Building diversity in the pipeline to corporate leadership

Purpose – Interventions that have been successful in removing barriers to the success of women and people of color in corporate environments have not been afforded the same attention as the barriers themselves. This paper goes beyond the barriers to focus on successful interventions. Design/methodology/approach – Research on leadership issues is reviewed to determine the skills needed to pursue diversity in executive development successfully. Practical application is discussed. Findings – Common barriers to minority advancement include stereotypes about roles and abilities, the scarcity of mentors and personal networks, the lack of significant line experience and visible assignments, and, particularly for women, family responsibilities. Successful intervention methods include holding managers accountable for progress on diversity metrics, and training about diversity and associated attitudes and behaviors. Formal networks, mentoring programs, high potential talent identification and development, and work‐life supports can also help an organization's diversity efforts. The creation of a strong business case linking the desired managerial changes to business outcomes is necessary, but research indicates that this may not be enough. A sense of social responsibility and distributive justice – eliminating inequities and stereotypes as the right thing to do – may also have to play a role. Originality/value – Although the number of women and people of color are increasing in the executive ranks of corporate America, the numbers are quite small. Senior leadership and anyone charged with developing executive talent will benefit from comparing their current practices with those discussed in this paper. Without active leadership from senior executives, existing cultural norms and managerial attitudes will not change.