This episode of the HBR Ideacast podcast was helpful in understanding the barriers to inclusivity and how a minority, any minority, might encounter your workplace culture. Chad Sanders, Author of Black Magic: What Black Leaders Learned from Trauma and Triumph, made a point to say his blackness is not an advantage, that he always has to stand on his track record of success to advance in corporate America. It was interesting how he described a bro culture in some businesses and how some people advance because of who they know via networking, but he feels that doesn’t happen for black employees.

Listen to the episode.

We have a lot of progress to make. Chad calls out organizations for hiring quotas at the entry-level. What would actually be transformative is to see diversity (and inclusion) at the director, VP, and CEO levels. Oh, and boards and advisory councils too!

This HBR Ideacast was intriguing. Listen in and let me know what you think in the comments.