Bonsai Leadership Group LLC reposted this
As CEO of Bonsai Leadership Group, I help nonprofit organizations recruit and retain talented professionals. Author, "When Black Women Rise." 🌳
“LaTresse, we want to consider a diverse candidate pool for this position but it’s also really important anyone we consider has a minimum of 10 years of leadership experience in conservation.” 👩🏾 “Well, since you’ve hired me to tell you the truth … 10 years ago, you weren’t letting us into those positions. So how could a Black, Indigenous, or person of color have that experience in the first place?!” What we do differently at Bonsai Leadership Group LLC is prioritize telling our clients the truth. Otherwise, we’re doing people a real disservice. If you hire us to create a different outcome for your nonprofit, then it’s our responsibility to be real with you. So, let’s be real. The environmental sector has traditionally been white-led and white-centered. That’s why organizations who try to diversify their staff on their own usually end up falling into groupthink. ❌ People hesitate to speak up, or make the bold move. ❌ Teams fall in line behind the CEO/Executive Director and whoever they want to hire. ❌ The person hired is the one they feel most “comfortable” with …” comfortable” being a code-word for “similar to.” How can you re-think the qualifications that are needed? Does your new COO really need 10 years of conservation leadership experience, or could they bring their transferable skills from being a kick-ass Operations Director of a mental health program or social justice org? How can you think more creatively about what you're seeking, instead of keeping with traditional hiring processes that have unintended barriers to finding a candidate who’d be great for your team? How can you live into your values, by intentionally interrupting old practices and thought patterns and instead, leaning into a more inclusive way forward? If these are the questions you’re willing to get into action around, our team can support you. We promise to be open, direct, and clear, so you can become the organization you envision becoming. Reach out to start a conversation with me. #Recruitment #NonprofitTeam #Environment #Conservation #Diversity
Loooove this...you are absolutely on point re transferable skills...folks can always get up to speed on the sector, but if an employee has performed well in the same or similar job title, it's a no brainer.
Terra Carbert
1mo
💯 When hiring within systems that prevented people from attaining the experience you "require" it's important to inspect the why behind each qualification so that we know the core need for success in the role and can evaluate for that true competency/skill/experience/characteristics for success vs exact title and industry matches. If we fail to do this, there's too much comfort. Keep leading the way!
This part right here 👉🏾 “Well, since you’ve hired me to tell you the truth … 10 years ago, you weren’t letting us into those positions. So how could a Black, Indigenous, or person of color have that experience in the first place?!” ...blink... 👀 blink....blink...blink... 👀
And this is why we need more professionals like you!
‘Well, since you’ve hired me to tell you the truth…’ 👀👏
This!! 🙌🏾
Yes! I’ve got one question, were they ready to hear it?
Much needed!
Visionary Leader | Conservation Advocate | Natural Resource Manager | Purposed Driven Collaborator | Lifelong Thalassophile
1moSpot on, and the truth requires a wholesale cultural shift and real commitment. I would even add that a CEO alone will still have considerable challenges if the board is not diverse because individual experience and background shape one’s perspective. Thanks for this insightful post.