Last week, the New York Times referred to PwC senior partner Tim Ryan as a "white, male, Irish-Catholic millionaire." Hardly a title expected to match a leader in corporate diversity, equity and inclusion, but nonetheless, Ryan has proven himself and professional services network PwC to be committed to authentic allyship and setting standards to be followed by corporate organizations everywhere.
If Tim Ryan's leadership journey had to be broken down to one word, it would be listening. Following a number of fatal shootings around the country in 2016, Ryan received an email from a Black employee wondering why there had been no recognition of the events at work. Rather than simply acknowledging this employee's concerns in a memo, Ryan responded by clearing the whole company's schedules for a day to prioritize a firm-wide conversation about race. Despite being vehemently discouraged by other executives, Ryan proceeded, strong in his beliefs of the importance of transparency. Following the conversation, another Black employee approached Ryan, reminding him of his responsibility to push other companies to diversify alongside PwC. Following through on this idea is likely what will define Tim Ryan's legacy as a leader, within and outside of PwC.
Ryan credited much of his leadership style to lessons his mother instilled in him: "You've got to respect people. You've got to listen. The best leaders are the ones who listen and process, and listen and process." It is this level of consideration for his colleagues and the issues that mater to them that led to an undeniably powerful transition that started at PwC but would soon extend far outward. 2017 marked the start of CEO Action for Diversity, a group of organizations, led by Ryan, committed to diversifying their work forces and sharing the practices that got them there. Today, the program includes more than 1,600 CEOs worldwide, fostering an ongoing conversation about corporate diversity and inclusion that is all the more relevant four years after its launch.
In 2020, with the world shaken by an unprecedented pandemic and a social justice revolution, Tim Ryan recognized the necessity for leading by example, and PwC released a Diversity & Inclusion Transparency Report. A testament to continued progress, Ryan explained what he really wanted to communicate with the report: "Look at us. We're not perfect. But here are the steps we're taking to get better." Just because PwC has been forthcoming and admirably honest about their relationship to corporate diversity does not mean their journey is done. Creating and publicizing the larger goals that inform the company's mission comes back to Ryan's philosophy on listening and processing, being in tune with stakeholders and culture at large.
In his interview with the Times, Ryan touched on the response he got from many white male colleagues as diversity initiatives were implemented. Several of them felt cheated or that their work was devalued as others were lifted. To this, Tim Ryan poignantly responded, "You may not be the lead partner, but how about helping the person get the role? What would you rather be remembered for? What do you want to be inspired by?" As communications professionals and leaders, these are the most important conversations to be having. In prioritizing diversity, transparency and listening, we can build and encourage environments that are not only successful in business but in culture as well, enthusiastically assuming the role of advocate and ally.
If Tim Ryan's leadership journey had to be broken down to one word, it would be listening. Following a number of fatal shootings around the country in 2016, Ryan received an email from a Black employee wondering why there had been no recognition of the events at work. Rather than simply acknowledging this employee's concerns in a memo, Ryan responded by clearing the whole company's schedules for a day to prioritize a firm-wide conversation about race. Despite being vehemently discouraged by other executives, Ryan proceeded, strong in his beliefs of the importance of transparency. Following the conversation, another Black employee approached Ryan, reminding him of his responsibility to push other companies to diversify alongside PwC. Following through on this idea is likely what will define Tim Ryan's legacy as a leader, within and outside of PwC.
Ryan credited much of his leadership style to lessons his mother instilled in him: "You've got to respect people. You've got to listen. The best leaders are the ones who listen and process, and listen and process." It is this level of consideration for his colleagues and the issues that mater to them that led to an undeniably powerful transition that started at PwC but would soon extend far outward. 2017 marked the start of CEO Action for Diversity, a group of organizations, led by Ryan, committed to diversifying their work forces and sharing the practices that got them there. Today, the program includes more than 1,600 CEOs worldwide, fostering an ongoing conversation about corporate diversity and inclusion that is all the more relevant four years after its launch.
In 2020, with the world shaken by an unprecedented pandemic and a social justice revolution, Tim Ryan recognized the necessity for leading by example, and PwC released a Diversity & Inclusion Transparency Report. A testament to continued progress, Ryan explained what he really wanted to communicate with the report: "Look at us. We're not perfect. But here are the steps we're taking to get better." Just because PwC has been forthcoming and admirably honest about their relationship to corporate diversity does not mean their journey is done. Creating and publicizing the larger goals that inform the company's mission comes back to Ryan's philosophy on listening and processing, being in tune with stakeholders and culture at large.
In his interview with the Times, Ryan touched on the response he got from many white male colleagues as diversity initiatives were implemented. Several of them felt cheated or that their work was devalued as others were lifted. To this, Tim Ryan poignantly responded, "You may not be the lead partner, but how about helping the person get the role? What would you rather be remembered for? What do you want to be inspired by?" As communications professionals and leaders, these are the most important conversations to be having. In prioritizing diversity, transparency and listening, we can build and encourage environments that are not only successful in business but in culture as well, enthusiastically assuming the role of advocate and ally.
Questions to Consider:
- What are your thoughts on Tim Ryan's initial responses to employee input on diversity? What would you have done differently, if anything?
- What is your reaction to Ryan's response to his white male colleagues? Do you agree or disagree with his line of thinking?
- Is being a leader and a white male ally an asset, or will Ryan's lack of personal experience with issues of diversity limit his ability to make impactful change?