Vanguard was a proud Gold Sponsor for the Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Out Women in Business (OWIB) Conference. The Out Women in Business Conference brought the LGBTQIA+ community together to educate, inspire, and connect future generations of women in business. For many of the attendees, it was the first chance to come together in-person after more than two years of being virtual. A celebration of visible community and representation, OWIB featured speakers from a number of companies, including Vanguard’s own Kate Pope, Senior Manager in the Office of the General Counsel, and Kim-An Hernandez, Principal in the Finance division.

In this blog, we wanted to capture the perspectives of our crew who were able to attend. We asked them a few questions about their experience and were thrilled with the positive feedback we received. Here is what they had to say:

“Romba’s OWIB event provided an incredible opportunity to connect, network, and share what #LifeAtVanguard means to me. Attending alongside our Out Professional Engagement Network (OPEN) colleagues was the highlight, as it was my first time meeting many of them in person versus on a screen. It also provided deeper connections and sense of community.”
– Krista D.

“I love the networking aspect of meeting people from other organizations. This is extremely helpful for recruiting and getting the Vanguard story out there, as well as learning from peers in other companies, industries and regions so we can continually raise the bar in both the work we do at Vanguard and our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey.”
– Jill O.

“The energy, diversity, and passion in the room created such a refreshing sense of belonging and connection. I especially loved hearing stories from all these talented and courageous women from different backgrounds. Hearing each person’s “hustle” or goal they’re working toward was most impactful to me. It was energizing being surrounded by a community of like-minded people. I’m so proud to be part of a company that values this community and works to lift up these voices.”
– Mary O.

Vanguard crew gathered at recruiting booth at Out Women in Business 2022 event.

As a developer, I find myself thinking about web sites and application design a lot. One aspect of development is accessibility, or making sure that all users have equal access to resources found on the web, and can accurately perceive, operate and understand all content. Accessibility is not as simple as testing with a screen reader and calling it a day, true web accessibility means ensuring that those with challenges to visual, hearing, motor, cognitive, and color perception abilities can use the applications successfully and with minimal frustration.

My exposure to accessibility technology started much earlier than most. My father’s cousin used a wheelchair for her adult life and had limited control from her neck down; she was able to move one finger. She was one of the most intelligent women I knew, a college professor with degrees in Criminal Science, and a fantastic taste in movies!

My father was her unofficial tech support, so I was always aware of how important her computer and other tools were for her to go about her daily life. I thought watching her speed through Dragon Naturally Speaking, a speech recognition software that allowed her to move her mouse around on the screen and interact with her computer via her voice, was so cool! In fact, I referenced that experience in my college application essays. So, from a time pre-dating my career, I have associated technology with helping to improve lives.

While in college, I was introduced to Vanguard through my College to Corporate summer internship. Even though my role through that program had nothing to do with software development (which I was majoring in) or accessibility, it was still a lot of fun! I learned so much about Vanguard’s corporate culture, including the firm’s client-first mentality, how caring colleagues are, how supportive managers are on finding balance between work and life, and encouragement to take advantage of Vanguard’s many amenities. I was amazed to learn that one of my coworkers had recruited her son to come work at the same company when adults I knew spent so much time complaining about work; the contrast was vast.

Given the welcoming culture I experienced, returning was a no brainer. When I eventually found my way to a developer role at Vanguard, I attended an internal course for one week that provided a broad overview of the many systems, tools and technologies, and programs that we need to be aware of. I spent a half day learning about what was a relatively new program at Vanguard, their Accessibility Office. I was fascinated by the idea. My manager at the time suggested that I reach out to them and become an ambassador.

Since that time, the Accessibility Office, and its ambassador (now champion) program, has continued to expand, and I have enjoyed being along for the ride. Along with trainings, I have also attended events for Global Accessibility Awareness Day and other accessibility related concepts. Just this year, I have signed up to become certified through International Association of Accessibility Professionals. For me, accessibility closely aligns to Vanguard’s mission – to take a stand for all investors (among other things). It’s important we make sure that all our tools are accessible to everyone.

In addition to my participation in the Accessibility Office, my role as an ambassador has offered me opportunities in my day-to-day job to introduce others on my team and beyond to accessibility concepts and help them integrate accessible implementations. We started small, with reviews of various applications, and the creation of prioritized backlogs to ensure that we could continuously improve our client experience. One occasion that stands out is when we adjusted the color contrast on pie charts on our pages. Upon implementation, one of my colleagues expressed gratitude for our work, as they personally are color blind. This was unexpected and truly demonstrates the positive impact we are having on the lives of others.

As I became more experienced with accessibility, I started to act as a subject matter expert for not just my team, but other teams in my product family and program as well. I am always happy to help when my fellow crew members reach out to me and ask for the best way to make an input, table, or chart more accessible, because I truly believe that every little bit helps! In the last few years, I have started giving overviews to my department about what accessibility is and how to implement it in their daily lives. I have received countless, positive feedback from participants, who were excited to jump in and start making their applications accessible to everyone.

The latest step in my accessibility journey took place in early January of this year when I accepted a role in the Accessibility Office. So, not only has accessibility shaped my childhood and early career, but it continues to shape the future of my work. Vanguard’s accessibility journey is far from finished, and I am looking forward to helping Vanguard continue to strive to give ALL investors the best chance for investment success.

-Noel K.

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.

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.”

It’s not just a day when you’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ family. Coming out is never a once and done like, “Phew, I made it through that! Now let’s just move on with my life.” It’s every day. It’s ongoing for the rest of our lives. I’ve had to come out over and over and over again in a variety of different scenarios.

Starting a new job?
As a new crew member at Vanguard, I’ve had to come out to all my new colleagues over the past few months during introductions as topics of family and who we spend time with over the weekend has come up in casual conversations. It can be very awkward and anxiety-ridden, depending on how questions are posed. For example, I’ve been asked “What’s your husband’s name?” more times than I can count over the lifetime of my career.

Moving to a new location?
I relocated from Chicago, IL to Reading, PA when I accepted my new role at Vanguard. I’ve had to come out to new neighbors and new social circles. There’s a risk of not feeling comfortable or welcome in your own neighborhood, depending on the beliefs of these strangers you now share a side lawn with or sit next to at book club. Going out to meet new people? You take your LGBTQIA+ status with you everywhere you go.

Meeting new friends
At some point they will ask if your husband stayed home with the kids for girl’s night, too. Coming out is exhausting because it carries a heavy emotional tax. Oh, you thought it would be easy to come out after having lived as an out and proud lesbian for over 20 years? That’s a myth. I still have anxiety about it every single time. I’m often asked questions that I’ve never heard asked of straight colleagues or friends.

When introducing my wife, I’ve been asked, “Are you two legally married?” Pause a moment. Let that sink in. If you are married or have married friends who fit the hetero-normative profile, have you ever observed anyone ask the legal status of their union? That’s an example of a microaggression that doesn’t even cross the mind of the person who is asking, I’m sure. We can all play a role in making coming out an inclusive and supported experience.

On the occasion of NCOD, well frankly every day, here are the top 3 things to consider as you support the LGBTQIA+ community:

1. Listen. Coming out is about letting someone tell their own story. You don’t have to take any action or say anything profound. Supporting the person is the most important part of their coming out to you.
2. Don’t out others- even your own children/family members. If a colleague has shared their personal story with you, that’s great that they trusted you with that information. It doesn’t mean they trust you to share it with others. It’s never your story to tell.
3. It’s ok to ask questions. Don’t make assumptions. Don’t assume everyone you meet is straight/cis-gendered/just like you. Be mindful that your questions, if they are not invasive or inappropriate, are preferred over assuming. Consider how to frame your questions more inclusively. Instead of asking what a woman’s husband’s name is, ask what their spouse’s name is. Lead with “my pronouns are she/her” to make someone else comfortable to share their pronouns, whatever they may be.

I look forward to the time when coming out is not such a big thing. Until then, I’ll keep coming out so that I’m visible. As a leader in an industry that is still moving diversity initiatives forward, that’s important to me. Vanguard’s people culture is the most resounding positive aspect of the corporate profile that I read about prior to joining, have heard about from industry peers along the way, and have experienced first-hand from current crew members after joining the organization. I feel empowered to show up to work at Vanguard as my authentic self every day, and that’s a great feeling!

Thank you to those of you who continue to make coming out less of a thing.

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.

My journey as a Financial Advisor

Growing up in a lower income community, financial advice was a concept not frequently discussed, despite its importance. This disparity is what led me to become a Financial Advisor, but most importantly, what led me to pursue my career as a Financial Advisor with Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services (PAS). Vanguard stays true to its mission – to take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success – and has been a trail blazer in doing this within PAS. I wanted the opportunity to be able to do what is best for clients from a variety of different backgrounds and levels of wealth, and PAS enables me to do this every day.

Joining Vanguard’s Black Professional Network

Professional development is a large part of why I enjoy working at Vanguard. Crew are always encouraged to continuously develop ourselves as well as those around us. As a member of one of Vanguard’s Crew Resource Groups, the Vanguard Black Professional Network (VBPN), I’ve had the honor of serving on a team within VBPN that has been tasked with creating and facilitating unique opportunities for crew to develop personally and professionally by building expertise.

Fireside chat

Earlier this year, we organized a fireside chat highlighting Vanguard’s advisory business, where leaders discussed how Vanguard is bringing advice to traditionally underserved segments at scale and shared career options and best practices for those interested in pursuing a career within Vanguard’s Personal Advisor Services group. The event featured two of Vanguard’s most prestigious women in advice, Janelle McDonald, Head of Product Management and Strategy for Personal Advisor Services, and Massy Williams, CFA and the Principal and Head of Strategic Operations for Financial Advisor Services.

The event was amazing! Janelle and Massy were able to explain where Vanguard fits within the broader advisory and wealth management industry, as well as provide an overview of the competitive landscape. They also opened up about how Vanguard has maintained its standing in the industry due to the quality of service that we offer at a competitive price as well as the commitment we have made to do what is best for our clients. Massy shared, “Vanguard has been consistent in telling investors to be disciplined, stay the course, and remain committed to their long-term investment plans.” This spoke to me because it is essentially the reason that I love being a Financial Advisor with Vanguard; we are equipped with the organization’s methodology and are empowered to do what is best for our clients to ensure they are successful long-term.

Lastly, one of my favorite moments from the event was being able to hear more about career pathing within Vanguard’s advisory business. Janelle highlighted a wide range of options that are available to crew, from client facing roles, such as Financial Advisors, to product ownership opportunities that help shape how we deliver advice to our clients. There are a lot of possibilities, and that leaves me excited about the future.

Interested in exploring our Financial Advisor opportunities? Click here to learn more.

-Aliya W.

CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Advice services are provided by Vanguard Advisers, Inc., a registered investment advisor, or by Vanguard National Trust Company, a federally chartered, limited-purpose trust company.

As Vanguard celebrates Pride Month, we are excited to share a personal story from a crew member in Arizona. Adele P. and her husband have cultivated an inclusive culture within their neighborhood. Here’s how they did it:

Flags at my home

When I bought my home in early 2019, I noticed how many flags there were in my neighborhood. Most of them were the good ‘ole red, white, and blue, but there were others as well. My home had a flag mount already and by the time I bought a pole, LGBT Pride Month was just around the corner, so I ordered a Pride flag to show my support. However, when schools started shutting down in early 2020, I was surprised by a knock on my door – three teens stopped by to thank me for putting up the flag, stating that with school going virtual, they had been walking around the neighborhood just to hang out. Two of the three identified as LGBT+ and said they really appreciated knowing that someone in the neighborhood supported them as they weren’t getting the acceptance they needed at home.

A couple weeks later, I received letters from two other teens, both identifying as LGBT+, who were in similar situations. They asked if my husband and I would be their pen pals over the next couple months, so I made a mailbox out of a large peanut butter jar that I decorated and put in a flower pot by our door so that they could pick up and drop off letters without being afraid of a family member reading something they weren’t yet ready to share.

Depressed, Lonely, Scared, Queer? Leave a letter, We’ll write back. Love Wins.

It was incredibly moving to see how desperately these kids needed to connect with someone who accepted them. Further, it reminded me of the struggles LGBT youth are still facing today. For this reason, I decided to formally invite my neighbors to drop us a line if they were experiencing challenges as well. In June of 2020, I made signs out of left over pegboard my sister had given me and some acrylic paints we had on hand. One read “Happy Pride, Take a Flag” with a flowerpot of pride flags next to it. Another one read “Depressed, Lonely, Scared, Queer? Leave a letter, we’ll write back. Love Wins.” and we bought a small mailbox to hang up underneath it. During this period, I also ordered a second flag pole and purchased a “Black Lives Matter” flag to hang up on the other side of our garage. I don’t know what I was expecting. I think I was feeling disconnected to people the same way we all were. And I assumed that if five teens contacted me, there were probably a few more that were afraid to or hadn’t thought about it. What I got was letters and notes from people of all age ranges and backgrounds. One was from a delivery truck driver who opened up about their drug addiction recovery and was struggling with their family trusting them again. A few were from likeminded neighbors showing support and introducing themselves. One letter was from a young woman back from college, a first generation college student, who was having a hard time connecting with her parents who were proud of her but didn’t understand what she was going through. There were also many kids, ages 10-18, who were afraid to come out to their parents and just needed someone to share their identities with. Slowly we saw our little flags spread down the street, like weeds of inclusion as the 80+ flags we offered were collected throughout the month.

The moment that made me the happiest, was when a trans boy stopped by to chat. Near the end of our conversation he mentioned that his friend made him a friendship bracelet and he really wanted to wear it, but it was pink. My husband, an artist that was wearing a rainbow of colors that day, stopped him and said, “Don’t replace one toxic set of beliefs with another. If you want to be a boy who wears a pink bracelet, be a boy who wears a pink bracelet! Don’t let the opinion of others keep you from being who you are!” As this boy received validation from a man who was also wearing pink, he grinned bigger than I’ve ever seen, eyes tearing up, as he put on his bracelet and left.

We’re still receiving about two letters per month, but even more than that are the waves we get from children when they ride past our home on their bikes as well as the smiles we get from our neighbors as they’re walking their dogs. It cost less than $50 between the flags and small mailbox to invite our neighbors into our lives, and I’m so glad we did. This last year has been rough on everyone. Everyone feels the loss of community when their social circles are cut off from them. It’s become clear that these visual signs of inclusion have been important, and I believe they’ll remain important as we get back to our lives and move beyond the pandemic. Because of this, these signs and flags are here to stay for as long as we live in this home.

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.