Lift as I Climb: An Immigrant Girl's Journey Through Corporate America

ISBN-13: 9781728303024

Media Type: Hardcover

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Publication Date: 03-13-2019

Pages: 112

Product Dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.31(d)

Jackie Glenn is a highly accomplished Human Resources Executive practicing across the HR spectrum including HR Strategic plans, Talent Development, and Diversity and Inclusion. She is currently Vice President/Global Chief Diversity Officer for EMC Corporation. In this position, she leads EMC's worldwide diversity and inclusion strategy, continuously reinforcing global diversity and inclusion as a business imperative. Through collaboration with senior leadership on assessment, action planning and cultural change, she designs and delivers creative initiatives tied to the development of an innovative and inclusive workforces, as well as related components of talent management, employee relations, change management and compliance. Jackie joined EMC in 2000, as the Director of HR Operations for the Sales Division. In that capacity, she provided strategic and tactical Human Resources support to EMC sales groups, comprising more than 2,000 employees at both domestic and international sites. Overall, in her 20 plus year career across the Human Resource spectrum, Jackie has managed and implemented programs in Employee Relations, Training and Development, Recruiting, Organizational Development, and Consulting and Coaching. Her leadership as the VP, Global Chief Diversity Officer at EMC has introduced best-in-class practices, which includes the development of several groundbreaking efforts, including the design and implementation of an innovative and mandatory D&l curriculum, institutionalization of the company's Transgender Reassignment Program, the launch of its High Potential Women's Programs and expansion of employee resource groups. Efforts have led to multiple honors for EMC, including recognition as a Top 25 Noteworthy Company by DiversityInc, a leading employer by Disability Matters and a perfect score on the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index for 5 consecutive years. Jackie has been profiled in various magazines including Black Enterprise, Working Mother, Network Journal, Boston Business Journal, Savoy, Odyssey Media, Uptown Professional and Diversity Careers. She received her undergraduate degree in Healthcare Administration from Emmanuel College and a Master's Degree in Human Resources Management from Lesley University. Jackie has a passion for community advocacy and civic leadership and is a champion for issues affecting children and families. She serves as a board member for the Children's Services of Roxbury, Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, the African American Museum-Boston, and the Greater Boston Sickle Cell Anemia. She resides with her husband, Windsor, in Milton, Massachusetts; they have two daughters: Nicole and Alicia.

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CHAPTER 1

GEM ONE

AUTHENTICITY

* * *

"The authentic self is the soul made visible."

Sarah Ban Breathnach ~ Author

When I arrived in this country, I was ashamed of my accent. Don't ask me why, but somehow I felt that my accent led people to believe I was less competent, less deserving, and less driven. For years I beat myself up about something I could not readily change about who I am. It was evident that I was not comfortable in my own skin, or at least I thought that everyone knew I wasn't. There were many opportunities I shied away from during my climb in corporate America because of my distinct West Indian accent. Even while I was in several high-level positions, I dodged speaking in large groups, fearing they would judge me based on my accent, rather than my skills, expertise, and talents. I would literally exhaust myself trying to think of ways to avoid center stage.

The day I finally confronted my self-imposed shame of speaking with an accent will always stand out for me. Confronting my shame with the encouragement of a wonderful friend, became a game changer for me. My best friend Gloria Mayfield Banks and I were in a hotel room practicing a speech I was preparing to give in a few days. Obviously, she could tell I was nervous not only about the speech itself, but also about enunciating with complete clarity — in a manner that would be expected from an American born citizen. I was having trouble pronouncing the letters "S," "E," and "D." My pronunciation of these letters was way off the mark – and you could just forget about hearing me try an "H." In the midst of my frustration and discomfort, Gloria interjected a simple yet profound suggestion. "Jackie," she said, "why don't you just own your accent?" Hmm. I thought to myself that sounds like a radical but practical idea. Needless to say, Gloria suggested I slow down and not rush through my talk. Her words were some of the best advice anyone could have given me at that moment. That day in the hotel room was life changing for me. From then on, I owned my accent, who I was, and who I was becoming. One seemingly small gesture made all the difference for me. Instead of hiding, I could shine. So, let me take a moment to formally introduce myself to you. "Hello, my name is Jackie Glenn and I hail from the sunny island of Jamaica." This introductory statement became my signature opening for most, if not all of my speaking engagements.

Rather than seeing myself as someone who tries to fit in and be like everyone else around me, I owned my accent and proudly accepted it as a differentiator. How freeing that acceptance was for me! Today, around the world, no matter where I go to speak and give presentations, I am known as "the woman with the accent." It has become such a selling point for me and a brand that is undeniably authentic. There have been many times when I exited a stage and was greeted by immigrants who expressed pride in themselves simply because they were in the presence of someone who courageously accepted herself, along with her island accent and everything that came with being an immigrant girl. I have heard so many stories of people who felt the same way I did upon arriving in America. They were bashful because of their accent and even shunned advancements or were denied opportunities because of their immigration status. I choose to believe there is awesomeness in diversity, because there is much more to savor in a pot filled with variety and seasoned with flavor. What makes you different can literally propel your career or push you toward your objectives, while opening up greater possibilities for you. More importantly, it can become your brand.

My accent, once a source of shame, was now a catalyst to connect with my audience and capture my distinct brand. On many occasions, people would say to me, "You made me feel so proud to be an immigrant because you just owned it." That alone is incredibly freeing and liberating. Owning every part of me gave me permission to own my gifts, talents and any possibility for advancement that would come my way. There is identifiable confidence in the realness of who you are and that should not be taken for granted. All the quirks about you must be accepted, appreciated, and valued for what they are. They are contributors to your unique identity. Until you can love all of who you are, you will lack the confidence to be all you were designed to be, do and have. When you are grounded in loving yourself, everything about you results in self-assuredness. Self-assuredness breeds a sense of contentment, not the type of contentment that is lazy or unpresuming, but a spirit of peace and ease. At times when the feelings of doubt arise, I intentionally remember to call myself out. One time I had to introduce a prominent celebrity to an audience and I was asked to read directly from the script I had been given prior to going up on stage. Everything was going well until I came across a word that I could not pronounce I finally just spelled it and then I said to the audience, "Okay guys, I think we all know the word." To my surprise, the audience clapped and laughed.

They were accepting of my inabilities and flaws because I was comfortable and I owned it. The celebrity got a kick out of my stumble and when she came on stage to join me, she said "Jackie, I don't even know how to say the word myself." The power of authenticity is amazing, and we both realized the magnitude of this reality. The confidence of knowing who you are frees you to "be" regardless of the situation or circumstance. This allows you to celebrate who you are and embrace others for who they are as well. I have seen people lose their way and vacillate in their ideas and beliefs because they lacked self-assuredness and contentment in who they were. I encourage you to be authentic about who you are, with all of your abilities and inabilities. Know that there is a special place carved out that only you can fill. Bring your authentic self everywhere you go.

Gem Takeaways:

• Be comfortable with yourself.

• Embrace all your "so called" flaws.

• It is always easier to be yourself, knowing that no one can be you like you can.

• You will find people who will identify with you.

• Your uniqueness will be a brand differentiator.

GUY CHURCHWARD

UNITED KINGDOM

Chief Executive Officer

* * *

I am originally from England, I didn't live anywhere for a substantial period as my family moved around quite a bit. My last port of call was Cambridge in England before I moved to the United States of America in 1996 to sunny Santa Cruz, California. I am a techie by trade, but most people see me as a business savvy technical executive I suppose. I had travelled every road many times in the U.K. and really fancied a change. I always loved America so when my boss in the Bay Area basically offered me a position. I took it.

Authenticity is very important to me and I'm sure people use the term differently. For me, however, it conjures up terms like honesty, real, and transparency. My dad instilled a few moralistic codes in me, one of which was when you are working for a company, be who you are and if they do not like it then go where they do. I have always lived by that sentiment and that is why the idea of authenticity is so fundamental to my personal brand.

The Fortune 500 IT Company where I worked was growing fast, requiring me to interview a lot of people. As I interviewed various candidates, I began noticing a common thread. These were internal and external candidates and they would basically say, "I do not know what it is. I am not sure how to put my finger on it, but there is a buzz around your organization and everybody I talked to is so authentic." I began to understand that this was a key attribute of our group, something fundamental that created excitement and success. I am very transparent and candid and so you get the good side and the bad side. I think that if you can be the best of who you are and who you aspire to be and if you feel comfortable to be yourself in the job, then you will contribute, blossom and thrive. That's how I describe authenticity, being able to express your true self. Life's too short for tap dancing. People respect honesty and candor but many fear showing weakness so they hide behind bravado and fast words.

If you can admit to yourself what you are good at and specifically if you can comfortably admit to people what you are bad at, then two things happen:

1. You understand more about who you are and how to excel.

2. You realize what you are not very good at and what you don't like doing, then hopefully

somebody will pick that bit up and run with it because they want to help you be successful.

I believe people struggle with being authentic because they fear being called out. In essence, everyone is generally good at some things, average at others and kind of crappy at the rest. Tell people the truth because if you profess that you are good at everything then the worst thing might happen, and you end up being measured exclusively on something you were hoping didn't matter and you are not equipped to handle.

If you can literally see yourself in the mirror for who you are, you can understand what brand you have, accept what you are not good at and admit to people what you are good at. It is then you can find peace and value in your lot and build a successful and fulfilling life.

You can be authentic because you have nothing to hide. Authenticity is a lot deeper than the word, it's a code of ethics to live by. The goal is simply to be the very best version of yourself or help someone be the very best version of themselves, and that takes bravery.

MITHU BHARGAVA

INDIA

Senior Vice President & General Manager

* * *

I am a first-generation immigrant woman who came to the United States of America almost two decades ago with the goal of pursuing a higher education, and the dream of a better future

As I reflect on my journey and who I am today - I am taken back to my early, formative years as a young girl growing up in India. I was fortunate enough to be nurtured by a set of parents who raised me to believe that I was more than equal to anyone else out there, and that there was nothing I couldn't achieve if I set my mind to it. I believe this innate confidence that I developed early on, has hugely influenced my way of thinking and my approach to life in general. Through the years, while I may have been perceived as being different or considered "less equal" as a young girl, a woman, or an immigrant, in my mind I was completely blind to this perception. I held onto the philosophy that I could achieve anything I set my mind to, and over time this became my life mantra. This has served me well in overcoming the many challenges one encounters in life, be it at a professional level as I built my career to reach senior leadership positions in a largely male dominated environment, or at a personal level, balancing continued education, motherhood, family and life all together!

While confidence came naturally to me, learning to be "authentic" was a journey. When I think about authenticity, it's bigger than just being yourself. It is about - embracing yourself, the complete you. Honestly, even for someone like myself who is seemingly confident, it took me several years to truly understand and embrace every aspect of me – the woman in me, the immigrant in me, every aspect of me that was different and unconventional. It was an evolution to get to the point where I felt that authenticity was embodied in my leadership signature, and it was truly reflective of the complete me.

To elaborate on my journey to true authenticity – I was fortunate to have been considered for many opportunities that helped me accelerate my career, but required me to be tough, unemotional and aggressive. The behaviors I saw around me modelled much of the same, and were arguably table stakes for the job. Over time, these traits were clearly reflected in the image I portrayed. I was no different than the rest, and I fit in perfectly with everyone else around me. However, with time and experience, I realized that the person I came across as was only a part of me. I started to evolve my thinking to include my values and my culture into the image I portrayed. Interestingly, I learned that it was okay to be different, in fact it was an advantage.

Eventually I transformed my approach to blend both professional and personal traits that were important to me into the person I portrayed I was, be it at, or outside of work. For example - I allowed people to see the compassionate side of me, that I had so carefully guarded this far. In turn, this balanced their perception of who I was and gave them a better understanding of the bold actions I might need to take on the job. Once I let my guard down and presented who I was, both the good and the bad, I saw people embrace me, and I became more successful at building meaningful relationships with the people around me.

When I think about authenticity today, and how it's embedded in the way people perceive me, I am at the first step of really perceiving myself to be different and really, really embracing it. I do not try to confine to a norm or hold back any part of me. I think it is easier to simply be yourself. There are those that may not necessarily appreciate your authenticity, but you still have to be yourself. You can use your uniqueness to your advantage.

Over the years, I've often been told "you come off as very authentic." Each time I hear that, I can't help but laugh out loud. It has been a very long and interesting journey to get here.

GEM TWO

SELF-AWARENESS

* * *

"Self-awareness gives you the capacity to learn from your mistakes as well as your successes. It enables you to keep growing."

Lawrence Bossidy ~ Retired CEO, AlliedSignal

Self-awareness is being aware of your "whole self," with all of your characteristics and quirks.

These will all contribute to the holistic 'you' and allow you to come to the table grounded and secure in who you are as a person. However, now is also probably a good time to stop and consider how we present our self-awareness. We are sometimes so firm in our identity and experiences that we can be somewhat belligerent about our beliefs. It is easy to think that others should know and accept our views.

So, as you look within, conduct a quick self-assessment. In each of your actions and interactions, ask yourself: Is it kind? Is it necessary? Is it true? If your answer to all three questions is "yes," then you can proceed with confidence. However, if your response to any of the three questions is no, then you should take some time for additional consideration. Am I being close minded, inflexible and rigid in my beliefs? What is my motive? Go through your checks and balances to make sure you never lose sight of your reasons for doing or saying what you do.

In a conversation I once stated, "You know I've been on the international stage for many years, showing up and repeating my standard introduction, "My name is Jackie Glenn. I am the Chief Diversity Officer / Vice President." I have traveled the world extensively throughout my career. The second phase of becoming more self-aware moves me to ask these questions ... is recognition and being onstage what I'm living for? Is that my identity? Or is my identity the values and morals I hold dear? If I am out of the spotlight, will I still be Jackie? How am I waking up today? Am I being intentional, deliberate, and purposeful? I think once you start to think on this level, your introspection leads to the following question: what am I doing to be of service to someone else? That someone could be a loved one or anyone we come in contact with on a daily basis. This is where the lift model starts to come alive and take shape, because you are now willing to be of service not only to yourself, but also to those around you. This phase of self-awareness moves you to be of service and help someone else achieve their goals by employing the strategies you used to achieve yours.

I travel a great deal and being self-aware allows me to confidently practice the familiar guidance, "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." So, when I go anywhere, I really try to take on the culture and practices of the region. As a diversity expert when I am in India, I wear my Sari. A couple of fat rolls might be exposed, but that's irrelevant. When I spoke on St Patrick's Day in Ireland, I strutted on that stage in my green St. Patrick leather skirt with a pink top and they loved it. Talk about a reception! The audience's response was loud and approving, all because I joined in their celebration of St. Patrick's Day. I was there with them and I really believe that if you meet people in their space, they will be even more receptive to you. I'm not going to shave my head if I go to a place where everybody is shaving their head. However, in my travels I've learned that when people see that you are making an effort to know and understand their culture, they become much more accepting of you. It frees you up to be who you are, and shows that you are open to celebrate others. From there, the possibilities are endless.

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Excerpted from "Lift as I Climb"
by .
Copyright © 2019 Jackie Glenn.
Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents

DEDICATION, vii,
FOREWORD, ix,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, xi,
INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS, xii,
INTRODUCTION, xiii,
CHAPTER 1 AUTHENTICITY, 1,
CHAPTER 2 SELF-AWARENESS, 9,
CHAPTER 3 BOLDNESS, 17,
CHAPTER 4 RESPONSIBILITY, 24,
CHAPTER 5 FAITH, 33,
CHAPTER 6 EMPATHY, 41,
CHAPTER 7 FLEXIBILITY, 48,
CHAPTER 8 INTEGRITY, 55,
CHAPTER 9 RESILIENCE, 64,
CHAPTER 10 TRUST, 71,
GEMS IN ACTION, 78,
CALL TO ACTION, 86,