Building a Diverse Workforce

𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐞—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞. I believed leadership meant setting direction and ensuring alignment. But over time—I’ve come to see that real leadership isn’t just about strategy. It’s about 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. That truth has never been more relevant than it is today. For the first time in modern history, 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. It’s a leadership challenge few of us were trained for. 🔹 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (pre-1946): Still serving on boards; shaped by duty and discipline. 🔹 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 (1946–1964): ~12% of today’s workforce; value stability, loyalty, and legacy. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐗 (1965–1980): ~27%; independent, pragmatic, delivery-focused. 🔹 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 (1981–1996): ~34%; purpose-driven, collaborative, growth-oriented. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 (1997–2012): ~27%; inclusive, tech-native, values transparency. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 (post-2012): The emerging workforce—digital-first, fast-learning, entrepreneurial. These differences show up in how we work: → Senior leaders value hierarchy; Gen Z favors flat structures. → Boomers seek recognition; Gen X wants autonomy; Millennials want meaning; Gen Z asks, “𝘞𝘩𝘺?” → Gen Alpha? They're learning, building, and questioning earlier than ever. What feels like friction is often just generational dissonance. In a recent HBR piece, put it well: “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.” That’s the shift we need as leaders: From uniformity → to personalization From authority → to empathy From legacy leadership → to 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 leadership I now ask myself not just, “Am I leading well?” but “Am I leading 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺?” Because when we adapt our style—not our standards—we help every generation contribute at their best. Great leadership today means adapting with intention and embracing what makes each generation thrive. 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Connecting individual roles to a broader organizational mission fosters engagement across all generations. 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Recognize and adapt to the preferred communication styles of each generation to enhance collaboration. 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Offering flexibility can address the diverse needs and expectations of a multigenerational team. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Promote a culture of lifelong learning to support professional development for all age groups. What shift have you made to better lead across generations? #HarveysLeadershipRhythms #ThoughtsWithHarvey #ExecutiveLeadership #TheLeadershipSignal #GenerationalLeadership #LeadershipReflections #LeadWithIntention #MultigenerationalWorkforce #LeadershipCue #Mentorship

How does a company with 1000 people end up with fewer than 20 Black people or less than 10% women? It’s called “diversity debt” — the idea that if your company consists primarily of a specific type of person by hire number 10, it’s basically impossible to get representation back on track. No one wants to be a DEI hire. When we were recruiting for Chezie, a company with an explicit mission to build more diverse and equitable workplaces, we knew we couldn’t fall into this trap. We had to figure out how to promote fair recruiting practices from day 1. Here’s what we did: 1. Encouraged all to apply: We know long lists of requirements can scare people off, so we made sure to include a note encouraging candidates to apply, even if they didn’t check every box (pictured below!). More and more companies are doing this these days, which we love to see. 2. Posted clear compensation ranges: Transparency is huge for us, so we shared salary and equity details upfront in every job posting. This keeps us accountable and helps us avoid perpetuating pay gaps. 3. Standardized the application process: Every candidate went through the same @Airtable form with screener questions, which made sure we evaluated based on qualifications, not biases. 4. Sourced diverse candidates: We intentionally reached out to underrepresented communities. For example, we used Wellfound’s diversity feature filter to invite people directly to apply. 5. Accommodations-Ready: Before interviews, we asked candidates if they needed any accommodations because everyone should feel comfortable and supported during the process. You can hire for merit and make your process more inclusive at the same time. I promise. As the founder ecosystem becomes more diverse, I think more founders will prioritize building teams the right way. For any founders hiring or who’ve recently hired, what did you do to build equity into the process? #recruiting #startups

🚀 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧  Diversity isn’t just about who’s in the room—it’s about who’s thinking differently in the room.  💡 I recently came across a story that flipped my perspective on workplace talent.  A major tech company hired an employee with dyslexia for a data analysis role. On paper, it seemed like an unusual match. But within months, this person spotted patterns in customer behavior that AI tools had repeatedly missed. The company later credited this insight with boosting customer retention by 15%.  🎯 The lesson? Different minds process information differently—and that’s a competitive advantage.  1️⃣ 𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐀’𝐬 𝐔𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬   🔹 NASA actively seeks neuro-divergent talent for pattern recognition in space data.   🔹 Employees with ADHD & autism have helped identify anomalies that traditional teams overlooked.  🚀 When you think differently, you see what others can’t.  2️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬   🔹 A finance firm dismissed a candidate with social anxiety due to a “lack of communication skills.”   🔹 Another firm hired him—and he became their top-performing forensic accountant, uncovering $10M in fraud within two years.  🧠 Sometimes, the best problem-solvers aren’t the loudest voices in the room.  3️⃣ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫   🔹 Harvard research found that diverse teams make decisions 87% faster than homogeneous ones.   🔹 Companies with neurodiverse hiring programs report 30% higher productivity in key roles.  🔥 The bottom line? Innovation doesn’t come from fitting in—it comes from standing out.  💡 Question for you: Have you ever seen someone’s “difference” become their greatest strength? Let’s talk in the comments! ⬇️  #Innovation #DiversityOfThought #Neurodiversity #Leadership #Inclusion #ProblemSolving #FutureOfWork #Kawal

They weren't using the right pronouns, and I didn't know what to do. What do you do when you know someone's pronouns but you are with a group of people who don't? This is one of the most common scenarios I am asked about when I speak to teams about inclusion. Here's what you can do: - Ask the person directly: Maybe they aren't ready to share and don't want you to correct anyone, or maybe they want your support in correcting and guiding people. You won't know until you ask! - Use the person's name: If the person's name is correct but pronouns are not, use the person's name as much as you can. This scenario is about unintentional misusing someone's name or person what do you do if it is intentional? 1) Redirect: "Alex actually goes by they/them pronouns." 2) Rephrase: "I agree, Alex did such a great job on the presentation. Aren't they a great speaker?" 3) Raise awareness: Talk to your HR or people teams about including pronouns in email signatures and creating education initiatives about pronouns as part of a larger discussion on LGBTQ, gender, & trans inclusion at work Pronouns only seem trivial if you are someone who consistently has your pronouns used correctly all the time. Our pronouns are how we are referred to every day. It's how we most feel like ourselves. It's how we know we are valued at work and in our communities. It's non-binary awareness week. Respecting pronouns is not only one of the most accessible ways you can be an ally. It's also one of the most impactful. #NonBinaryAwarenessWeek #LGBTQ #Inclusion

🚨 Wake-up call: Black women face a battlefield disguised as a workplace. It's time we confront this head-on. The harsh truth: Shrinking to fit: Black women often diminish their brilliance, expertise, and understanding just to make others comfortable. Even their names become casualties in this war of conformity. Invisible then hyper-visible: Overlooked as leaders and innovators, until they're thrust into the spotlight as tokens. Glass cliffs await: When leadership roles open, they're often set up to fail. The double-edged sword of intersectionality: Race 🔗 Gender = A uniquely challenging experience Think about it: "Thriving at work is considered as a source of personal growth." But how can you thrive when you're busy shrinking? In white, male-dominated spaces, the pressure to conform is suffocating. Conceal your identity or risk being marked as "other." The tokenism trap: Added for appearance, not genuine inclusion Expected to represent an entire race and gender Set up as diversity window dressing, not empowered leaders This isn't just unfair. It's a waste of talent, innovation, and leadership potential. The question isn't whether this is happening. It's what are YOU doing about it? Leaders: Are you creating real opportunities or just checking diversity boxes? Colleagues: Are you amplifying Black women's voices or contributing to their silence? Organisations: Is your culture nurturing Black women's talents or forcing them to conform? It's time for real, systemic change. Not just words, but actions. Because a workplace where Black women can't bring their full, authentic selves isn't just failing them — it's failing everyone. Are you ready to be part of the solution? #BlackWomenLead #AuthenticLeadership #WorkplaceDiversity #IntersectionalityMatters

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

In my early days at Rubrik, I made a mistake: I sought out leaders who mirrored my own strengths and weaknesses. It seemed logical at the time since I knew I could better relate to people with the same qualities as me, but I quickly learned that true leadership requires a diverse portfolio of skills. Just like in finance, where a diverse asset portfolio reduces risk, your leadership team needs a mix of perspectives and strengths. If everyone thinks and acts the same way, you’re setting yourself up for a major downfall. Think about it: When you're confronted with a problem you’re not sure how to tackle, it's a learning experience. But if no one on your team is equipped to handle that challenge, your entire organization can crash. Diversity of skills in leadership encourages innovation and resilience. It compensates for individual weaknesses and amplifies our collective strengths. When you embrace different viewpoints, you create a more adaptable and robust team capable of navigating challenges. The right mix of strengths will keep us grounded, even when the storms of uncertainty hit.

Going global sounds exciting but growth isn’t just about opening offices in new places. The real challenge is this: How do you scale without losing touch with the ground? Over the years, here’s what we’ve learnt at smartData Enterprises Inc.: •⁠ ⁠Global vision, local rhythm. Every region has its own pace, what works in London might not work in Tokyo. •⁠ ⁠⁠Local leaders matter, you can’t run everything from HQ. You need people who understand the market, the culture, and the unspoken rules. •⁠ ⁠⁠Respect before process. It’s tempting to impose “how we do things” everywhere, but listening first always opens more doors than templates do. It’s a constant balance: push for a unified culture, but give teams the freedom to adapt. That balance is what turns expansion into true presence. #globalmarket #expansion #regionalGTM #Leadership

Diverse teams are powerful, but only if they’re designed to be. Just putting different people together isn’t enough. What I’ve learned over 11+ years is that true  🧠 Collective Intelligence only emerges when diversity is intentionally activated. 🖌 My Blueprint to unlock it: 🔹 Cognitive diversity It’s about bringing different thinking styles. Teams that embrace divergent ways of solving problems uncover creative solutions that others miss. 🔹 Demographic Diversity The presence of different intersectional identities and lived experiences creates a richer understanding of potential blind spots and unmet needs. 🔹 Experiential Diversity Diverse career paths and life stories equip teams with practical insights that can cut through “tried-and-true” methods that often fail in complex, changing environments. 🔹 Psychological Safety This is the game-changer. Without it, diversity backfires. High-performing teams create a “safe container” where everyone—from the quiet thinkers to the bold disruptors—can voice their ideas without fear. 🔹 Inclusive Decision-Making Diversity is wasted if decisions are still made by the loudest voice in the room. Structured inclusion ensures that varied perspectives aren’t just heard but drive the direction forward. The result? 1️⃣ Faster, smarter decisions: diverse insights reduce blind spots and increase confidence in strategic choices, helping leaders respond swiftly to market changes. 2️⃣ Increased innovation and agility: aligned teams leverage diverse perspectives to solve complex problems creatively and adapt to new challenges with resilience. 3️⃣ Stronger engagement and retention: when teams feel psychologically safe and included, they’re more committed and motivated. This translates to lower turnover and higher morale. The path to unlocking your team’s full potential starts with aligning on the right elements—diversity, psychological safety, and inclusion in decisions. 🤔 P.S. Where is your team on the path to collective intelligence—and what’s your next step?

We've all heard the old saying "Jack of all trades, master of none." But have you heard the full quote? "A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one." I've found that being a generalist with wide-ranging interests is a real asset and incredibly valuable, especially in our rapidly changing world. The greatest generalists were the Renaissance polymaths like Leonardo Da Vinci. They made groundbreaking contributions precisely because of their curiosity about multiple disciplines. Yet, the idea that being a "generalist" is somehow anti-specialization has taken root, especially in corporate settings. The reality is that our professional journeys are rarely linear. In machine learning, there's a concept of exploration vs. exploitation that's relevant here. Exploration means trying out new solutions, and gathering more information about something unknown. Exploitation means using the knowledge you've already gained to maximize your current rewards or performance. The most effective approach cycles between the two modes. This concept applies to why being multi-passionate and deliberately cultivating a generalist mindset can enhance leadership: * Adaptable: Diverse interests make you an adaptable, shape-shifting leader, deftly navigating challenges. * Innovative: Engaging in multiple disciplines fosters cross-pollination of ideas and sparks creativity. * Visionary: A wide range of experiences sharpens strategic perspectives & foresight, and improves decision-making. Take Ginni Rometty, former CEO of IBM, whose diverse career within IBM spanned engineering, sales, marketing, and strategy. This versatility allowed her to drive major transformation initiatives by combining technical expertise with insights from non-technical roles. Specializations have a shockingly short half-life these days, especially in technology and AI fields where knowledge can become obsolete within 1-2 years. Continuously expanding your cognitive toolkit through exploration becomes crucial for long-term relevance. To be clear, this is not about being a wandering generalist but integrating varied skills while building core competencies. This versatility is a powerful asset in leadership. Embrace your inner generalist, and say yes to exploration! This mindset fuels lifelong, multi-modal learning and innovative problem-solving. Oftentimes, you'll outshine the masters of one. #creativity #innovation #mindset #leadership #skills #culture