reverse mentoring program - breaking barriers 逆向指导计划打破壁垒

REVERSEMENTORINGPROGRAMDRIVINGDIVERSITYTOTHETOPATREUTERSPETERALTSCHUL“NEVERDOUBTFORAMOMENTTHATATHOUGHTFULGROUPOFCOMMITTEDCITIZENSCANCHANGETHEWORLDINDEEDTHATSALLTHATEVERHAS“MARGARETMEADEABOUTTHEORGANIZATIONREUTERSISAGLOBALINFORMATIONCOMPANYWITHITSHEADQUARTERSINLONDONPROVIDINGINFORMATIONTAILOREDFORPROFESSIONALSINTHEFINANCIALSERVICES,MEDIA,ANDCORPORATEMARKETSWHILEREUTERSISBESTKNOWNFORSUPPLYINGNEWSTEXT,GRAPHICS,VIDEOANDPICTURESTOMEDIAORGANIZATIONSACROSSTHEGLOBE,MORETHAN90OFITSREVENUEDERIVESFROMITSFINANCIALSERVICESBUSINESSMORETHAN300,000FINANCIALMARKETPROFESSIONALSWORKINGINTHEEQUITIES,FIXEDINCOME,FOREIGNEXCHANGE,MONEY,COMMODITIESANDENERGYMARKETSAROUNDTHEWORLDUSEREUTERSPRODUCTSREUTERSCORESTRENGTHSLIEINPROVIDINGTHECONTENT,ANALYTICS,TRADINGANDMESSAGINGCAPABILITIESNEEDEDBYFINANCIALPROFESSIONALSITSOPENTECHNOLOGY,BASEDONINDUSTRYSTANDARDS,ENABLESITSCUSTOMERSTOSEARCH,STORE,ANDINTEGRATETHEIRINFORMATIONWITHCONTENTFROMOTHERSOURCES,FACILITATINGTHEWAYTHEYWORKADDITIONALLY,REUTERSPROVIDESFINANCIALINSTITUTIONSWITHSPECIALLYDESIGNEDTOOLSTOHELPITSCUSTOMERSREDUCERISKANDDISTRIBUTEANDMANAGETHEEVERINCREASINGVOLUMESOFMARKETDATAITSELECTRONICTRADINGSERVICESCONNECTFINANCIALCOMMUNITIES,HELPINGTHEMTOGAINACCESSTOTHEBESTPRICESANDTOTRADEEFFICIENTLYANDEFFECTIVELYREUTERSAMERICASDIVISIONISHEADQUARTEREDINNEWYORKCITY,WITHOFFICESLOCATEDTHROUGHOUTTHEUNITEDSTATES,CANADA,ANDLATINAMERICADIAGNOSISINAPRIL,2000,REUTERSAMERICASNEWLYFORMEDDIVERSITYADVISORYCOUNCILDACHELDITSFIRSTMEETINGITSMEMBERSREPRESENTEDAVARIETYOFUNDERREPRESENTEDGROUPSANDWORKEDINMANYDIFFERENTBUSINESSUNITSTOMGLOCER,THEHEADOFREUTERSAMERICASLEGALDEPARTMENT,ANDLATERTOBECOMETHECEOOFREUTERS,SPONSOREDTHEMEETING,ANDAGREEDTOWORKWITHTHEDACTOENCOURAGEEACHMEMBEROFTHESENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMCONSISTINGOFTHECHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER,THECHIEFFINANCIALOFFICER,ANDBUSINESSUNITEXECUTIVESTODEVELOPANNUALDIVERSITYRELATEDGOALSFORTHEMSELVESANDTHEIRBUSINESSUNITSOVERTHENEXT18MONTHS,EACHDACMEMBER,INCONJUNCTIONWITHAHUMANRESOURCESREPRESENTATIVE,ASSISTEDBUSINESSUNITLEADERSTODEVELOPDIVERSITYRELATEDGOALSTHATWERECONNECTEDTOTHEIRANNUALBUSINESSGOALSINTHEHOPETHAT,OVERTIME,THESEINDIVIDUALEFFORTSCOULDBECOMBINEDTOFORGEANORGANIZATIONWIDEDIVERSITYINITIATIVEDURINGSUBSEQUENTDACMEETINGS,MEMBERSAGREEDTHATSENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMMEMBERSUNDERSTOODTHE“BUSINESSCASE“FORDIVERSITYHOWTHEPERCENTAGEOFMINORITIESWASINCREASINGCOMPAREDTOTHOSEOFEUROPEANHERITAGEHOWANINCREASINGLYDIVERSEWORKFORCEMIGHTTAPINTOMARKETSASYETUNEXPLOREDANDHOWDIFFERINGEXPERIENCESANDIDEASMIGHTYIELDBETTERSOLUTIONSTOBUSINESSPROBLEMSHOWEVER,THESELEADERSWEREHAVINGMOREDIFFICULTYUNDERSTANDING,AND/ORCOMMITTINGTO,THESTEPSREUTERSAMERICAMIGHTTAKETOBENEFITFROMAMOREDIVERSEWORKFORCE“WEWANTTODIVERSIFYOURWORKFORCE,BUTRARELYSEEANYQUALIFIEDMINORITYCANDIDATES,“SEVERALUNITLEADERSCONFIDED“WEHIREMORETHANOURSHAREOFPEOPLEFROMDIVERSEBACKGROUNDS,BUTTHOSEWELIKEREGULARLYLEAVE,“OTHERSWOULDCOMPLAIN,WHILEOTHERSWOULDDECLARETHATTHEYWOULDLIKETOPROMOTEMOREPEOPLEOFDIVERSEBACKGROUNDS,BUTTHAT“THOSEPEOPLE“SIMPLYWERENOTASQUALIFIEDASTHOSETHEYPROMOTEDFINALLY,SENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMMEMBERSTENDEDTOAVOIDCONFLICTSINSTEADOFATTEMPTINGTORESOLVETHEMADEFINITEHINDRANCETOMANAGINGDIVERSITYANDOTHERBUSINESSRELATEDCONFLICTSEFFECTIVELYTHEINDIVIDUALEFFORTSOFDACMEMBERSTOCOACHSENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMMEMBERSWERELESSTHANSUCCESSFULLEADERSWOULDEITHERIGNOREARTICLESDESCRIBINGSUCCESSFULSTRATEGIESEMPLOYEDBYTHEIRCUSTOMERSANDCOMPETITORSORWOULDASSERT“WELL,THATWORKEDFORTHEM,BUTWEREDIFFERENT“EFFORTSTOSHAREWORKPLACECHALLENGESTHATPEOPLEFROMUNDERREPRESENTEDGROUPSREGULARLYFACEWEREMETWITHEITHERDISBELIEFORWITHTHERESPONSE“OH,IEXPERIENCEDSOMETHINGSIMILAR,BUTIFOUNDAWAYTOOVERCOMEIT“THEIDEATHUS,IBEGANSEARCHINGFORACOSTEFFECTIVESTRATEGYTOINCREASETHECOMMITMENTAMONGREUTERSAMERICASSENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMMEMBERSTOCHANGETHEREUTERSCULTUREIREJECTEDSEVERALDIVERSITYTRAININGACTIVITIESDUETOTHEIRPROHIBITIVECOSTANDMYBELIEFTHATTHEYWOULDPROVEINEFFECTIVEAFTERALL,WEHADUSEDMANYOFTHETECHNIQUESCOMMONLYASSOCIATEDWITHTHESEPROGRAMSENUMERATINGTHEBENEFITSOFDIVERSITY,DESCRIBINGTHECHALLENGESTHATMINORITIESREGULARLYFACE,ANDLISTING“DIVERSITYBESTPRACTICES“WITHLITTLESUCCESSINANYCASE,MEMBERSOFREUTERSAMERICASSENIORLEADERSHIPTEAMWEREUNACCUSTOMEDTOPARTICIPATINGINWORKSHOPSAIMEDATENHANCINGINTERPERSONALSKILLSAFTERSEVERALMONTHSOFFRUITLESSSEARCHING,IOVERHEARDACOLLEAGUEDESCRIBINGAUNIQUEMENTORINGPROGRAMWHEREPEOPLEOFDIVERSEBACKGROUNDSMENTOREDSENIORMANAGERSCONCERNINGDIVERSITYRELATEDTOPICSINTRIGUED,IDISCUSSEDTHISCONCEPTWITHMYCOLLEAGUE,ANDDECIDEDTOATTEMPTTOIMPLEMENTTHISPROGRAMATREUTERSAMERICABASEDONTHEDACSDIAGNOSISDESCRIBEDINTHEPRIORSECTION,THEMANAGEROFTHEDIVERSITYPROGRAMANDIDETERMINEDTHATTHEGOALSOFTHISPROGRAMWOULDBETOINCREASECOMMITMENTAMONGSENIORMANAGERSTORECRUIT,RETAIN,ANDPROMOTETALENTEDPEOPLEFROMUNDERREPRESENTEDGROUPSEDUCATESENIORMANAGERSPROTEGESABOUTTHECHALLENGESTHATPEOPLEFROMUNDERREPRESENTEDPOPULATIONSOFTENEXPERIENCEWITHIN,ANDOUTSIDEOF,THEWORKPLACEENHANCELEADERSHIP,CONFLICTMANAGEMENT,ANDCOACHINGSKILLSOFBOTHPROTEGESANDMENTORSANDDEVELOPSTRATEGIESTOIMPROVETHEWORKENVIRONMENTMARKETINGTHEIDEAISTRESSEDTHEFOLLOWINGPOINTSWHILEMARKETIN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ANGEDURINGTHEWRAPUPSESSIONPROGRAMEVALUATIONDATASOURCESTHEEVALUATIONOFTHISPROGRAMISBASEDONTHREEDATASOURCESTHE“EVALUATIONTOOLS“DESCRIBEDINTHEPREVIOUSSECTIONPROVIDEDINVALUABLEDATACONCERNINGNUMBEROFMEETINGSHELD,TOPICSDISCUSSED,LESSONSLEARNED,ANDSUGGESTIONSCONCERNINGHOWREUTERSAMERICASCULTUREMIGHTBEIMPROVEDTHISDATAWASSUPPLEMENTEDBYINTERVIEWINGPROGRAMPARTICIPANTSANDMONITORINGACTIVITIESTHATTHISPROGRAMGENERATEDSOMEQUANTITATIVEDATAASINDICATEDABOVE,SIXMENTORPROTEGEPAIRSCOMMITTEDTOMEETINGFORATLEASTONEHOURPERMONTHFORSIXMONTHSDURINGTHEFIRSTYEAROFTHEPROGRAM,AND15PAIRSMADETHESAMECOMMITMENTDURINGTHEPROGRAMSSECONDYEARDURINGTHEFIRSTYEAR,FOURPAIRSMETTHISOBJECTIVE,WITHTHREEPAIRSTAKINGPARTINATLEASTSEVENMEETINGSAVERAGING90MINUTESPERMEETINGDURINGTHESECONDYEAR,11OFTHE15PAIRSMETTHIS“ONEHOURONCEPERMONTHFORSIXMONTHS“OBJECTIVE,WITHSIXPAIRSMEETINGSEVENORMORETIMES,ANDAPPROXIMATELY60OFMEETINGSLASTING90MINUTESTOTWOHOURSTENOFTHE142005PAIRSAND9OUTOF12OFTHE2006PAIRSMETPROGRAMOBJECTIVESTHREEMENTORPROTEGEPAIRSCONTINUEDTHEIRRELATIONSHIPAFTERTHEFORMALCOMPLETIONOFTHEFIRSTYEAROFTHEPROGRAMWHILESEVENPAIRSSTATEDTHATTHEYMET“SEVERALTIMES“AFTERTHEFORMALCOMPLETIONOFTHEPROGRAMSSECONDYEARUNFORTUNATELY,NODATAWASKEPTCONCERNINGTHENUMBEROFPAIRSWHOCONTINUEDTOMEETINFORMALLYAFTERTHEFORMALCOMPLETIONOFTHEPROGRAMSTHIRDANDFOURTHYEARSTHREEPRIMARYFACTORSCONSPIREDTOPREVENTTHOSEPAIRSWHOFAILEDTOMEETPROGRAMOBJECTIVESTHELAYINGOFFOFAMEMBEROFAPAIRPRIORTOTHECOMPLETIONOFTHEPROGRAMDIFFICULTIESINESTABLISHINGA“STRONGENOUGH“RELATIONSHIPANDOVERCOMMITMENT“ITHOUGHTIWOULDHAVETIMETODOTHIS,BUTIMJUSTTOOBUSY“ADDITIONALLY,CHANGESINTHEDIVERSITYPROGRAMRESULTEDINMENTORSINTHETHIRDANDFOURTHYEAROFTHEPROGRAMNOTRECEIVINGASMUCHCOACHINGASTHEIRPREDECESSORSTHISDATASUGGESTAHIGHCOMMITMENTAMONGBOTHGROUPSTOTHISPROGRAM,PARTICULARLYGIVENTHEBUSYSCHEDULESANDCHAOSTHATPERVADESATYPICALMULTINATIONALCORPORATIONMOREOVER,MANYSENIORMANAGERSREPORTEDTHATTHETIMESPENTWITHTHEIRMENTOR“DIDGETMETOTHINKABOUTWHATMYMENTORANDIDISCUSSEDANDIMADEAFRIEND“ALLOWEDMETORECEIVEEXTREMEAMOUNTSOFINFORMATION“AND“ALLOWEDFORGOODCROSSFERTILIZATIONBETWEENTWOBUSINESSUNITS“ADDITIONALREINFORCINGDATAAPPEARBELOWACCOMPLISHMENTSBYGOALS1INCREASECOMMITMENTAMONGSENIORMANAGERSTORECRUIT,RETAIN,ANDPROMOTETALENTEDPEOPLEFROMUNDERREPRESENTEDPOPULATIONSALLSENIORMANAGERSWHOSUCCESSFULLYCOMPLETEDTHEPROGRAMASSERTEDTHATTHEIRCONVERSATIONWITHTHEIRMENTORSKEPTDIVERSITYISSUESINTHEFOREFRONTOFTHEIRMINDSSEVENSENIORMANAGERSREPORTEDTALKINGABOUTTHESECONVERSATIONSREGULARLYDURINGSTAFFMEETINGSANDINFORMALDISCUSSIONSMANYPROTEGESPLAYEDAKEYROLEINMARKETINGTHEPROGRAMTOTHEIRCOLLEAGUESADDITIONALLY,THISPROGRAMENCOURAGEDTWOSENIORMANAGERSTOSERVEFORONEYEARONTHEDIVERSITYADVISORYCOUNCILONESENIORMANAGERTOCOMMITTOHIRINGATLEASTONEQUALIFIEDAFRICANAMERICANTOJOINHISBUSINESSUNITANDONESENIORMANAGERTOADVOCATEFORANINTERNSHIPPROGRAMTOPROVIDEWORKEXPERIENCEFORCOLLEGESTUDENTSFROMUNDERREPRESENTEDGROUPS“OURREVERSEMENTORINGPROGRAMHASBEENAREVELATIONFORMANYPEOPLEITHASOPENEDUPNEWPERSPECTIVESANDHASCREATEDANINTERACTIVEDIALOGUETHAT