Authored by: Natalie Levkovich, CEO, The Health Federation ofPhiladelphia; Jose Rodriguez, Senior Director of Diversity, Equity andInclusion, The Health Federation of Philadelphia; Toya Lawson, Partner,Bridge Partners
The Chief Diversity Officer (CDO)role continues to gain prominence inboth the nonprofit and for-profit industries. This is an encouraging sign,especially as societal change demands that commitment to DiversityEquity and Inclusion be front-and-center when critical business, culturalor organizational decisions are made. Job title and search researchconfirms this trend; LinkedIn found that individuals with the title “head ofdiversity” have more than doubled and those with the title “director ofdiversity” increased 75% and the “Chief Diversit Officer” position rose 68% in just the last year. However, the proliferationof diversity leaders does not always equate to tenure or success in therole; the average tenure of CDOs is less than two years.
If organizations cannot make a commitment to DEI work at the top it’snearly impossible to make it work throughout the organization. DEIleaders must have access to the C-suite, decision-making influence, andthe ability to build trust and engagement with employees. But the hardwork, as The Health Federation of Philadelphia has found, starts beforethe CDO job-search begins or the placement happens. themselvesbefore starting the journey and ask hard questions, like: • What doessuccess look like for this role? •How safe do I feel entering into thisturf? •How well do I know myself and my organization? •What are theunderlying processes and principles at my organization? •Will I bethreatened by the addition of this role?
“To truly set the stage for a successful partnership between the”
The position was also created with a mindset of continuous process improvement; not total transformation or redirection of the organization, but an understanding that no matter how good you are, you can always do better. That premise set the stage for a true partnership between the CDO and CEO that has carried through from the initial interview to the onboarding in September 2021, to the present. That foundational layer of explicit and explicit commitment to equity – along with transparent sharing of the assessment’s findings – led to a smooth transition when the CDO was hired.
“If organizations cannot make a commitment to DEI work at the top it’s nearly impossible to make it work throughout the organization.”
An implicit and explicit commitment to equity
The tenets for success in the CDO role start long before the position iscreated or filled. Rather than looking at hiring a CDO as a box-tickingexercise to nominally address DEI, the organization – and specifically theCEO –should consider in advance how this new dynamic will affectoperations and only hire a DEI professional if they are willing to makechanges and allow that professional to express and exercise theirindependent judgement.
CEO’s must be honest with CEO and future CDO, it’s critical to reflect onthese questions first and gather the necessary data before movingforward.
In the case of Health Federation, the hard work began with investing in aconsultant to assess the organization’s commitment to diversity, equityand inclusion. Although equity and inclusion has been a focus for theorganization since its founding, the assessment confirmed the beliefthat there were opportunities for operational improvements andimportant internal dialogues that could and should be led by a ChiefDiversity Officer.
Traits that should guide a CDO search
When it’s time to start the search for a CDO, there are three essentialtraits that Bridge Partners recommends looking for in candidates. First,identify someone with passion and commitment to the work of diversity,equity, and inclusion, coupled with previous successful experience ofhelping organizations to manage change. The work of DEI is all about change management and helping people to look at things differentlywithin their organizations.
Second, a DEI leader must be a compassionate influencer who isapproachable and easy to talk with and who possesses strong emotionalintelligence. DEI leaders must be able to speak with employees at alllevels within an organization, building relationships, confidence, respect,and trust.
Third, a DEI professional should have a strong business acumen andstrategic thinking skills. Executive teams desire DEI leaders who can bestrategic thought partners providing insight into how DEI can move thebusiness forward.
Making the hard work, work
Once the role has been filled, the CEO must give the space for the CDOto maximize the potential of developing relationships throughout theentire organization, as well as set him/her/ them up for success. There isalso incumbent responsibility on the CDO to develop a strongrelationship with the CEO so they can understand at a deeper level theinstitutional knowledge and working dynamics with key stakeholders.The preparatory work that was done by the CEO must be reciprocatedby the CDO.
Success in the relationship requires a mutual commitment to be curiousand confident that there is always room for improvement when it comesto equity and inclusion. Finding those opportunities is not to find faultbut rather to support the process of continuous organizational growth.Working together requires establishing trust and safety. The CEO has tobe willing to be both candid and humble and the DEI professional has tobe both supportive and honest about their observations. If thoseconversations can occur in a space of mutual respect, even if thesubject is difficult, then presenting a unified and credible voice to thestaff can be the outcome.
Unfiltered and unmanaged access to anyone on the staff is critical. TheCEO must be intentional about providing space for employees toproactively come to the CDO. That space is necessary for the CDO tocultivate trust and credibility across the organization, which isparamount to the overall success of the role. A DEI professional mayapproach organizational processes, procedures and cultural issues froma unique lens, but they need first-hand input and data from employeesto turn their expertise into tangible actions or subtle changes.
“Success in the relationship requires a mutual commitment to be curious and confident that there is always room for improvement when it comes to equality and inclusion.”
Charting a course for tenured success
In the case of Health Federation, as well as other organizations orcorporations with a strong DEI foundation, the challenge for the CDOmay be how to dig even deeper and find the small percentage that’sneeded to move the needle from 90-94% commitment. That uniquechallenge can be met by spending time with peers and the leadershipteam to gather insights, perspectives and buy-in on the collective DEIvision and nuanced changes that need to be made to initiatives,messaging, and internal dialogues.
Commitment from the CEO to continuous improvement, through iterativechanges and subtle achievements lead by the CDO, is necessary toensure the tenure of the role. At Health Federation, early steps haveincluded:
- A six-month program of baseline DEI training for the entire staff
- A bi-monthly DEI newsletter that covers a full spectrum of topics andcategories.
- The formation of a DEI committee with members who arerepresentative of the organization as a whole.
- An “open door” policyand level of trust that encourages employees to voice their concerns one-onone to the CDO.
- Assisting Health Federation’s community health center members along their DEI journey
The CDO role is truly a large and influential one within an organization. Ifdesigned and structured properly, the role will interact with, have impacton, and influence over all employees throughout an organization.Important, too, is the understanding that the hard work is never done.Continuous internal improvement will eventually lead outward to reviewexternal communications and programmatic reach bringing even greatervisibility to the CDO role and lead to tenured success within theorganization. PDJ
About the authors:
Toya Lawson is a Partner with Bridge Partners, an executive search firmwith a unique mission to diversify leadership teams. She has twentyyears of experience working in retained and contingent search,corporate human resources and talent acquisition environments.Throughout her career, she has recruited candidates at all levels fromadministrative support professionals to CEOs and executive teammembers across a variety of industries. Her clients view her as a trustedadvisor, her relationships with candidates are long-term, and she prides herself on always ensuring that her searches and shortlists are diverseand inclusive.
Natalie Levkovich has held the position of CEO of the Health Federationof Philadelphia since 1987, and served as director of programdevelopment for three years prior to that. During this tenure, she has leda number of notable, community-oriented, collaborative public healthinitiatives, and has overseen the organization’s growth from a budget ofapproximately $200,000 to more than $40 million. Natalie is assisted bya highly qualified senior management team.
José Rodriguez joined the Health Federation of Philadelphia in 2021 asSr. Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Prior to this role he heldseveral JDEI leadership roles at the Pennsylvania State University andCabrini College. José brings a wealth of experience in advancingdiversity, equity, and inclusion in multiple settings, and has more than 25years of experience in the field as a JDEI professional trainer, facilitatorand coach. He is a primary champion for creating and promotingopportunities for dialogue toward an understanding of diversity, equityand inclusion; and is building a comprehensive JDEI program bothinternally at the Health Federation and within its network of memberhealth centers. José holds a Bachelor of Arts from Allegheny Collegeand a MS in Higher Education from the University of Pennsylvania.
