The CEO Activist E-Book

Leila McKenzie-Delis

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 404

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Beschreibung

Discover the 10 key factors that will impact the success or failure of your diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts

In The CEO Activist: Putting the ‘S’ in ESG, renowned diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity and culture expert Leila McKenzie-Delis delivers an inspirational and exciting guide to making your workplace—and your world—a more inclusive, diverse, accepting, and productive place. In the book, you’ll explore the 10 factors that impact visible and invisible diversity, including race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, mental health, parenthood, nationality, religion, and socio-economic status.

The author walks you through the ‘S’ of Social Impact in ESG (Social Impact within Environmental, Social and Governance) and what you need to do as a self-aware, proactive, and present member of society to ensure you have your own, innate sense of self, and the ability to step into your power and claim your space with the utmost confidence. You’ll also discover:

• Why teams with the broadest levels of diversity tend to create the most widely relevant products and solutions for the buying public
• Strategies you need to follow to fortify your sense of self, step into your power, and claim your space with confidence
• Ways to make our schools, workplaces, and other environments more accepting, inclusive, and diverse so people from a wide range of backgrounds can thrive

The CEO Activist will prove to be a hands-on and exciting book for human resources professionals, talent recruiters, and people professionals of all kinds.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Supplemental Images

Foreword

Introduction

1 What Is an Activist CEO?

What Is ESG and Why Is the “S” So Important?

The ESG “S” Framework

Notes

2 Why We All Need to Be Activist CEOs

Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging – and Why They Matter

Notes

3 Finding My Inner Activist CEO

Beginnings

Hong Kong to Harrogate

Searching for Something

Coming of Age

Starting Again

4 Fill Up Your “S” Cup

5 Addressing Behaviour Not Belief

6 Breathe in Courage, Breathe Out Fear

Tami's Story

7 Go Blaze a Trail of Your Own

Notes

8 The Three Steves

9 Where Are You Really From?

Find Your Voice, Find Your Mentors

Entrepreneurship

The Activist CEOs

Notes

10 A Billion Strong

11 Winning Hearts and Minds

12 The Toughest Job of All

13 Love Is Love

Note

14 Age Is But a Number

15 Getting the Full Picture

Socio-Economic Status

Nationality

Conclusion

Supplemental Images

Index

End User License Agreement

Guide

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Supplemental Images

Foreword

Introduction

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Conclusion

Supplemental Images

Index

End User License Agreement

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The CEO Activist

Putting the ‘S’ in ESG

Leila McKenzie-Delis

This edition first published 2024

Leila McKenzie-Delis © 2024

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The right of Leila McKenzie-Delis to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with law.

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While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this work, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, written sales materials or promotional statements for this work. The fact that an organization, website, or product is referred to in this work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the publisher and author endorse the information or services the organization, website, or product may provide or recommendations it may make. This work is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a specialist where appropriate. Further, readers should be aware that websites listed in this work may have changed or disappeared between when this work was written and when it is read. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is Available:

ISBN 9781394226894 (Cloth)ISBN 9781394226917 (ePDF)ISBN 9781394226900 (ePub)

Cover Design: WileyCover Images: © Mighty/Adobe Stock Photos, © Mike/Adobe Stock Photos, © Olena /Adobe Stock PhotosAuthor Photo: Courtesy of the Author

This book is dedicated to my late father Roderick John McKenzie who I miss every day. You are the original CEO Activist and always said that as long as I tried my best, then nothing else matters. You and Mum are the North Stars in my sky and have shown me the way when I haven't known myself.

Special thanks to my dedicated husband and partner in life, Costa, my wonderful mum, Anne, dearest brother, Michael, sister-in-law, Meenu, and our beautifully diverse respective families.

Gratitude to the special people, true friends, and inspirations who have been so supportive on this journey of life and business. You know who you are – I am forever indebted and grateful to you for believing in me and giving me a chance.

Last but never least – forever our baby, Peter Costa Roderick McKenzie-Delis. You have shown us that love has no boundaries. You give us hope and faith for the future generations of leaders to come.

Dad helped me proofread my first book – Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging – A leadership guide about why everyone matters and how to make them feel like they do.

My dad, mum, brother and me.

My brother Michael and me. This was taken at the old Inmarsat Offices where my brother worked before the company became Viasat.

Our family on our wedding day.

We are proud of our mixed-race baby and want him to learn about all aspects of his family heritage and culture. As the son of a potato farmer this picture is a keeper!

Scattering Dad's ashes at the top of the peak in Hong Kong. He has a wonderful view and I believe he continues to watch over us every day.

Foreword

Stephanie Mehta

In recent years, as corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programmes have faced criticisms from some shareholders and politicians, many executives have defended these initiatives by dispassionately making the business case for DEI. They'll trot out data that show the stock performance of companies with high levels of inclusion outpace their less-diverse peers, or they'll rationalise DEI as a tool to attract a new generation of talent that prizes a workplace that mirrors the outside world.

Leila McKenzie-Delis is putting the passion back into the discourse on diversity. In The CEO Activist, McKenzie-Delis shows us that equality at work isn't just about fiscal responsibility. Her book is a full-throated reminder that fostering an inclusive corporate culture simply is the right thing to do.

Make no mistake, The CEO Activist clearly explains the economic justification for diversity through case studies and by citing research. Knowing that companies need to “measure it to manage it”, McKenzie-Delis's firm, DIAL Global, helps organisations gauge their cultures on ten facets of diversity: race, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, mental health, parenthood, nationality, religion, and socio-economic status. McKenzie-Delis understands that a strong diversity and inclusion agenda typically needs to align with broader corporate goals and priorities.

But her quest for equality is deeply personal. The CEO Activist is propelled by intimate stories of McKenzie-Delis's upbringing as a person of Chinese descent, adopted by British ex-pats in Hong Kong, struggling with dyslexia. Her journey to find a holistic sense of belonging and acceptance has fuelled her professional zeal for workplace diversity.

I share McKenzie-Delis's unbridled enthusiasm for creating more equitable workplaces, and like McKenzie-Delis, my passion grew out of personal experiences. My first full-time job in journalism came via a programme that aimed to bring more minorities into newsrooms. I got my next job at The Wall Street Journal because I met a recruiter at a conference for Asian American journalists. Having been the beneficiary of diversity programmes, I feel a deep commitment to “pay it forward” by advocating for diversity everywhere I've worked.

McKenzie-Delis and I are not alone. The CEO Activist is filled with interviews with executives who share our passion for inclusion. McKenzie-Delis highlights leaders who have experienced discrimination themselves or in their families, and who can articulate the moral and ethical imperative of empowering an inclusive workforce. Their heartfelt stories arguably are more powerful than spreadsheets and charts making the business case for DEI.

And that's the thing about passion – it transcends and supports the rationale. Leila McKenzie-Delis is hardly the first person to make strong arguments for diversity. DIAL Global is neither the largest nor it is the most prominent consultancy doing work in this area. But it was McKenzie-Delis's passion that convinced me to hear her out; I dare say, dear reader, it will do the same for you.

Introduction

I really want you to think back to a time when you felt excluded. When you felt you didn't belong, you weren't wanted or your opinion was irrelevant. Maybe, like most people, it was at primary school where ever-fluctuating friendship circles dictated our quality of life. Perhaps in senior school there was a teacher who demeaned you and crushed your spirit, or it's possible you've been trapped in a toxic and bullying work environment.

I truly hope you've never felt excluded, worthless, or an outsider – and for most people who have, hopefully, these feelings stem from temporary or fleeting interactions.

Now imagine if being excluded was the default setting of your life. Not necessarily presented in the overt bullying we witnessed at school, but in subtle signals you've received your entire life that you're somehow “different”.

I'm Leila McKenzie-Delis and I'm the founder and CEO of DIAL Global – an organisation that works with businesses to help them “do well, by doing good”. We support their economic growth and innovation by working with them to build inclusive cultures, help them understand why diversity is critical, and demonstrate how to drive faster change at all levels.

You may wonder why I have become an expert in diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity and culture (DIBEC) and what qualifies me to write this book. Well, over the coming chapters I will share with you my story – from an orphanage in Hong Kong, to being a dyslexic child in an English high school, to having white British parents, to always being overlooked by corporate organisations intake programmes, to becoming a mother, to losing my father, to building one of the most unique and important businesses in the UK.

I will explain my own experiences of exclusion, and what I've learned from my front row seat in the fight for equity and equality in the UK.

I may be sitting here now as a founder, CEO, wife, mother, grieving daughter, leader, diversity champion and someone who has been lucky enough to build a profile and a career where I am making my mark on the world, but believe me – much of my life I have felt “different”, like I don't belong, and like I will never find my place or my purpose.

In fact, if I'm being completely honest with you, I can still feel like that.

There have been times even while I've been writing this book, when I haven't felt that I've belonged in my own organisation.

Now, of course, there so many reasons why “feeling different” can happen. Sometimes it's internal factors – for example, the mood we are in, especially if we are prone to a more melancholic outlook. Sometimes it's because something seismic happens which changes our sense of self entirely.

But usually, people feel different because of external factors. The outside world is telling us that we're on the back foot because of our gender, race, sexuality, identity, socio-economic background or faith.

Do you believe that everyone should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential in the workplace – and beyond? Do you believe that every organisation can realise the benefits of inclusion? Do you believe that talent is everywhere and opportunity is not?

If you picked up this book, then I would think your answer is yes.

Are you aware that businesses which embrace having a diverse and inclusive workforce, and nurture their talent, increase profitability by at least 35%? If you didn't know that, then I'm very much looking forward to sharing with you during the course of this book, how it's down to all of us (whether we are a CEO or not) to ensure where we work, where we spend our money and the communities in which we live truly understand that building a diverse and inclusive world isn't just the right thing to do, it is a proven lever for economic growth and prosperity.

And I should know.

As part of our work supporting companies and leaders to thrive financially and morally, we focus on our ground-breaking ten holistic facets of visible and invisible diversity, including race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, mental health, parenthood and caring responsibilities, nationality, religion and socio-economic status.

We are strong believers in the phrase “you have to measure it to manage it”, so we also help diagnose organisations with where they are on their diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity and culture (DIBEC) journey, and produce The DIAL Global Diversity Review – the most comprehensive review of corporate practices against the ten facets of workplace diversity and inclusion.

The research creates an industry-standard diagnostic, and delivers annual reports from the UK and the US, by tracking and measuring annually the progress of diversity, inclusion and belonging. This allows organisations to benchmark against other organisations, learn about leading practice through case studies, and set tangible goals to move the dial year-on-year.

Through my work as a diversity champion, I have many platforms to make myself heard. I run a successful company which not only make an impact in it’s own right but also present me with the opportunity to comment on issues of which I'm passionate about – either in the media, or on panels or as a keynote speaker. I lead the direction for our newsletter, podcast, and, of course, social media platforms.

But it wasn't always this way. I spent many, many years lost, confused, and seeking direction. I didn't know what was wrong, or why, but I knew I wasn't living up to my potential. The dial was set to the wrong frequency and the signal was breaking up.

I've had a burning urge to get this story, my story, out into the world – because I know first-hand what it's like to be reduced to a box on a piece of paper. To feel defined by skin colour, ethnicity, and perceived impairment. I wanted to write this book because I wanted to share my journey, to impart some of the lessons I've learned, and hopefully inspire, educate, and motivate others.

But I also feel that even though every single thing that I do all day, every day, is around diversity, inclusion, belonging, that there's a big part of me which is hidden.

As my company grows, as my profile in this sector grows, I find myself telling my story over and over, time and time again. And it's an honour to be asked. To be relevant. To be heard.

But it's also made me quietly reflect, question and revisit my life so far – the experiences which have shaped me, and the ever-burning issue for anyone “different” – my identity.

Living in Britain as a minority member can be exhausting. Being asked “Where are you really from?” and having your accounts of discrimination overlooked, doubted, and often openly disputed. Being a wheelchair user and working in an organisation where the most basic needs and simplest of requests are overlooked, limiting your ability to thrive at your job. Coming from a working-class background, where your start in life, through no fault of your own, overshadows and limits what you can achieve for the rest of your life.

Over the last few years we've heard much of the phrase “white privilege”. While I question the helpfulness of the use of the word “privilege” as it implies a wealth or ease of life that many, many white Brits do not benefit from, I do believe the race campaigner John Amaechi summed it up perfectly. He says white privilege is “the absence of inconvenience and the absence of an impediment”.

And, of course, we can extend this notion far beyond the colour of our skin. It can apply to gender, sexuality, faith, physical and mental health. It's the ability to go through life navigating the social structures and experiences with ease, because they were made by and for people in your image. It's understandable therefore, that if you've lived your life existing within the structures that don't openly work against you, you may well be blinkered to how limiting a life outside these norms can be.

So why am I telling you all this?

Because I think we all have a responsibility to make a change. As individuals, as members of our communities, and as part of the workforce. This, at times, can feel like an impossible task.

I think the whole journey and the whole ethos behind the exploration of diversity, of wealth, of what the “S” in the ESG equation is (i.e. Social), lead the way to a whole number of other searching questions. For me, personally, the CEO Activist is each and every one of us because we all have it within us.

And what does activism even mean? I quite like the fact that activism is quite a controversial word because people talk a lot about how activism is negative or ignites a feeling of fear of intense change.

Simultaneously, there are plenty of positive connotations around activism, which are, “we're standing on a soapbox right now because we care”. This is about the future generations of leaders. This is about searching inside our own souls and searching for what CEO Activism, the Activist CEO, mean to us and to us personally as leaders.

Diversity is living, it's breathing, it's sleeping, it's eating, it's resting, it's in pain, it's starting all over again. It's breaking itself to create a new evolution – a journey that I've been on personally.

Everyone is diverse. And more so, the context of diversity is about the sum of all of the different parts. It's not just about the individual because everyone is diverse with intersectional pieces. But then also you can't have diversity unless you have a collective, ultimately.

For those of us working in diversity, inclusion, belonging, equity, and culture (DIBEC), we know that it can feel thankless, lonely, and often futile.

But whether we are CEOs or starting out on our journey in business, no matter how we identify or what our circumstances, we all have a responsibility to do our bit.

While this book will focus on leadership – my story, and the stories of other leading CEOs – what it can teach you goes way beyond the corner office and the boardroom.

And even though I've learned so many crucial lessons in my life to date, and I'm so ready to share them with you – I've also finally understood the importance of acknowledging my own vulnerabilities, and have used writing this book as somewhat of an exercise for myself. I've embraced the need to question myself, how I lead, how I run my organisation, and how I live my life.

The people I've met through writing The CEO Activist have all taught me a new way to view or explore an issue, and I'm grateful to all of them for their insights and lessons.

I've gone on my own journey, personally and professionally, through the pages of this book and I hope more than anything that the thinking outlined in this book will help all of us rise up, find our inner Activist CEO, and move the DIAL for change.

1What Is an Activist CEO?

When we hear the word “activist”, we are often faced with images of rebellion or controversy. That's not what we are talking about here.