As part of my series on ALLIES, today we are going to talk about the I in ALLIES, Include.
Inclusion is about creating a culture where everyone feels like they belong. They feel safe to share their perspective and valued for what they say and do.
How do you ensure you are being inclusive? Look around your team, organization and the meetings you are in and take mental note of whether everyone who should be represented is present. When you walk into a meeting, a team, or a group, seek out those not sharing their ideas and work to include them in the conversation. Look around the room and encourage everyone to contribute. When someone does speak up, demonstrate that their opinion matters.
Go out of your way to invite female colleagues in informal meetings that happen over lunch or drinks where they may not feel comfortable inviting themselves.
I would like to introduce you to two people who will share their story with you about the impact of these actions. My esteemed colleague, Glynis Bryan, who is the CFO for Insight. She is known for delivering results and for her commitment to driving customer and partner satisfaction. Glynis is also the winner of the 2021 Women in Cloud Allyship award herself but today, Glynis will share her story of allyship and how it has made a difference in her experience and confidence in building her career.
I would also like to introduce you to her ally, Ken Lamneck who is the former Chief Executive Officer for Insight.
Both of these individuals have led impressive businesses and hold executive roles. But we are going to play Monday morning quarterback and take you back to a time in their history when they were just connecting and the road that was paved by Ken’s intention to become an ally for Glynis.
