessier
Vice President and Manager of Diversity Initiatives, Comerica Bank
No. 37 in The 2007 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity
My "Aha!" moment happened when I started law school as one of only three women in my class and one of only about 10 other Hispanics in my first-year group. That was my first real experience of "diversity" in being a minority and having to prove myself as an equal to my peers. I may have benefited from affirmative action in getting in the front door but I got out on my own two feet. The challenges and adversity faced by being female and a minority from a lower-middle-class neighborhood made me reshape my thinking about people, the law and breaking down barriers/stereotypes/perceptions/assumptions.
—Linda Jimenez
Chief Diversity Officer & Staff Vice President, Diversity Leadership, WellPoint
One of DiversityInc's 25 Noteworthy Companies in 2007
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