Who are your dream clients?
All the insurance employers! I’d love to work with all of them. There are a few that I’m working with that, to be honest, I never would have thought I would. They’re global, and here I am sitting in Connecticut! I’m just very blessed to be engaging with them and that they find what I do valuable. And I’d love to work with Chubb, with Marsh. I really admire their reputation as employers. They’ve put some great things out there, and they are willing to think outside the box. I think, “We can change the game if you just let me in!” [Laughs] And I know I’ve named Chubb and Marsh but if I could give characteristics of an employer or company I’d love to work with, it’d be one that’s really committed to the innovation aspect of diversity. If you think about diversity in the insurance industry, it’s not a new concept. We’ve been talking about diversity. I’ve been in insurance for 25 years. We’ve been talking about it since I got recruited from an HBCU. It’s very much a phrase that is played out. We added inclusion, we added equity, we added equality…diversity has come and gone. It’s had its iterations. And unfortunately a lot of people are doing the same things we did 25 years ago in 2021. If it didn’t work then, and we’re in the same spot, what makes you think it’s going to work going forward? So that’s where I’d love to work with an employer who is willing to step outside of that and be an industry leader, a thought leader and innovator who says “Okay, you know what? Let’s try something different.” What’s the worst that can happen? We stay where we are? We’re already doing that.
What is one key piece of advice you would offer any companies who want to increase the diversity of their workforce?
I have this conversation all the time, when I’m doing my pitch. Everyone says “Okay, we need to focus on recruiting,” but there’s no mention of retention. You need to fundamentally understand that the two go hand in hand. You cannot have increased representation if you do not focus on both.
What do you consider the most critical mistake an organization can make when developing a plan for increasing diversity and inclusion?
Oftentimes I think organizations are being tactical versus being strategic. They hit on the actions that get them the checkbox today, but they’re not being very strategic about the long haul or how it impacts other aspects of the organization, like procurement, employee benefits, underwriting, pricing and distribution. And don’t forget that these individuals within your company tend to touch your clients, your vendors. Organizations sometimes lose sight of the impact. Diversity affects all aspects and functions of the organization.
What advice would you have for people who aren’t in leadership positions within their company who want to drive cultural change within the organization?
I think the one thing that people can do is refer people in. As a Black community, when a company is treating us right, the first thing we do is tell our colleagues: “This is the place to be!” We need to do more of that and be more intentional. If you’re in an organization where you’re not going to be a hiring manager but know there’s a job opening, you need to be telling 15 of your Black colleagues to apply. Sometimes we don’t want to share because we feel we might miss out on opportunities for ourselves in the future–if someone else comes in, that decreases my probability of getting a promotion, right? There can only be one of us at the top. But that’s not true. We can all be at the top. Having a bigger appreciation for the opportunities and the need for representation, but making sure that you’re also being intentional about sharing those opportunities with people outside the company who look like you. I mean, we all have networks of Black colleagues that we interact with. At least, I hope we do…if we don’t, you need to join NAAIA! [Laughs] But that’s where the opportunity for people who are not in management positions really is–talk about what’s going on in your organization and recruit for them as well.
