Wells Fargo’s CEO makes me wonder: Which other leaders in the financial services quietly share his views?
In a company memo this past summer, Wells’ Chief Executive Charlie Scharf blamed his company’s lack of diversity on “
To begin with, the suggestion that there aren’t enough Black people to hire them for roles up to the C-suite isn’t borne out by data. In 2018, there were nearly 175,000 Black professionals, middle managers, senior officials and executives in finance and insurance,
With oblivious and insensitive comments like these, you would think that Black financial professionals would be leery of financial services. Yet, we continue to “take one for the team” and show up with commitment and drive to advance the profession even with the high probability of being mistreated by the very profession that continues to erase our contributions at the same time.
Leaders in positions like Scharf’s would do well to keep that in mind, along with recognizing that forms of racial discrimination hurt their businesses and the U.S. economy. If we as a country could have closed the gaps among Black and white people in wages, education, housing and investment capital in 2000, it would have added $16 trillion to our gross domestic product,
His comments perpetuate a longstanding trope that the difficulty in diversifying the talent pool has little to do with the will of the firm to expand its reach and cultural competency. It’s a multi-century old playbook that devalues Black contributions and masks the underlying bias against Black Americans. History repeats itself.
Can it be dismissed as a forgivable act of unconscious bias? Or should it serve as a moment of truth, reflection and action by those who have the power to change an industry that has stifled opportunity for others for too many years?
The talent shortage spans across all spectrums of diversity except for white men over 55 years old. Leaders in the majority population possess a great deal of influence to create conditions for identifying, supporting, and advancing underrepresented populations They decide what needs to change.
So, what’s holding back these white leaders and their firms from taking action and #DoingTheWork?
Any investment requires an understanding of the nature of the investment, its risks and rewards, and likelihood of success. Racial bias and a lack of cultural competency reflect how hiring managers deviate from this very fundamental tenet of investing. If you don’t do your research, validate your assumptions and understand the market, you will never recognize the opportunity.
In overcoming oppression and systemic barriers, Black excellence isn’t limited to a few “rock stars.”
Blacks have been trained over centuries to overperform and overachieve, even when confronted by institutional racism, denial of opportunity for promotion, and unconscious bias about the true skill set of people who don’t look like those in the C-Suite.
While degrees and certifications are baseline requirements for most roles in financial services, we consistently see qualified racial minorities with equal or greater qualifications and experience get overlooked for higher pay and new positions.
If progress is your firm’s goal, embed the eradication of racial bias in your firm’s strategic planning, operations and HR practices. You will reap the benefit of financial progress that’s rooted in intentionally seeking and supporting Black talent and staying relevant in an increasingly diverse environment.
With my work as chair of the
