16 Mar 2023 12:34 am
This is the latest devastating Op-Ed from Afrotech. Most of you have probably read it already, but for those who missed it...
Op-Ed: White Men Prove Incapable Of Handling More Than One Task At A Time (msn.com)
Despite all the indicators of incompetence on the part of an executive team made up of over 70% white men, the “Andy Kesslers” of the world flocked to The Wall Street Journal opinion section to entertain the classic argument that focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion was a distraction from the “real” business of running Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). How original and certainly worthy of publication! Those who promote this idea seem oblivious to the fact that they are essentially admitting that homogeneous leadership teams are incapable of multitasking. If incorporating the perspectives of women, LGBTQ, and Black people is enough to cause a group of white men to fail in leading SVB, then they were not competent to manage a bank in the first place.So, let’s be clear — a focus and commitment to diversity is a strength and never a distraction. Research has shown that companies with diverse leadership teams are more likely to be profitable because they can tap into a wider range of customers and markets while being better equipped to address the needs and preferences of a wide range of customer groups.The Selig Center for Economic Growth estimates that African American and Hispanic consumers combine to have 20% of the total buying power in the United States. This equates to trillions of dollars spent in alignment with a different set of needs and preferences. Therefore, companies that want to participate in this economy and sell to more than just white men must have the perspectives of more than just white men at the table.
Op-Ed: White Men Prove Incapable Of Handling More Than One Task At A Time (msn.com)
Despite all the indicators of incompetence on the part of an executive team made up of over 70% white men, the “Andy Kesslers” of the world flocked to The Wall Street Journal opinion section to entertain the classic argument that focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion was a distraction from the “real” business of running Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). How original and certainly worthy of publication! Those who promote this idea seem oblivious to the fact that they are essentially admitting that homogeneous leadership teams are incapable of multitasking. If incorporating the perspectives of women, LGBTQ, and Black people is enough to cause a group of white men to fail in leading SVB, then they were not competent to manage a bank in the first place.So, let’s be clear — a focus and commitment to diversity is a strength and never a distraction. Research has shown that companies with diverse leadership teams are more likely to be profitable because they can tap into a wider range of customers and markets while being better equipped to address the needs and preferences of a wide range of customer groups.The Selig Center for Economic Growth estimates that African American and Hispanic consumers combine to have 20% of the total buying power in the United States. This equates to trillions of dollars spent in alignment with a different set of needs and preferences. Therefore, companies that want to participate in this economy and sell to more than just white men must have the perspectives of more than just white men at the table.