Allyship, Mentorship, and Sponsorship Strategies
Invariant’s Dialogue for Change
In its 14th Dialogue for Change — “Fostering Greater Inclusion and Retention through Allyship, Mentorship, and Sponsorship Strategies” — Invariant explores practices and tools that can help organizations achieve a more inclusive, innovative, and sustainable workforce.
Invariant’s Joseph Vaughan moderated the conversation with expert panelists Audria Pendergrass Lee, FINRA’s Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Chief Diversity Officer; Bradlee Benn, Russell Reynolds’s co-lead of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Americas; and Todd Sears, Out Leadership’s CEO and founder.
Five key takeaways:
1. Diversity is not a math problem to be solved. Companies should be less concerned about making sure their employee population looks a certain way and more focused on how differences in background, thought, and experience can create an inclusive working environment to improve business outcomes.
2. Use “Ally” as a verb. Allyship is being a consistent collaborator and advocate. Organizations should create policies and programs to make all employees feel comfortable and equal at work — or face talent attrition and lack of productivity from employees who feel they cannot be themselves at work.
3. Listen more than you talk. Employees deserve opportunities to teach leaders how to be better allies and model the right ways to handle uncertainties about diversity, equity, and inclusion. The more leaders admit they do not have the answers and look to others for help, the more inclusive the entire organization will become.
4. Provide opportunities for sponsorship and mentorship. Create moments for employees of all backgrounds and experiences to get to know company leaders through a task force or special project. These moments give leaders a chance to see employees at work, give them feedback in real time, and form deeper relationships.
5. Bridge generational boundaries. Through strategic engagement and support with next-generation leaders, business leaders can achieve greater retention, foster skill development, achieve greater business continuity, and increase the business visibility of Millennials and Gen Z.
Watch the discussion here:
You can read Invariant’s previous Dialogue for Change recaps and recommendations here.
