In this episode of the Unstoppable Together Podcast, host Jennie Brooks talks to Booz Allen Chief People Officer Betty Thompson. Betty shares where Booz Allen stands 2 years after the launch of its DEI Strategy, and how the company has been able to sustain momentum for decades. She also discusses lessons learned, progress to date, and her philosophy on the role leaders play in this work.
Jennie Brooks:
Welcome to Booz Allen Hamilton's Unstoppable Together Podcast, a series of stories that unite us and empower each of us to change the world. I'm Jennie Brooks with Booz Allen Hamilton, and I'm passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Please join me in conversation with the diverse group of thought leaders to explore what makes them and all of us unstoppable. Hello everyone, and welcome to the Unstoppable Together Podcast. I'm your host, Jennie Brooks, and today I am excited to be joined by Betty Thompson. Betty is Booz Allen's Chief people officer, co-sponsor of the firm's DEI Strategy and Chief Diversity Officer for Booz Allen. Betty, welcome to the podcast.
Betty Thompson:
Thank you, Jenny. I'm delighted to be here. And thank you for doing this.
Jennie Brooks:
Absolutely. We're always happy to have you join us on the podcast. Betty, we're two years into executing Booz Allen's DE&I strategy, and we have a lot of progress to share and talk about today. We've developed DE&I plans at the sector level. We've established sector councils for DE&I. We've embedded DE&I into our leaders' performance goals. And we're requiring diverse interview teams for all principal and above positions just to sample a few. When you think about all that we've accomplished, what do you think are the key drivers of our progress.
Betty Thompson:
Yeah, Jenny. Well, the strategy that we are currently executing is only two years old. We've been on this journey for quite a long time, and you know well since you've been such a great champion and participant in all of these activities. But what we've been focused on with this particular strategy is to be more focused and more deliberate and more aligned across the firm. So, we want to make sure that the firm-wide representation in the senior leadership aligns with the overall workforce representation, so that individuals can look up and see someone like them at the more senior levels as role models and know that they can achieve the same success. And we also want to make sure that we're creating an equitable and inclusive experience for all of our employees, no one's left out.
And to focus on those two goals, we've divided our work into four focus areas, what we call four pillars. And they are to lead by example, empower potential, inspire belonging, and use our voice. So, when we talk about lead by example, that's focused on the expectations we have for our leaders to set the example. And we measure that with the experience survey, specific efforts and actions that they are taking to achieve the goals that we have, as well as long-term incentives for our partners that are tied to our progress against our goals. When we talk about empower potential, it's about driving equitable access to opportunities for education, exposure and experiences. We know those are the things that lead to progress in one's career. And then when we talk about inspire belonging, it's really about creating spaces where employees feel seen, heard, valued, and cared for.
And then using our voice is about advancing equity and resilience inside and outside the walls of Booz Allen, the Unstoppable Magazine, for example, our podcast like this, the philanthropy. Things like that are ways that we want to use our voice. These actions that we take, we're tracking against them to make sure that we are making progress. Each sector have DEI plans that are aligned to the pillars. So, they're not allowed to go off and decide that they want to achieve some other goal, which has been some of the misalignment that we've had in the past. Their actions can be very customized to their particular business, but they need to be aligned to achieving what we are trying to do across the firm. So, each one of them has a council, it's led by a senior leader who's responsible for executing, tracking and reporting to the sector presidents as well as to the firm's executive DEI council, which you mentioned, and Dennis and I lead that.
That approach allows for them to develop what will work for them and for them to really own it, but it also holds them accountable as well as with the executive council, an opportunity to share what's working, what's not, to test some things. And it's critical to point out that these are aligned to the firm's strategy and the goals that we have there. And as a result, we are seeing that we're making some progress. We all would like to see it go faster, but we are making progress. Like you said, we're requiring diverse interview teams, and some teams have adapted that approach for below the principal levels and senior associates, so that all they're looking at that across the board for all of their hiring. And the belonging initiatives to incorporate inclusive behaviors into everyday activities, amplifying our BRGs and the networks that create community for personal and professional growth.
There's a lot of alignment that we can create between the TXGs and the BRGs, so that people can not only grow their connections, but also grow their skills. And we have established progress indicators, so that we can track whether we're making progress. And this can include some of the survey results that we get, and mobility is a big one. And there's a lot more that we track to make sure that we're staying on track and that we're looking at the right things. And I would say the early signs are that we are on track. Like I said, I wish we were moving faster, but we are making progress. The firm-wide representation is increasing and the employee experience sentiments are improving, but this is the beauty of having many tactics and testing things that we can adopt more broadly.
Jennie Brooks:
That's awesome, Betty. Wow, I'm just so inspired by it. So, clear strategy with focus areas, very clear goals, action plans across many pieces of the organization. Let's talk a little bit about the role of leadership and what that's looked like throughout this process.
Betty Thompson:
So, let's start with, and everybody says it starts with tone at the top. I believe it starts with actions at the top, not just words. And I think you could not ask for a better representation of that than Horacio Rozanski, our CEO. He has always been passionate and a champion of diversity. In fact, he is on an industry committee about DEI for the government. He's also the chair of Children's National Hospital, and they just hired a new CEO, the first woman of color in their history. So, he takes it not only within Booz Allen, but it is just who he is. He also met with the BRG volunteers a couple of weeks ago in a closed door session. He wanted to hear from them directly about what we were doing, what they were doing, what we should be doing, what they need.
And I got a whole long list of to-dos coming out of that conversation. But he does, he participates in many of the monthly heritage celebrations, and he is setting an expectation for more leaders to do the same. And we have some work to do to make sure that they know about them in enough time to plan to attend them. But I think that's a really important thing. I've been to many of them and I absolutely love them. And it's just great to get to know the folks that I wouldn't ordinarily come across in the work that I do. We also have goals at the leadership level. I said we have these long-term incentives for our partners, which are approved and reviewed regularly by our board. So, not just at the CEO level, but our board level. There's not only a tone, but there's action.
We have one of the most diverse boards in public companies and have been recognized for that. So it matters to them as well. And we have four categories for goals this year for senior associates and above, it's business, it's employee engagement, DEI, and transformation. So, we are setting a tone of expectations, and this is what people will be assessed on at the end of the year. The other thing I would mention in Horacio is is very much on this, as are the rest of the LT, and that is about in-person engagement. Because while these virtual things served us well, serving us well now in this podcast, they don't replace the in-person where you really get to know people and you get to reinforce our culture of caring. And that's been hard during COVID. And so while we will remain flexible, we really want to make sure that we get those opportunities and take advantage of those.
Not to just work in a different location and show up at your cube as opposed to your home office, but to be together and to relate and have experiences together. And then the last is that at the leadership level, we do want to create those experiences that create opportunities with mentoring and communicating. And really demonstrating that it's not just words and it's not just intentions, but there are real actions behind it.
Jennie Brooks:
Speaking of actions, I was at that forum where our co-chairs met in a session with Horacio, our CEO. And one of the things that I reflected on in that whole evening together was the trust and just the integrity and transparency and honesty that really filled the conversation that he invited and embraced and encouraged. And I thought that's such an important part of the work is to have that trust at the foundation and be able to share honestly and candidly so much of this work and also who we are as an institution, the encouragement of sharing one's story and meeting people where they are. So yeah, that was a fantastic night. It doesn't surprise me that you walked away with a list of actions.
Let's talk a little bit about the role of education in this work as well. One of the phrases that we reflect on over time is from Maya Angelou, when she says, "When you know better, you do better." What has been our approach to DE&I learning and training to make sure that we're always creating ways to know better and do better?
Betty Thompson:
Jenny, we used to have a lot of diversity training, and there's a lot of people out there selling it now, especially since this is a hot topic. But actually research is showing that traditional DEI training doesn't really lead to awareness or to behavior change that really lasts. Especially when it's mandatory, it's more of a check the box than it is really, let me learn something. So, our approach has shifted to leverage our employee-led signature programs like Unstoppable Together to regularly engage our workforce on these topics and really make it real and meaningful and relevant and timely. So, we have different formats like this podcast that can surface as DE&I related issues in a more relevant and digestible format. There's also the summit series, the magazine, the video library, and more.
So, a lot of different ways that people can engage in the education in a way that works for them. It's all available to employees as well as a lot of it goes externally. We have conversation starters when we knew we needed to have ways of bringing people together to have these conversations. And so we've continued with that, and it helps bring in what we're seeing in the outside world into the conversation and let people have a way to talk about that. And then again, I'm all about the BRGs these days, and they host a lot of events with speakers that aren't just relevant to that BRG, but they're relevant to others and interesting topics that we want people to really participate in.
Jennie Brooks:
Same, I think more today than perhaps pre-pandemic. I'm really energized by the activities and the conversation and the energy coming out of the BRGs and networks. They're just such a great enabler today, given where we've been, but also as a means to come back together as we pull through just the last few years of what we've been through. What would you say is one of your biggest personal learnings from working on the firm's DE&I strategy?
Betty Thompson:
I've been passionate about DE&I for a very long time and had been involved in this work also for a long time. But after George Floyd's murder, I became much more aware of what I wasn't seeing. I heard from colleagues that I thought I knew and I did know, but I heard from the first time from them about the fear they had for their children, the experiences they had, not years ago, but currently in their communities, the communities that I live in, and in their children's school. And I was shocked and I was embarrassed that I was shocked. I knew these things happened, but I didn't see them happening to people I knew. And this was the first time that they were sharing those experiences. It was heart-wrenching. It helped me to start noticing who was being pulled over by the police, who was being singled out, who was being criticized more harshly, and who was not.
And I am still learning and trying to speak out and address inequities where I can. So, that was one lesson that I learned. Also on a deeper level, I really learned that not being against something is not the same as being for. And that's why we all need to be engaged and active and aware. I also got greater clarity on some of the obstacles we face to have a diverse workforce and leadership that we desire and that we need. There's the demographics of those with clearances, degrees, their location, their mobility, the dependencies that maybe their families have on them, who you know and who doesn't know you. And that's why this engagement by leaders and their involvement is really just so important.
Jennie Brooks:
I totally agree. As you were speaking about some of our conversations on the heels of George Floyd's murder and the Let Us Be Heard Sessions, I mean, some of that was just listening. Just listening and instilling an environment where people can share their stories and acknowledging that. The feedback that I have also received, that simple act of a leader listening, asking some questions, acknowledging that we see them where they are today, is to your point so powerful. In many ways, it's feedback that tends to be better than a typical training. So, thank you for your leadership, Betty, and really showing action from an executive of our firm all the way through this work. It is so important to have your leadership and your presence here. And we're so grateful for your joining this conversation and leading us through this DE&I strategy with our CEO and other executives. At the end of every podcast, we give our guests some free space to share their final thoughts with those listening. What would you like to leave our audience with today?
Betty Thompson:
Well, thank you, Jenny, and thank you for all that you've said and all that you've done. And I guess the one thing I would say is I know how busy everybody is, and there are lots of demands on your time, but I would really encourage you to add being an active participant in our DEI efforts to your list. Use an article from Unstoppable Magazine to start a conversation with your team. Participate in the BRGs, the TXGs, show up in person, reach out to those on your team you don't know as well. And ask yourself, what are you doing to make Booz Allen more inclusive with a great experience for everyone? And then ask if you can do more.
Jennie Brooks:
Thank you, Betty.
Betty Thompson:
Thank you, Jenny. It's been great. I really appreciate the time. And again, I can't thank you enough for all the years that you've spent driving these efforts for us as well.
Jennie Brooks:
Thanks for listening. Visit careers.boozallen.com to learn how you can be unstoppable with Booz Allen. Be the future. Work with us. The world can't wait.
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