CEOs involved in the Greater Omaha Chamber’s CEOs for CODE (Commitment to Opportunity, Diversity and Equity) initiative participated in an August workshop using the Strategic Doing method, associated with Purdue University, for developing plans of action. Five of the participants discuss the event and what’s next.
Kimberly C. Barnes
Executive Director,
CASA for Douglas County
casaomaha.org
Q. What is one of your biggest takeaways from the ‘Strategic Doing for an Inclusive Omaha’ workshop held in August?
A. The greatest takeaway was the importance of moving into action to impact the community in a positive way. Inclusivity and equity are very important to the growth of a community, and the work cannot stay in the planning mode in order to be effective.
Q. Why do you feel it is important for C-suite executives to lead conversation and action around DEIA?
A. Senior leaders need to direct the tone and lead the work. It is the responsibility of the leader to identify gaps in areas that need change and to strategize to make changes. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the leader to engage others so their voice is heard, in order to elevate the work that needs to be done. Leaders who intentionally infuse strategy with race equity can weaken structural racism through a race-conscious lens due to their position of leadership.
Wayne Brown
President and CEO,
Urban League of Nebraska
urbanleagueneb.org
Q. What are some of your biggest takeaways from the ‘Strategic Doing for an Inclusive Omaha’ workshop held in August?
A. 1) The importance of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. A diverse workforce is more innovative and productive, and it’s essential to creating a tech industry that works for everyone. We need to make sure that we are creating opportunities for people from all backgrounds to succeed in tech.
2) There is need for more strategic thinking in how we recruit and retain young workers from diverse backgrounds in Nebraska. We need to be more intentional about how we use technology, entertainment, and culture to solve problems and create a better future. We need to think about the long-term impact of our decisions and make sure that we are using technology to create a more equitable and sustainable world.
3) The power of collaboration. The tech industry is at its best when we work together to share ideas and solve problems. The CEOs for CODE conference was a great example of the power of collaboration. We came together from different industries and backgrounds to learn from each other and develop ideas for how to make Omaha a more inclusive space.
I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together in the future as we work to create a more inclusive and equitable Nebraska.
Q. Why do you feel it is important for C-suite executives to lead conversation and action around DEIA?
A. C-suite executives have a platform and a responsibility to lead conversation and action around diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA). Nebraska’s future depends on today’s leaders to create the place where Generation Z wants to live.
Chanda Chacón, MPH, FACHE
President and CEO,
Children’s Nebraska
ChildrensNebraska.org
Q. What is one of your biggest takeaways from the ‘Strategic Doing for an Inclusive Omaha’ workshop held in August?
A. In the August workshop, it was apparent that regardless of our business focus, inclusivity was a universally shared priority. The group also recognized that there was not one source, one project or one person able to address the issue alone; we all must work together. We are a community rich in resources, but sometimes lacking in connections. The workshop helped us start to build key connections in a tangible way.
Q. Why do you feel it is important for C-suite executives to lead conversation and action around DEIA?
A. C-suite executives are responsible for identifying the strategic needs of the organization within the context of their internal goals and the external environment. They also set the expectations for the culture that supports achieving those strategies. Leadership connections like those made through CODE enable those who lead to create synergies across organizations to accelerate the pace of change regarding the important issues of DEIA in a way that no one organization can do alone.
Chris Sund
President,
Uniti Med
unitimed.com
Q. What is one of your biggest takeaways from the ‘Strategic Doing for an Inclusive Omaha’ workshop held in August?
A. I walked away from the Strategic Doing event energized at helping create strategies from the information we received. We paired up leaders from all over Omaha into small groups, and we tackled common issues we all face and came up with real-life solutions to help make an impact. I still continue to meet with that small group of leaders every few weeks to continue working on ways we can make a difference.
Q. Why do you feel it is important for C-suite executives to lead conversation and action around DEIA?
A. It’s important for executives to lead conversations and action around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) because their leadership sends a powerful message throughout their organization. The commitment needs to start at the top, and their involvement demonstrates making it a priority, which is essential for creating a diverse and inclusive workplace culture.
These leaders have the authority and resources to drive meaningful change. They can allocate budgets, implement policies, and establish initiatives that promote DEIA. Their leadership can also help hold the organization accountable for progress and ensure that DEIA is integrated into the company’s long-term strategy.
When a leader makes DEIA a priority they can make a profound difference by fostering innovation, uplifting morale, and forging a path toward a more equitable and inclusive future for our community.
Carmen Tapio
CEO, North End Teleservices, LLC
northendteleservices.com
Q. Why do you feel it is important for C-suite executives to lead conversation and action around DEIA?
A. It’s important for C-suite executives to lead the action behind DEIA because they are uniquely positioned in their organizations to make decisions that remove obstacles and barriers as it relates to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. Having the appropriate and necessary DEIA initiatives requires a commitment from the very top of the organization to move beyond conversation and conceptualization to a concrete strategy that results in measurable action. Each executive should be able to see, lead and actualize DEIA.
DEIA statistics indicate the equitable benefits of DEIA in the workplace: diverse companies enjoy, on average, 2.5 times higher cash flow per employee. Diverse management has been shown to increase corporate revenue by an average of 19%. Gender-diverse companies and executive teams outperform less gender-diverse peers. It is the right thing to do. We need accountable and invested business leaders to develop concrete solutions to address the root causes of the lack of diversity and accessibility in the workplace.
