Dave Wilkin, Co-Founder and CEO, 10KC.
Almost a year ago, to the day of writing, I closed an investment in the company I built from the ground up. And as a gay entrepreneur who was born and raised in a small town, I can speak from experience that I would never have gotten to where I am today without having allies and a strong support system around me. My journey has led me to reflect deeply on what LGBTQIA+ inclusion really looks like in the workplace, as well as the specific actions we can (and should) take as leaders.
Since the investment, I’ve managed to identify four things that I believe every executive needs to know when they’re trying to create a more diverse and inclusive organization—even beyond Pride Month.
1. Silent allyship doesn’t cut it.
You can’t be silent and also be an effective ally. I often find myself being the only openly LGBTQIA+ person in the room, but I know firsthand that you never know who around you hasn’t come out yet and might need your support. A 2018 survey found that 46% of LGBTQIA+ workers in the U.S. are closeted at work.
As leaders, we have a responsibility to make our allyship proactive and explicit for both those who are and aren’t out. You can’t just think it; you have to say it out loud. It’s crucial to directly acknowledge those who identify as LGBTQIA+ and vocalize support in front of an audience so that everyone can feel seen and heard. You truly never know who needs to feel a sense of acceptance from leadership until you start being outspoken.
2. Pride is a time of celebration—but not for everyone.
Pride isn’t pride if it isn’t intersectional. Pride month has historically been treated as a time of celebration, but it’s important to remember that much of the LGBTQIA+ community is still fighting for their rights and freedoms.
Even though I identify as gay, I understand that as a white male, I have privileges that many other LGBTQIA+ folks don’t. From the trans community to the BIPOC community, there are so many people who face multiple visible (and invisible) barriers every single day. For these communities, Pride can still feel like a very scary time.
Do the work and look beyond your privilege to understand the role of intersectionality. Be intentional and raise up those who face multiple barriers by giving your time, making an effort to be an outspoken ally or even making monetary contributions.
3. You can’t hit diversity goals if you don’t have mentoring and networking programs.
You can’t just hire diversity issues away—it needs to start from within. I’ve never had an LGBTQIA+-identifying sponsor or mentor, but I have had active allies who made a great effort to ensure I felt heard and supported. These allies encouraged me to take the first step toward starting my very own company, and I owe a lot of my success to them. But finding a mentor is easier said than done, especially for underrepresented groups. Organizations have to be intentional about creating an environment where building diverse relationships is possible.
When you leave mentoring and networking to chance, bias is inevitable. A 2019 LeanIn study found that men in senior roles were 12 times more likely to hesitate to have 1-on-1 meetings with junior women, and 60% of men feel uncomfortable in job-related activities like mentoring women. It’s gut-wrenching to think about what these statistics could look like for other underrepresented groups such as the LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC communities.
4. Check your experience at the door.
One of the best things you can do as a leader is give your time and commit to mentoring someone in the LGBTQIA+ community. I know all too well that a small commitment to someone today can make a world of difference in their future success.
I’ve spoken with hundreds—if not thousands—of VPs, C-suite executives and high-level executives. When it comes to mentoring and advice, I often hear statements like, “Here’s how I got to where I am” or “Here’s what worked for me.” It’s easy to project your own experiences and barriers onto others and assume that what worked for you will work for everyone else. However, underrepresented groups face barriers that you may never see or experience for yourself.
Inclusively elevating underrepresented groups means challenging yourself to think about how others’ experiences are different from your own. Instead of focusing on your experience, listen to those communities, think about what it is that they need and then give it to them.
For workplaces to become truly inclusive, leaders and executives need to go beyond diversity goals and rainbow flags.
Securing one of the largest investments in Canadian tech last year was no easy feat, and I couldn’t have done it without the support of active allies and mentors.
We must foster environments where that level of mentorship and support is not just available but utilized. Inspire inclusive conversations, behaviors and actions and a better and more diverse workplace will follow.
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