Recognizing that there’s no quick fix
“It’s not just about the numbers,” says the United Way of Toronto’s Frances Lankin. While this may be true, when it comes to reaching its diversity targets, the agency’s numeric results are worth noting.When she joined the organization in 2001, only 25% of 44 members comprised visible minorities. Today, that percentage has moved up to 48% while simultaneously decreasing the size of the board to 23 members, resulting in a more efficient and effective governance structure overall.
Lankin understood that it has never been about the end target. “There are so many talented people when you reach out,” she says. And she refers to the process of diversifying their leadership as a journey: “a journey that is never over.” She didn’t stop with the top level of the organization. The senior executive team has also evolved to realize this potential. “There were seven white people in 2001,” she says. Today, out of ten members of the team, five are visible minorities.
The United Way is not just tracking the numbers these days. They’re tracking experiences. Lankin explains that it isn’t about mere representation but about getting the best out of their leaders. How can they contribute more? is the question she asks today. She also acknowledges that the organization itself has to change in order to receive what a diversity of perspectives and experiences has to offer. “You need to be open to embrace new ideas. We’re all stronger if we can tap into the diversity amongst us.”
