28. Doing DEI with Cultural Intelligence with Dr. Kristal Walker

2022-10-25

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According to Diversity Wins, the third in a series of reports from famed management consulting firm, McKinsey and Company, the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is stronger than ever. In their research, McKinsey followed the trajectories of 1,000 companies in 15 countries using a very sophisticated methodology called “social listening” to determine what actually drives success. They’ve followed these companies since 2014, so this is not simply a snapshot; instead it’s a true look, with the perspective of time, on what’s happening. The reality i...

According to Diversity Wins, the third in a series of reports from famed management consulting firm, McKinsey and Company, the business case for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) is stronger than ever. In their research, McKinsey followed the trajectories of 1,000 companies in 15 countries using a very sophisticated methodology called “social listening” to determine what actually drives success.

They’ve followed these companies since 2014, so this is not simply a snapshot; instead it’s a true look, with the perspective of time, on what’s happening. The reality is that many, if not most companies, made little progress during a 5-year period. Some even regressed. However, the diversity winners are adopting systematic, business-led approaches to inclusion and diversity (I&D).

McKinsey’s latest analysis reaffirms the strong business case for both gender diversity and ethnic and cultural diversity in corporate leadership—and shows that this business case continues to strengthen. The most diverse companies are now more likely than ever to outperform less diverse peers on profitability. Moreover, Mckinsey found that the greater the representation, the higher the likelihood of outperformance. In the case of ethnic and cultural diversity, their business-case findings are equally compelling.

While these data points are persuasive, getting there is not easy and it doesn't happen overnight. On this episode, you’ll hear from a leader in this space who is doing the hard work–on a daily basis–of creating more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations. You’ll discover what goes into making this happen and hear some ideas on how you can make it happen for your team or organization.

You’ll learn:

How to simply define and describe DEI
Why the conversation about DEI is so important
What cultural intelligence is and how to build it
Where DEI practitioners can find an appropriate certification
And much more…

Dr. Kristal Walker, CPTM

Vice President of Employee Wellbeing, Sweetwater

Dr. Kristal Walker, CPTM, has worked in the learning, leadership, and organizational development space for over 15 years helping clients engage people, apply processes, and implement technology to improve human and organizational performance. She currently serves as the vice president of employee well-being at Sweetwater Sound, where she is responsible for crafting and leading wellness, diversity and inclusion (D&I), and training initiatives. She is also a Training Industry Courses instructor, where she teaches the CPTM designation, as well as a few additional courses, including new D&I Inclusion workshop for which she authored. She is now in the process of launching oa new online institution called Proverbs University, which offers professional certifications in Corporate Training, DEI, High-Impact Leadership, and Talent Management Strategy.

Dr. Walker's education prepared her well for her current and future endeavors. Though she earned an undergraduate degree in human services, a graduate degree in management and organizational leadership, and a doctorate of management degree in organizational leadership, she is committed to forever being a student of her craft. She holds the Certified Professional in Training Management as a true testament of "practicing what she preaches". She is also certified in analyzing Caliper Essentials and PDP ProScan, TeamScan, and JobScan Assessment data, which allows her to provide expert coaching and strategy in building talent from selection through succession. According to Kristal, she takes greatest pleasure in being the wife to her loving and supportive husband, and the mother to her amazing children

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