September 26, 2022

A colleague who was being considered for a newly-vacant COO job repeated something I’m hearing more and more: The hiring team said, in the interests of diversity, they are prone to hiring a qualified male since the leadership team is now heavily female. Hmmm.

If they are building comprehensive diversity – that anyone hired is adding to the rich tapestry of race, religion, age, gender identity, etc. – I understand.

If not, then I have to wonder… We were ok with all-male leadership teams for more than a century, including among largely female-staffed industries, like healthcare and banking. What collective of leadership is most likely to prioritize diversity?

Interestingly, a young man recently told me he wanted to work in a female-led organization because he believes women are more likely to hire and promote diversity.

Back to Blog Overview »