Have you heard our clients describe what happens when they work with us?
Beyond Solutions – How This Team Transformed From Within
At our first meeting, the CEO of a 200-person financial services firm shared a powerful realization: their company had fallen out of alignment with the diverse, multicultural clients they served.
“We’ve built a successful business,” she explained, “but our internal culture doesn’t reflect the markets we operate in. Our hiring, promotion, vendor selection, and service approach all stem from a limited worldview.”
The Challenge
The company was in a paradox. It was a woman-led business with an acknowledged cultural orientation towards being friendly and welcoming. At the same time, the company faced a critical business imperative to transform their implicit culture into an explicit DEI commitment that would better mobilize all their people in serving their markets and strengthening their competitive position.
A Collaborative Journey
Over two years, I supported the company as it undertook this transformation. My role was not to lead as an external expert, but rather to facilitate their internal process of discovery and change.
Working alongside a CEO-sponsored change committee, we began by mapping their current state and engaging key stakeholders across the organization. My team and I served as thought partners and resource providers while their internal leaders drove the actual change initiatives.
Together, we:
- Articulated meaningful DEI goals connected to business objectives
- Facilitated cross-organizational conversations that built understanding
- Supported leaders as they implemented initiatives and navigated challenges
- Brought in targeted resources to address specific knowledge gaps
Lasting Impact
The company’s self-driven transformation yielded remarkable results. DEI principles now infuse core operations from hiring to performance management to communications. Their dedicated committee ensures continued accountability through regular reporting at company meetings.
Measurement systems track ongoing progress, but perhaps the most significant shift has been cultural: employees now feel empowered to speak up, while leaders demonstrate genuine courage in facing challenging conversations.
The recent appointment of a VP of People and Culture signals how thoroughly DEI has become integrated into their business strategy—positioning them to better serve their diverse markets for years to come.
Get in touch and find out how you can get results like this for your team!