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WORK TITLE: Climb
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 5/21/1969
WEBSITE:
CITY: New York
STATE: NY
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.: n 2016052931
LCCN Permalink: https://lccn.loc.gov/n2016052931
HEADING: Gadsden-Williams, Michelle, 1969-
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670 __ |a Michelle Gadsden-Williams oral history interview : The HistoryMakers |b (Michelle Gadsden-Williams; born May 21, 1969; B.S., summa cum laude, marketing, B.A., communications, Kean College, 1990; M.S., organizational dynamic, University of Pennsylvania, 2006; diversity practitioner for more than twenty years in pharmaceutical and financial services at Merck & Company, Inc., Philips-Van Heusen Corporation and Wakefern Food Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation; appointed managing director and global head of diversity and inclusion and as a member of the Talent, Branding and Communications Management Committee at Credit Suisse AG based in Zurich; appointed a member of the Global Advisory Council on Values for the World Economic Forum, and as a board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation)
PERSONAL
Born May 21, 1969; married David Jamal Williams.
EDUCATION:Kean College, B.S. (summa cum laude), B.A., 1990; University of Pennsylvania, M.S., 2006.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Diversity expert, activist, and philanthropist. Phillips Van Heusen Inc., New York, NY, product manager, 1989-93; Wakefern Food Corp., Keasbey, NJ, diversity manager, 1995-99; Merck & Co., Kenilworth, NJ, diversity senior manager, 1999-02; Novartis, vice president and global chief diversity, 2002-10; Credit Suisse, managing director and global head of diversity, 2011-15; Ceiling Breakers LLC, cofounder and CEO, 2015-; Accenture North America, managing director inclusion and diversity, 2017-; board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
MEMBER:Global Advisory Council on Values for the World Economic Forum.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Michelle Gadsden-Williams is a global diversity expert, activist, and philanthropist. She has worked for several Fortune 500 companies and occupied C-Suite executive positions. She has been a diversity practitioner for more than twenty years in pharmaceutical and financial services for such companies as Merck & Company, Wakefern Food, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and Credit Suisse. In 2015 she cofounded and became CEO of Ceiling Breakers, which helps women and professionals of color reach their full potential. She lectures and writes about the advancement of women and minorities in corporate America.
In 2018, Gadsden-Williams published her memoir, Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life, which describes her career as a black woman executive and offers advice to women and executives of color on how to break the white male glass ceiling in corporate America. For the book, she partnered with cowriter Carolyn M. Brown, an award-winning journalist, author, and playwright and author of The Millionaires’ Club and Nobody’s Business but Your Own. In Climb, Gadsden-Williams describes her career working her way up from product development and marketing to human resources where she became a diversity and inclusion strategist. She has traveled around the world giving lectures and presentations on diversity and inclusion. She also talks about launching the company, Ceiling Breakers. The book is a “good barometer of the challenges and opportunities that women of color face in corporate America,” according to Barbara Jacobs in Booklist.
In the book, she also provides advice and practical solutions to women and minorities on how to advance professionally in corporations that may be traditional and conservative, and lacking diversity, especially in upper management. She explains the importance of networking, finding mentors willing to invest in your career, successful decision-making, women promoting themselves, and the myth that women can have a work-life balance, they just need to learn how to negotiate it. According to a Kirkus Reviews writer, “Always candid about the realities of corporate life, the author offers sound advice for minority women seeking advancement, recognition, and meaningful lives. Illuminating and useful.”
Gadsden-Williams also looks back on her middleclass upbringing in North Edison, New Jersey with a father, a successful businessman despite experiencing discrimination, who encouraged her to be persistent and ambitious. In addition, throughout her career years, she has managed a chronic illness, lupus, and offers wisdom on self-care, attention to health issues, and confiding in company management. She ends the book with a discussion of the 2017 Women’s March and its implications for women in America. While her story is inspiring and her advice about how to achieve corporate diversity and equality are necessary reading, a reviewer in Publishers Weekly commented: “Aspiring businesspeople may be impressed by Gadsden-Williams’s accomplishments and vision, but aren’t likely to find new advice.”
In an interview on the Fairy God Boss website, Gadsden-Williams explained how she wants young women of color to know that they too can have a fulfilling career like she did: “I have had a wonderful corporate career filled with unique experiences that have shaped me as a leader. At this phase of my professional life, I get great satisfaction from helping the next generation of female leaders realize their potential and ambitions.” Gadsden-Williams also shared some of her advice with Michele Weldon online at Take the Lead saying: “Be self-aware of who you are and assess the skills and talents you have. Be honest and realistic about what you are. Be direct and honest in how you show up in the world….I think some of us [women of color] who are very much concerned about how we are perceived in the workplace.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 2018, Barbara Jacobs, review of Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life.
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2018, review of Climb.
Publishers Weekly, February 12, 2018, review of Climb, p. 67.
ONLINE
Fairy God Boss, https://fairygodboss.com/ (July 1, 2018), author interview.
Take the Lead, https://www.taketheleadwomen.com/ (May 4, 2018), Michele Weldon, author interview.
Michelle Gadsden-Williams
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Managing Director, Inclusion & Diversity Lead - North America and Canada
Greater New York City Area
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Accenture
Kean University
Kean University
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Experience
Accenture
Managing Director, Inclusion & Diversity Lead - North America
Company NameAccenture
Dates EmployedJun 2017 – Present Employment Duration1 yr 1 mo
LocationGreater New York City Area
Ceiling Breakers LLC
Co-Founder and CEO
Company NameCeiling Breakers LLC
Dates EmployedMar 2015 – Present Employment Duration3 yrs 4 mos
LocationGreater New York City Area
Ceiling Breakers LLC, a multifaceted business focused on media driven women’s empowerment initiatives, diverse entertainment investments, and human capital management consulting services specializing in: diversity & inclusion, executive coaching, leadership & organizational development, and multicultural marketing for Fortune 500 companies.
Credit Suisse
Managing Director and Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion
Company NameCredit Suisse
Dates EmployedJan 2011 – Feb 2015 Employment Duration4 yrs 2 mos
LocationZurich and New York
Provided strategic direction and guidance to the Chairman, Executive Board, HR Executive Committee, HR Management Committee and other key stakeholders to ensure that all divisional/regional diversity practices, strategies and change management initiatives are globally aligned and linked to the business strategy.
• Developed meaningful and cost-effective strategies that support the bank’s regional and global diversity objectives, outreach activities and initiatives. Managed a team of 11 direct reports Manage an annual budget of
$6M.
• Conducted annual organizational gap analysis to monitor progress, identify potential trends, shifts and opportunities to integrate diversity into all systems, programs and processes by way of a score-carding methodology. Present annual update once per year to the Executive Committee.
• Partnered with the Human Resources Management Committee to provide consultative services and executive coaching to their internal customers, as needed, to ensure that all activities were in alignment with the over-arching corporate human capital strategy (i.e. talent acquisition, performance management, succession planning, talent reviews, training programs, compensation and benefits, etc.).
• Provided overall facilitation and organizational development to support the development of four Regional Diversity Councils sponsored by the Regional CEOs. Designed a comprehensive global governance models for 38 regional employee resource groups.
Partnered with the Global Marketing team to identify new business opportunities and multicultural marketing projects. Develop key contacts that foster community relations and partnership opportunities – Asia Society, Catalyst, National Urban League and the World Economic Forum to name a few.
• Partnered with the Global Communications Team to develop a comprehensive internal and external diversity communications strategy that highlight our signature programs and key talent.
Novartis
Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer
Company NameNovartis
Dates EmployedJun 2002 – Nov 2010 Employment Duration8 yrs 6 mos
LocationBasel Area, Switzerland
• Provided strategic direction and guidance to the Chairman, Board of Directors, CEO, Executive Committee as well as a host of other key stakeholders to ensure that all divisional diversity practices, strategies and change management initiatives were globally aligned and linked to the business strategy.
• Developed meaningful and cost-effective strategies that supported all aspects of Novartis’ local and global diversity objectives, outreach activities and initiatives. Managed a team of 12 direct reports along with a global infrastructure of 107 Diversity Champions in key markets (73 countries). Manage an annual budget of $25.3M.
• Conducted annual organizational gap analysis to monitor progress, identify potential trends, shifts and opportunities to integrate diversity into all systems, programs and processes by way of a score-carding methodology. Presented results twice per year to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors.
• Created and supported new and emerging growth market initiatives by partnering with the Global Marketing Teams to identify new business opportunities and multicultural marketing projects that addressed healthcare disparities. Developed key contacts that fostered community relations and partnership opportunities.
Merck & Co, Inc.
Senior Manager, Diversity Programs
Company NameMerck & Co, Inc.
Dates EmployedJan 1999 – 2002 Employment Duration3 yrs
LocationWhitehouse Station, NJ
• Provided functional leadership and strategic direction for diversity recruitment for all key stakeholders within Corporate Staffing, Corporate Diversity, Division Management, HR Business Partners, Senior Management and other internal customers to ensure that the company approaches the employment marketplace with a well coordinated, one-company approach to diversity branding, sourcing and recruiting.
• Provided consultative services to internal clients by developing innovative concepts to integrating diversity into all staffing systems, policies and procedures.
2000 - 2001 Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ Future Talent Program & Diversity Manager
• Provided strategic direction to key stakeholders including Senior Management, Divisional Coordinators and HR
• Facilitated a centralized process and operational support to Divisional Coordinators and Hiring Managers to effectively transition program participants to Merck employees.
• Managed program data flow to ensure data integrity, quality and compliance; establish end-of-program metrics and reports.
• Partnered and consulted with key divisions to establish program goals, components and funding.
• Developed a diversity recruiting strategy by ensuring that the company approaches the employment marketplace with a well coordinated, one-company approach to diversity recruiting and sourcing.
1999 - 2000 Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ Senior University Relations/Diversity Consultant
• Supported the development and the implementation of college/university relations processes for six (6) Corporate and International divisions. Accountable for developing a world class recruiting strategy to identify and retain candidates to identify, attract and retain candidates to include target sources and selection.
Wakefern Food Corp.
Staffing and Diversity Manager
Company NameWakefern Food Corp.
Dates EmployedJan 1995 – Jan 1999 Employment Duration4 yrs 1 mo
LocationEdison, NJ
• Sourced and interviewed internal and external candidates for exempt / non-exempt positions throughout the company; Developed recruiting strategies, policies and programs to attract, retain and promote a diverse workforce within the organization; Researched, organized, implemented and integrated all diversity programs into systems, policies and procedures.
• Developed diversity training and education modules that assist all employees with the ability to recognize, accommodate and appreciate individual differences.
• Worked with Senior Leadership to create, implement and monitor strategic business planning process (MBO) and initiatives within all Divisions
1995 – 1997 Wakefern Food Corporation, Edison, NJ HR Generalist /Diversity Project Manager
• Defined long-term plans and directions for business processes that support the overall business strategy and maintain a competitive advantage.
• Managed, communicated and provided all components of the company’s corporate diversity strategy to enable organization to improve their employee profiles and to provide their diverse teams with the skills necessary for high performance.
• Designed and developed surveys and questionnaires to capture relevant and valid data from target audiences. Developed and tested questions, identified scope and managed methods of distribution, responses, coding and statistical analysis of the results. Provided presentations, detailed and summarized reports to Executive Management.
• Identified, sourced and selected candidates for jobs who are best matches to experience, competency, diversity and background requirements/Analyzed and reviewed employment applications, resumes and employment / qualification test results to determine employability and suitability with openings. Coordinated and performed interviews. Analyzed workforce characteristics, educational, economic and business information
Phillips Van Heusen Inc
Product Manager
Company NamePhillips Van Heusen Inc
Dates EmployedJan 1989 – Jan 1993 Employment Duration4 yrs 1 mo
LocationBridgewater, NJ
• Managed the production and distribution of private label sweaters and active wear for the inter-company retail Divisions that bill $24B annually.
• Identified, developed and executed marketing strategies designed for each of the various consumer brands. Teamed with sales managers, buyer, foreign and domestic contractors to analyze trends, competition, economic and technological issues in global markets and industries.
• Documented and reported all implications and impacts on the business and products to Executive Management.
1989-1993 Philips-Van Heusen Product Manager
• Developed success criteria and performance metrics for products in various market segments and strata. Audited work to ensure that methods and procedures were followed, specifications and standards were met and adherence to policies and guidelines were operationally sound.
• Determined, allocated and managed the financial resources required to implement business strategies and achieve revenue costs and expense goals. Analyzed, evaluated and compared the financial/non-financial costs versus the benefits of recommendations and proposals to determine feasibility, profitability, cost effectiveness and value.
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Education
Kean University
Kean University
Degree NameBachelor’s Degree Field Of StudyCommunications with a minor in Marketing
University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
Degree NameMaster’s Degree Field Of StudyOrganizational Dynamics
The Movement Blog
From Counting to Inclusion: Diversity Director’s Climb To Success
May 04, 2018 by Michele Weldondiversity, equality, Leadership, Michele Weldon, women of color0 Comment
Michelle Gadsden-Williams, author and director of Diversity and Inclusion at Accenture, offers keys to success.
When Michelle Gadsden-Williams starting working in human resources in 1990, the mission in her field was called affirmative action. Now as managing director of North America Inclusion and Diversity at Accenture since July 2017, it’s no longer just “head counting and numbers.”
Now, Gadsden-Williams says, “It’s a conversation about culture and inclusion being good for business and how it impacts people. It’s more holistic. We have evolved.”
The New Jersey native has advice to offer about lessons learned in 25 years as an award-winning global diversity expert and successful woman of color in her first book, Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life, that she co-authored with journalist and author Carolyn M. Brown.
Michelle Gadsden-Williams has advice to offer about lessons learned in 25 years as an award-winning global diversity expert @Accenture and successful woman of color in her 1st book. #womenauthors CLICK TO TWEET
Growing up, Gadsden-Williams says her foundation for her life’s work in diversity began early as her mother was an entrepreneur and her father an executive.
They told her, “As African Americans your voices are not heard. You have the opportunity and the obligation to speak up and speak out about things that are not fair and not right,” says Gadsden-Williams, who received the Maya Way Award for Diversity Leadership by Dr. Maya Angelou Sand, serves on boards of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Lupus Research Alliance and the Women’s Leadership Board of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
After earning a BA in communications with a minor in marketing from Kean College, Gadsden-Williams later went on to earn an MS in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. She has held positions of global responsibility for corporations such as Credit Suisse, Novartis, and Merck & Co.
Diagnosed with lupus in 2005, Gadsden-Williams is now in remission and she serves on the national board of the Lupus Research Alliance. She offers that the illness was at times a struggle.
“Lupus impacts women and women of color more often,” Gadsden-Williams says. The ebbs and flows affect all aspects of life, she says.
In 2016, Gadsden-Williams, says she needed a break after nearly 25 years in high profile positions, so she “hit the pause button.” She then became co-founder and chief executive officer of Ceiling Breakers, a consulting organization focused on women’s empowerment and diversity initiatives. She was working with her husband, David Jamal Williams, with several corporate clients “doing work I loved.”
In 2017, the opportunity arrived at Accenture and she jumped in. Taking into account the subtitle of her book, and her climb into the c-suite, Gadsden-Williams offers this advice for all women, especially women of color who are seeking a spot in leadership.
Michelle Gadsden-Williams offers this advice for all women, especially women of color who are seeking a spot in #leadership CLICK TO TWEET
Conviction: “Be self-aware of who you are and assess the skills and talents you have. Be honest and realistic about what you are. Be direct and honest in how you show up in the world.” As a woman of color this is particularly important, she says. “I think some of us who are very much concerned about how we are perceived in the workplace. There is the hair conversation, the vernacular; all these things to be concerned about can be a burden and affect you in lots of ways.”
Courage: “I think this requires a lot of discomfort. Sometimes if you are out on a limb by yourself, one of a few in a room, who is diverse from a gender and ethnicity perspective, a lot of what you are saying may be new and others may not agree. You are treading a fine line of trying to fit in and also trying to stand out.” She adds, “Early in my career, I did not have the courage always to say what needed to be said. The more senior I became, there is more safety, so you know you need to speak up because there are not many people of color sitting at these tables. Sitting in silence serves no one.”
Calculated Risk: “I lived in Switzerland for 10 years on assignment for Novartis and then Credit Suisse. In order to be considered for the most senior level roles, you needed to have that global thought process. So I lived in a place where not many look like me at all and I did not speak the language until two years later. That was a risk. Some of my colleagues thought I was crazy, but I saw the end goal. I needed it to be constructive disruption.”
While Gadsden-Williams was a key force in human resources at top global companies for decades, “The Black Ceiling,” is a reality for many women of color. Ellen McGirt writes in Fortune, that women of color in the C-suite are a rarity for a number of reasons. Ursula Burns, former CEO of Xerox, is a prime example.
#TheBlackCeiling is a reality for many women of color. CLICK TO TWEET
“First, she laments the state of schools and communities that fail to care for low-income children of color and graduate them ready to work. It takes 20 years of education to grow an entry-level employee, or more if they are going to have a specialty that employers really want—like STEM or professional services. Even with black women graduating from college in record numbers, ‘not enough are coming out of the education system to get them all the way through to the C-suite,’ says Burns.”
McGirt writes, “And the black women who do make it often end up in support positions rather than the operational roles that lead to CEO jobs. The juice lies with people who are close to the product and the money. ‘So, now look at the numbers of women we have now. Unless you’re bringing people in from Mars, it’s going to be a while,’” Burns says.
That projection is backed up by the numbers. “In 2014 — the most recent year the magazine did a complete count — there were 51 women CEOs in the Fortune 1000. Fortune did not break down race. A March 2017 count by Talentul reported 54 female CEOs among the Fortune 1000,” writes Martin Simon in BizJournals.
“When looking only at the Fortune 500, there are just 24 women CEOs as of this month, according to Fortune. Only two — Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo and Geisha Williams of energy company PG&E — are women of color.”
While diversity and inclusion efforts are in force in many industries, in some industries they are failing. One in particular is public relations.
Angela Chitkara writes in Harvard Business Review, “According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the ethnic makeup of the PR industry in the U.S. is 87.9 percent white, 8.3 percent African American, 2.6 percent Asian American, and 5.7 percent Hispanic American.”
Chitkara adds, “The Holmes Report published in 2015 found that while women make up 70 percent of those employed in the U.S. public relations industry, they make up only 30 percent of agency C-suite executives.”
With the launch of her first book this month, Gadsden-Williams says she envisioned this goal for a long time.
“I always had an intention of writing a book and wanted it to speak to my professional journey and offer lessons along the way about how women ascend, particularly women who look like me.”
She adds, ”This is the third and final act of my career. I just wanted to offer candid, sage advice. This is my Lean In through a lens of a woman of color.”
About the Author
Michele Weldon is editorial director of Take The Lead, an award-winning author, journalist, emerita faculty in journalism at Northwestern University and a senior leader with The OpEd Project. @micheleweldon www.micheleweldon.com
Fairygodboss of the Week: Michelle Gadsden-Williams
"I want all women and girls to believe that anything is possible," says Michelle Gadsden-Williams. And with her as a role model, that's certainly easy to believe. The managing director of inclusion and diversity at Accenture and author of the new book, Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life, acknowledges the unique journey she has taken as a woman of color and the obstacles she has faced along the way, including a lupus diagnosis. Despite everything she's accomplished already, Michelle is always looking forward to the next task. Now, she's hoping to achieve "diversity 2.0," a time when diversity is so embedded in our DNA that it happens organically rather than by design.
Fairygodboss of the Week: Michelle Gadsden-Williams
Managing Director, Inclusion and Diversity, Accenture
New York, NY
Tell us a little about your career. How did you get to where you are now?
I have spent more than 25 years in corporate America. I’ve worked in four industries in the US and abroad. I started my career in marketing and over time transitioned to strategic planning and diversity management. I have had a wonderful corporate career filled with unique experiences that have shaped me as a leader. At this phase of my professional life, I get great satisfaction from helping the next generation of female leaders realize their potential and ambitions. In sum, I want all women (and girls) to believe that anything is possible!
What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?
It has always been my intention to write a book about my climb up the corporate ladder, and so the thing I’m currently most proud of is my new book, Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life, which publishes on May 1! I wanted to create a (play)book to provide women—and the men who support them—with the awareness and tools to better understand the unique journey women, and women of color, face in their careers.
Few of us have had an easy elevator ride to the top floor of our careers. Many of us have had to take the stairs—and it can be a steep climb. In Climb, I’ve used myself as the protagonist and share real-life examples of how I navigated today’s complex workplace. How you respond to that complexity is a strong indication of the kind of leader that you are. We all have aspirations to be successful in whatever field we work in. How we achieve success varies depending on the individual, our ecosystems that support us, and the choices that we make.
What is a challenge that you've faced and overcome?
My diagnosis with lupus. I was at the pinnacle of my career at the time and I was working in the pharmaceutical industry. I was the Global Chief Diversity Officer, my husband had just retired, we were packing up our home and moving to Switzerland. It was the job and opportunity of a lifetime and we were certainly looking forward to it. Then, in July of 2006 I was faced with the diagnosis that I have lupus. It really turned my world upside down. My health was paramount; it had to be first and foremost. Commuting to Switzerland almost every week from New Jersey just wasn’t healthy. I had to make some very tough choices in terms of my career. I wrestled with the decision to tell my employer: if I told them, would they think I was fragile? If I didn’t tell them, would my symptoms manifest themselves in a way that people would notice?
I had to do some self-reflection in terms of what was most important to me. I had put my career first and foremost up until that point, but now I had to take a step back and I decided that if I didn’t have my health, I couldn’t have a career. I decided to tell the CEO, my boss at the time, and he was nothing but supportive. My next challenge was to rethink and reengineer how I managed my professional life and put myself first and foremost, and my career second. I have had a clean bill of health since then.
Who is YOUR Fairygodboss? and Why?
I am proud to call Ann Fudge my Fairygodboss. Ann is the former Chairman and CEO of Young & Rubicam and is a trailblazer; she’s one of the first African American women to run a S&P 500 company. She has always provided me with sound career counsel. One thing I love about Ann is that she always tells me the good, bad and everything else in between. She has consistently been there for me whenever I needed her, and even when I didn’t. She genuinely cares about the well-being of those around her and helps me to be my best self.
What do you do when you're not working?
I enjoy reading, writing, spending time with my family, watching a good movie, or binge watching on Netflix.
If you could have dinner with one famous person—dead or alive—who would it be?
Maya Angelou. I sat on the board of the See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou Public Charter Schools in DC for a few years. During that time, I had the good fortune of meeting Dr. Angelou on a number of occasions. She was the epitome of grace and unflappable wisdom. She knew how to command a room and leave an indelible mark on every single person in that room once she left. She made you stand taller and walk with confidence if you were lacking in that area. I have NEVER met another human being like her. She was truly one of a kind.
Lightning Round:
What is your karaoke song?
"Respect" by Aretha Franklin.
What is your favorite movie?
The Color Purple.
What book would you bring with you on a desert island?
The Bible.
What is your shopping vice? What would you buy if you won the lottery?
I enjoy European luxury cars. If money were no object, I would buy a Bentley GT Convertible.
What is the #1 career tip you'd like to share with other women who want to have successful careers like you?
Don’t allow yourself to be paralyzed by fear. Take calculated risks to get what you want.
Why do you love where you work?
Our people are the heart of our business, and our ambition is to be the most inclusive and diverse company in the world. I’m proud that we have strong senior women at the top of our organization, including Ellyn Shook, our Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, and Julie Sweet, our North America CEO. We’ve made important strides toward our goals, and while we're pleased with our progress, we're not satisfied. One of those goals is to get to 50 percent women and 50 percent men in our workforce by 2025. We're working hard with our leadership to drive innovative tactics and strategies, and I am confident we're on our way. The big question is: how do we get to "diversity 2.0?"
When diversity becomes so embedded in our DNA, it's no longer talked about; it just organically happens. When there's a direct link to diversity in how we service our business and clients, in how we recruit suppliers we work with, and how we build the teams that work with our clients.
Fairygodboss is all about women helping other women—so each week, we celebrate a woman who made a difference in another woman’s career. Is there a woman who has made a difference in your career? Celebrate her and thank her by nominating her here.
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Print Marked Items
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle: CLIMB
Kirkus Reviews.
(Feb. 15, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle CLIMB Open Lens/Akashic (Adult Nonfiction) $15.95 5, 1 ISBN: 978-1-
61775-624-5
A distinguished business diversity expert advises women of color on how to move up the corporate ladder.
In this memoir and guidebook, Gadsden-Williams interweaves the story of her life as a black female
executive with research statistics and savvy career tips for minority women also seeking to occupy the "CSuite."
The author credits much of her success to parents who taught her the importance of "stick-toitiveness"--in
particular, her father, who managed to thrive in corporate management despite discrimination.
In her own professional life, the author observed that although black women worked twice as hard to
advance, they faced "concrete ceiling[s]" that left them unable to get to the next level. The way GadsdenWilliams
managed to get ahead was to become as visible as possible in every organization where she
worked. Along a path that took her from product development and marketing to human resources, she
realized that her true professional calling was "fighting for the underdog" as a corporate diversity manager.
The author's insight helped her understand that a big part of success had to do with defining "passion and
purpose." Networking both inside and outside the companies where she worked, finding mentors to advise
her and sponsors willing to invest in her career advancement, was also crucial. While she counsels strategic
behaviors and decision-making throughout, Gadsden-Williams is also very clear that the notion that women
can have it all is a "boldface lie." Drawing on her own experiences living with lupus, she further reminds
readers that self-care is essential. Because black women work twice as hard, they suffer "twice as much
from certain illnesses than other groups." Always candid about the realities of corporate life, the author
offers sound advice for minority women seeking advancement, recognition, and meaningful lives.
Illuminating and useful.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Gadsden-Williams, Michelle: CLIMB." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A527248117/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c0409509.
Accessed 23 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A527248117
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Climb: Taking Every Step with
Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk
to Achieve a Thriving Career and a
Successful Life
Publishers Weekly.
265.7 (Feb. 12, 2018): p67.
COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and
a Successful Life Michelle Gadsden-Williams, with Carolyn M. Brown. Open Lens, $15.95 trade paper
(288p) ISBN 978-1-61775-624-5
Gadsden-Williams, a former executive at Merck and Credit Suisse, mines her career for this inspiring, if not
particularly original, guide to success. After many years in C-suite positions, she left her corporate life to
cofound a business, Ceiling Breakers, along with her husband, David; the company helps women and
people of color to "reach their full potential," and organizations to meet diversity goals. The book tells her
life story, from her middleclass upbringing in North Edison, N.J., and early work in a variety of industries,
to her successes in aiding diversity efforts during her career as an executive and at her own company,
interspersed with advice on finding success and meaningful work. Her story is undoubtedly inspiring, and
sections addressing how corporate diversity and equality efforts have either succeeded and failed are
necessary reading. However, her advice--find one's purpose and passion, seek out a mentor or sponsor,
advocate and negotiate for oneself--is far from new. Aspiring businesspeople may be impressed by
Gadsden-Williams's accomplishments and vision, but aren't likely to find new advice. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career
and a Successful Life." Publishers Weekly, 12 Feb. 2018, p. 67. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A528615521/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=27734852.
Accessed 23 June 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A528615521
Booklist
Climb: Taking Every Step with Conviction, Courage, and Calculated Risk to Achieve a Thriving Career and a Successful Life.
Gadsden-Williams, Michelle (author) and Carolyn M. Brown (author).
May 2018. Akashic/Open Lens, paperback, $15.95 (9781617756245); e-book (9781617756467). 658.
REVIEW.
First published March 26, 2018 (Booklist Online).
The first book from diversity expert, philanthropist, and Accenture lead executive Gadsden-Williams incorporates both memoir and career guide. It’s also a good barometer of the challenges and opportunities that women of color face in corporate America. Rather than offering a tell-all, Gadsden-Williams, with her coauthor Brown, simply shares stories from her life, concluding each chapter with key steps to consider. Her narrative is colloquial, with hard-hitting truths. For instance, “You can’t have it all”; in other words, there is no such thing as work-life balance. Understand how to negotiate, and practice it; women are notoriously lax in promoting themselves. And, most important, health comes first: Gadsden-Williams was diagnosed with lupus and needed to manage it well and confide in her leaders. Her tale ends with the landscape of the 2017 Women’s March and the question, “What’s next for us?” Hers is a realistic, pragmatic discussion of what it takes to make it in Fortune 500 companies, and in life.— Barbara Jacobs