Women Lead: Leveraging Diversity and Inclusion for a Competitive Advantage

DATE: May 14, 2020

TIME: 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

COST: Varies // $25-$50

VENUE: Online

ADDRESS:

Research shows that companies with more diverse workforces perform better financially than their less diverse counterparts. A 2018 report by McKinsey found that diverse organizations are 33% more likely to outperform companies without diversity initiatives.

During this webinar, diversity experts Dr. Candice Bledsoe and Ana Rodriguez will walk you through evidence of diversity’s contribution to organizational success. They will also provide practical advice on how individuals and organizations can achieve their diversity goals and implement D&I efforts to impact business growth and performance.

The session will cover:

• An overview of the business case for diversity and inclusion and its positive impact on organizational performance
• Six common biases women experience at work and ways to overcome them
• Data, tools, and strategies to promote institutional change

Dr. Candice Bledsoe - Director, Action Research Center and SMU Cox

Dr. Candice Bledsoe is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of leadership, innovation, and diversity and inclusion. Prior to joining SMU to serve as Director of the Action Research Center, Dr. Bledsoe was a professor at the Yonok University in Lampang, Thailand and has led international initiatives in organizations such as Bain & Company, Microsoft, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. She has published many articles and received fellowships from The National Endowment for the Humanities, the New Leadership Academy, National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan, and Boone Texas Project for Human Rights Education.

Ana Rodriguez is a nationally-recognized non-profit executive, inspirational speaker, and organizational strategist. As the Managing Director of the SMU Cox Latino Leadership Initiative, she works with Fortune 1000 companies to recruit, retain, and develop top talent and access a growing multi-cultural talent pipeline. Ana was honored with the Women Making an Impact Award from the Dallas New Leaders Council in 2018, as well as a Young Leader Award from the Texas Women’s Foundation Leadership Forum, and in 2020 received the Young Professional Leadership ATHENA Award from the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Women’s Business Conference.