Diversity Woman Magazine

SUM 2014

Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds

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d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m S u m m e r 2 0 1 4 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 9 W hen I was in my 20s and working as a marketing assistant at DuPont, I wanted so badly to get into a salaried role. But the opportunity for that sort of promotion was pretty much nonexistent. I don't believe that my race or gender was an issue—it was simply considered a massive organizational leap to go from nonexempt to exempt status. When a Mentor Appears, Listen Ten, Don Clark entered my life. Don could not have been more diferent from me—he was a white male who grew up in a very diferent background from mine. But Don must have seen promise in me, because he took me under his wing (the old- school phrase for mentoring!). He recog- nized how driven I was and how eager I was to contribute more to his organization. Don told me, "Tere are ways to stand out that go way beyond a college degree, qualifcations, performance, or even hard work." He was referring to competencies and attributes that make you stand out and be recognized as an employee ready for a leadership role. He told me how to prove to the organization that I was a leader, capable of a more senior role in the marketing department. I should begin, he said, by simply sitting in on marketing team meetings. He said at frst I should only listen. After a period of time, he encouraged me to come to him with ideas. A little later, he recommended I participate in the meetings. Ten he gave me a formal role in those meetings. Shortly thereafter, I was given an unprecedented promotion into a salaried, exempt position as communications mar- keting representative. I ended up advanc- ing to many roles over my 14-year career with DuPont, ultimately landing in global marketing. I owe so much to Don. My story demon- strates the value not necessarily of fnding a man as a mentor, but of being open to fnding guidance and mentorship from the unexpected. Someone who doesn't look or sound like you can often trigger inspira- tion or be the key to career advancement. Tis issue of DW honors that notion. To learn more about how men are help- ing woman advance in their careers—and vice versa—read our cover story, "Men as Allies," beginning on page 28. Tree groundbreaking men in the world of D&I;—Reginald Van Lee of Booz Allen Hamilton, Steve Pemberton of Walgreens, and Jorge Quezada of Kraft—give their take on how men can help women advance and transform their organization into a more inclusive place. Elsewhere in this issue, diversity and in- clusion expert Howard Ross evaluates the state of D&I; today—and comes up with some surprising conclusions. But it's also summertime! As we do every year, DW contributes its quota of plain old fun beach reading. Check out DW Life, our lifestyle section. In this issue, we give you tips on how to stay healthy while traveling (hint: your hotel's continental breakfast may not be the best choice), and we take you to a surprisingly hot destina- tion for both work and fun—Cleveland. Believe it or not, this Rust Belt city has become a cultural mecca. Sheila Robinson Publisher, Diversity Woman Publisher's Page > Someone who doesn't look or sound like you can trigger in- spiration or be the key to career advancement.

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