Simply increasing staff diversity doesn’t equal more top black leaders

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, while “companies have successfully hired Black employees into frontline and entry-level jobs, there is a significant drop-off in representation at management levels.” And though a percentage of employees advance to senior management, the C-Suite remains elusive for many. The report also cites that among the challenges to Black employees are lack of sufficient opportunities to advance, lack of sponsorship and allyship to support their advancement, and variability in representation at executive levels in organizations.

Some companies, like CUESolutions provider PSCU, St. Petersburg, Florida, aim to combat this situation. In this Q&A, PSCU staff members Michael Dove, VP/center process excellence, and Sheila Porter, VP/enterprise program management, share their experiences and insights gained as members of the first cohort of PSCU Bold Effective Leaders: A CUES Strategic Leadership Development Program.

Developed and facilitated by CUES Consulting for Black and African American leaders at PSCU, the year-long program was a blended learning experience that included live online sessions led by prominent business school faculty and industry leaders, independent study modules, and virtual courses provided by Cornell and Harvard Business Publishing.

 

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