https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Complete 2023 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2023 MSP 501 50-1
    • 2023 MSP 501 100-51
    • 2023 MSP 501 150-101
    • 2023 MSP 501 200-151
    • 2023 MSP 501 250-201
    • 2023 MSP 501 300-251
    • 2023 MSP 501 350-301
    • 2023 MSP 501 400-351
    • 2023 MSP 501 450-401
    • 2023 MSP 501 501-451
    • NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Channel Futures 20: Top Tech Providers
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2023 MSP 501
    • 2023 NextGen 101
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
    • Channel Leaders Lists
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2024 CP Expo Call for Speakers
    • Channel Futures Leadership Summit
    • MSP Summit
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • Complete 2023 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2023 MSP 501 50-1
    • 2023 MSP 501 100-51
    • 2023 MSP 501 150-101
    • 2023 MSP 501 200-151
    • 2023 MSP 501 250-201
    • 2023 MSP 501 300-251
    • 2023 MSP 501 350-301
    • 2023 MSP 501 400-351
    • 2023 MSP 501 450-401
    • 2023 MSP 501 501-451
    • NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Channel Futures 20: Top Tech Providers
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2023 MSP 501
    • 2023 NextGen 101
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
    • Channel Leaders Lists
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2024 CP Expo Call for Speakers
    • Channel Futures Leadership Summit
    • MSP Summit
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion


Shutterstock

DEI chalkboard

DE&I Workshop: Programs Must Be Flexible and Intentional

  • Written by Buffy Naylor
  • September 28, 2021
Mentorship and allyship were examined for the contributions they can make to DE&I initiatives.

The basic tenets of any DE&I program are being flexible and being intentional. This seemed to be the consensus among the speakers at today’s DE&I workshop presented by Channel Partners. Focusing on the theme “Step In & Step Up,” the webinar took a close look at allyship and mentorship. The two topics were selected because of their popularity at the DE&I workshop Channel Futures presented in June.

Di Ciruolo

Jambb’s Di Ciruolo

In the first session of the workshop, Di Ciruolo, head of inclusion at Jambb, led a panel discussion on “Allyship: The Secrets to Building More Inclusive, Innovative and Productive Teams.”

Serving on the panel for the discussion were Natasha Royer Coons, CRO of Advantix Solutions Group; Joe Rojas, CEO of RedSapiens; and Jamaal Savwoir, vice president of partner experience at Intelisys. Savwoir is also a co-founder and board member of the Xposure Inclusion & Diversity Council.

DE&I Is a Business Problem

There was 100% agreement among the group that “DE&I is a business problem and it should be treated as such.” That means applying the same processes and procedures to mitigating DE&I challenges as would be used, for example, in adopting new technology, the panel said. “How does this impact your business, your growth?”

As for allyship, the panel agreed that it had gained a new element of importance for businesses. Not that the issues of DE&I have become more pressing — they have become more visible. The massive maneuvering required to facilitate remote work during the COVID crisis not only took employees from their cubicles to their home offices, it exposed many of the DE&I issues endemic to the traditional office environment.

Intelisys’ Jamaal Savwoir

Advantix's Natasha Royer-Coons

Advantix’s Natasha Royer-Coons

Savwoir noted that many black employees have said they prefer telecommuting because they no longer deal with micro-aggressions. Royer-Coons related how her company developed flexible work schedules that addressed the needs of working mothers. These and other instances of companies demonstrating much-needed flexibility illustrated how human-centric businesses could be more profitable than investor-centric businesses.

For the purposes of the discussion, allyship was defined as “when someone uses their power and privilege to advocate for others.”

RedSapiens' Joe Rojas

RedSapiens’ Joe Rojas

Being an ally requires an individual to be informed, be intentional about lifting people up, be ready to learn and be willing to make mistakes. “You have to curate a DE&I culture with real conversations,” said Rogas. “You need to be kind. Replace micro-aggression with micro-kindness.”

Mentorship Is All About Goals

Colotraq’s Dany Bouchedid

Without goals, any mentoring program is doomed to fail. Working from this premise, Dany Bouchedid, founder and CEO of COLOTRAQ, led the second session of the DE&I workshop,
Mentorship & Giving Back: The Best DE&I Investments Leaders Can Make Today.”

Joining Bouchedid for the session were Jennifer Didier, president of Directions Training Center; Brandon Knight, vice president of advanced solutions – contact center for Telarus; and Michelle Ragusa-McBain, global lead and channel community evangelist for MSP and XaaS at Cisco. Like Intelisys’ Savoir, Knight is a co-founder and board member of the Xposure Inclusion & Diversity Council.

JS Group's Michelle McBain

Cisco’s Michelle Ragusa-McBain

Ragusa-McBain stressed the importance of outlining goals for a mentoring arrangement. What are you hoping to achieve? Without goals, there is no way to track progress. Mentoring should have KPIs just like any other project.

Mentorship requires a dedication of time. For that reason, it must be important to the participants in the program, both mentor and mentee, since people are careful to make time for what they consider to be important.

‘There Is No Degree in Channel’

Telarus' Brandon Knight

Telarus’ Brandon Knight

Mentoring is especially important in the channel because of its ability make people aware of careers in technology. As Knight observed, “There’s no degree in channel.”

It can also help with DE&I efforts in the channel which the panel agreed is not recruiting and equipping the right people. “If you’re looking across the table and everyone looks like you, you’re doing it wrong,” said Ragusa-McBain.

Mentoring can help attract new, diverse talent to the channel. This is especially true when mentoring is done outside the company walls and when it is done by diverse employees. “Each one reach one,” said Knight.

So what makes a good mentor? First, you should only do it because you want to, not because you think you should. If your heart’s not in it, you will…

  • Page 1
  • Page 2
Tags: Agents MSPs Intelligence Best Practices Business Models Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy Webinars

Most Recent


  • Dell Responds to Critics, Reaffirms Commitment to ‘Partner-First’ Strategy
    Channel exec Diego Majdalani says partner-first for storage is here to stay, but will it expand to the rest of the business?
  • Monthly recurring revenue
    3 Tips for Adding the Right Kind of Recurring Revenue
    Not all recurring revenue is created equal.
  • Trend Micro Partner Program Gets Big Redesign
    The program is built around the Trend Micro One platform.
  • CEO Steve Brazier at Canalys Channels Forum EMEA 2023
    Canalys Channels Forum EMEA 2023: Vendors Ask Channel for Help During Economic Slowdown
    Channel partners are thriving as IT vendors continue to move to "partner-first" to navigate a tough economy, says Canalys.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • DEI
    Building a More Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Technology Ecosystem
  • money
    World Wide Technology Commits $3 Million to Drive DE&I
  • Channel Futures DE&I
    Dell Expert Network Focuses on DE&I
  • Hire veterans
    Channel Futures Presents Top Veteran-Owned MSPs

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Futures Leadership Summit

October 30, 2023 - November 2, 2023

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

March 11, 2024 - March 14, 2024

Channel Futures Leadership Summit 2024

September 17, 2024 - September 19, 2024

Galleries

View all

Channel People on the Move: HP, 8×8, Five9, Nitel, RapidScale, More

October 3, 2023

7 Trends Impacting Ingram Micro Partners: Marriage of AI, Data Looms Large

October 2, 2023

Nutanix Partner Program Sees More Changes, Vendor Touts ‘Channel-Led’

October 2, 2023

Industry Perspectives

View all

Partners Balance Multicloud Opportunity, Complexity

September 25, 2023

Why Conversational AI Matters for Your Customers and How It Can Boost Your Revenue

September 15, 2023

The 5 Ds that Lead to Unplanned Business Sales

September 13, 2023

Webinars

View all

MSP 501: Leadership in Cybersecurity

October 19, 2023

DE&I: Find the Balance that Works for You

September 7, 2023

Above and Beyond with the NextGen 101ers

August 30, 2023

White Papers

View all

6 UCaaS Reseller Challenges and How Real World Businesses Solved Them

February 1, 2023

Frost Radar: North American UCaaS Market, 2022

February 1, 2023

The Complete Guide to White-Label UCaaS for Reseller Success

February 1, 2023

Channel Futures TV

View all

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 129: ZLH Enterprises

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 128: Channel Partner Strategies Intelligence Service

August 25, 2023

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 127: Expereo, Movie Night Returns

August 18, 2023

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 126: ARG

July 28, 2023

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X