Human Capital Briefs

Presenting A Compelling Diversity Business Case To C-Suite Executives

September 22, 2015

Watch the On Demand Recording of our July 2015 Book Discussion web cast, featuring author, Dr. Shelton Goode, DPA, Director, Diversity & Inclusion at Oshkosh Corporation, as he discusses his latest book, Diversity Managers: Angels of Mercy or Barbarians at the Gate.

 

The challenges inherent in presenting a business case for diversity management become further complex when there are more C-Suite executives involved. If you think it is hard to keep the CEO focused, imagine what it’s like to have the CEO and 10 of his or her direct report sitting around the table. There is a strong probability that your presentation will get derailed, probably more than once.

It’s essentially like trying to have five separate conversations at the same time. In fact, everything that makes it hard to predict whether one executive will buy into the value proposition of the diversity business case outcomes gets exponentially more unpredictable when multiple C-suite executives are involved.

This is not because they oppose making the workforce more diverse and the workplace more inclusive, but, instead, due to everyone valuing different things. You must remember that C-suite executives didn’t achieve the positions they hold by simply rubber stamping every initiative that made sense – even it makes money. With multiple executives, diversity managers shouldn’t look for a quick sign-off. Instead, you should think more in terms of handing them an idea that they will noodle on – and probably modify – before making a final decision.

Consider it a positive thing that C-suite executives will modify your recommendation because you need all the insights you can get before the group conversation takes place. This is where the diversity manager’s approach to meetings and the executive’s approach to meetings often differ. When executives bring ideas to their own peer group, they rarely introduce an idea to the group before vetting it outside the room with these same individuals. They pre-sell ideas and are well- prepared to make sure that any recommendation or direction has each executive’s perspective taken into account. And, if they can’t meet everyone’s needs, they are upfront about the trade-offs and compromises that will have to be made from different areas.

This system takes a lot of work, but it also reduces surprises. More importantly, it’s the way things get done at an executive level. Consensus is built before the group conversation ever takes place.

When I asked senior leaders at my company about this concept, they all agreed that their practice is to pre-sell ideas before meetings. They were also very honest and transparent, and conceded that they didn’t always do it that way.

Diversity managers, regardless of the company or industry, should consider getting consensus as part of their overall diversity and inclusion strategy. Here’s how you do it.

Executive Sponsorship. Start with the CEO and then consider the entire executive team, and what their own unique interest would be in diversity and inclusion. While you may not get to all of the executives before the meeting, you should prioritize your pre-sell and plan “the meeting before the meeting” work based on those who are most passionate and knowledgeable about diversity and inclusion. One of my previous mentors calls this “prioritizing your key stakeholders.”

Gather Background. Talk to seasoned and respected managers in each executive’s organization and gain insights and uncover possible roadblocks for your diversity business case. This time, seek out managers who may not be passionate or knowledgeable about diversity and inclusion. They probably have influence over the executive’s perspective and can help you understand the impact and offer possible compromises.

Pre-sell Your Business Case. Meet with the key stakeholder(s). This meeting should be positioned as seeking input and reaction to a pending recommendation. In the meeting, probe to understand what the executive values in the recommendation and what he or she sees as roadblocks. Talk through how those elements can be solved. Leave with a clear sense of what it would take for him or her to support the idea. The most critical part is to understand everyone’s perspective and then capture the trade-offs they would be willing to endure to support the diversity business case.

Modify the Diversity Business Case. Once you have input, you need to rethink how the Diversity Business Case will be presented. When I presented the diversity business case to the C-suite executives at my company, I highlighted the trade-offs across various business segment divisions and emphasized the several executives who supported the strategy. My 10 plus years’ experience as a diversity professional has convinced me to present executives with no more than three options – well-vetted choices that provided them with an understanding of what they would have to trade-off with each option. My 20 plus years of business experience has shown me that a group of C-suite executives interact better when reviewing options versus a single recommendation. A well-developed diversity case should give you the flexibility to show alternatives that favor different perspectives. You need to be prepared to recommend the option you think would be best to pursue, but also be open to input that might steer you in a different direction.

Emphasize the Business Outcomes. You can reach consensus on your Diversity Business Case by emphasizing business outcomes and making sure the executive group is comfortable with the context and the desired business outcomes. Once they understand and buy in to business outcomes for the diversity business case, they will be more flexible in the give-and-take of approving the final strategy. As one diversity professional told me, “The business case I took to our senior leadership team was costly. There just wasn’t going to be a diversity budget that they all liked. But, when I started with the business outcomes and gave them good reason to understand why the diversity and inclusion strategy was needed, I found that they used those key points to push each other to approval of the business case.”

It’s been said that executive communication is 80% facilitation and 20% content. Focusing on business outcomes in the Diversity Business Case helps you set up common ground and drive facilitation.

As I teach these concepts, diversity managers often complain that it’s a lot of work to prepare for these discussions. They’re right, it is. But, remember this is a high visibility moment and an opportunity that will have an impact on whether the Diversity Business Case gets approved. Treat it as such.

When a group of executives come together, you have the full attention of the company sitting in front of you. One consulting firm calculated that pulling together five C-level leaders from a large company costs $30,000/hour. Make sure the time you take up is well worth it.

 

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