Vanguard’s Total Rewards Package aims to provide a benefits program that supports all crew and focuses on life’s most important moments by providing the tools, resources, and programs they need in their life stage. Over the past year, with the introduction of some new benefits, including those focused on well-being, we’ve encouraged crew more than ever to choose the benefits that matter most to them now and in the future.

“Every crew member is in a different place when it comes to their needs, wants, and thoughts on how their employer should support them from a benefits perspective. To navigate these differences, we think through our crew members’ own journeys on an individual level to truly understand how they experience our benefits program, which helps us identify where we might – or might not – be meeting their needs today.” -Amy W., Benefits Manager

Benefits and Well-Being

Healthcare

• A medical program that leads the market in both design and cost subsidy. Medical costs are subsidized significantly above competitive benchmark.
• Long-term savings opportunities with access to a Health Savings Account (HSA), allowing crew to take advantage of tax efficiencies now and investment opportunities for the future. For those enrolled in an HSA-qualified medical plan, Vanguard provides a seed contribution as well as a 1.5x company match—both of which will benefit from compound growth over time.
• Coverage and enhanced advocacy support for fertility services that supports all families (same-sex, opposite sex, transgender, and single-by-choice families), including crew wishing to delay pregnancy.
• Enhanced coverage for transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, which aligns with the World Profession Association of Transgender Health (WPATH) Standards of Care in 2021.

Financial

• Competitive pay that aligns with market practices, and rewards crew contributions through annual incentives that align client outcomes with crew and company performance.
• Vanguard’s Retirement and Savings Plan (RSP) remains one of the premier defined contribution arrangements with a benchmark participation rate (97%), high average balance (3x national average) and diversified investment offerings. Our crew in the United States are immediately eligible to participate and Vanguard provides a generous match program to ensure our crew are retirement ready.
• Tuition assistance for student loan repayment and an academic assistance program for crew fostering growth inside and outside the office.

Wellbeing/Lifestyle

• FlexFund, a $1,500 taxable annual stipend that allows crew to choose the benefits that matter most to them. Crew can choose from several expense categories like physical and emotional well-being, family and pet services, lifestyle and conveniences, technology and mobility, and financial well-being.
• Generous vacation and volunteer time off, with a flexible work week for many positions.
• Parental benefits that include paid time for birth parents and non-birth parents, as well as financial support for adoption and surrogacy.
• Wellness centers with on-site health clinics and fitness centers in our Malvern, Charlotte and Scottsdale locations. In response to COVID-19, these services have shifted to virtual platforms so crew can take advantage of them in our remote environment.
• Digital platform and therapy solution to provide care for emotional and mental health—how, when, and where it’s needed, at no cost.
• A program that offers personalized support to help caregivers tackle the often complex logistical and administrative tasks associated with caring for a loved one. A dependent care FSA and paid family care leave are also provided.

“Helping our diverse crew members thrive means that our benefits strategy needs to be an evolution to meet changing needs and preferences. The program is built on a strong foundation of core benefits like health care, time off and retirement, but also includes many other value-based benefits like education assistance, enhanced mental health support, and solutions to aid caregivers. Our intention is to ensure each program aligns to one of our guiding principles – whether it’s offering a specific digital tool to improve user experience, or simply because it’s the right thing to do for our crew. Crew feedback is an important part of this process as it helps us shape our benefits program, now and into the future.” -Amy W., Benefits Manager

I have over 20 years of experience in sales, business development and change management. After spending much of my tenure in the technology field, I decided to pursue a career with Vanguard. I started out in a project management position, supporting our Retail business. While I enjoyed the challenging work and am glad for the skills I developed, I decided I wanted to explore another passion of mine: to help others on their talent journey. Regardless of the “talent” role I landed, I was determined to aid others in reaching their potential by playing a more active role in driving Vanguard’s recruitment strategy. Further, I was looking for an opportunity that had direct ties to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). Lucky for me, I was offered what I like to call the perfect position, a role as a Diversity Recruiting Lead on Vanguard’s Diversity Recruiting Strategy (DRS) team.

DRS and our investment in the DEI space

As a Diversity Recruiting Lead, I’ve focused on three major goals:

1. Increase Vanguard brand awareness in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Ecosystem
2. Support alleviating inequity gaps in the HBCU Ecosystem
3. Grow the diversity in Vanguard’s talent pipeline

In an effort to support these goals, the DRS team strives to deliver programming to students that is unlike others. And that is where the strategy evolves. I try to think like college students, understanding how to meet them where they are, and empathize with their college to corporate journey. Vanguard programs like HBCU EXPLORE, a three-day event that provides an enriching experience for students and our HBCU partners, gives students direct access to our recruiters so they have an idea of what to look for when exploring internships and full-time opportunities. Further, HBCU EXPLORE offers students the space to ask questions related to the personal journeys of those who have recently graduated and accepted roles at Vanguard and to learn ways in which they can maximize their college experiences and pursue jobs they may not have previously considered.

Along with reimagining programs like HBCU EXPLORE, we also partner with major organizations like Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), launching Vanguard scholars programming to help alleviate financial burdens for students working hard to ace their grades. Additionally, the team works with several HBCUs to partner on how best to support classroom curriculum, sharing the technical skills and information to help set students up for success in the financial services industry.

Lastly, we recently introduced a new program in collaboration with Howard University: the Howard University Sales Management Fellowship Program. For almost a year, I’ve had the honor of working closely with the Chair of Marketing and a Marketing/Sales Professor at Howard University to help develop this fellowship program for under-represented talent in the financial services industry. As the sole corporate partner, Vanguard will help debunk myths about what sales is, introduce Howard University students to sales leaders, and provide an experience where they will gain insight into sales at Vanguard. In continuing to seek ways to lean into our HBCU partnerships, we hope to add value to both the students and faculty experiences at Howard University.

A new opportunity

As for what comes next, I’m excited to share that I’ve accepted an opportunity to manage the program for the Howard University Sales Management Fellowship full-time. I feel like things have come full circle as I’m back where I started, working closely with Vanguard Sales domains, helping to increase the diversity in our sales pipeline, while amplifying Vanguard’s broader DEI commitment.

-Kristy P.

The end of the year is often a time to reflect on all that’s been accomplished in the last twelve months. 2021 was another unique year and we pulled together the top five career stories for you. Whether it’s your first read or you’re revisiting a favorite, we hope you enjoy!

Vanguard’s enhanced Total Rewards package

Vanguard’s Total Rewards Package provides benefits for the unique needs of each of our crew members. Over the past year, it has become even more evident that these needs are ever-changing and different for each person. We continue to offer expanded benefits to fit various definitions of family and work-life balance, and aim to provide crew with the tools, resources, and programs they need to operate at their full potential – in both work and life.

Coming out- On repeat

On National Coming Out Day, Shawn H. opend up about how coming out is not a once and done experience—It’s ongoing.

How Vanguard supports long-term career growth

Vanguard supports the long-term career growth of our crew through an internal mobility process, as well as mentorships and upskilling resources. In this blog, Chelsea M. shares insights into our offerings as well as feedback from key stakeholders who have benefited from them.

Jun Oh’s perspective: Vanguard’s MBA Development Program

Recruiting for MBA students is an extremely competitive landscape. Decisions are based on prior work experience and role compatibility, geographic variances, industry preferences, total compensation, benefits,
and more. So, what is it about Vanguard’s MBA Leadership Development Program that has both attracted and retained this high-potential talent? We took a deeper dive into this question and asked Vanguard crew members who participated in the MBA Leadership Development Program to recap their experience and share what initially attracted them to Vanguard and what keeps them feeling fulfilled in their roles. In this second installment of a three-part series, we highlight the experience of Jun Oh Y.

The call that changed it all

In this blog, Rebecca H. opens up about her journey to Vanguard and professional development opportunities she has received as a crew member.

Feeling inspired? Make your career count with Vanguard. Search our opportunities.

Sometimes the best career moves are also the scariest. That’s a lesson I’ve learned twice. My first job out of college was as a newspaper reporter and I loved it, at least at first. After a dozen years, I’d grown weary of deadlines and wary about the prospects for my industry. Luckily, Vanguard was hiring for writers in its marketing and communications department.

I knew Vanguard by reputation because I’d specialized in covering personal finance and investing. The firm’s clear-eyed, long-term approach seemed vastly better than the feverish mentality that prevailed during the late ‘90s dot-com bubble. As a reporter, I had a front-row seat to witness the wealth destruction caused by Wall Street performance chasing and lack of diversification when that bubble burst.

Fifteen years ago this December, I landed a job as a writer for Vanguard and felt fortunate to be part of the “crew.”

The scoop on switching careers

I also felt culture shock.

I’d moved away from what I had thought would be a lifelong profession and was now working for one of the world’s largest investment firms, something I had never envisioned. How would I fit in?

Discovering that there were many others at Vanguard who’d made similar transitions helped ease my worries. (Indeed, company founder John C. Bogle himself had done a short stint as a “cub” newspaper reporter.)

I chatted with a former veteran wire service reporter who assured me that it wouldn’t be too long before I, like him, viewed joining Vanguard to be one of the best career decisions I’d ever made. In such a supportive environment, it didn’t take long before my fears melted away. It was an exciting time because there was so much to learn. I threw myself into getting up to speed, taking night classes and reading Mr. Bogle’s numerous books.

The more I learned, the more I noticed a change in my interests. I’d joined Vanguard thinking I’d always be a writer and editor. But as time went on, what really grabbed my attention was investing and learning about ways to build and safeguard wealth. One of my colleagues had experienced a similar transformation and left his writing job to become a Certified Financial Planner ™ for Vanguard Personal Advisor Services. But to me, such a big change seemed too daunting. How could I pursue a second, second career at this point?

Me and Nate.

How Nate changed my point of view

And then life—as it often does—took an unexpected twist. In 2014, our son Nate was born and forever changed the way I look at everything. Nate has Down syndrome, and the first two years of his life were one health care crisis after another. He underwent open heart surgery at five weeks. Right around his first birthday, he was diagnosed with leukemia. Thanks to spectacular care by nurses and doctors in our community, Nate has made a full recovery and is now as healthy as any seven-year-old I know.

Of course, I was profoundly affected by this experience. Among other things, I had a new perspective on what qualified as scary and difficult. Making another career change no longer seemed undoable.

And becoming a financial advisor now had an additional appeal. I was especially passionate about the opportunity to help clients who have loved ones with disabilities meet their unique financial challenges. From my own experience, I know that providing for children or other relatives with disabilities is often a family’s biggest single financial concern.

So, for the second time in my life, I took the plunge into an entirely new career. Fortunately, one of the distinctive aspects of Vanguard’s culture is an openness to trying new paths. This is true at any stage, whether you’re a veteran like me or a relative newcomer. Although I had no experience as a financial advisor, I was welcomed into a Vanguard-sponsored program to prepare for the rigorous CFP® exam.

My son Nate.

A beginner all over again

Just like when I first joined Vanguard, I benefitted from tremendous support both in terms of formal training and informal coaching and encouragement from managers and colleagues.

Even with all the help, it wasn’t easy. I spent countless hours studying and had to contend with the stress of learning entirely new systems while adjusting to working directly with clients for the first time. Although I’d been with Vanguard for a long time, I was back to the uncomfortable feeling of being the “new kid” in school. If you’re contemplating a career change, don’t underestimate the challenges.

But don’t underestimate the payoff either. Today, I’m enjoying the fruits of my labors and feel more engaged in my work than I have in years. As a financial advisor, I can impact my clients’ lives for the better every day. And because I’m still relatively early on the journey, I feel like opportunities to keep learning are boundless.

It’s a time of year when many people reflect on what they’re thankful for. For me, it’s that I didn’t let fear stop me from going after a new career.

Lessons learned from two career switches

• Talk to your network. Before you make a leap, it’s vital that you speak to as many people in your prospective field as possible. You should also get advice from current trusted colleagues. Best of all, find someone who made the same transition you did. I got invaluable advice from a Vanguard writer who became a financial advisor.
• Value what you already know. The skills from your old job will translate in surprising ways into your new career. Asking good questions and taking impeccable notes is obviously key to success for newspaper reporters. It’s true for financial advisors, too.
• ‘Scaries’ will fade. Twice now I’ve been through the anxieties that go along with a career change. My experience also taught me the fears fade and the excitement builds. Better to experience temporary “Sunday Scaries” than lasting regret about not going after what you’d really like to do.

-Ted G.

Ted is a high net worth financial advisor for Vanguard Personal Advisor Services.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements.

The 2021 Vanguard Gives Back Campaign took place from November 15 through November 19. This year’s theme, Every ______ counts, emphasized the many causes and organizations that do important work in our communities around the world.
The annual campaign provides our crew with an opportunity to support Vanguard Strong Start for Kids or other community agencies and causes that are close to their hearts. This year’s activities included some friendly competition and opportunities to Learn, Act, and Give.

Learn

During the campaign, crew joined discussions featuring leaders from several of our Crew Resource Groups, where they heard about their connections to Strong Start agencies and learned how those agencies are addressing the childcare crisis. They also learned how the work of Strong Start for Kids is furthering Vanguard’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Act

There are many ways in which crew acted. For example, they participated in our Strong Start for Kids 5K. Whether as an individual or by forming a team including family and friends, crew registered to run, walk, or move for kids and logged their miles. Further, Vanguard offered unique service projects for crew interested that benefitted Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) and Promising Pages in Pennsylvania, Arizona and North Carolina. Lastly, crew had an opportunity to sign up for a variety of other virtual Days of Service volunteer activities with fellow colleagues.

Give

Whether it’s pledging time or money, we are proud to see our crew make meaningful contributions in the community that have a lasting impact.

Check out the photos below that crew submitted to share their Every ____ counts!

If navigating challenging scenarios was a course, the COVID-19 pandemic created a master class opportunity for everyone. Unprecedented is the word used most to describe the past 18 months and while it is typically used to describe responding to increased business challenges, the course of the virus and community needs, I’d like to offer an alternate way to think about it. The past 18 months have been unprecedented in the way that friends, family, and colleagues have genuinely shown up for each other. It is the silver lining that I hope doesn’t fade as we see some normalcy just around the bend.

This year, I’ve thought a little bit more about gratitude at work. In the past, gratitude at work was aligned with my team excelling in their roles, knocking a project out of the park, a colleague supporting me as I navigated a tough stakeholder management situation, or covering a meeting for me. All things that are much appreciated, but the gratitude I feel now runs deeper. Over the summer, I learned that my mom was going to have major surgery. I knew I needed some support while I’d be managing a busy career and addressing concerns about my mother’s health. A colleague reminded me that our Vanguard benefits plan includes expanded access to mental wellbeing benefits and encouraged me to sign up. I was equipped with tools and tactics to help me thrive. I feel fortunate to work for a firm that supports crew with a suite of benefits that addresses all aspects of employee wellbeing.

As the surgery date drew near, I was grateful for the distraction of a very busy work schedule but knew that I would need to take some time off. As someone who has always taken pride in being a shoulder for others to lean on, I felt uncomfortable asking for help.

Me and Mom

Over the next two weeks as I took time off work to care for my mom (and my dad as he was caring for my mom), I can safely say that I have never felt my heart so full of sheer gratitude.

I’m grateful that Vanguard supports caregiver time off so that I could be there for my family when they needed it most. I’m grateful for my friends who checked in on me all hours of the day. I’m grateful for my teams who not only called with messages of support, but also kept the business running smoothly during one of our busiest seasons. Most of all, I will forever be grateful for the talented surgeons, doctors and wonderful nurses that were there every step of the way. 90 days post-surgery and my mom is doing great!

I think back on this journey with gratitude, and I’m reminded of a quote from Albert Schweitzer and I’m grateful for the sparks in my life.

“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer

– Tamara T.

Vanguard is being recognized for its pro bono contributions in the Philadelphia area over the past two years by Philadelphia VIP, a nonprofit organization that offers free legal services to the city’s residents, small businesses, and nonprofits with civil matters.

Philadelphia VIP awarded Vanguard with this year’s Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. Award, which honors the volunteer or practice setting that had the biggest increase in volunteer participation or number of cases represented over the past two years. Vanguard volunteers were honored at Philadelphia VIP’s virtual Awards Night held on Tuesday, October 12.

“As a life-long Philadelphian, it meant a lot to me to help individuals in need of legal services in the community through Vanguard’s Pro Bono Program,” said Robin H., who led the Financial Institution Pro Bono Day event, which was the project cited for the award. “The clients were in such dire need for legal assistance.”

A sense of purpose and community

Vanguard joined other financial institutions from across the U.S. on January 14, 2021, to provide pro bono virtual legal services to vulnerable communities. Fourteen volunteers from Office of the General Counsel’s (OGC) Pro Bono Committee assisted clients, mostly nonprofit social service agencies struggling with tax filings related to their incorporation.

Committee Lead Carrie S. shared, “Being a part of the Pro Bono Committee for the last two years has provided not only the opportunity to help underserved people and organizations, but also a sense of purpose and community during a time when we couldn’t gather in person. I’m really proud of what we’ve created and sustained as a committee and a broader OGC community.”

Enthusiasm for serving

Vanguard pro bono volunteers have had diverse opportunities to provide legal services to the community throughout the year, including:

• Assisting the PA Innocence Project in screening cases for potential exoneration.
• Assisting immigrants with asylum applications.
• Advocating for students with educational challenges.
• Filing legal name change documents for low-income transgender individuals.

“The Pro Bono Committee has created new and expanded opportunities where all within OGC have the ability to serve the community. It has galvanized the division and generated enthusiasm for serving,” said Committee Sponsor Keri M. “I am so proud of the committee and all who participated, especially now—when service during the pandemic had to move to virtual and everyone carries the weight of community and personal stressors.”

Hispanic Heritage Month or ‘el Mes de la Herencia Hispana’ has arrived. Vanguard’s crew resource group, Hispanic/LatinX Organization for Leadership and Advancement (HOLA), has selected a theme for the celebration: “De corazón a corazón, we are a family together.” In an effort to capture this theme through design, HOLA held a logo competition earlier this year. In this blog, we hear from the winner, Jamie H., about the experience and what ultimately inspired her design.

It is an honor to have my design selected to represent HOLA for Hispanic Heritage Month. I currently serve as an Instructional Designer in Vanguard’s Retail Investor Group and have been with the organization for a little over three years. My background is in illustration and graphic design, so when I saw the opportunity to create a unique logo for HOLA, I was very excited to contribute a piece of my own!

Inspiration for this logo came from a few different places. The phrase “De corazón a corazón, we are a family together,” really resonated with me. I wanted to develop an image that showcased how we support and lift each other up by connecting and sharing with one another. One of my favorite aspects of working at Vanguard is the genuine enthusiasm among crew to learn about different histories, cultures, and experiences. We don’t shy away from difficult conversations and we embrace the chance to grow together. Each encounter I’ve had at Vanguard, both big and small, where I hear about others’ experiences has been important to me. Everything from crew opening up about their holiday traditions, to frank discussions about inequities and injustice, to spotlights on individuals and their success, I’m continually inspired to learn more and support others whenever I can. I wanted to capture that feeling of sharing and support in this logo.

Lastly, my family, friends, and coworkers are all a source of inspiration to me. I’m always blown away by their kindness and willingness to teach and open up with me. I look forward to celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with them, as well as HOLA and the broader Vanguard organization.

During the month-long event, HOLA invites crew to celebrate and generate awareness of the Hispanic and LatinX heritage, identities, achievements, and barriers. Key events include a fireside chat with CEO, Tim Buckley and HOLA leaders, an educational series focused on Hispanic culture, small group discussions centered on diversity within LatinX, a virtual cooking class, and lastly a closing signature event with external speaker, Paola Ramos. Paola is a host and correspondent for VICE and VICE News, as well as a contributor to Telemundo News and MSNBC.

Your well-being matters

Let’s be real for a minute—the last year has not been an easy one. The global pandemic has redefined the concept of well-being at home and at work. Whether you’ve had to adjust to virtual school, working where you live, socially distanced or virtual holidays with loved ones, or any of the other ways the last year has changed how we go about our lives, we could probably all use some time to focus on what our minds and bodies need.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and Vanguard, along with our well-being partners, is hosting several events to further support the well-being of crew.

Virtual Wellness Expo: How our well-being vendors support crew

Mental health is more than just acknowledging how you feel. In order to aide crew in their holistic mental health journey, our well-being vendors have come together to create a three-day expo. The event features wellness focused on a variety of topics, including:

• Understanding the relationship between food and mental health.
• Doing desk yoga.
• Assistance in practicing mindfulness.
• Getting to know each of the vendors and how they can support crew.

A special panel with our vendors will give crew a quick overview of how each of the well-being vendors can assist in their wellness journey. Two of our partners are hosting webinars centered on the topic of resilience:

• The first workshop presents a path to resilience via​ practical, research-supported tools designed to help crew develop healthy ways of coping with their emotions, cultivate an optimistic mindset, utilize the power of social support, and move forward toward new goals more effectively. Combined, these tools can promote quicker recovery from life’s setbacks, and even inspire personal growth.
• In the second webinar, crew will see how building resilience can help make daunting tasks seem doable and bring a sense of energy and optimism to difficult situations, which is especially critical for those serving as a caregiver. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this webinar will serve to provide strategies and practices crew can integrate into their daily lives.

Prioritizing mental health

We encourage taking advantage of our new services, especially if crew or a loved one:

• Never really considered using mental health care resources, but are feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed and want to feel better.
• Considered using mental health care resources in the past, but have never tried it. One new vendor makes the process easy and can connect individuals with a resource quickly.
• Had disappointing experiences in the past. Finding a good counselor can be a little bit like dating, it can take a few tries to meet the right person. Our approach tailors recommendations to personal needs, goals, and schedules.

“At first, I thought I didn’t have an issue with working from home and dealing with the pandemic. I was wrong. You don’t realize the mental toll it takes on you, from the isolation to lack of boundaries between work and home. I took advantage of Vanguard’s new services and was able to talk to someone who could help me work out the tornado going through my brain and focus on having a clearer mind.” – Anonymous crew member.

Vanguard offers a variety of resources and programs to support crew health and wellness goals. We’re invested in our crew and in creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Your identity plays a significant role in how you lead. Recognizing and acknowledging your cultural background within your identity shapes your leadership style. Embracing the fact that there are celebrated business leaders from every culture, we can internalize and appreciate there isn’t only one way to be successful. This is the first step to accepting and evolving your personal gifts as a leader. For example, as an Asian female raised by traditional Taiwanese parents, I honed the skill of compromise early in life. Growing up in the U.S., I had many opportunities to practice finding common ground between Eastern values emphasizing collectivism and Western values emphasizing individualism. I am wired to hold and optimize opposing concepts in the same space. As a business leader, I have used this skill time and again to solve seemingly intractable problems with multiple stakeholders.

One of the most important practices in leadership is self-reflection. Through the self-reflection process, you find out all about yourself – the good and the bad. If you don’t accept all you are, you can’t use all you have. There are many aspects of yourself that are there for you to bring to everything you do. Your cultural background is an integral part of who you are. Self-reflection opens the door to discover places you may have overlooked in yourself. This helps you to love your uniqueness. There is, after all, no one like you. You have a perspective that only you can offer and contribute to others.

As leaders, we need to look for opportunities to leverage our identity in whatever we do for our business. It could be as simple as tapping into our personal and professional networks to source diverse clients. Who we are is who we know, and that’s powerful. When we combine our individual networks, we cover a lot of people! For example, Vanguard’s Leadership and Engagement for Asian Professionals (LEAP) Crew Resource Group partnered with ASCEND (a US- based, nationwide Asian professional organization) to co-produce an informative webinar featuring two of our own leaders on investing in these uncertain times. Organizations like this help to expand our network and reach new clients.

Our cultural identity is a wonderful tool to further business goals. As managers, we are charged with creating the right environment and equipping our team to drive business results. It is corporate culture that creates those outcomes. Research proves there are better solutions and more creative, collaborative results when you have a diverse group of people. Bringing our identity to the table is not only the right thing to do, it is also an appreciated one that is good for business. Our clients care about the culture in the corporations they are affiliated with. In my role leading a team of investment consultants who advise our Institutional pension clients, I not only represent, but also discuss our corporate diversity and inclusion efforts.

Embracing your cultural background is not just letting people know who you are, it also includes finding out who they are and how you can work best together. It’s often easy to hide your true self, creating an artificial line of demarcation between work and personal. Too often your personal identity is not accepted as part of your business identity. Getting to know others can allow you to see more of who you are.

Being vulnerable and open to sharing your personal story and inviting others to share theirs becomes a powerful and expansive give and take. Leaders should tell their story, as well as listen to the stories of others. There are plenty of appropriate avenues through informal conversations, blogs, and social events, whether virtual or in person. Just remember that while listening, you should be willing to really hear what the other person is saying.

A good tool for understanding your leadership style and learning about those of others is the Deloitte Business Chemistry types. Like Myers Briggs, it talks about different characteristics within four primary categories: Driver, Pioneer, Integrator, and Guardian. This tool provides greater insight into your style, and also helps us understand the behavior of those with different styles.

Remember that whether you’re conscious of it or not, all parts of you, including your culture, show up in all you do. For example, I am a Pioneer and an Integrator. This makes a lot of sense to me. Being part of an immigrant generation is a crucial part of my identity. When my family came to this country, we had nothing and had to pioneer new ways to do things. As a middle child, I was always keeping the peace, trying to integrate everyone and find compromise. The person I have become because of my background and culture is reflected in my business dealings. Today, my leadership sponsors the Open Architecture effort, connecting investment professionals and information technology. In addition, I find innovative ways to craft win-win pricing proposals for clients and Vanguard, and I bring a differentiated perspective to building our pension advisory business.

Throughout my career, I have found adaptation to be an evolutionary necessity, but rejecting who you are in the process is a mistake. My cultural heritage and personal background are strengths that I leverage daily.

-Jean L.

Jean is a co-lead of LEAP and a Principal and Department Head in Institutional Advisory Services, where she leads a team of investment professionals. She embraced and manifested her own cultural differences to rise through the Investment Management Group Division leading teams in the Fixed Income Group, Risk Management Group, and Global Investors Shared Services. Jean has been an active member of LEAP since its inception – as co-lead for the Leadership and Professional Development sub-team, sponsor of all three LEAP Leadership conferences, and an active member of the Advisory Board.