Nedra Dickson on Supplier Diversity and Personal Branding - Chief Influencer - Episode # 005
Nedra Dickson is the Managing Director and Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead at Accenture. Nedra is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council). Nedra shares what supplier diversity really means for a Fortune 500 company, how to use your shoes to kickstart connections, and why LinkedIn can be a great channel for communicating with coworkers.
Takeaways:
- Supplier diversity requires companies to look at who they are purchasing goods and services from and ensure that those providers include diverse-owned businesses that are at least 51% owned by members of an under-represented or under-served community.
- By emphasizing supplier diversity, large corporations engage with small businesses they would not have otherwise. Big companies need to find opportunities to integrate businesses from underrepresented groups into their supply chains.
- Increasing supplier diversity makes an outsized impact on the economy, especially within traditionally marginalized communities. While it might seem small in comparison to a project’s overall budget, every $1,000,000 with a small, diverse supplier creates around ten jobs.
- By expressing her genuine personality through her love of shoes, Nedra created an easy jumping-off point for connecting with other people authentically. Others want to connect with people that embrace who they are.
- Social media can be used to share the right information with the right people, both inside and outside of your company. For example, Nedra used social media to highlight success stories from her work to showcase the positive outcomes of supplier diversity.
- Include as many voices as possible in the discussions you have about your field on social media by tagging the right people. For example, Nedra tags fellow members of professional organizations when relevant to get spark a richer conversation.
- Adapt your message and formatting to include the right “language” for each platform because different platforms serve your message differently. For example, you need to utilize the right hashtags for each platform to reach your target audience.
Quote of the Show:
- “If there's not a seat for you at the table, grab a chair” - Nedra Dickson
Links:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nedra-dickson-051b361/
- Accenture website: https://www.accenture.com/us-en
- WBENC website: https://www.wbenc.org/
Ways to Tune In:
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DjyDgAnBZ1Pgy4Lyojgs1
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/chief-influencer/id1688769403
- Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/27c24d98-1121-465a-bd8f-d7314a9a4482
- Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/chief-influencer-podcast-5328948
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefinfluencer
Creators and Guests
Host
Anthony Shop
Anthony Shop believes in the power of people-centered branding and marketing to create a bright future. He chairs the National Digital Roundtable, the premier convener of digital innovators, leaders and policy shapers. Anthony also is the Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Social Driver, a digital services firm that helps companies and non-profits establish winning strategies with social media, websites, creative, and advertising. An enthusiastic presenter and teacher, he has led executive-level training for Amazon, PepsiCo, NASA, The British Embassy and the Bipartisan Policy Center. He has been recognized as an “OUTstanding LGBT Role Model” by The Financial Times, “40 Under 40” by The Washington Business Journal, and Business Leader of the Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. A former newspaper reporter, Anthony was the first new media professional elected to the National Press Club’s Board of Governors. He currently serves on the boards of Leadership Greater Washington and LearnServe International. He earned his MBA from The George Washington University School of Business, where he teaches as an adjunct lecturer.
Guest
Nedra Dickson
Managing Director and Global Supplier Inclusion & Sustainability Lead at Accenture. Nedra is also the Chair of the Board of Directors for WBENC (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council).
Producer
Robert Krueger
Robert is an Executive Director for The Communications Board, an organization with the mission of providing high-quality professional development for every communicator in every location. He is also the Global Lead for Partnership Communications at Gensler, the world’s largest architecture and design firm. Prior to his current role, he performed executive and CEO communications for Gensler, and was the senior director of public relations and social media at the Urban Land Institute. He obtained an MA in Communications and an MA in History from George Mason University. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia. In addition, Robert has taught communications at universities including George Mason University, West Virginia University, and the University of Florida. Robert currently serves as Immediate-Past President for the Public Relations Society of America’s National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) -- the nonprofit’s largest chapter.