0:00:01 – Announcer

You are listening to the National University Podcast.

0:00:09 – Kimberly King

Hello, I’m Kimberly King. Welcome to the National University Podcast, where we offer an holistic approach to student support, well-being and success – the Whole Human education. We put passion into practice by offering accessible, achievable higher education to lifelong learners. On today’s episode, we’re discussing women of color and leadership development, and joining us is Dr. Deanna Davis. Dr. Davis is an associate professor and academic program director for the PhD in Organizational Leadership Program College of Business, Engineering and Technology at National University. She holds a PhD in Workforce Development and Organizational Leadership, a Master’s in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management. Go Aztecs!

Dr. Davis has worked professionally in higher education for over 20 years. She has provided leadership for various academic support offices, cultivated external partnerships, taught students from diverse backgrounds and directed academic programs focusing on student success and retention. She has presented at numerous conferences and has published research on leadership development among female leaders in academia and business, and her research focuses on organizational leadership, business management, virtual organizations, workforce development, and organizational culture and talent acquisition. Wow, impressive. We welcome you to the podcast, Dr. Davis. How are you?

0:01:42 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Thank you so much for that introduction. I am doing great. Thank you.

0:01:46 – Kimberly King

Good, why don’t you fill our audience in a little bit on your mission and your work before we get to today’s show topic?

0:01:53 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Okay, so I’ve been in education for over 30 years.

I started out as a teacher, you know, for the school district, and from there I’ve worked my way up to being a college administrator.

But prior to doing the education route, I did corporate America for a couple of years and just realized that my passion was really in education, more so than corporate America, because my degree was in business administration as an undergrad.

So I pursued corporate and then really felt like I just wanted to be an educator, I wanted to teach, I wanted to follow that path of enlightening others, and so I worked my way into different parts of education, different fields in education, from teaching counselor, advisor, director of a program, and then within the last five years, I became an associate professor here at National University and also the academic program director for the PhD in organizational leadership program. So my goal is, you know, access, retention, and graduation. My goal is to help students, you know, obtain access to higher education, you know, help them become persistent, reach their goals of obtaining that college education and ultimately graduating, to become productive members of society and understanding what organizational leadership is about, and facilitating that as a professor and director of the program. So education is my passion and it’s definitely my mission and goal is to help others through education.

0:03:30 – Kimberly King

That is exciting. I love that, and you can hear your passion here, so that’s amazing. Today we are talking about women of color and leadership development, and you are exactly in the right spot of where you’re supposed to be, and I can’t wait to hear your stories of how you’ve helped others. So my first question is, were there any pivotal moments or challenges that shaped your own leadership style?

0:03:54 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Great question. So, as I mentioned, when I first graduated from college, undergrad, I started working in corporate America, and so, you know, I was 21 years old, and I became an administrative assistant at a major corporation. It was a Fortune 500 company in California, and from that experience I worked, I had my first experience working under leadership and working in corporate and the focus on productivity and, you know, for profit. And so I worked under a supervisor who I learned in retrospect now was, you know, a micromanager who only focused on the bottom line and business related issues and didn’t focus on people.

And so I was one of those employees that was overlooked, overworked, not appreciated, and so from that experience I realized that this is not the way that leadership should be emulated, this is not what leadership should exemplify.

And so from that experience, that shaped my leadership style in becoming a compassionate leader, understanding the importance of people, talent management, understanding the skill sets and competencies that people can bring to the table, and just appreciating the workforce. So I started to shift and again I left corporate America, went into education, but it started building my leadership style that really focused on transformational leadership, you know, transforming individuals, empowering individuals, finding their gifts and their talents and helping them understand the goals and objectives and working in that team environment.

And also a little bit of servant leadership as well. And you know, listening to my employees and empowering them and understanding that there’s no I in team. I can’t be a leader without empowering and working with the team. So from that experience, that challenge that I experienced at a young age, it has helped me to develop into a compassionate leader and valuing employees and valuing the team and valuing people for who they are and what they can bring to the organization.

0:06:17 – Kimberly King

I love that because you just turned a negative situation or experience into something positive where you have control over, and it is about compassion. Everybody’s different. We all bring different you know skills and talents and passions to the table, and I think it’s true when you get to know your peers and the people that work under you and whatnot, I mean you get to know them and you bring hopefully bring out the best in them.

0:06:43 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Exactly, and that’s the key bringing out the best in people. Because you know, we work. Everyone works for different reasons, you know. So it’s understanding the human value and the human connection in the workforce and understanding what we, how can we build that synergy and build that, you know, the collaboration to ensure that we meet the goals and objectives. But you know, with that said too, I, you know, I’m a leader. That’s, like I said, transformational. I am fair and I can be firm because you know, because at the end of the day, the work has to get done and the goals have to be met. So you know, but that took years of experience and having staff, you know, report to me and learning the highs and the lows of being a leader.

0:07:28 – Kimberly King

Wow. Well, it’s good. At least you know you’ve transformed and you listen too. That’s another huge key point, isn’t it? What are- talk about some of the unique challenges that women of color face in leadership positions?

0:07:42 – Doctor Deanna Davis

So, as a woman of color, you know, in leadership positions, from my experience and just researching this topic, I found that, you know, women face multiple challenges which are very unique. Number one- being a woman. Number one- being a woman of color. That’s as we call it in my research and from experience, double jeopardy, you know, because you’re two different boxes, um, and so understanding how to navigate the intersection of being a woman and, um, a woman of color, because you can’t separate that, you know, through intersection, you can’t separate that’s who you are, and so understanding that, um, there will be some gender issues and possibly biases in the workplace because of you know your gender. And then, of course, there may be some racial bias because of, you know, being a woman of color.

So, with that said, that leads to sometimes some higher expectations and harsher judgments compared to other individuals, with that double jeopardy. There’s also a lack of representation and role models in the workplace that women of color have experienced. Because of the fact that there are a fewer number of executives and leadership roles that are women of color, it’s sometimes harder to find mentors or even sponsors who understand the unique challenges that these individuals face in the workplace. So there’s no one to help model the way for these individuals in the workplace. So that’s definitely a challenge when no one can understand or relate to their background and experience and their stories.

There’s also some stereotypes that women of color experience. Sometimes they can be seen as aggressive, sometimes they could be seen as docile, or you know, or they’re not qualified for the position and they, you know, earned that position. You know, for a checkbox or a quota. So you know those stereotypes are very prevalent for women of color. And then there’s also some microaggressions. You know, that can be verbal or nonverbal, you know that women of color also experience, and those microaggressions can take on different roles, as you know. Why are you here? How are you qualified for the position? And you know, are you really educated? So subtle and not so subtle, so it just really depends.

Limited access to networks and opportunities as well is another challenge. They’re often excluded from informal networks and so they have to be a voice and try to find those pipelines that are crucial for their career advancements, because sometimes they’re not at the table and so sometimes they hear about or omit it from the main. You know opportunities that are afforded other individuals in the organization opportunities that are afforded other individuals in the organization.

There’s also the pay- you know, inequities of pay that women of color experience as well, you know. It’s just sometimes they come in at less of a salary or their opportunities for pay equity are diminished as they advance in their careers. And then promotions- sometimes they’re overlooked for promotions as well, and there’s sometimes higher scrutiny, and a lot of pressure to perform. If you’re the only one in that organization, you have a lot more pressure because you are the only one, so you are the voice. You are expected to do more- above and beyond- than someone else in the organization, and so there’s a lot of pressure with that and that type of you know experience. So those are some challenges that you know I’ve researched from individuals women of color and that I’ve also experienced in the workplace.

0:11:48 – Kimberly King

Okay, and again, because of your experience and because of your passion, you know you’re breaking the ceiling for many others coming in behind you. And so, on the shoulders, you rise. What skills or specific qualities do you think are essential for women of color to thrive as leaders, to thrive as leaders?

0:12:17 – Doctor Deanna Davis

I would think that resilience is one that first comes to mind. You’ve got to be resilient, you’ve got to be able to bounce back. Like you were saying, you’re on the shoulders of so many and so you have so much responsibility, so you know when times are tough, you’ve got to bounce back. You have to have that grit, you have to have that focus and that perseverance and that determination that helps when you’re dealing with so many obstacles and challenges. And you want to, you know to grow and you want to be that leader. So that’s definitely a skill set and quality that’s important. Confidence, and believing in yourself. Self-belief, you know, believing that you can do it, you know, having that confidence through your education, through your experience or just life lessons, and knowing and believing in yourself, first and foremost, and knowing that you know, through whatever you want to accomplish, that you can do it. You, if there’s certain positions, if there you know, a certain career opportunity that affords itself, believe it that you can accomplish that. Strategic networking- you got to be intentional, got to be able to network within the organization, got to know those key players and you have to be able to know who’s going to open that door for you or provide you with the access for you to you know to grow in the organization. So relationship building- very important. Having you know- being positive, that’s the key. Having positive relationships with individuals who can provide you with that access and provide you with those opportunities.

Strong communication skills- be able to articulate your feelings, your drive, your ambitions, your whatever that you want to grow and however that way you want to. You have to be able to articulate that, communicate that and follow that path. And so, public speaking, you know, being able to have a commanding presence, you know, in those conversations and are very important as well, skill sets that you can learn and the qualities that you should possess.

And then having the vision and you know, a purpose driven vision to be able to foster those opportunities and staying focused on what you need to do to accomplish that, whether that’s, you know, professional development. Again, whether that’s having those relationships, looking for sponsors, having that ability to hone in on that so that you can stay focused.

And then one of the last things I want to talk about qualities is self-care. You know you’ve got to feel good inside for you to exemplify that positive disposition on the outside. So self-care is really important for women to manage stress, burnout… your well-being. So you can be- you’re, you know, maintaining your highest level of performance in the organization.

0:15:23 – Kimberly King

Wow, I love all of those. And you started with resilience and ended with self-care. And imagine just maybe you’re being the first female or female of color in that role and all of that stress that you’re carrying just trying to keep up and learn and be assertive, and all of the above with what you just mentioned. So that carries a certain amount of stress. So I love that you ended with self-care on there. What strategies have helped you grow in your leadership role? I love all of the strategies that we just talked about, but are there any that stick out for you?

0:15:57 – Doctor Deanna Davis

For me it’s been experience, education. You know I’m an educator, so anytime I can educate – and sometimes that’s informal and formal – you know sometimes that’s educating myself and just meeting with someone who can teach me something, you know. So that’s in addition to the formal education I received. But learning from others has definitely been instrumental, a strategy that I’ve used in my career trajectory. And then, proving my ability and my, you know, accomplishments. I’m not accomplishment driven; I am focused on opportunities to grow.

But it’s not accolades, I’m not looking for accolades. I am looking to be a leader, to teach organizational leadership, which I do now. And when I did have a staff, you know, making sure that I was empowering them. So those strategies have helped me going above and beyond my job, proving myself to my supervisors. You know, I remember one position I had and my supervisor was doing the evaluation on me, and one thing he said to me- I’ll never forget that- he said you know you’re a unit when I have staff of maybe like 20, 30 people. You know your staff’s on autopilot, you know everyone knows what they’re supposed to do, you work in tandem.

And so to me, I appreciated that comment because to me, he was basically saying your organization is running, your unit is running smoothly within the organization and I appreciated that, and so you know, as a- it takes time to get to that point. You know, it takes a lot of time to get the team on board and so you know my positivity, my attitude, my disposition, my empowering others has helped in in building that skillset and that strategy to understand how to be a leader and how to work with the team, so they understand my philosophy and leadership and how they can work. We can all work together. And seeking those opportunities, you know, for my knowledge, skills, my abilities and just staying focused. Those are some strategies that have helped me throughout the years in my experience.

0:18:10 – Kimberly King

Nice. I love that. How about? How can organizations better support and uplift women of color in leadership?

0:18:20 – Doctor Deanna Davis

I would say that organizations should first look at what their goals are and ensuring that their goal, their mission, vision and goals align with a diverse workforce. And how- what does that look like? You know what is- actionable items to ensure that that is being measured, evaluated and pursued. So you know, those initiatives could be training, development policies as well, fair treatment of employees. You know working with human resources.

But it’s more than just human resources. It’s top-down. The organizations- you can’t just say, HR is going to be responsible for you know diversity or you know encouraging women of color to opportunities. It has to be from the CEO all the way down, you know, to lower level positions. So it takes the whole organization to understand that they need to support and uplift women of color. So that includes the hiring process. That includes promotional practices and opportunities, setting clear goals and objectives. And then even facilitating sponsorship, which I think is really critical as you work with and provide access to women of color and having someone you know, sponsor that individual, because those are the ones who’s going to provide the access.

Mentorship is just as important as well, but mentors, you know, it could be an experienced individual working with experienced individual and really showing them their expertise and giving them some best practices. But the sponsors can really- are the ones who will have the access to provide these women of color with leadership opportunities.

And you know,

addressing I mentioned the pay issues as well and promotion really looking at the organization, looking to make sure everything is fair and equitable. You know, women of color should not be paid less in the same position than somebody else. That’s not fair and you’re doing the same work and sometimes more. So organizations should look at that and make sure that it’s equitable across the board. And then, fostering an inclusive workplace culture, you know. So addressing any biases that there are, celebrating people who have diverse backgrounds and perspectives and experiences, and embracing that into the workplace culture is important as well.

Providing those leadership development opportunities you know, if you see women of color who are not pursuing leadership opportunities, address it, you know, decide what can be done to foster those opportunities within that population within your organization, and provide those trainings and workshops or even executive coaching, you know, any type of professional development that those individuals would need to prosper.

And then, employee resource groups are really important too- those affinity groups that are within an organization- you know, promote them, sponsor them, you know, so that women of color can share their experiences and feel comfortable in a safe place to build that sense of community within the organization and then prioritize, like I mentioned, the well-being, you know, of women of color. There’s a lot that women of color are dealing with in the workplace, both professionally and personally. So, you know, having organizations provide mental health resources, you know, environments where women feel comfortable in speaking up and engaging with, you know leadership as well is very important as well. So prioritizing that is really important

0:22:23 – Kimberly King

That’s great and I know I think I mentioned I work with the sheriff’s office in San Diego- and very diverse employee relations- and it’s nice because I think once a month, you know, you mentioned just really learning about people’s cultures and so we do it through food you know and have a taste of, you know wherever you’re from, and that’s such a great way for just in a casual setting but enjoying the food of the culture and then you learn so much and I’ve learned so much already. Just I haven’t been there very long but-

0:22:56 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Yes. Food is the route to the soul. So you can’t understand people’s food, and so sometimes there’s a story behind that dish. So learning about that is definitely, you know, opens your eyes and you learn something about that culture. And so, yes, and when it’s great food, it’s a happy, place for a lot of people.

0:23:15 – Kimberly King

Next time I see you, I’ll probably be this wide. Exactly, yes, exactly so much, yes, right, he has a story and you know a starting place, and a lot of the food that comes in are out of the cookbooks of their parents or their grandparents.

0:23:30 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Yes, passed down, exactly. So that’s why it’s so much rich history to these dishes.

0:23:35 – Kimberly King

Yeah, yeah, I think more of that. It’s a really good thing. What role has mentorship played in your own leadership journey?

0:23:43 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Okay, so I’ve had some phenomenal mentors through my life and I’ve been blessed to have that because you know, like I said, mentors- they are able to teach someone who’s novice about the organization, about life, about experiences, so they helped me navigate the workplace. You know, I had several previous positions. I had several mentors who just really took the time to teach me and help me and really discussed with me and, you know, pushed me and provided those opportunities and they’re still in my life today and so, especially as I was younger, having mentors has definitely paved the way to where I am today.

Because you know, when you’re young, you just- you know you have this ambitious ideas, or sometimes you don’t have any ideas, you’re just learning, and so to have a mentor see something in you that you may not see within yourself and they provide, you know they’re there for that guidance and that you know those good advice and it really has been phenomenal in my life. So mentors has been. You know, I like I said, to have had some positive mentors that are still in my life.

0:25:03 – Kimberly King

So you know, definitely, yeah, no, I love that you shared that and I love that you know when you said you came in when you were young. But sometimes it does take that little spark for somebody that’s, you know, in the supervisory role ahead of you, you know, for them to just see, oh, you know, have you ever thought about this? And that takes a lot on both sides. But good that you’ve been surrounded and blessed, as you said, with some great mentors.

0:25:25 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Yes, I have. And I mean, you know, when I became a director at a young age, I didn’t even think about, you know, having a staff and dealing all the things. But it was my supervisor who was also a mentor. She was a mentor and you know, you can be a supervisor and a mentor and I love that about her. She said, no, you’re ready, and I can say no, I’m 29. Why would I want to be a director? No, I believe you. You could do it. And she worked with me. She taught me even how to conduct a meeting. You know, it was teaching me the ropes of what I needed to do to be a successful director, you know, and so I appreciate that.

But she saw something in me that I didn’t see and so that you know, I just thought I was good at that time. I was just, I was an academic advisor at the time, and so I just thought I was just going to help college students, you know, with advising. But she said, no, you’re ready for the next level. So mentors are really good because they see something in you that you may not see and they and they’ll work with you until you know they, you’re ready to take the next step.

0:26:25 – Kimberly King

Good, oh, I love that. And I always you know, I hear when in the within the sheriff’s office and it’s probably the same throughout all of them, but they shift and they are covering different roles, and always say be comfortable, being uncomfortable because you just start something new, but you know, as long as you’re compassionate and you have, you know, patience, I think that plays a hand that while you’re getting ready and you’re learning, but you know it’s sometimes uncomfortable saying yes and jumping into something, but good, good for you that you have, yes, it worked out.

0:26:55 – Doctor Deanna Davis

And then you know, sometimes it’s a change. You know when you’re comfortable doing something and you have to step outside the box and do something that you’re not familiar with.

You know, sometimes you can be resistant to change, but that mentor will come and make you feel that, yes, you can do it, you can achieve that, and they’ll mentor you and guide you until you know. And so for you to reach that level of comfort where you can accept that new change in your life professionally.

0:27:22 – Kimberly King

Oh, I love that. How can women of color find and build supportive professional networks?

0:27:27 – Doctor Deanna Davis

I would say that there’s different ways. A lot of professional organizations are out there that women should, you know, be a part of and seek. There’s different organizations that you know, focus on different business trades, and so I think women should seek those organizations.

Conferences are really important as well. Attending different conferences where you can network with other individuals is very helpful for women of color and it’s taking advantage of- you know, any professional development opportunity. Education- you know just some type of, you know if you’re doing, you know continuing education credit as well. You know all of these. Or certificates, you know micro-credentialing as well. All of those will be beneficial in building those supportive professional networks, because you meet people and as you meet people, you make those connections, and then you know whether that’s organizations or through education. I think that’s very helpful in building supportive professional networks.

0:28:38 – Kimberly King

That you know. And, just as you said, conferences, but training too. I mean wherever you’re going to just really help extend your career and learn new things. But yeah, networking, if you’re shy and you’re trying to move up the ladder, you need to work on that too, just because, like oftentimes there’s always a topic or a conference on that.

0:28:58 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Yeah, always A workshop something always yeah and no.

0:29:03 – Kimberly King

It’s no question is you know it’s always. There’s no such thing as a dumb question. (Exactly) what advice would you give to young women of color aspiring in leadership roles or to leadership roles?

0:29:15 – Doctor Deanna Davis

That’s a good question. So I would say for my advice, and this again from experience and research own your confidence, believe in it. If you can believe it, you can achieve it. So you have to have that confidence to believe in your abilities and you deserve that seat at the table, you deserve that position. Why not? Why not you? You know you, but you have to believe it within yourself first and know your worth with that.

And again, the mentors and the sponsors finding those mentors and those sponsors who provide that access, the opportunity, the guidance that you need to build your resume up and build your skills. And, you know, take on those opportunities that are afforded to you. Don’t get comfortable. And so sometimes you need a person to push you and, in the form of a mentor or some sponsors. Build your networking. You know, like we were just saying, the networking you know. So that’s really important because you may know the right person. Um can open those doors. In addition to those mentors and sponsors.

Um, you know, be bold. Um, you know, speak up in meetings, take the initiative, don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Um, you need to be visible. You know, so many times women of color um are, you know, invisible, but if you speak up and you show up you need to you become visible, and so that’s important for you to raise your hand, be bold and take up the space, let them know who you are. Learn and navigate the biases and the barriers, because unfortunately, they’re going to exist. They’re going to exist. So how do you learn and navigate that? How do you learn to overcome and advocate for yourself and push through?

Again, that came back to that, you know being resilient, you know, but being intentional as well when you overcome those biases that you’re going to experience and learn how to navigate and play the game sometimes. You know, learn how to play that game, because that you know. That’s when I did my research. I did some research where I interviewed college presidents and women who were in vice president, president roles and CEO roles in corporate America, and one of the themes from interviewing those women of color was, learn how to play the game. That was one of the themes, because they had to learn how to play that game and that helped them sustain their high-level positions.

And so, women of color, you still need to do that. Learn how to play the game, keep learning, keep growing, never stop, never get comfortable, you know. Invest in yourself, stay adaptable and open to the new challenges that you will be faced with. And then, you know, always take care of yourself. You know, you have to take care of yourself because no one else is going to take care of you, especially, you know, in the workplace. So you’ve got to understand your self-care, your mental well-being, your healthy work-life balance, you know. You know, because you have a family. Most of most women have a family at home they got to take care of and they have to take care of the workplace as well. So, finding that balance and not being overwhelmed and overworked in that process, and, you know, just again, being resilient, just never, ever giving up.

0:32:56 – Kimberly King

Yeah. I love it, I love it, and you know you mentioned playing the game. But even what if you played college sports or something and there’s a league, softball, basketball, whatever it is, you know, maybe even playing that game on the outside with your peers, you know, and just fitting in and they, you know, getting to know people on a different level.

0:33:14 – Doctor Deanna Davis

And even going to the golf course. I’m going to learn golf. I know, right, I’m learning how to really play golf. Of course, with the golf courses learn golf, but I’m just learning how to really play golf. I’m going to go on a golf course with them.

0:33:26 – Kimberly King

I know exactly, exactly. That is playing the game. Exactly. What steps can businesses take to create more inclusive leadership pipelines?

0:33:41 – Doctor Deanna Davis

For businesses, I would recommend investing in leadership development for women of color, you know, and that can include promoting and providing mentorship and sponsorship programs within the organization so that you can connect the emerging leaders with some senior executives within the corporate landscape, offering leadership training within, you know, for women of color executive coaching as well, and then skill building workshops, because all that could be done in-house or it could be paid for by the organization.

But again, it’s about building the leadership trajectory of those women of color that can be done at the corporate level. Establishing clear, equitable promotion paths. Making it transparent- of what individuals need for the women of color so that they can define their career progression, to ensure that everything is fair and equitable. And then, you know, competency training for all employees, making sure that, you know, everyone is treated fairly but sometimes they’re unique to training. You know, organization, company needs to foster those training opportunities that everyone participates in to ensure that everyone understands what it means to, you know, be fair, equitable, anti-bias and understand what really cultural competency really means. And just establishing clear policies and making sure everyone’s accountable for their actions. I think organizations could implement these so that women of color really understand that they are part of the organization and their voice matters in the organization and they matter in the organization.

0:35:37 – Kimberly King

Yeah, isn’t it funny when you think about your first leadership not your role, but the supervisor, where you said she was all about the bottom or I she maybe it was he about the bottom line, but not and see how important it is to to, yeah, really sit down with people and get to know them Exactly. Communication is key, it is, it is. What do you hope to leave for the next generation of leaders?

0:36:03 – Doctor Deanna Davis

I would just say- and I just I’m going to keep saying this- without thinking women of color need to understand, they need to be resilient, they can never give up because if, if, if women stop and they just get discouraged, then we won’t have this discussion anymore about women of color and leadership development.

So women need to understand that the next generation you know we’ve got to reach back my current generation we’ve got to pay it forward, we’ve got to teach them what they need to do to get into these spaces and these places and, you know, pay it forward for them. And then, when they come along, they need to understand that they, someone, has opened the pathway and so they need to step in and continue to be resilient, continue to stay focused and continue to have that goal to be in those leadership roles, because they deserve to be there. And that’s important to understand for the next generation. That you know, we need women of color and we need them in those leadership roles. And so they need to see themselves, they need to see current women in the roles and they need to understand that that goal is achievable and it is also attainable.

0:37:23 – Kimberly King

I like that because sometimes you know, you just take it for granted that you may be mentoring, but these you know women that come in or anybody that you want to give a hand up to, it’s also looking back and saying, hey, let me come along with me. So exactly. Loud right, yes, we got to look back. And lastly, what changes would you like to see in leadership development for women of color?

0:37:50 – Doctor Deanna Davis

The changes, you know. I just I think organizations need to stop silencing women of color and hear their voices and know that they are a valuable asset to the table. Diverse perspectives are definitely warranted in any organization. Understand that they can bring so much talent and knowledge and expertise to the organization and increase productivity. You know, you know, and so if it’s corporate America for-profits, that’s what it’s about. So, understanding that they’re a vital asset to the organization. And it’s really important in this day and time to understand the importance that women of color can bring to any organization, any sector corporate, for-profit, nonprofits, you know, government, it doesn’t matter- that we are a vital asset to an organization. And so stop trying to silence women of color and understand the importance of having a workplace and workforce with women of color.

0:38:58 – Kimberly King

I love it. National University is blessed to have you there in charge, and looking out for all of these leaders in the next generation. So thank you for what you’ve done and what you’re continuing to do to build the legacy. Thank you today for sharing your knowledge, and if you want more information, you can visit National University’s website at nu.edu, and we thank you so very much for your time, doctor.

0:39:21 – Doctor Deanna Davis

Thank you. I appreciate this has been wonderful. I appreciate it so much. Thank you.

0:39:27 – Kimberly King

You’ve been listening to the National University Podcast. For updates on future or past guests, visit us at nu.edu. You can also follow us on social media. Thanks for listening.