♪ ♪ >> Renee: WHAT MAKES A GOOD LEADER AND IN WHAT AREAS ARE WOMEN COMMANDING MORE LEADERSHIP ROLES AND WHERE ARE THEY FOLLOWING BEHIND?

I TALK WITH A GURU ABOUT THIS, THE PRESIDENT OF THE LEADERSHIP LOUISVILLE CENTER CYNTHIA KNAPEK ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND THE DIVERSION AND THE FUTURE OF WORK.

THAT'S NOW ON CONNECTIONS.

>> Renee: THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR CONNECTIONS TODAY.

I'M RENEE SHAW.

I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY CYNTHIA KNAPEK, PRESIDENT OF LEADERSHIP LOUISVILLE CENTER AS SHE HAS BEEN SINCE 2012.

THE CENTER IS A LEADER IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TO INSPIRE AND EQUIP LEADERS TO BE AND TO DO BETTER.

IN 2020, CYNTHIA WAS NAMED ONE OF THE MOST ADD ADMIRED C.E.O.S BY BUSINESS FIRST AND YOU'LL FIGURE OUT QUICKLY WHY.

AND BECAUSE OF HER WORK IN FOSTERING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, SHE HAS LEARN EARNED THE 2016 DIVERSITY AWARD FROM THE URBAN LEAGUE.

HOAR R HER PREVIOUS WORK INCLUDED ENGAGEMENTS IN GOVERNMENT, FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND OTHER SOCIAL SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS.

I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY, AND I'LL CLAIM IT, MY GIRL CRUSH.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME TODAY YOU KNOW, WE MET A FEW MONTHS AGO DURING THE GOVERNOR'S LEADER CONFERENCE ON YOU WERE PART OF A PANEL WITH SO MANY GREAT LUMINARIES, INCLUDING CAROLYN TANDY AND SO MANY OTHERS AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR CANDOR AND YOUR REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE WHEN IT COMES TO LEADERSHIP AND THE ADVICE THAT YOU LENT.

SO IT'S A PLEASURE TO HAVE A FEW MINUTES OF YOUR TIME.

>> IT'S THE MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY, RENEE BECAUSE I WAS SO EXCITED TO GET YOUR INHAVE I INVITATION BOTH BECAUSE YOU ARE SO LOVELY AND DELIGHTFUL AND HAVE TALKED TO SO MANY INTERESTING PEOPLE THAT I WAS JUST GIDDY TO BE ASKED TO HANG OUT WITH YOU.

>> Renee: AND WE ARE MAKING PLANS FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENTS TO DO MORE TV TALK TOGETHER RECENTLY WE WERE PART OF ANOTHER PANEL WITH THE FRASER HISTORY MUSEUM ABOUT LEADHERSHIP.

AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHERE WOMEN STACK UP AND WHETHER IT'S GOVERNMENT AND FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES AND OTHER AREAS.

AND THERE IS SOME ENCOURAGING NEWS ABOUT WHERE WOMEN STAND.

BUT I REALLY WAS JUST REALLY ENGAGED WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW WOMEN AT A CERTAIN POINT, IN THEIR RISE IN THE CAREER LADDER, SEEM TO SLUFF WHEN IT COMES TO THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.

I WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS AND EXPERTISE ON WHY?

AND ARE WOMEN MAKING GREATER STRIDES?

>> YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO START THIS CONVERSATION BY TALKING ABOUT THE AMAZING ASSETS AND STRENGTHS THAT WOMEN BRING IN LEADERSHIP ROLES AND THERE IS SO MUCH GREAT INFORMATION DATA, TRUE DATA THAT SUPPORTS WHEN YOU GIVE WOMEN LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, GREAT THINGS HAPPEN FOR YOUR ORGANIZATIONS.

AND ALSO IT'S FAIR TO POINT OUT THAT WHILE THE DATA SHOWS US THAT WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP DO PHENOMENALLY WELL, AND PROVIDE GREAT RETURNS, WE ARE NOT SEEING THE AMOUNT OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLES THAT WE WOULD LIKE, ESPECIALLY EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP ROLES.

IF YOU JUST LOOK AT LIKE THE BIG CHAIR, RIGHT?

SO OUR FORTUNE 500 C.E.O.S.

IF WE FOLLOW THAT PATH AND SAY LET'S LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE COMING OUT OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WE OUT OBTAIN MEN 60% OF THE DEGREES OBTAINED ARE OBTAINED BY WOMEN.

WE ENTER THE WORKFORCE AT ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER BUT THEN AS YOU FOLLOW EACH PROMOTION FROM THE TIME WE WORK OR FROM THE TIME WE ENTER THE WORKFORCE, WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP FALLS OFF.

UNTIL WE GET DOWN TO THE POINT OF ABOUT 75% ARE MEN AND 25% ARE WOMEN IN JUST HIGH LEVEL LEADERSHIP ROLES FORTUNE 500, THE BIG EAT IN MARCH, WE CELEBRATED A BIG MILESTONE.

OF THE 500 C.E.O.s, 39 OF THEM ARE WOMEN.

>> SO NOT ENOUGH.

WELL, YOU KNOW THE WOMEN THAT HAVE ACHIEVED THAT, WE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD CELEBRATE WE SHOULD CONGRATULATE THEM FOR BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING.

BUT 39 OUT OF 500 IS NOT REALLY AWAY OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE.

IT'S REALLY MORE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE NEED TO DO BETTER.

I'VE ALWAYS HEARD-- I'VE NEVER DONE THE MATH ON THIS, BUT I HAVE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT THERE ARE MORE MEN NAMED JOHN WHO HAVE A FORTUNE 500 C.E.O.

SEAT THAN THERE ARE WOMEN IN TOTAL.

SO WE ARE NOT CELEBRATING YET.

>> Renee: THAT'S SO INTERESTING.

AND IS IT THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM ABOUT HOW WOMEN MAYBE TAKE A BACK SEAT OR THEY SLIDE BACK BECAUSE OF FAMILY CHOICES THAT THEY'RE MAKING WHAT ARE THE REASONS, OTHER THAN WHAT WE MIGHT ASSUME, THAT WOMEN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY NOT IN THE BIG SEAT A LOT OF CONDITIONS, >> A LOT OF REASONS, RIGHT.

BUT TWO OF THEM IN PARTICULAR.

WE HAVE A LOT OF UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN OUR WORKPLACES AND I THINK THAT UNTIL WE START NAMING, CLAIMING, TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT WE SEE IN THE WORKPLACE THAT ARE ABOUT OUR HIDDEN BIASES, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THE NUMBER OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP ROLED BE SMALLER.

I ALSO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO MENTORSHIP AND HOW WE LOOK HOW WE TALENT SCOUT AND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO AND MENTORING WOMEN AND FOLKS THAT ARE UNDERSERVED BY THE LEADERSHIP PIPELINE SO THAT EVERYONE HAS THAT SOMEONE WHO IS CARRYING THEIR WATER, SOMEONE WHO IS INVESTING IN THEM USING THEIR SOCIAL CAPITAL TO ADVANCE THEM.

>> Renee: ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT DURING THAT LEAD HERSHIP WEBINAR IS THAT SOMETIMES WOMEN CAN BE THEIR OWN WORST ENEMY.

IS IT STILL A PART OF THE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM THAT THERE IS ONLY ROOM FOR ONE QUEEN B-3 FOR ONE QUEEN B, AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT MENTORSHIP, DO YOU SEE THAT CHANGING WHERE WOMEN REALLY WANT TO A LAKEDDER FOR SOMEONE-- TO BE A LAKED WANT TOE A LADDER FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE OVER THE POSITIONS THEY CURRENTLY HOLD.

>> I ABSOLUTELY DO.

I THINK WOMEN HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN KIND TO EACH OTHER IN THE WORLD OF WORK.

MY HOPE IS THAT SO MUCH OF THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE VERY FINITE AMOUNT OF OPPORTUNITIES.

WHEN YOU GOT TO THAT OPPORTUNITY, YOU KIND OF FELT LIKE THERE WAS MAYBE ONLY ROOM FOR ONE WOMAN AT THE TOP.

WELL, I SAID KIND OF FELT LIKE.

I MEAN THE DATA WOULD SUPPORT YOU IN SAYING THERE MAYBE WAS ROOM FOR ONLY ONE WOMAN AT THE TOP.

AND WOMEN FOUGHT TO PROTECT THAT FOR THEMSELVES.

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER AND WHAT IS INCUMBENT UPON THOSE WHO HAVE ACHIEVED THE LEADERSHIP SEAT IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO I MAKE ROOM FOR OTHERS WHO ARE LIKE ME AT THAT LEADERSHIP TABLE?

AND THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THAT IS WHEN WE DISCOVERED THAT, WE REALIZED THAT WE ARE, IN FACT, BETTER TOGETHER.

THAT WE WILL HAVE BETTER OPPORTUNITIES WHEN WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE AT THE TABLE WHO CAN SUPPORT US, UPLIFT US, WHO THINKS IN A SIMILAR WAY, SO OPPOSED TO THINKING AS A CARES AS A SCARCITY MIND SET, WHEN WE THINK OF IT AS A MULTIPLIER, WE ARE ALL BETTER OFF.

>> Renee: WHAT KIND OF QUALITIES DO WOMEN BRING TO LEADERSHIP ROLES?

AND EVEN IN THEIR PROCESS OF DECISION MAKING, HOW DIFFERENT OR SIMILAR IS IT TO MEN?

>> SO THIS IS KIND OF AN INTERESTING TOPIC BECAUSE I THINK THERE IS A STUDY THAT WE LOOKED AT THAT ACTUALLY WAS ABOUT WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR IN 21st CENTURY LEADERS.

THE GUY WHO WROTE THE STUDY, ACTUALLY WROTE A BOOK ON IT CALLED THE ATHENA DOCTRINE, AND HE WAS NOT SETTING OUT TO STUDY WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP.

HE WAS ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DO WE WANT IN OUR LEADERS TODAY.

SO HE POLLED 64,000 PEOPLE.

IT'S A LARGE STUDY.

AND HE ASKED THEM, WHAT DO YOU WANT IN YOUR LEADERS TODAY.

AND THEN HE TOOK THE SECOND HALF OF THE SAMPLE AND HE ASKED THEM, OF THESE TRAITS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN LEADERS, DO YOU GENERALLY CONSIDER THIS TO BE A HAS CLIN TRAIT OR A-- A MASCULINE TRAIT OR A FEMININE TRAIT AND HE OVERLAID THOSE TWO PIECES OF DATA.

AND OF THE TOP 10 THINGS WE WANT IN OUR 21st CENTURY LEADERS, WOMEN HAD EIGHT OF THE 10 CHARACTERISTICS.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANT THAT WOMEN DO SO WELL IN ARE THINGS LIKE COLLABORATION, THINGS LIKE AUTHENTICITY, THINGS LIKE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE TRAITS THAT WOMEN DO WELL WHERE WE EXCEL, THESE ARE THE GIFTS WE BRING, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IN THEIR LEADERS.

>> Renee: AND THAT MORAL PIECE AND COMPASSION, EMPATHY THAT YOU MENTION, YOU KNOW, THERE ONCE WAS A PERCEPTION THAT, WELL THAT'S SOFT, RIGHT?

THAT WE WANT A FIRM, STERN DECISION MAKER.

IS THAT CHANGING?

AND IT SEEMS TO BE, FROM WHAT YOU JUST SAID.

>> I THINK IT IS AND I THINK THE DATA ALL SUPPORTS THAT.

WE USED TO WANT A COMMAND AND CONTROL STYLE OF LEADERSHIP.

THAT IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING RIGHT NOW.

THEY WANT A MORE COLLABORATIVE STYLE OF LEADERSHIP, WHICH I THINK SPEAKS TO, YOU KNOW, WHY WOMEN ARE UNIQUELY QUALIFIED TO LEAD.

I ALSO THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT TRUST IS THE GREAT ACCELERATOR IN THE WORKPLACE.

IF YOUR TEAM HAS TRUST, THEN YOU CAN OUTPERFORM EVERYONE ELSE.

YOU CAN GET THINGS DONE FASTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE.

THE WAY THAT WE ESTABLISH TRUST IS THROUGH THESE THINGS THAT ARE ABOUT AUTHENTICALLY SHARING OURSELVES, BEING VULNERABLE.

AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WOMEN ARE GOOD AT AND THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE SEEKING RIGHT NOW.

>> Renee: AS YOU VERY WELL KNOW, CYNTHIA, THERE ARE TWO MILLION PLUS WOMEN WHO WERE DISPLACED IN THE WORKPLACE, OUT OF THE WORKFORCE WORKPLACE BECAUSE OF COVID AND I GUESS MANY OF THOSE FACTORS IS THAT THEY WERE PRIMARY CAREGIVERS OR THEY HAD CHILD CARE ISSUES AND YOU WERE HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN WORK AND CHILD CARE.

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT NOW AS WE LOOK AT, PERHAPS, SAY POST-COVID ECONOMY, PARTICULARLY WHAT THAT MEANS FOR WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE?

WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT LIE AHEAD FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED IN THE WORKFORCE?

HOW DO THEY COME BACK?

>> I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE QUANTITY OF WOMEN THAT ARE LEAVING THE WORKFORCE.

AND I THINK IT'S BAD FOR BUSINESS.

AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE PREDICTED IT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH FAMILIES AND HOUSEHOLD TASKS ARE DIVIDED A LITTLE MORE EVENLY THESE DAYS, WOMEN STILL CARRY THE BRUNT OF THE THINGS THAT ARE OFTEN INVISIBLE, BUT THEY ARE THE GLUE THAT HOLDS THE FAMILY AND THE HOUSEHOLD TOGETHER.

WHEN COVID HAPPENED, THAT GLUE NEEDED TO BE REALLY, REALLY STRONG AND SO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT WOMEN DO AS KIND OF YOUR, YOU KNOW, YOUR SECOND SHIFT, STARTED TO FEEL LIKE THEY WERE OUTWEIGHING THE PRIORITY OF WORK VERSUS HOME.

HOME BECAME THE BIGGER PRIORITY.

WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY THOUGH TO COMPLETELY REIMAGINE WHAT WORKPLACES LOOK LIKE.

EVERYONE ON THE PLANET JUST HIT THE COLLECTIVE RESET BUTTON.

SO I AM INCREDIBLY HOPEFUL THAT WE REDESIGN OUR WORKPLACES IN A WAY THAT INCLUDES FLEXIBILITY AND THE CAPACITY TO THINK ABOUT ABOUT OUR NEW BOUNDARYLESS WORK AS WELL.

THAT CREATES ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS AS WELL.

>> Renee: I THINKING, WILL REMOTE EXCEPTIONT HAS LAST YEAR AND DOES THAT REALLY CURRY FAVOR WITH YOUNGER GENERATIONS WHO WANT TO HAVE THAT FLEXIBILITY?

BUT I WANT TO GET YOUR POINT ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEREMENT.

>> I KNOW FOR US IN OUR OFFICE, REINVENTING THE WAY THAT WE DO WORK REQUIRED A WHOLE LOT OF EXTRA CALORIE BURN AND FOR PEOPLE, EMWHO ARE ACHIEVEMENT ORIENTED, YOU REALLY WANT TO HIT THAT MARK ALL THE TIME NOT ONLY DO YOU WANT TOU WTO EXCEED EXPES AND WHEN YOU CAN ROLL RIGHT OUT OF BED AND START WORK, WORK YOURSELF ALL THE WAY THROUGH LUNCH, WORK YOURSELF ALL THE WAY THROUGH DINNER AND BY THE TIME YOU CAN SNAP YOUR FINGERS, YOU'VE WORKED A 14-HOUR DAY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER 14-HOUR DAY FOLLOWED BY A 12-HOUR DAY AND THAT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT THE MASS EXODUS OF WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE.

IF WE ARE SMART ABOUT THIS WE WILL FIND WAYS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BOUNDARIES ARE THAT AFLOW FOR THETHOUT THE 24-7 WOR.

THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE THE BIG CHALLENGE GOING FORWARD.

HOW DO WE CREATE THAT?

FLEXIBILITY YES, 24-WORK CYCLE, NOT GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE.

>> Renee: AND YOU MAKE SUCH A GOOD POINT CYNTHIA BECAUSE I KNOW, WE USE TEAMS AND WE GO FROM AN EIGHT TEAM MEETING TO A 10 TO AN 11 AND THEN WE HAVE A HALF HOUR LUNCH AND YOU START BACK UP AT 12:30 AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, JUST AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE SAT IN THE SAME CHAIR.

YOU LOOK GOOD FROM TOP UP.

[LAUGHTER] AND IN YOUR P.J.s BOTTOM DOWN BUT YOU HAVEN'T MOVED, HAVEN'T HAD ANY EXERCISE AND YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT IT AFFECTING YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE BECAUSE YOU SAY BUT I'M AT HOME, RIGHT?

SO YOU GIVE A LOT OF EXTRA PREMIUM TO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO WORK FROM HOME.

BUT IT MAY NOT BE TO YOUR BEST INTEREST TO ALWAYS BEEN SITTING IN THE CHAIR.

>> BECAUSE THE CURRENT JOKE IS, STOP TALKING ABOUT WORK FROM HOME.

WE ARE REALLY ALL JUST LIVING AT WORK NOW, RIGHT?

>> Renee: THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF LOOKING AT EIGHT.

LIVING AT WORK.

I DO WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE DIVERSITY INCLUSION WORK AS WELL.

THIS TIME LAST YEAR WE WERE RIGHT AT THE PRECIPICE OF THIS COUNTRY TURNING ANOTHER CORNER, MAKING ANOTHER PIVOT INTO HAVING SOME CONATIONS ABOUT A AS WE COME UPON ALMOST THE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF GEORGE FLOYD IN MINNEAPOLIS AND WE HAVE SINCE HAD THAT GUILTY VERDICT IN THAT CASE.

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE CONVERSATIONS GOING IN THE WORKPLACE?

WHAT SHOULD BUSINESSES BE TALKING ABOUT?

IS IT A DIRTY WORD TO TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AND DO YOU SEE SOME OF THE ENTHUSIASM BY WHICH WE WERE ENERGIZED TO REALLY MAKE CHANGE, SOMEWHAT FIZZLING OUT A YEAR LATER?

>> I DON'T, ACTUALLY.

I AM ENCOURAGED BY THE LEVEL OF CONVERSATION, BY THE DESIRE TO HAVE POSITIVE CHANGE.

I THINK THAT IT WILL CONTINUE ON THAT PATTERN.

ALL OF THE ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENED THIS SUMMER FORCED PEOPLE TO PAY ATTENTION.

AND I THINK THAT IS A GOOD THING.

I THINK THAT BUSINESSES ARE ALSO STARTING TO LISTEN TO THE IDEA THAT DIVERSITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE DIVERSE AND INCLUSION TABLES IS NOT SIMPLY A NICE THING TO DO, NOR IS IT JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

I MEAN IT IS.

BUT IT'S ALSO THE BEST BUSINESS STRATEGY.

THE DATA ALSO TELLS US UNIVERSALLY THAT COMPANIES ARE MORE INNOVATIVE, AGAIN, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT THEY BUILD LEVELS OF TRUST, THEY BRING DIVERSE THOUGHT IN.

AND WHEN YOU DO THIS, YOU GIVE YOUR COMPANY THE CORPORATE ADVANTAGE.

AND I THINK COMPANIES ARE FINALLY STARTING TO HEAR THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE FORCED TO PAY ATTENTION AND FORCED TO DO SOMETHING, THEY ARE STARTING TO SUBSCRIBE TO WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH IS DIVERSITY IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE AND I AM EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I DON'T THINK IT'S HAPPENING AS FAST AS WE WOULD LIKE TO IT HAPPEN BUT I DO THINK IT IS INEVITABLE AND THAT'S HOW HAPPY I AM ABOUT IT.

THAT'S HOW CONVINCED I AM THAT WE ARE MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AL ALBEIT A LITTLE SLOWER THAN I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT.

>> Renee: AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THOSE MANAGEMENT AND MIDDLE MANAGEMENT AND SENIOR LEVEL AND EXECUTIVE AND C SUITES, OPPORTUNITIES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THAT YOU SPOKE EARLIER ABOUT FOR WOMEN, WHAT IS THE PICTURE LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE OF OTHER MINORITY POPULATIONS?

BECAUSE IT'S ONE THING TO SAY WE ARE ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION AT THE ENTRY LEVEL BUT IS THERE A CAREER LADDER THAT IS ABLE TO GROW THOSE PEOPLE WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION WHERE THEY CAN REACH THE TOP ECHELON?

>> SO LET'S WORK OUR WAY FROM THAT THE CELEBRATION OF WE JUST REACHED THAT 39 MILESTONE OF 39 WOMEN AT THE FORTUNE 500.

SO THE NUMBER 39 IS ROSLYN BREWER.

WHO IS THE C.E.O.

OF WALGREEN'S.

ROSS BIN IS THE ONLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN IN THE TBRN 500 C.E.O.

LIST.

NOW NUMBER 40 WILL COME ON LATER THIS THIS YEAR, IS ALSO AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN.

SO LET'S HOPE THAT'S A POSITIVE TREND.

BUT THAT NUMBER IS VERY SMALL AND IN TOTAL, I THINK THERE ARE ONLY FIVE WOMEN OF COLOR ON THE LIST.

THERE ARE NOT MANY PEOPLE OF COLOR, EVEN IF YOU EXPAND IT OUT PAST WOMEN.

AND IF YOU BACK OFF OF THAT AND SAY LET'S JUST LOOK WITHIN OUR COMPANIES, THERE IS A GREAT SCARCITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR AT THE TOP.

AND I THINK WE CAN LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY.

I'M A BIG FAN OF COMPANIES LOOKING AT LONGING AND WHAT DO WE DO TO CREATE THAT SENSE.

I REFER TO BELONGING AS IF DIVERSITY IS NUMBERS WE WORK WITH AND INCLUSION IS ALL ABOUT HAVING A VOICE, THE BELONGING IS ABOUT HAVING YOUR VOICE MATTER AND COMPANIES WHO MASTER THAT, I THINK, ARE AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF WHERE WE ALL NEED TO BE AND WHEN WE MASTER BELONGING, THEN I THINK WE START TO SEE A CHANGE IN THE PIPELINE BECAUSE WE ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL THESE VOICES THAT DIDN'T MATTER BEFORE, WE ARE LISTENING AND WE CAN ELEVATE THEM INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES.

>> Renee: THAT'S WHERE I WAS HEADED, CYNTHIA, WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I WAS THINKING IT'S ONE THING TO GO AFTER THE NUMBERS FOR ANNUAL REPORTS AND TO BOAST ABOUT DIVERSITY EFFORTS.

IT'S ANOTHER THING TO PERHAPS CHANGE THE ENTIRE ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE VESTIGES OF SYSTEMIC RACISM AND SEXISM AND ALL KINDS OF PHOBIAS ARE DISMANTLED.

THAT TAKES A LOT HARDER WORK TO CHANGE THE CULTURE THAN IT DOES JUST TO MAKE A HIRE.

>> IT DOES.

AND I THINK PART OF THE HARD WORK IS JUST SIMPLY TALKING ABOUT THINGS.

I THIS I WE NEED TO DO A LOT BETTER JOB OF SHINING THE LIGHT, YOU KNOW, THIS COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR IS ACTUALLY MOST SOUTHERN COMMUNITIES ARE SO BAD AT HAVING DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS.

WE HAVE, FOR SO MANY YEARS, VALUED POLITE OVER RIGHT.

AND IT MAKES IT INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO ADDRESS UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNFORTUNATE SITUATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

IT MAKES IT HARD FOR US TO TALK ABOUT RACISM AND THAT'S NUMBER ONE WE HAVE TO DO THAT.

IN OUR COMPANIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AT TALKING ABOUT IT.

SO THAT'S KIND OF A BIG PICTURE SMALL PICK TER, I LOVE ERGs.

I THINK WHEN WE HAVE THESE AFFINITY GROUPS, THEY'RE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE LITTLE UNITS OF POWER FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND I LOVE THAT AS A STRATEGY FOR COMPANIES AS WELL.

>> Renee: I LOVE THAT POLITE OVER RIGHT.

THAT'S A GOOD ONE INTSDZIA YOU'VE HAD A FEW THAT I'VE WRITTEN DOWN AND MADE NOTE OF.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE CONVERSATION IS SO HARD?

IS IT BECAUSE LET'S JUST SAY THE MAJORITY POPULATION, WHITE AMERICANS MAY FEEL LIKE I DON'T WANT TO FEEL GUILTY.

I CAN'T TAKE ON OWNERSHIP OF SLAVERY AND JIM CROW WHEN I WASN'T AROUND FOR THAT OR IS IT THE APPROACH THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR TAKE IN ENGAGING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

ARE THEY ON THE OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DYNAMICS ARE THAT MAKE IT SO HARD TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.

>> CAN THE ANSWER BE ALL OF THE ABOVE?

>> Renee: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

AND THEN SOME, RIGHT?

>> RIGHT.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT FINDING YOUR VOICE AND HAVING THAT CAPACITY BEING SOMEONE WHO HAS THAT FANTASTIC VOICE, WE ALSO TALK ABOUT HAVING A VOICE IS ABOUT SAYING THE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID.

THAT'S ONLY PART ONE.

IT'S A TWO-PART EQUATION.

SAYING THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE SAID IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE WILL HEAR YOU AND I THINK THERE IS MAGIC IN THAT.

MASTERING THAT IS A GOOD SKILL SET.

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER, ALL LINKS BACK, THE COMMAND AND CONTROL STYLE OF LEADERSHIP DOESN'T LEAVE A WHOLE LOT OF ROOM FOR EMPATHY AND UNDERSTANDING SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE.

AS WE EVOLVE AND MORE TO A DIFFERENT STYLE OF LEADERSHIP WHERE AUTHENTICITY AND EMPATHY ARE VALUED IN OUR LEADERS, THE WHOLE IDEA BEHIND EMPATHY IS TO SEE THINGS NOT AS YOU SEE THEM, BUT TO STRIVE TO SEE THEM AS SOMEONE ELSE DOES.

SO WHILE THE MAJORITY POPULATION IS WHITE, THE DEFAULT HAS BEEN TO SEE THE WORLD AS YOU SEE IT.

AND THE EVOLUTION IS TO SEE THE WORLD THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE'S LENS AND WE ARE GETTING BETTER AT THAT AND I THINK THERE IS A WHOLE LOT THAT IS CENTERED AROUND IN THAT HIRING EMPATHETIC LEADERS THAT WILL HELP US.

>> Renee: IN THE COUPLE MINUTES WE HAVE REMAINING, I WANT TO TURN TO OUR YOUNGER GENERATIONS, OUR FUTURE.

WE ALWAYS SAY THAT 25% OF OUR POPULATION IS YOUTH BUT 100% OF OUR FUTURE.

I'M THINKING ABOUT THE VALUES THEY HAVE, CYNTHIA, WHEN IT COMES TO WORK AND BALANCING LIFE AND WORK WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT THEY REALLY VALUE WHEN IT COMES TO CAREER AND WORKPLACE ISSUES?

>> A LOT OF THE RESEARCH THAT HAS BEEN DONE AROUND THIS, THERE ARE THREE THINGS THAT FLOAT TO THE TOP WHAT OUR NEXT GENERATION WANTS.

THEY WANT MASTERY.

THEY WANT AUTONOMY AND THEY WANT PURPOSE.

THEY WANT JOBS WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GETTING TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

MAYBE THAT'S THE VIDEO GAME CULTURE.

GOT TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

THEY WANT JOBS WHERE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF AUTONOMY OVER THEIR OWN LIFE, OVER THEIR OWN SCHEDULE, OVER THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

AND THEY WANT PURPOSE.

THEY WANT ORGANIZATIONS, THEY WANT TO WORK FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO CONNECT TO THE GREATER WORLD THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE ALWAYS LOVED ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP LOUISVILLE CENTER AND WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO.

WE WORK WITH OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE PLUGGED INTO THE COMMUNITY.

HOW DO WE GET PEOPLE TO USE THEIR LEADERSHIP GIFTS AND TALENTS TO ADVANCE THE GREATER GOOD AND THAT'S MAYBE WHY WE, ONE OF OUR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMS IS ONE OF THE FAVORITE THINGS THAT WE DO FOR ME IS BECAUSE IT'S THAT NEXT GENERATION OF INVESTMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT PURPOSE, THAT THEY'RE USING THEIR LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO DO SOMETHING THAT IS WORTHY.

>> Renee: AND WE KNOW THEY'RE THE YOLO GENERATION, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, RIGHT?

SO THEY MAY BE MORE PRONE TO RISK WHERE SOME OF US MAY HAVE BEEN MORE RISK AVERSE AND WE LIKE CERTAINTY AND THEY LIKE, WELL, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.

THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND AND TRY IT.

WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN.

CYNTHIA, KNAPEK, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT CONVERSATION, ENTIRELY TOO SHORT.

THAT'S WHY WE ARE GOING TO HAVE YOU BACK, PERHAPS ON A DIFFERENT SHOW.

BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE THE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF WORK AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO GET TO THERE AND I'M LOOKING TO YOU TO BE OUR TOUR GUIDE IN THAT DISCUSSION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH CYNTHIA KNAPEK, IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU, RENEE.

>> Renee: YOU TAKE GOOD CARE.

WE HOPE YOU HAVE ENJOYED THIS EDITION OF CONNECTIONS, LEARNED A LOT ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND WHERE THE FUTURE WORK MAY BE HEADED.

YOU CAN WATCH PREVIOUS SHOWS OF CONNECTIONS ON OUR WEBSITE AT ket.org/CONNECTIONS AND OUR PODCAST THERE AS WELL.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK.

I HOPE WILL YOU CONNECT WITH ME AND I'LL CONNECT WITH YOU NEXT SUNDAY.