Year End Review
Professional Pipeline Development Group turned 18 in October of 2022. Coming of age has taken on new meaning for us as an organization built on a foundation of purpose. For the first time, we went Black. Not DEI—Black; Black people, Black Families, Black Women Leaders, Black communities, markets and institutions. We saw the data. You did too. One leader said to us, out loud in a working session of its global partners “We used our power to ignore this data.” Between the global aging of the workforce, to census data in the United States of America, there is no ignoring the analytics facing the world. The primary growth will be fostered by skilled talent that is Black and Brown, across the globe.
What is an Open Problem
The Open Problem of Black Progress became the purpose-driven context for our team. This other worldly algorithm we seek to rival Google maps as a GPS for Black Progress feels within our reach, no matter how far off and rugged the terrain. The strongholds that must be broken have deep roots, yet we remain encouraged.
As a boutique management consulting firm, we have earned the most valuable currency to us – your trust. We had to weigh some risks of going Black. What is interesting is, when a team lives and works on purpose, let’s just say the metrics are built on a system that is out of this world. In 2022 – we told the truth, made many uncomfortable, unearthed some interesting behaviors. We chose to believe humanity will be better for it. And now, after a year of actively going black, preceded by 4 years of preparatory work, it is both rewarding and fulfilling. Our tribe is growing.
Tapping in with our friends and confidants at PwC, and Boston Consulting Group – being informed, and fortified by our own data set, along with HBR, Fortune CEO, World Economic Forum and from McKinsey was revealing. The $50B in the market in the wake of George Floyd’s murder was sitting still? We had to find out why? Was it that Blacks did not know how to get the money – or was the money positioned to continue to work in its usual and customary fashion and Blacks, well, some Blacks, never were “read in” to how it works? Or was it all a lie; a front for big checks, photo ops and press releases? Industry has to reckon with asset allocation that was out of balance, to position them for change and growth and that asset has always been (by design) under resourced, under develop; Black talent. And now, as if Industry was saying here you go, fix this. At every level, in public an in private, Black skilled talent seemed to be “in a game” and there is no playbook for this season.
Culture: Peter Drucker’s truth baring statement “Culture will eat strategy for breakfast” – As a purpose-grounded and purpose-driven firm, the Culture of our organization breathes honesty, care, excellence and authenticity. Now…while focusing on Black we wanted to celebrate our culture as a people and a culture that changes the world, for the better. This kept us close, supported and fueled trust as we addressed our people and allies who desired a refuge while kicking over some tables. Sharon, Pat, Layla, Dr Calvin, Judy, Kenny, Dean Robinson, Christina – THIS is only the beginning.
- We re-structured, announced a Non-Profit Arm, Game Meets Game – to change the status quo in STEAM. We conducted pilot to review long-standing gaps in Guidance Counselor and Career Services with 8 Campuses, including one on the Continent of Africa. The goal was to establish a data set for future of work, and a path to discovery of 21st Century “hidden figures.” We now have profiles of their digital aptitude assessment resulting in a data set of over 1,000 developing emerging scholars and early career leaders.
- Our Career Development OnRamp℠ curriculum has developed over 20+ enterprise cohorts, resulting in an 80% career improvement rate. We completed a proof of concept for our revamped curriculum – targeting Black Emerging Scholars and Early Career Leaders across all disciplines. Our work earned recognition from the Melinda Gates Equality Can’t Wait Challenge, with our host institution – George Washington University Law School. Thank you, Dean Alfreda Robinson!
PPDG was invited to engage with purpose-driven organizations who possessed labs for discovery
- INTERNXL – Game Meets Game is now a Collaborator with InternXL. It is a distinctive honor to work with leaders who engage over 20,000 active under resourced learners, every day
- Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design – Supporting the reopening of a closed HBCU—a first in the country. A FIRST.
- MIT IDSS-ICSR – Our Founder is now a member of the External Advisory Board
- Edelman and Mighty Dream – Invited by Lisa Ross, CEO of Edelman, US - to its first Davos-like Forum hosted by Pharrell.
- McLaren leadership in The Americas (Black) – Oh boy! From the launch of the Artura to Formula 1 - we can’t wait to show you what is coming
- Southern University Law Center – Chancellor John Pierre has set a new standard for transformational leadership. It is an honor to serve his office. We have shaped over a dozen models for collaboration, discovery and career development
See a pattern?
They are all moonshot thinking leaders and organizations. They contain the breath of life for the algorithmic solution for the Open Problem of Black Progress.
In the Season of going black, we had to find a “sweet spot” for our strength as commissioned convener and carefully named and crafted Higher Education Thought Leadership Consortium.
Here’s why.
PPDG X THE ACADEMY – It is an intersection that drives change and growth
- In 2007 – Our Founder became Adjunct Faculty Member at Cornell University, ILR – in the first of its kind Diversity Certification. We formed a roundtable of the 16 SEC Filled Chief Diversity Officers – to quantify who they were as business leaders and the scope of their work in enterprise, in the wake of Sarbanes-Oxley Legislation. Within the construct we had a CEO Advisory Council to keep us from flying too far off a cliff without contingencies. We published, taught and worked on specific targeted initiatives with officers.
- Georgetown University then elevated our work. We informed the President’s Office and Cabinet Leaders, supported the prioritization of their adult learning strategy resulting in the formation of the School of Continuing Studies. Todd Corley, you rocked this as our Chair – the manifestation of your vision leading a complete Georgetown University campus takeover with Nike still makes people look out into space and refelect. No wonder Netflix came for you.
In 2020…..
clients needed to models to address long-standing issues. We brought the stakeholder groups together to form The Higher Education Thought Leadership Consortium leads groundbreaking and transformational change through research, collaborative discoveries.
Housed within PPDG, The Consortium is a Roundtable construct– established in 2020. The membership is collaboration leaders from Industry, The Academy (PWIs, MSIs, HBCUs) and Research Thought Leaders. On June 17,2023 after 18 months of virtual sessions, the Consortium held its first in-person working session at the New York Stock Exchange to craft the framework for a collaborative playbook, selecting two workstreams as the area of focus:
1. Future Ready Talent
2. Growth (Infrastructure/Capacity & Commercialization)
It is the collective desire of members that the outcomes of the areas of focus result in sustainable and measurable, transform operating systems in Higher Education, inclusive of HBCUs and align with business goals – while supporting commitments to UNSECO’s 2030 Goals and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) Rating standards for participating organizations.
Position Papers have been published. Contact PPDG if you are interested in the findings and work of the Higher Education Thought Leadership Consortium
Early wins
- We now have Big Banks at the table directly with select, transformational HBCU leaders, A portfolio of acreage and approved development projects that are at industry-standard; We piloted a Master Class on Martha’s Vineyard to introduce a portfolio of new possibilities resulting in a set of discoverable development projects for all stakeholders.
- PPDG’s work has moved the context and narrative of the strategic approach to the Open Problem of Black Progress from the charitable side of the ledger to the commercial side of the ledger. This makes many, including Black Executives, very uncomfortable and has disquieted the C-Suite comfort.
- A hard truth has surfaced – Talent Acquisition, Career Services and Municipalities (Workforce and Economic Development) are not aligned. Headwinds in the advancement journey for Blacks in enterprise and for Frontline Workers rage, The Great Resignation, Tech Layoffs and mental health concerns are ubiquitous, a top priority of concern for Fortune 500 CEOs.
- Another reckoning – how will enterprise maintain a focused priority on Black Talent in enterprise, and the development of Future-Ready Talent? We consider it a win to identify this opportunity for change and growth. The Higher Education Thought Leadership Consortium has cut a path.
PPDG is now the age of a young adult. What we have learned is that like young David, Jesse’s Son, we too have killed some bears and lions while tending sheep. This has prepared us for the Goliaths we now face. This would-be King made the oil flow from the horn; we too are anointed for the work. We are thankful, grateful, humbled and appreciative of all who continue invite our servant leadership into the space of transformational change, on purpose.
Wanna know what’s next, in 2023? Truth be told, only heaven knows. However, we have a glimpse and will share it with you later this quarter.
Blessings to you, humanity. Keep Rising!