Photo courtesy of Dakota Rice
Stephanie Mays, shareholder and chief talent officer of Maynard, Cooper and Gale, speaks to the Homewood Chamber of Commerce on June 21.
Stephanie Mays says that “doing the work works” and “it works best when we work together.”
Mays, shareholder and chief talent officer of Maynard, Cooper and Gale, shared with the Homewood Chamber of Commerce members the best practices – and challenges – for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Mays shared a story of a pygmy horse farmer who started their career by breeding the smallest horses of each litter, with each generation of horses getting smaller until all he had was a pygmy horse pasture. Mays compared this farming process to our processes in the workplace, sharing that ideologies can also get smaller and smaller.
“When you put people together who think the same, who bring the same life experiences and perspectives, you’re going to keep producing the same results,” Mays explained. “I submit that the opposite is also true. When you put people together who have bigger thoughts, bigger ambitions, different perspectives, different life experiences, you get better results.”
Maynard, Cooper and Gale has learned some best practices over the years that helped them avoid the “pygmy pasture.”
Their practices include: creating concrete goals, communicating and demonstrating commitment, celebrating diversity, coaching and developing, and cultivating meaningful relationships.
One initiative Maynard, Cooper and Gale has launched is the RISE Sponsorship program, a formal leadership program for third to seventh year high performing attorneys of color, attorneys with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ attorneys. This program seeks to develop and retain valuable attorneys from under-represented groups.
Another new initiative is called Maynard Law Prep, a minority pre-law program that identifies minority undergraduate talent who may be candidates for their summer clerkship program. Mays showed a video with positive messages from the inaugural group of five students from all over the country.
Diversity, equity and inclusion doesn’t come without its challenges. Mays mentioned that there may be those in the office who question why there are multiple programs. “Different initiatives attract different participants,” Mays responds.
Mays shared statistics that show that by 2045, minorities will be the majority in the United States. “The benefits of providing a diverse workforce in 2022 is that your environment will already be reflective of your company’s values and commitment. You’ll already have a place where your employees are experiencing a sense of belonging,” Mays shared.
Maynard, Cooper and Gale is consistently working to cultivate DEI initiatives through the programs they offer and through partnerships with minority bar associations, both locally and nationally.
One challenge Mays left with the group at the end is to question what quality of talent they wanted working in their companies and organizations.
“Diversity and inclusion attracts and engages top talent. Ambitious people are attracted to inclusive companies. According to Glassdoor, 67% of job-seekers said that a diverse workforce is important when considering job offers,” Mays said. “Diverse employees are more loyal and more apt to stay longer if their unique contributions are recognized and respected.”
