Who's on the Team, Who Gets to Play

Abstract

A Conversation with Monica Diaz, Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion and Wellness at ESPNMonica Diaz, Vice President of Diversity, Inclusion and Wellness at ESPN, joined the leading media and entertainment sports network in 2012 with extensive experience in the human resources field, specifically in the areas of global diversity and inclusion, talent management and organizational development. In her role, Diaz is the chief architect of ESPN's diversity, inclusion and wellness strategy. Before joining ESPN, she developed a solid career within globally recognized companies, such as Microsoft, Merck & Co. and Sara Lee Corporation.Monica Diaz is responsible for advancing ESPN's global diversity and inclusion philosophy, for leveraging inclusion, work life and wellness initiatives, championing new global diversity initiatives, strengthening employee resource groups and expanding the company's current strategy. She leads the efforts to ensure a contemporary, healthy and flexible work environment that aligns with business priorities at ESPN.In this executive interview, the author explores Diaz's professional perspectives as an executive with breadth of knowledge of the diversity and inclusion (D&I) field in diverse industries. She shares her personal experiences and views about best practices in the field, major challenges and prominent trends in global D&I and how she defines diversity and inclusion through ESPN's singular experience.Author: Monica, you have successful professional experiences in four distinct industries: media, technology, pharmaceutical and manufacturing. In your opinion, what are the key differences in Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) across these industries?Monica Diaz: It is the pace of change and the customer focus. The way in which D&I impacts business is heavily influenced by both.In pharmaceuticals, the business cycle can be quite long. From molecule to finished product, you can have a span of 20 to 25 years. When working with life science, you can't cut any corners. In the ever changing world of technology, the speed of innovation is around six to nine months, while in media you sometimes have to reinvent things in a matter of hours. The pace at which change happens in different industries has a strong impact on how D&I becomes a vital force on daily business decisions.D&I work can also be impacted by differences in the business model. Some industries and companies within those industries operate with a product-focus or a customer-focus. Based on my experience, companies with a relentless focus on their end-customer's potential needs and desires are more agile in adapting to changing demographics and cultural nuances.Author: As a leader in Diversity and Inclusion, you have seen best practices across the U.S. and abroad. What are some of the best practices in the field today?Monica Diaz: Three areas of undeniable best practices in D&I work are:* Clear leadership commitment and engagement* Organizational structures that support this commitment* Alignment/integration with business processes and decisionsDiversity and inclusion become a reality when leaders make a clear and visible commitment that permeates their business decisions. Companies that truly leverage diversity and inclusion don't get distracted or discouraged by immediate challenges. A clear commitment to D&I must be accompanied by the establishment of organizational structures and processes to support it. Some of these take the shape of a D&I Executive Council, D&I Employee Resource Groups and the presence of D&I subject-matter expertise to drive strategy and change. With leadership commitment and the right structures in place, organizations then align processes and business decisions with D&I priorities. These initiatives involve all business leaders and must permeate HR and business processes-from talent acquisition, leadership development and succession plans, to business strategy, research and analytics, product development, sales and marketing. …