Unlocking the Potential of Chief Diversity Officers | McKinsey

As diversity, equity, and inclusion continue to be a top priority for many organizations, the demand for chief diversity officers (CDO) has increased. But as noted in this article, there has also been a great deal of turnover in this role. This in-depth article goes into reasons that are holding CDOs back from reaching their potential. It also offers tactics for improving the success rate of CDOs. At the most fundamental level, organizations should ask three critical questions before they appoint anyone to the CDO role: 1) What’s the exact mission and scope of the role, and how will its impact be measured? 2) Where will the role sit within the organizational structure to best position it to succeed? 3) What’s the right talent profile for the role regarding knowledge, skills, attributes, and experience? Regarding a CDO’s talent profile, a few of the article’s charts cover the skills and experiences required of a CDO. As a bonus, I am resharing a 52-page Josh Bersin report — Elevating Equity: The Real Story of Diversity and Inclusion — that includes an analysis of over 80 DEI practices correlated with various financial, business, and workforce outcomes.