Sheila is exhausted. The CHRO of a mid-sized biotech company, she’s spent the past couple of years running program after program to support the growth and development of hundreds of globally distributed employees. Despite these efforts, she’s facing mounting problems: Retention numbers are dipping, and the representation of underrepresented groups in senior leadership remains stubbornly low.
Is Your Leadership Development Program Undermining Your DEI Goals?
Poorly designed programs can exacerbate inequity.
October 06, 2022
Summary.
A major reason for stalled progress in leadership representation is the inequitable way leadership development opportunities are allocated in many organizations. When informal means are used to select employees for opportunities like mentorship, leadership coaching, or other high-potential programs it’s all too likely that our biases about who has potential (according to research: tall, attractive, white men) come into play. Since leadership development opportunities tend to beget other opportunities, the problem of inequitable selection compounds over time. The authors offer four strategies to create more equitable programs.
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New!
HBR Learning
Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
How to build a better, more just workplace.