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I think it's time to move on to our next speaker. This topic is really important, and this session will be very useful.
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I work with upcoming talents, and I was really happy when I saw our team of speakers. We have a lot of diversity here, and since representation matters so much to my talents, it's nice to see that your community is diverse and inclusive. Melisa will talk about why a diverse team is crucial to startup success.
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Team diversity refers to differences among members of a startup team. Those differences can include demographic differences like age, race, sex, and ethnicity, personality types such as extroverts and introverts, and functional differences in skill sets like engineering, design, copywriting, and marketing. How does team diversity impact your customers' experience from the moment they learn about you through their journey with you? You will attract and relate to customers who look like you. They will understand your messaging, and you will understand their needs. If you don’t represent the right dimensions of diversity, you are leaving an amazing experience behind.
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Melissa has worked in the tech industry for over 20 years, in roles ranging from junior software engineer to her current role as the Chief Customer Experience Officer at Adaptation. Melissa, it's your turn.
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Thank you so much, and thank you for having me here. I'm really excited to bring diversity as a topic to you. It's great to see the diverse speakers at the event so far over the last couple of days, and I'm thrilled to share my own experience and provide some tips and tricks on how to start with diversity if you haven't yet.
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As the introduction mentioned, I've been a technologist for over 20 years and have held various roles, both as an individual contributor and in leadership positions. As a female in the tech industry, I've noticed that we are often a minority, making this topic particularly near and dear to my heart. I'm passionate about it and eager to inspire diversity of thought among all of you.
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You'll notice that I emphasize the importance of diversity for startup success, partly because I work at a startup called Adaptation, which is based in New Hampshire. It's exciting to engage with people worldwide on this topic. Our startup focuses on customer experience, specifically user experience. We build our platform using Ruby to create wonderful experiences for our customers on top of their enterprise CRM.
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I've been in this industry for a while, and as a female, I provide a diverse perspective, which is unfortunately still rare, even after all these years. I co-founded an initiative called Diversify Thinking with a colleague of mine after years of volunteering in the women in tech space. There are many branded organizations and initiatives, and I've volunteered and spoken at various levels.
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My biggest frustration is that while we create safe spaces, circles, and communities, we often lack actionable outcomes from those conversations. My mission, as the Chief Customer Experience Officer at a tech startup in New Hampshire, is to educate people on how to start and give them the tools they need to take action and elevate the level of conversation. I hope this discussion will benefit everyone today and inspire action in all of you.
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I want each of you to leave here today thinking differently, even if it’s just one thought. That's my mission for the next few minutes. I'm open to any questions about my experience or how you can move forward. This topic is positioned for startup success, but I challenge you to consider your own context. You may not be at a startup; you could be at a large corporation, freelancing, or consulting. No matter your perspective, the principles here apply to you because diversity affects your customers.
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I believe that having a diverse team is crucial, regardless of the context you're in. I'm a firm believer in this and can confidently say that it adds value. So, let’s dive deeper into this topic. The most important first step in this process is definition. I strongly believe in the idea that words matter, and it's vital to acknowledge that my definition of diversity might differ from yours. If you have a predisposed idea of what diversity means, I encourage you to reassess.
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The common definition often revolves around race and gender, which is a bias present in our discussions. While race and gender are undeniably important factors in diversity, I want to challenge you to recognize that diversity consists of many dimensions. It includes age, as we've experienced ageism, and generational diversity is a topic we don’t discuss enough. Additionally, it encompasses race, religion, and many other factors, but you must understand what’s essential to you and how you define diversity.
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Given the pandemic and its impact on women who have had to step down from their careers across various industries, there’s been a significant push for gender diversity. I fully support this initiative, but you need to understand what’s significant to you and define it clearly. Write down your definition and share it with your team or organization to understand your goals better. This will reflect your definition of diversity and guide your actions toward achieving it.
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Many organizations, both small and large, set ambitious goals like achieving gender equality by 2025. While I support these goals, they often focus on gender without addressing race. Thus, they could be promoting a primarily white initiative, which presents its own challenges. It’s crucial to be clear about your definition upfront, as this understanding will guide the entire process.
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If you just dive in without defining diversity, you will miss out on the benefits that come from understanding the other dimensions, such as personality types and backgrounds. For example, an individual transitioning into tech from journalism or marketing brings a unique perspective that contributes to diversity. Therefore, you need to challenge how you perceive diversity and write down your definitions.
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This step is crucial for the entire process. Once you've defined what diversity means in your context, it's essential to start as soon as possible to avoid accruing what I term 'diversity debt.' This means that you should have started yesterday, as you're already behind in building your team. If you haven’t defined what diversity means to you and to your organization, you already have some level of diversity debt.
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You must begin immediately because these actions lead to change. Understanding your definition and creating a plan to achieve it is paramount. If you start at the top, this is critical, especially in a startup. I'm proud to say that in our leadership team, we are 75% diverse, which is quite remarkable.
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Many companies are led by women, and having diverse leadership matters. If the leadership team isn't diverse, that is the most visible part of your company. It influences not only internal dynamics but also how you are perceived externally. A diverse leadership team can attract a wider customer base and foster innovation and creativity throughout the organization.
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Leadership matters, and diversifying it creates visibility and sets the tone for the rest of your organization. You want your leadership team to comprise individuals from various backgrounds who've experienced different perspectives, as that contributes profoundly to your success. It's important that these leaders feel supported and can openly discuss various issues that arise in the business.
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Many people express concern over the perceived lack of diverse candidates in pipelines for tech roles. I challenge this notion, arguing there is more of a pathways problem than a pipeline issue. Companies often fail to seek out diverse candidates actively. We must create pathways that individuals can pursue to transition into leadership roles. We need to focus less on the absence of candidates and more on building these navigable avenues.
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Investing time is essential to change the narrative around this issue, as more time dedicated to this search leads to better hiring outcomes. If data shows that diverse leadership teams yield superior business results, why wouldn’t you invest in diversifying your leadership? This should be a priority because it influences not only the company's culture but its bottom line as well.
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Now, let’s shift our focus to recruitment. In our team at Adaptation, we utilize our version of the Rooney Rule, focusing on having a diverse candidate pool. Our goal is to reach 50% diversity by the second round of interviews. This approach helps ensure diversity throughout the hiring process and allows us to have a broader representation of candidates.
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In recruitment, it’s vital to minimize bias in job descriptions. We keep our descriptions light and open-ended, as roles can evolve significantly in a startup environment. We're careful not to impose excessive expectations that narrow the applicant pool. Tools like gender decoders help identify biases in job descriptions, allowing us to make necessary adjustments.
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This ensures our job postings don’t unintentionally deter women or diverse candidates from applying. Considering that women may view job qualifications very differently than men, it's critical to present these requirements thoughtfully. The language used must resonate with potential applicants, allowing them to envision themselves in the role.
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It's imperative to seek out diverse candidates actively. We achieved remarkable results by broadening our recruitment strategies. Additionally, as you build your team, remember that it’s not enough to merely hire diverse individuals. We must focus on fostering inclusion, ensuring all voices are heard, and creating an environment where everyone feels they belong.
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Inclusion goes beyond merely filling a seat; it means listening to the voices at the table and appreciating different perspectives. As leaders, we must cultivate a culture where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute. A diverse team doesn’t just foster innovation and creativity; it creates an environment of trust and collaboration.
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As an individual contributor, you can also influence diversity and inclusion in your organization. No matter your title or role, you can lead from any position. It's about being curious and inviting discussions that empower others. When you notice someone is quiet in a meeting, ask for their thoughts. That simple action can create a more inclusive environment.
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We need to focus on ensuring that the diversity of thought is cultivated, making all individuals feel welcomed and embraced in the organization. Invite challenges and inquiries, and look for ways to inspire collaboration among your team. To sum it up, you define diversity and understand its relevance to your context, assess how to start, consider the steps to incorporate diversity in your hiring practices, and create spaces for every voice.
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Next, you must evaluate your progress. You won’t truly know if you’re successful if you don’t track your stats. Make a list of your most recent promotions, hires, and even the recipients of raises, and analyze the diversity within those groups. Acknowledge who you're providing opportunities to, as these patterns can greatly affect your organization’s culture.
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Regularly reflecting on patterns is critical. If diverse candidates are departing at a higher rate, there might be issues requiring your attention. The key lies in measuring not only recruitment efforts but also retention to determine success with diversity initiatives. This approach is not a one-time project; it requires ongoing commitment and action.
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The need for diversity to be integrated into the fabric of an organization is critical, as various studies demonstrate that diverse leadership teams contribute positively to business performance. A diverse team benefits everyone involved, and as you all know, the goal is to succeed. Even as individual contributors, our efforts contribute to the overall success of the business.
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If you have concerns that your voice isn't influencing the processes and policies surrounding diversity, consider your sphere of influence. Each of you can raise awareness and challenge existing norms of how diversity is viewed and practiced. The efforts put forth today must extend beyond metrics and embrace the idea of building a workplace culture that believes in the significance of diversity.
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Ultimately, recognize the amount of work needed around diversity. You may think your organization is excelling in recruitment, but if you don’t measure or analyze retention metrics, you’ll miss crucial information. Continuous reflection and measurement will create opportunities for progressive change.
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As we conclude this discussion, I encourage you to define diversity in your context, identify the dimensions that matter most, measure progress, and hold conversations about how you can actively foster diversity in your teams. Remember, this journey starts with understanding your baseline and ensuring every team's voices are amplified and respected. Let’s keep this conversation going.
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Thank you all for your time. If you're interested in further discussing this topic or have specific questions, feel free to reach out through the contact link shared. I appreciate you all and look forward to continuing this important conversation on diversity.
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It's crucial to invest in diversity, not just for the results but to improve workplace culture overall. Remember that the process will have challenging phases; however, with persistence and a commitment to inclusivity, we can foster innovation and creativity in our spaces and relationships.
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I appreciate you all for joining this discussion; together, we can cultivate a thriving environment that values diversity and leads to shared success.
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Thank you, Melissa! This is such an important topic, and we've had a lot of comments and questions for you.
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Thank you for mentioning that there's more to diversity than just race and gender.
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Peter commented that all the talks were excellent so far, but this one was exactly what he needed in his current situation.
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Let's proceed with the questions. Do you use anonymous sorting for applications to avoid any bias and ensure there is no discrimination or subconscious choices?
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Our job applications are minimal and open-ended, which helps us get a varied candidate pool. When our head of people ops reviews applications, she asks for preferred pronouns, but we don't employ a sorting algorithm. However, I've heard of hiring processes that anonymize applications to eliminate biases, which is an intriguing approach.
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As a woman in tech and an age advocate, I can relate to questions regarding ageism. I've noticed it poses challenges, especially in startup environments where older women might self-select out due to perceived risks.
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Finland has discussions around ageism, particularly concerning young male-driven startups. It's clear discussions around age and opportunity need to continue, focusing on sharing experiences that highlight the value of diversity.
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When you mentioned your leadership team is 75% diverse, can you clarify what definition of diversity applies in that case? That's an important point for our conversation.
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My leadership team consists of three women and one man, giving us a 75% female representation. We focus on diversity not just in gender but across various backgrounds to foster a more inclusive environment.
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We have many discussions about how to create non-biased recruitment advertisements, and one crucial factor relates to personality and characteristics. Hiring with intention allows for increased diversity of thought, which is essential to our overall success.
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We use the gender decoder as a tool to evaluate language in our job descriptions, focusing on how it might impact potential candidates. Achieving an inclusive environment requires a constant evaluation of the language and strategies we use.
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Thank you for the engaging conversation. It's been a pleasure to reflect on these important topics of diversity, and I'm looking forward to continuing our discussions through social media and community platforms.
