An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
A commitment to diversity attracts the best talent. When a company can show it’s not just part of a job description but is embedded in how the organization operates, it leads to a culture of equity and belonging where colleagues feel they can contribute and grow.
As a part of our series about “How Diversity Can Increase a Company’s Bottom Line”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Wil Lewis.
Wil Lewis is the first-ever Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer for Experian. In this role, Wil strives to build on the company’s global commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity, institutionalize inclusive processes as a key to innovation, ensure every employee and key stakeholders feel connected to the organization and culture, and that talent represents the communities in which Experian operates. Prior to this role, Wil was Diversity and Inclusion Executive and Head of Bank of America’s global disability, LGBT+, and military strategies.
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?
I grew up in Chicago and after a career and life that have taken me to many countries, I returned.
When I was younger, I knew I wanted a life that helped people. I didn’t have a specific idea as to how. I studied to become a teacher, educator, and also earned a degree in sociology. I had a great career at Bank of America. Now I’m at Experian and fulfilling my goal of helping people by working with a company that is dedicated to helping consumers achieve their life’s goals.
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?
During a cross-country flight, I ended up sitting next to a celebrity. They sat in the window seat. Our only interaction was when they asked me to get up so they could go to the bathroom. When they came back and sat down, they said “Thank you.” I said, “No problem.” They quickly added, “I know you know who I am and I’m not interested in talking.” Of course, I didn’t respond to that comment.
What I took away from that conversation is to remember how you treat people.
The truth is, I may or may not have remembered this encounter had they not said what they did. But now, they are forever burned in my memory. It’s a reminder to be kind to everyone. When I walk into a building, I speak to everyone. I speak to the person mopping floor, the security guard, to anyone I see. I say hello because we’re all just trying to earn a living. Perhaps they also have a family who they’re supporting. They’re aspiring to whatever their goals are. They may have words of wisdom or advice for me because wisdom can come at all times.
We’re all human and should treat each other as humans.
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?
The Maya Angelou quote is a favorite: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That is so true and it’s why my ambition is to treat with respect and how to help as much as I can.
Early on in my career, in my early 20s, I worked in a building that had elevator operators. I would see these three guys every day. One also managed a little convenience stand at the base of building. Some people who would come into the elevator just stood in the corner and never spoke. Every morning, I would talk to them and I got to know them and their families.
Fast forward 20 years later, I returned to the building to meet someone unrelated to that job. By that point, the elevators were upgraded so the elevator operator job was no longer needed. But one of the former operators was still there, now running the convenience stand. When I walked in, he called out to me, referring to my previous employer. This was 20 years later! He remembered our daily morning chats from two decades earlier, and asked if I was returning to work at the building.
He remembered how I made him feel. He didn’t remember my name or specific conversations, but he remembered it as a light in his day. If we did simple things in life, what a difference it could make. It was heartwarming.
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?
I’m really grateful to my former leader, Geri Thomas. She helped instill in confidence in my skills when I wasn’t confident. She was very honest. She gave me coaching. She would remind me of positive things, good things and the impact of my work. I always walked away feeling unique and special. Every interaction felt that way. The truth is, she did that for many people because that is who she is at her core. She’ll tell you exactly what she thinks from a place helping you grow and prosper along the way. For the rest of my days on Earth, she’ll be key to the growth of my professional career.
Are you working on any new or exciting projects now? How do you think that might help people?
I recently participated in the HomeFree USA conference, which focuses on homeownership. The extent of consumer confusion and self-doubt around homeownership is mind blowing. Consumers aspiring to homeownership tell us that their number one blocker is not knowing where to start in the process. Half don’t know who to trust, so it’s not surprising that only a third of aspiring homeowners surveyed said they spoke to an industry professional. Over the course of this next year, I plan to make the increase of homeownership a key path for me. Experian’s already started with features like the ability to bring in rent payments into consumer’s credit profile. We can help not only consumers but also housing counselors who are trying to help people get of their apartments, friend’s couch, or parent’s basement when they’re earning good living and have reached a threshold where they can gain access to homes.
How do I help people bridge the gap? How do I help people gain access to strong financial features that may allude them? By nature of this job and driving financial inclusion, I can help consumers gain access to homes. This is part of a greater purpose in life for me.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
My career journey has connected me with people and causes that align with my values and purpose. Helping organizations understand and harness the value of leaning into diversity, equity and inclusion efforts has led to innovations that are helping underserved communities gain access to financial tools and equity they may not have had before.
I’m also able to serve on the boards of Centers for New Horizons and community organization on the South Side of Chicago and the National Disability Institute and Disability:IN, two organizations advocating for people with disabilities.
The editor has asked that Wil articulate five ways that increased diversity can help a company’s bottom line? Additionally, he requested sharing a story or example for each.
A commitment to diversity attracts the best talent. When a company can show it’s not just part of a job description but is embedded in how the organization operates, it leads to a culture of equity and belonging where colleagues feel they can contribute and grow.
Recently, a young black man who is also a Yale graduate contacted me personally and said he wanted to work at Experian because his personal goals align with our company’s mission. His goal is to develop products to help minority communities. It was thrilling to engage with a young professional in this manner. I’m happy to share that today, he is an Experian employee and works as a product manager supporting underrepresented communities.
Diversity increases productivity. When joining a diverse workforce, it can improve an employee’s sense of belonging and lets them know that their experiences, perspectives and contributions are valued. This can ultimately lead to stronger collaboration and problem solving.
This happens all the time at Experian. Whether through our informal networks like employee resource groups and clubs, to our hackathons, or in a product development sprint, we build upon the ideas and input our colleagues bring with them every day. That energy continuously feeds the enthusiasm that drives our mission.
Diversity can lead to inclusion, which drives innovation. For companies that aim to create products and services to support a wide consumer marketplace, having an employee population that is diverse in nature can give you that input and allow you to innovate for people with various backgrounds. When you’re not only welcomed, but celebrated for your experiences and backgrounds, it drives new ideas that enable you to better support and help your clients and consumers.
Diversity reflects your marketplace. Ultimately as a part of company’s social responsibilities, it should ensure its workforce represents the communities in which it does business. Whether it’s different ethnicities, generations, socioeconomics, veteran status, disabilities and more, representation helps us better serve the communities in which we live and work.
Diversity builds stronger leaders. A commitment to diversity in its workforce, actions and innovations also leads to diversity of senior leaders. Having a team of executives who are diverse helps connect to the communities in which it serve — at all different levels and aspects of diversity. An executive team that has insights from their own lived experiences helps ensure a company continues to focus on growth, and doing it responsibly and in a manner that is inclusive of all consumers.
Experian has what we refer to as a Consumer Council — a group of community leaders who give us guidance and advice on how we should look at our products to better support marketplace. Thanks to the advice of our Consumer Council, we have expanded our relationship with an organization that supports people from underrepresented groups become homeowners. This is just one example of how their leadership is helping us fulfill our mission of financial inclusion for all.
What advice would you give to other business leaders to help their employees to thrive?
Listen.
There are occasions when people think they know all the answers. But listen to your employees and then take action on what it is they told you as well. The art of listening is underrated.
What advice would you give to other business leaders about how to manage a large team?
You can’t do it all, and you have to learn to trust the individuals around you. The way I like to lead is how theorist Ken Blanchard describes in his books, called situational leadership. He says you don’t manage individuals as core individuals, you manage them based on the situation they’re in, recognizing they may be good at one task but not necessarily another.
Think of it like being at home. Maybe you’re good at building a deck, but terrible at cooking. You don’t need someone giving you advice on how to build deck, but you may need help putting together a vegetable medley.
I’ve surrounded myself with people smarter than I am so I can learn as well. All of us are at different stages in our professional trajectory. I’ll continue to give advice and guidance, and then help us work as cohesive team. Each person has an area of responsibility, but it’s my job as a leader to make it clear, measure progress and success. Also, don’t just share measurements and successes with the higher ups, share them with your team — your direct reports and their direct reports. Make it transparent. There shouldn’t be secrets.
And again, we can’t forget listening. Create forums where people on your team who you don’t talk to every day can give you perspective and feedback because often that’ll lead to your greatest breakthroughs.
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 🙂
Angela Merkel. She led a large country overcoming many real and perceived challenges, commanded power and drove efficacy. I realize there’s something to that, as often being only brown person in the room, there are lessons I can learn from her that I’d like to so I can apply for the remainder of my career and pass it on.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
@diversitywil
Thank you for these excellent insights. We wish you continued success in your great work.
Experian’s Wil Lewis On Why Diversity Is Good For Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
