58 PROFESSIONAL WOMANS MULTICULTURAL MAGAZINE WWW.PROFESSIONALWOMANMAG.COM
CAREERS
PWM: What advice would you give to women and people of color in mid-level and upper management positions of their organization to make their way to the boardroom, be heard and be counted? CMD: That's a difficult, precarious place to be. While youre looking up at the positions above you, there may not be a lot of people who look like you. There might not be a lot of people who look like you below you, and the people you are looking at to help you may not look like you either. I think that if I were in that situation, I would have some type of mentor in that organization who would be my [godparent] to help show me the ropes, mentor me and teach me all the politics of the company. It only takes one person to change the course of your destiny, and I truly believe in mentorship. PWM: How have diversity initiatives shaped your philosophy and focus as a business owner and organization? Why is it so important to your company? CMD: Thats a really good question because, at McKissack, that works differently. [We] have a loose framework to work within, but the goal is for every- one to work within that framework to achieve maxi- mum potential, and there are no built-in mechanisms that are set up to hinder certain people. We dont judge people based on their gender or their race. We treat everyone equally and hire based on quality. When you have a lot of regulations and hierar- chy-type protocols, that sets up an environment to get rid of certain people. At McKissack, everyone has an opportunity to be innovative and contribute to the greater good of the company. Our culture is not for everyone because you dont punch a clock or have someone standing over you telling you what to do, but we expect everyone to be professional and work within their means to meet their goals, make decisions and be leaders. It gives our employees a sense of freedom. For more information about McKissack & McKissack, and to see their portfolio which includes Fortune 500 clients, check out their website at mck- issack.com. Medgar Evers Science Building Harlem Hospital
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHERYL MCKISSACK DANIEL
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