A few weeks ago, I returned from WBENC West. It’s an annual conference attended by approximately 500 women, most of whom are Supplier Diversity professionals. Attending events like this always reminds me of one thing: YOU ARE POWERFUL.
It’s not always easy in the Supplier Diversity chain. Many diversity professionals I have spoken to wish they had more leverage in how contracts are distributed. They often feel their suggestions are not taken as seriously as they’d like. On the other side, I’ve heard a few business owners wonder aloud how much “pull” a diversity department really has.
Forgive me for bringing up this tender topic. But let’s talk about it anyway—because I believe that you are powerful. I’d bet you are much more powerful than you think you are.
What’s happening on the corporate side?
There are government rules that must be followed. The onus placed on a company is one more thing to deal with. Or, it can be a great opportunity to ensure a company does what it says it does.
Under the current government it is very possible that minority, diversity, and equality initiatives are going to be dismantled. I’ve been through this before and I expect it to happen again.
However, what is happening on the corporate side is nothing short of miraculous. This time, the companies are the ones standing up and making commitments to equality, diversity, and inclusion. All on their own.
Why they do this?
Because they know it is the right thing to do. Because they know Millennials won’t buy from any organization that doesn’t follow through on the core beliefs Millennials hold.
We should be grateful Millenials uphold the beliefs that we are powerful, that we all matter, that we are all equal, and that diversity is just a way of life.
Take that a step further. Can you wrap your head around the idea that diversity shouldn’t even be called diversity anymore? Differences between individuals should be an accepted norm that is deeply engrained in our cultures and in our personal and corporate belief systems. After all, we are all equal at heart.
What a shift!
You Are Powerful
I encourage you to shake off whatever experiences you had in your career as a diversity professional that made you surrender to the system, or left you feeling frustrated, even powerless.
This is your time now. You are powerful because you are driving change and you know more about it than anyone else.
I am here to support you, and so are all of my fellow women-, minority-, veteran-, disabled-, and LGBT-owned businesses. We are ready to roar so that your message is heard.
The world needs YOU now more than ever. Thank you for what you do. Please stay the course.
Because you are more powerful than you might think.
At her lowest point, Beate Chelette was $135,000 in debt, a single mother, and forced to leave her home. Only 18 months later, she sold her image licensing business to Bill Gates in a multimillion dollar deal. Chelette is a nationally known ‘gender decoder’ who has appeared in over 60 radio shows, respected speaker, career coach, consummate creative entrepreneur, and author of Happy Woman Happy World. Beate is also the founder of The Women’s Code, a unique guide to women leadership and personal and career success that offers a new code of conduct for today’s business, private, and digital worlds. Determined to build a community of women supporting each other, she took her life-changing formula documented it all in a book Brian Tracy calls “an amazing handbook for every woman who wants health, happiness, love and success!”
Through her corporate initiative “Why Acting Like a Girl Is Good For Business” she helps companies with gender diversification training, and to develop and retain women.
If you’d like to book Beate as a speaker on New Leadership Balance or Creative Entrepreneurship for your next event please connect with me.