More than ever, it is critical to train and develop leaders into champions who will reach their highest potential. And it’s often echoed that leadership needs to reflect our ever-changing diverse society. But how do we get there? How can we prioritize inclusion and create leadership opportunities for talented employees? The answer is an authentic dedication to equity.

At From Day One’s 2023 Atlanta conference, during a panel moderated by journalist Ernie Suggs, experts from notable businesses shared their methods and tactics for bringing diverse talent into leadership positions.

Grady Tripp, vice president and chief diversity officer at Tegna, began the conversation with a question about commitment: “What is really the impetus to change behavior and make different decisions?” Equity and inclusion have to be priority for the CEO and the board. If lead decision-makers don’t value equity and inclusion, then the whole organization will reflect that. Sara Fatima, head of global talent acquisition at Verifone, agreed. “Let's be intentional about what we want,” she said, adding that this commitment has to be more than just a buzzword. 

What Does It Take to Move the Needle?

Jackie Parker, senior vice president of talent management and chief diversity officer at Global Payments, spoke to the audience about taking steps to transcend personal biases. Issues related to DEI are embedded in our social fabric. To make the necessary changes, she said, we as a collective need to “start dealing with those systemic, structural barriers.” 

It is essential to remove barriers to opportunities so that everyone has the access skill up and move into positions of leadership. Karen Viera, chief people officer at Church’s Texas Chicken,  is intent on finding solutions to ensuring employees can achieve their full potential. Viera was able to use funds to help employees receive their GEDs and restaurant management training. “That's our responsibility as HR leaders,” she said. “Where are people? Where are the gaps?”

Ceresa founder and CEO Anna Robinson finds that investment in DEI initiatives can’t just come from the viewpoint of social justice. Leaders must understand how DEI as a “business value” can create stronger organizations. 

Accountability from the C-Suite

Conversations about implementing DEI should not be limited to teammates and staff members; they must be shared with the leaders in executive positions. Tripp points out that, although 2020 made organizations around the nation start talking about equity, the work shouldn’t end with a conversion. “Dialogue is an important first step,” he said. “But at the end of the day, your actions either help or hurt the culture that you're trying to build. Your culture is essentially the outcome of what you reward, reprimand, or tolerate in your organization. And every decision that's made is either a step towards where you want to go or a step away. So there has to be the action.”

Leaders must set an example. Robinson stresses the importance of leading a company with diverse teams. “We're not a hugely resourced company,” she said. “But we invested in getting people to come work with us on unconscious bias training and difficult conversations,” including “an ongoing discourse about race.” She added, “Even in a small company, I don't care if you're 10 people or 110,000 people, you can make sure to have representation on your team.”

Making Connections and Matching Needs

The panelists offered methods for increasing networks, prioritizing authenticity, and promoting work-life balance. Robison emphasizes creating environments in which employees can balance all of their commitments. She recommends asking: Do times and dates match with the busy lifestyles of employees who wear many hats, especially employees of color and women employees?


Parker agreed: “Why aren't we doing these things in more flexible ways?” She advocates giving leaders support as they continue in their careers. This support may not look the same for everyone. “One size doesn't fit all,” she said. “Understand the unique needs of your team members when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Your trajectory of accelerating to the C-suite is entirely different from mine. Everybody's needs are unique.” 

Showing up authentically in the workspace can enhance feelings of belonging and self-efficacy, and assessment tools that identify genuine representation can improve employee engagement and experience. In discussing these tools, Viera shared, “I added many questions related to diversity. ‘Do I feel comfortable coming to work, representing my full self?’ I told the leadership, ‘I'm adding these questions. I want this to be intentional.’ And our score went up by 9%. We're at 9% engagement. That's amazing.”

Fatima points to one of the most successful projects in DEI at her company to date. The mentorship program at Verifone has helped women gain access to opportunities and understand the lived experiences of people from around the world. The program was so impactful that Verifone’s leadership considers it integral to people operations and talent development. “You've got everybody from the CEO down to the line manager going, ‘I have somebody on my team who can be a part of this,’” Fatima said. “Now you've created that confidence. Now you've created a voice. So it's been an incredible journey.” 

Moving Forward

DEI needs to be intentional, authentic, and understood as business value that testifies to a company’s success. Is it a core part of your operations? Hiring and supporting diverse leaders throughout their journeys is essential. Giving leaders the tools they need to be successful also ensures that they’ll be able to support the next generation of DEI champions.

Nzingha Hall is a journalist, public speaker, and DEI facilitator in Atlanta, Ga.