Standing Up & Standing Out

Major organizations trumpet their diversity targets and programs, but what happens when companies have already sourced talent from a multitude of backgrounds? Though corporate America continues to diversify, being the sole member of a minority group on a team or project at work is still a common experience — especially within leadership.

Companies cannot simply recruit diverse talent. They must also cultivate an inclusive workforce that respects and promotes unique perspectives. Take it from three leaders who embraced their unique identities to propel their careers forward.

I first joined the workforce in the late 1980s. America is a very different country now compared to back then. Navigating questions about my personal life was difficult early on. As a gay man, I was nervous to reveal the real me and wasn't sure how my colleagues would react. The result? My coworkers were not getting to know the real me, as it was not my true self showing up to work each day. I learned that you cannot reach your full potential if you leave the real you at home.

So I took a leap of faith. I came out. Work is stressful enough, I thought; to expend more energy trying to hide who I was just wasn't worth it. And since that day, I realized that being my true self has helped me grow in my career.