An End of Year Message from Our CEO
I confess that I’m weary of resilience. Sometimes I’d like to give up on adaptability. It would be easier in some ways to give in to impatience and shortchange empathy.
So I’m intrigued at the positive energy I’m seeing. It’s a fantastic feeling to end such a challenging year on a high note. Because of inclusive leaders like you, Greatheart closes out 2021 full of gratitude and hope. Over the course of 2021, Greatheart supported the work of many companies seeking to grow inclusive leadership within their ranks, and we directly lead work with more than 2,100 leaders within those companies.
This year many of us have experienced the pain of disadvantage and conflict. We’ve seen the full color of chaos. We’ve felt unprepared for the isolation and disconnection of living in a pandemic. Yet here we are, still fighting centuries-old racism, discrimination, and inequality through innovation, hard work, and collaboration. From being online to living in the cloud and now peering into the metaverse, we stand on the precipice of transformation—dramatic growth in performance, character, and culture.
In 2013, those of us seeking to live out Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream were confronted with the murder of Trayvon Martin, which brought international attention to the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked a wave of racial reckoning and protest that can still be heard and felt today. A few years later, the ongoing #MeToo movement emerged, challenging the insidious cultural norms of violence against women, sexism, and gender discrimination. Large companies hurried to declare solidarity, made generous donations and commitments, and moved to reform their workplace cultures—all with help from people in communities and experts in consulting firms. Through this diligent collaboration, incredible work has been done. Change is in the wind. There is promise in our future, as we continue to find our courage.
The future is the next moment, so it matters what we do right now. The choices we make today will respond to ongoing struggles and invest in effective DEI solutions. There’s so much important work to do—justice is still denied to many—so it is right to thank you for your demonstrated commitment to leading through diversity, equity, and inclusion.
From our families to yours, we wish you the best during this season of celebration and reflection. We hope you have a safe, happy, and prosperous 2022.
Cordially,
Chuck H. Shelton