Diversity Hiring Fire Drills with Venesa Klein of Calibre One

It is no secret that diversity sparks innovation and fuels business growth. 

But diversity for the sake of image or social pressure is dangerous. It needs to truly be embedded into the fabric of the corporate values in how people interact. It is not just checking off a box to satisfy outsiders.

This is most dangerous when someone is hired simply for their gender or race without any consideration of what the individual is positioned to contribute. Values are misaligned, expectations miscommunicated and voila …. Let the nightmare begin.

Costly mistakes that result in wrongful terminations, and hostile work environment lawsuits. 

Our guest today: Venesa Klein, Executive Recruiter & Partner for Calibre One.

Since 2007, Venesa has helped some of the world's most successful companies build out the critical leadership teams that drive their success. 

As Partner at Calibre One, Venesa founded its Purpose-Driven Practice, which focuses on placing executives in growing organizations seeking to create innovation with meaningful impact. Her empathy forward personality along with her strategic thinking has enabled her to successfully build diversity programs for her clients. 

Today we discuss:

• Why diversity may not be right for your company
• How to correctly implement a diversity program

Challenge today? Having a real diversity strategy

• Implement a long term strategy that develops people into leaders
• Diversity in leadership to fill a role - check off the box
• Oh Shit, we need to hire a woman because we are an all male leadership team
• the structure to give opportunity to diversity 
• Vanity hire

Why is this important to the company?

• Real change and a more diverse workforce equals growth & innovation
• Companies 
• The reality is that a woman
• Diversity of perspective:  Will the person really be valued

Rick’s Nuggets

• Hiring for core values alignment eliminates bias, promotes diversity
• Just filling a seat for diversity sake, dangerous
  • Value aligned
  • Empowered to thrive

How do we solve the problem?

• Bottom up approach
  • Add people at the most jr level first
• Development plan
  • Way of identifying people who are doing well and offering opportunity to continuously grow
• Promote into leadership
  • Incentivizing organization to develop those around them
  • Leadership accountability
• When you have to go out to search
  • Leadership team in agreement 
  • Think through the obstacles in recruiting within the criteria
  • Ask Why?
  • Needs to be a level of honesty -that is not happening

Rick’s Nuggets

• Build your interview process to eliminate bias first
  • Value alignment first
    • Values come in every flavor of person
  • Positioning before Pitch
    • Understand the person’s desires
  • Path to success
    • Heal their career wounds with your opportunity

Key Takeaways -Value:

• Bottom up approach
• Strategy around developing diversity in the organization
• Looking through the lens of diversity

Guest Links:

Venesa Klein: LinkedIn  Twitter 

Company: Calibre One  Facebook  Twitter

 

This show is proudly sponsored by Criteria Crop