An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
Manage yourself. I am responsible for understanding and managing my own bias, prejudice, stereotypes, and reactions to differences.
As a part of our series about “How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. James Rodgers.
Dr. James Rodgers is recognized as a thought leader and the leading strategist in the field of diversity management. He provides high-end executive coaching, D&I advice and counsel to senior executives and offices of Diversity. His major clients have included J&J, Prudential, IBM, Southern Company, Coca-Cola, and the High Museum of Art. He is a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and the co-author of Diversity Training That Generates Real Change.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive into the main part of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit more. Can you share a bit of your “backstory” with us?
After graduating from Howard University, I started my career as a fast-track executive in the telecom industry. I worked in nearly every function in that industry from engineering to marketing to project management to executive education. I had the privilege to work directly with a number of the highest-level executives in the company. I learned a lot about how to run a major global enterprise. I left corporate life and started a consulting practice at first focusing on issues like TQM and management training. I eventually was invited into the field of diversity management and have been a leader in that field for over 35 years.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us the lesson or take away you took out of that story?
After I got my MBA, my boss came to me and asked me to facilitate a meeting of the entire department where we would decide how to position our role in the company. He called it a strategic planning session. I had never done such a thing, but I said yes. It was a huge success. I discovered that facilitation was a gift I had, and it led me to pursue a career as a professional facilitator and coach. Years later, one of my colleagues who was a part of that session, told me that was the best and most productive planning session he ever participated in and he was then a state President.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you tell us a story about how that was relevant in your own life?
There is an old South poem called Keep a goin’. It reminds me constantly to stay with my life path despite distractions, downturns, or barriers. At one point early in my business I was near broke, no contracts on the books, and no viable prospects. But I just kept a goin’. One month later, I was introduced to a client that led to one of the biggest contracts of my consultancy.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are?
Three women come to mind. My wife Sharon stayed with me and encouraged me during the lean years. Dr. Maureen Hunter provided professional grounding when my practice was staring to take off. My co-author for the new book, Laura Kangas has been an advisor and encourager as well as a business partner for over 25 years.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Especially in the field of D&I, my company is acknowledged as the leading strategy provider. We maintain a business-related posture even with so-called soft skills work. I am one of the only CMC, technology geek, and politically agnostic practitioners in the field. I know business and I know what senior executives need.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that might help people?
I have published three books; two in the business genre, one in the spirituality genre. I see direct parallels between those sectors. Inspired by my friend and mentor, Marshall Goldsmith (author of Triggers, and the Earned Life), I am planning a series of personal growth books based on my years of observation of people grappling with the toughest most vexing issues humans may face. I anticipate titles like Seeking Similarities and Finding Truth by Paying Attention.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I feel good that I have been able to hear back from people who have been touched by my ministry. Laura (Kangas) and I comment in the new book that we have witnessed people make life changing discoveries, cathartic transformations, and release of faulty conditioning as they experience our learning sessions.
Ok. Thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main part of our interview. This may be obvious to you, but it is not intuitive to many people. Can you articulate to our readers five ways that increased diversity can help a company’s bottom line.
D&I has to be presented as a practical discipline if it ever hopes to penetrate the business community. My experience with TQM, Six Sigma, LEAN manufacturing, and other sound management principles reminds me of what it takes to get the sustained attention of business managers.
- Make it simple
- Make it practical
- Make it outcome-oriented
- Make it work
- Make it go away
What advice would you give to other business leaders to help their employees to thrive?
I was asked 25 years ago what we need to do to make the workplace more diversity friendly. I said then that we need to develop better people managers. If you want to get real value from diversity and inclusion efforts, focus on front line managers. We tend to put the burden on executive leaders to transform the work environment so that everyone feels a sense of belonging and feels free to contribute to their fullest potential. That is not their role. That is the role of managers. Remember, when people quit, they are not leaving because of the company MVVS or culture; they are leaving because of a toxic relationship with their manager.
What advice would you give to other business leaders about how to manage a large team?
D&I is a team discipline. Teams are made up of individuals (not groups). Treat every individual as an individual. There is no formula for managing women versus men. In my first book, I outlined seven principles for managing a team of diverse composition, They are:
- Believe they can. I believe every employee can give 100%. It is my responsibility to help them do it.
- Get to know them. I bear the greater responsibility for developing positive relationships with my employees.
- Manage yourself. I am responsible for understanding and managing my own bias, prejudice, stereotypes, and reactions to differences.
- Adapt your style. I must adapt my style and behavior to get the best from each employee.
- Use your power. I have the power and ability to provide what my employees need.
- Ask! Each employee knows how he/she wants to be treated. If I want to know, I have to ask.
- Be fair. I understand that treating people equally does not mean treating them the same.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this 🙂
Jerry Jones, business investor and owner of the Dallas cowboys. To me he exemplifies what effective leaders do. When the NFL is under pressure for high profile missteps, Jerry never skirts the issue. He comes on TV and states or restates the direction the league is going. He is not distracted by media hype or frustration. He very plainly states the direction and invites people to follow.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
LinkedIn (James Rodgers)
Website (jamesorodgers.com)
Book page (Diversity Training That generates Real Change)
Newsletter subscription (Mailchimp)
Thank you for these excellent insights. We wish you continued success in your great work.
Dr James O Rodgers, The Diversity Coach, On How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
