[Forbes] Expanding A Culture Of Belonging In The Tech Sector And Beyond

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[Forbes] Expanding A Culture Of Belonging In The Tech Sector And Beyond

October 14, 2019

Many studies cite the importance of organizations supporting their talent through diverse and inclusive work environments. But, for Rosanna Durruthy, Vice President of Global Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at LinkedIn, who spoke at our second installment of the GQR Collaborative, the feeling of “belonging” is the critical component of an inclusive workforce. 

Through this article, written by Forbes contributor Jessica Pliska, Rosanna, talks about her own experiences with belonging and the advice she would give underrepresented professionals at the beginning of their careers. 

Pliska: Was there an early experience growing up when you recognized the importance of people feeling that they belong and the power of inclusive spaces?

Durruthy: I’ve recognized the importance of belonging through moments when I didn’t feel I belonged.

I grew up in New York City, the daughter of a Cuban dad and Puerto Rican mom, speaking both Spanish and English. I attended a predominantly black and Hispanic elementary school and remember moments when I felt caught between two worlds. In the 2nd, perhaps 3rd grade, I was speaking in English with a group of girls who were my classmates and black. Nearby, a group of Spanish speaking classmates, girls as well, overheard our conversation. However, because of the color of my skin and fluency of my English, they imagined I wouldn’t understand the things they were saying – they were surprised when I responded to them in Spanish. Not long after, I experienced the reverse. While speaking in Spanish, I heard my English-speaking classmates mistaking me as someone who wouldn’t understand or be able to communicate in English. So, from a young age, I knew what it was like to feel that I did not belong. And yet at the same time, I also understood the importance of multiple perspectives.

It wasn’t until much later in life, spending time with my closest friends, four accomplished Latina women that I recognized the feeling of belonging. It was a moment of ease – just dancing, laughing and celebrating each other. There was no pretense, no guardedness. It was a moment to acutely sense what it feels like to belong. Both these moments helped me to understand what belonging is at its core: it’s not about feeling like you belong to any one particular group; it is about having the ability to be yourself and to be accepted wholly for who you are — to be welcomed and valued simply for that.

Pliska: So then, what should belonging feel like at work?

Durruthy: Belonging at work should feel no different than anywhere else – it should feel free, genuine and authentic. A sense of belonging can generate a real sense of joy – joy that you are being allowed to define yourself; joy that others around you welcome and accept that which makes you unique. To experience that level of affirmation and freedom is truly a gift and one that we provide for others. Belonging isn’t something anyone of us creates for ourselves; it’s the product of a shared commitment by all to create a space in which employees can be themselves fully and have that fullness honored and celebrated.

Pliska: And specific to the work you lead at LinkedIn, how do you and your team strive to create that sense of belonging at the organization?

Durruthy: We strive to create a sense of belonging through relationships. LinkedIn values the power of relationships and it is vitally important that across the organization we commit to getting to know each individual by acknowledging them and their identity. The gift of acknowledgment is a really powerful one because it can unlock conversations about what motivates people and what makes them who they are – not just what they do.

LinkedIn’s vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce, so we are focused on creating a professional environment where employees from underrepresented groups, in particular, are able to experience the development of their careers and the freedom to be themselves. It’s our way of ensuring all talent can thrive.

Many inroads have been made at LinkedIn and in the tech sector at-large, but there is still a journey ahead to make sure every aspect of business – from onboarding new employees to the way desks are configured – helps all employees feel a sense of belonging. With this, positive energy, productivity and freedom can funnel throughout employees’ everyday work.

 

Pliska: Was there a flashpoint moment in your career journey that helped shape your professional outlook and how you approach your work at LinkedIn now?

Durruthy: I left a role heading up diversity and inclusion at an investment bank to join a company that no longer exists, Blockbuster, as head of staffing and recruiting. As a lifelong New Yorker, I was moving out of my comfort zone to live in Fort Lauderdale where Blockbuster was headquartered. And two weeks after I accepted the role, they shared with me that the company was going to be relocating to Dallas.

The flashpoint moment of doubt was immediate – a native New Yorker, Cuban-Puerto Rican, black, lesbian woman was now going to have to move to Texas. I certainly thought about moving back to New York, but I eventually realized the rare and tremendous opportunity in front of me. I was given a role that would redefine infrastructure for an entertainment powerhouse. So, in the same moment I felt this immense fear, I learned to also recognize moments of opportunity and excitement. My time with Blockbuster was one of the most enriching experiences I could have gotten because I learned the formidable power of relationships, especially in a new city where I didn’t have family and friends. This focus, on building and developing relationships, is definitely a bridge to my work at LinkedIn.

Pliska: What advice would you give underrepresented young professionals?

Durruthy: Don’t worry so much about ‘getting it right.’ Understand that it’s really about how you respond to your experiences and learn from them. I’ve made mistakes in my career, but I also recognize that those lessons and experiences helped get me to my present role. I’m now in role with a work concept that didn’t exist when I started my career. Had I followed someone else’s blueprint for success, I don’t know that I would be where I am now.

Lastly, remember the uniqueness only you can contribute. Start to define a path for yourself – and learn to be comfortable with doubt as you move through your unique journey. For me, I had to be comfortable with my gayness and be willing to be out at work – dealing with that doubt took some time. But if I had existed too close to the comfort zone, I don’t think I would’ve grown the way I have or stretched myself to experience the successes I have today.

 

READ THIS ORIGINAL ARTICLE ON FORBES.

 

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We are highly specialized in sectors that define the next phase of innovation: capital, natural resources, time and life. By specializing in Banking & FinanceEnergy & EngineeringTechnology and Life Sciences, GQR adds value to the world by identifying talent that transcends boundaries.

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