A friend and amazing leader I worked with early in my career had a compelling impact on my life.
Cindy and I had moved up the career ladder together in a company where I worked prior to GXO. We had both achieved Senior VP leadership level. At one meeting where Cindy and I were leading a discussion on diversity, I mentioned the success Cindy had attained as she had risen along with me in the company. Cindy looked at me and asked, “Do you really believe we had the same experience getting to this level?”
Cindy surprised me that day as I quickly learned that while our paths from the outside looked the same, Cindy’s journey had been much tougher due to a more limited level of support than I had received. This event was an eye-opener for me, and from that point forward, I committed myself to becoming an ally to diverse candidates and colleagues—to seek out and support all the “future Cindys” in their endeavors.
People sometimes ask me how they can be good allies.
Here’s my approach:
- Try to view things through others’ eyes. Do not assume you understand another’s walk because you both arrived at the same destination.
- Search out diverse candidates and colleagues and get to know them. Spend time to learn their aspirations, ambitions and struggles.
- Be available; Make time for regular checkups, be available for phone calls and set opportunities to just listen.
- Understand why Allyship is important for you. I have women, people with different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and members of the LGBTQ+ community as part of my immediate family and I have seen the limitations impacting them. I also have four daughters, which drives me to want to be the ally to others that I hope they will find in their own lives.
Every person deserves the opportunity to enjoy a work life that allows a sense of belonging along with the respect, recognition and freedom to achieve whatever their abilities and ambition allow. This is the essence of the “Be Inclusive” value at GXO.