CLIMB: Key Learnings from OPRG’s Global DE&I Officer, Soon Mee Kim
February 5, 2021
Recently, Soon Mee Kim, Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Officer at Omnicom Public Relations Group, spent some time taking the DDC team through Diversity and Inclusion from the Omnicom Perspective. What she shared ladders right up to our commitment to learning and growth. Our Community for Learning, Inclusion, Momentum and Belonging, or CLIMB, was formed to organize our efforts to create a culture of respect and understanding. And so much of what she had to say speaks to our aim of inspiring and engaging one another.
Soon Mee talked about intention and the need to create cultures of inclusion. That not only should we become more inclusive, but should see it as an active practice and seek opportunities of greater inclusion. That’s how we become a culture of inclusion, as Soon Mee said efforts must be “deep and personal across an organization to drive real change.” We loved her breakdown on Omnicom’s plan for greater diversity and wanted to share some key areas of focus that we took away.
- Acknowledging our shared humanity
From considering the language we use to normalizing mental health discussions, we should look for ways to inject greater humility and humanity into the workplace. - Creating psychological safety
Creating an environment where coworkers feel safe and comfortable as they are, and able to voice concerns when they’re not. - Supporting cultural transformation
Creating an environment where people are allowed to develop, we should be working in partnership to help one another learn and grow. - Normalizing accountability
Personal reflection and self-review are crucial to self-development. Being corrected is an opportunity to learn. Everyone, including leaders, should be able to receive correction as we are all evolving together.
Our thanks to Soon Mee Kim for an enlightening and informative conversation.