Melissa Rose Kancov

🌈 Today, I had the honor of celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month with my colleagues in India. Alongside two other amazing panelists and colleagues, we shared our experiences as OUT individuals and allies. KEY TAKEAWAYS 1️⃣ Authenticity at Work: Being OUT at work is crucial for building genuine relationships and feeling fully engaged. Relationships are fundamental to being professionally successful. 2️⃣ Even allies need to come OUT: Being visible, even if it's in simple ways like adding pronouns to email signatures or putting a sticker on their laptop, go a LONG WAY to creating a sense of comfort for LGBTQ teammates. 3️⃣ Creating Safe Spaces: For many, the workplace is the safest environment to express their true selves. Allies play a vital role in providing support and acceptance, which can make a significant difference in people's lives. 📌 THE POINT IS: By building an inclusive environment, we help ensure everyone feels comfortable and can focus on crushing career goals! 📸 Photo taken in Chennai Shilpa Banerjee , Nera Schwartz #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #Inclusion #Diversity #WorkplaceCulture #Allyship #India #BankofAmerica

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Despite the headlines, there is still a significant number of executives and companies who remain focused and committed to DEI. Don’t let the headlines distract you! #StayTheCourse #UnwaveringLeadership #DEI #CourageousConversations A recent report by CHIEF states the following: “Despite the wave of headlines about companies scaling back their DEI programs, an overwhelming majority of C-Suite executives remain committed to investing in DEI initiatives. A significant proportion of executives also view DEI as a crucial capability for C-Suite leadership. * 80% of C-Suite executives say they are still investing in DEI initiatives at their company. Only 20% of companies plan to cut back or eliminate DEI initiatives in 2024. *Despite some paring back, 36% plan to continue with their current initiatives at the same level, and 44% plan to ramp up existing initiatives or develop new ones. *Two in five executives place understanding and promoting diversity, inclusion, and access among the most important leadership capabilities for the C-Suite in 2024.”

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Building a creative workplace starts at the individual level. Leaders can tap into their full creative potential by being intentional, understanding their purpose and having an open mindset. https://bit.ly/4bStR5o

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20 Tips For Navigating And Embracing Diverse Working Styles Building a workplace environment that supports diverse working styles requires ensuring individual employee needs are being met.

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Every OD starts with a #Strategy. However, if you think you have a good strategy - think again. Many times a strategy is only a wishful thinking - a trap that we all fall into! Thank you Rupert Morrison for this discussion on what is strategy and why org designing without a clear strategy is fruitless. #orgdesign #unpackingorganizations #Strategy

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In today's workplace, equity and inclusion are essential for fostering innovation and driving revenue growth. However, creating an equitable culture that embraces diversity requires overcoming four key barriers. First, many organizations lack the knowledge and skills needed to build inclusive workplaces. Investing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programs can foster cultural humility and raise awareness of social identities and biases, creating a culture of inclusion. Second, success in equity initiatives requires leaders who are committed to leading from the front. Companies with diverse leadership are more profitable, so CEOs and executives must champion equity both internally and externally. Third, to drive change, organizations must measure progress. Establishing clear metrics and accountability mechanisms ensures that equity efforts are effective. Finally, building trust requires transparent communication, consistency, and follow-through on equity commitments. Trust is critical in the relationship between workers and their performance. In summary, creating a "for all" culture is a business imperative that benefits everyone. Organizations must actively address these barriers to foster empowerment and inclusivity in the workplace. #Equity #Inclusion #DEIB #Diversity #Belonging #Leadership #BusinessGrowth

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According to this research and despite modest female representation progress in senior leadership roles, Black women still face unique barriers to reaching the upper ranks, and their much slower promotion pace has led them to, on average, take more frequent career risks than their white counterparts. Companies should take a holistic view and facilitate organizational changes that create positive leadership experiences for all employees and elicit more opportunities for minority leaders to emerge.

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Wells Fargo recently collaborated with Ginny Clarke on the "Developing Your Leadership Brand" session. Being a long-time follower of hers, I made sure not to miss it. Ginny's insights were valuable, especially her discussion on the significance of staying true to yourself while navigating corporate culture. Highlights: ⊛ Leaders can be vulnerable. Embracing vulnerability as a leader fosters trust and authenticity. ⊛ "Doing you" the right way: Stay authentic while adapting to your environment. ⊛ Can you 'fit in' and still be you? Striking the balance between fitting in and being true to yourself is crucial for sustained success. ⊛ Are you indispensable? Do you know what makes you valuable? Understanding your unique value proposition is essential to becoming indispensable in your role. Thanks Wells Fargo and Virginia "Ginny" Clarke 🤝 ----------------------------------------------- #Leadership #Branding #Brand

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It's a seemingly simple question - what are your values? In practice though, it can be hard to articulate what we believe in and why. Morela Hernandez and Catherine Summers do a great job articulating why we as leaders need to spend more time thinking about what we stand for - before we find ourselves or our companies in crisis. #Leadership #ServantLeadership #Values

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This is a great article about one of the key leadership skills, Agile Leadership, the four main components and how to embody them!

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Nice and thought-provoking article on navigating the balance between saying yes and no in our lives and careers.   How times have we felt inadequate, how many times have we swung the pendulum between these extremes from saying yes to everything to saying no to everything.    Personally, when I am doubt or not sure what going on and why in career or in life, I tend to stick of the flight mode of a yes or no, over some period of time.     This leads to short term glory but then the dopamine does not help, and you start thinking and analyse why you are not satisfied or what needs to be done differently.     Finally, I realise that it's too much of yes and no that creates this friction, and you then being the pendulum back to the middle.     But how many times have you repeated this flow 😊. Personally, many times but learning along the way, and the duration for realization is coming down drastically.     Good read for the weekend, enjoy. 😊      https://lnkd.in/d9kDrqsZ  

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I love everything about this - let’s break the mould and talk openly about ALL parenting and caregiving experiences. That’s one thing we try to do within the #HSBCNurture employee resource group. Every journey is different, but we want to support all colleagues to have a happy, healthy and fulfilling experience, inside and outside work 🧡 #WorkingDads #WorkingParents #LifeAtHSBC

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Be an ally. Be Kind. We ALL have one thing in common, we are all human beings first. Yet, so many different people continue to experience discrimination for a multitude of reasons. Financial wellness in the LBGTQ+ community face unique challenges and setbacks-- we all deserve to have access to financial products and services in an equitable environment. The 2024 LGBTQ+ Financial Wellness Report's key findings are a rude awakening that there is much work to be done for better financial inclusion. *Roughly half (48.15) of LGBTQ+ adults say they are financially unwell, compared to one-quarter (25.7%) of the general public. Both BIPOC and younger (age 18-24) LGBTQ+ adults are even more likely to say they are financially unwell. *Three in ten (30.8%) LGBTQ+ adults say they have experienced discrimination while accessing financial services *Roughly half (48.15) of LGBTQ+ adults say they are financially unwell, compared to one-quarter (25.7%) of the general public. *Nearly 60% (59.7%) of LGTBQ+ adults have annual household incomes below $75,000. "The data underscore the need for our economic empowerment programs, especially for younger BIPOC LGBTQ+ folks. I hope the data are a call to action for organizations serving our community. Given what we know about who is struggling the most, these organizations have an opportunity to center BIPOC young adults by being culturally responsive, trauma informed, and offering voice and choice to young people.” Maruka Rivers, Director of Economic Empowerment Programs at the Human Rights Campaign Foundation How is your credit union being an ally? If not, reach out and get involved.

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Women make up more than half the total number of employees working in banking but only 7.5% of bank CEOs are women. This imbalance might mean missed opportunities. Jennifer Docherty, CEO of Bank on Women Inc., said “If we don’t have leadership teams that reflect our communities, we’re not able to access markets effectively,” during American Bankers Association Women and Allies Forum. 73% of women are unhappy with their financial services, creating an opportunity for banks to better understand and position themselves. Commitment to change starts with the bank’s board of directors, says Mary Kay Bates, who today is CEO of Bank Midwest, One Place. A gender balanced board is more likely to result in a gender balanced executive team. Tyler Clinch, CEO at First Community Bank of East TN points to the importance of being mentored and sponsored. “My [former] CEO taught me so much, [and] when he was ready to retire, he told the board ‘You need to promote Tyler.’ It was a seamless transition.” Lisa J. Oliver, CEO of The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod explains that women who are asserting themselves as leaders are sometimes called out as "too aggressive." Today, she embraces a different communication style that invites dialogue. “If I can change the way I speak and be confident in what I’m saying, and believe in my point, but express it in a way that invites dialogue, it’s perceived completely differently,” she says. Sarah Long, CEO of Delaware Bankers Association recommends that women should be proactive and ask for advancement. "And if you keep asking and the answer is ’no,’ you may not be where you should be. You may be in the wrong role, you may be in the wrong organization. It may not be a fit for what you’re looking for.” Kudos to Jennifer Huffman for moderating! You can read more words of wisdom in the attached article.

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It’s hard to be proud. Especially when we view ourselves with that harsh critical lens. As we reread and revisit those moments when we weren’t at our very best. When we invest in that critic within. Experience, wisdom, and perspective tell me a very different story. A non-fiction piece that highlights a resilient journey of someone who faced lots of adversity repeatedly and consistently. Often, we’re not proud because we invest in the wrong highlights. I believe regret is meant to serve a purpose. It was brought to you for a reason. To serve as a lesson. Not a prison sentence. Someone somewhere is extremely proud of you. They look up to you, they respect you, and they love you. You demonstrated qualities that really resonated with them. They are proud to know you. So be proud of how far you’ve come. You still have greatness within. To lean into, to add value, to leave an impact. I’m proud to support you, encourage you, and cheer you on from the sidelines.

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Fireside Chat: Beyond the Spectrum – Diverse Minds, Thriving Workplaces As we continue to recognize Neurodiversity Month, we organized a session to uncover the hidden gems within neurodiversity and the culture of empathy it fosters within workplaces. From unlocking unique strengths to fostering inclusive environments, we explored how embracing neurodiversity can drive innovation, creativity, and productivity within organizations. Our conversation was moderated by Charu Ahluwalia, and our guest speakers were Jo McCormick and Amy Smith. Sharing a few facts: • Neurodivergent individuals are not limited by their conditions; instead, they possess unique strengths and talents that can greatly benefit workplaces and communities. • Neurodivergent individuals have heightened abilities in areas such as pattern recognition, problem-solving, Attention to detail and creative thinking, leading to breakthroughs and driving innovation in diverse industries. #concentrix #neurodiversity #diversityequityinclusionbelonging Concentrix Webhelp Amy Smith Charu Ahluwalia Jo McCormick Jason Korthuis Ma. Lovella Sibonga, MM Janice Agbuya, CPA Bruce Thompson Eva Matejka Ojiugo Karla Obiekwe, MSc, Fiona Murphy ashwini sunkum Ronald Parina Catherine Clayton Francesca Cioccari Diane Hanson Philip Cassidy MBE Anuja Marwaha Bahar Ozkan Kunal S. MarchingSheep Sonica Aron (She/Her/Hers)

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Fireside Chat – Beyond the Spectrum: Addressing the How to…S of Neurodiversity in Action As we wrap up Neurodiversity Month, we came together to foster a deeper understanding into neurodiversity in the workplace. We explored tangible strategies and heard expert opinions on creating inclusive spaces that respect and enhance the contributions of neurodiverse employees. We had two wonderful quest speakers, Natalia Lyckowski and Melanie Green, along with our moderator Michelle Watson that lead us through this engaging conversation. A few callouts from this discussion: • Melanie – How can leaders lead: focus on understanding each person's unique needs. For example: What is their communication styles (face to face, email, etc.).  • Natalia – For diversity, you have to work on the environment. It must be a healthy environment that promotes equality, safety, psychological safety, etc. An analogy would be, “If you wanted to plant and grow tomatoes, you wouldn’t just put the seeds in any location. You would need the right environment for those tomatoes to flourish”. • Michelle - Fear and misunderstanding can create barriers to understanding neurodiversity. #concentrix #diversityequityinclusionandbelonging #webhelp #neurodiveristymonth Hanae Chino Kunal S. Charu Ahluwalia Michelle Watson Natalia Lyckowski Melanie Green Jo McCormick Jason Korthuis Donna Trumble Paula Fonseca Shweta Uppal Jennifer Hager Nancy Peterson Angie Brummer Kerry-Anne Fermin-Minnie Angeliki Dionysopoulou Jose Zacheriahs Lychee Vistro Sonica Aron (She/Her/Hers) Diane Hanson Francesca Cioccari Catherine Clayton Bruce Thompson Michelle Lynch Tony Van Sant Carolyn Murray Tammy White Daniel Hortelius Chandan Bhatia Jowee Ann Victoria Concentrix Webhelp MarchingSheep

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If you are a leader, you should invest the time to listen to this pod. #worthit What’s happening in the workplace right now? In this first of two episodes with Adam Grant and Simon Sinek, we talk about what we are seeing in organizations across the world — and there are definitely some trends that emerge. And so much learning. We talk about disconnects between what we know from data and what we’re seeing practiced. We also talk about what high performers actually look like and the most meaningful way to succeed. Connecting with these two is the regularly scheduled gut check that I need. Brené Brown https://lnkd.in/gcbQYVEh

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