Author
Accelerating Latino Advancement
the By Dr. Robert Rodriguez and
Andrés T. Tapia
About We have been friends for over 10
years. During that time, we’ve
partnered on consulting engagements,
joint presentations, white papers, video
and photo shoots, and have always
been there for each other whenever we
needed advice. There also has not
been a shortage of music, film, in short,
we are close.
A couple of years ago while meeting
would write the first draft of a chapter
heritage can be a source of strength
for lunch we lamented the dearth of
and then toss it to the other to work
and an asset in the workplace. We
books on leadership targeting Latinos.
with it. We’d go back and forth through
are proud that our latest collaboration
We both had consulted with numerous
several drafts before working with an
can contribute to the accelerated
corporations looking to groom more
editor to ensure our thoughts were
advancement of Latinos into leadership.
LS
Hispanic leaders given how few there
clear, concise, and aligned.
were so we knew there was an urgent
The end result is our book, “Auténtico:
need to address this gap. We looked at
The Definitive Guide to Latino Career
each other and knew that it was up to us
Success” which we framed as a Latino
to not lament but actually contribute
Executive Manifesto. In Auténtico,
to growing the small literature collection
readers will find a comprehensive
a few others before us had generated.
examination of the factors that drive career
We toasted and decided to co-author
advancement for Latino professionals
a book on Latino leadership.
in the workplace. Readers will also learn
But like any new book idea, it needed
key attributes and competencies
to be a unique contribution to what
gleaned from Latino Boomer executives
had already been said about Latino
including CEOs, vice presidents and
leadership. We decided to focus on
directors on corporate boards and
doing in-depth interviews with what
how, in contrast, Latinx professionals
Co-authors of Auténtico:
ended up being 20 Latino and Latina
view things differently.
Dr. Robert Rodriguez is president of
executives to discover their secrets to
What differentiates Auténtico from other
DRR Advisors, a diversity consulting
success and to compare and contrast
Latino leadership books is the analysis
firm that specializes in Latino talent
those experiences with those of Gen
of one key factor that impacts Latino
initiatives. He also wrote “Latino Talent:
X and Millennial Latinx professionals.
career success – a self-aware Latino
Effective Strategies to Recruit, Retain
We mapped out our outline and we
sense of identity in the workplace. The
and Develop Hispanic Professionals”
got to work on inviting executives to
leaders we profiled each wrestled with
and has facilitated numerous academic,
participate on the one-on-one interviews
this in their own unique ways, always
non-profit and corporate Latino
and in setting up five focus groups in
working at finding an authentic path
leadership programs.
four different cities with young upwardly
between corporate America’s pressures
mobile Latinos and Latinas. We also
to assimilate on the one hand and a desire
Andrés T. Tapia is a Senior Partner at
analyzed existing Latino leadership
to stay true to one’s Latinicity on the other.
Korn Ferry and provides leadership to
programs and conducted some online
We also analyzed the complicated
the firm’s global diversity and inclusion
surveys to collect additional data on
relationship that Latinos have with
consulting growth strategies. He has
Latino leadership needs.
ambition and power, deconstruct how
over 25 years of experience as an
Because we had partnered on so
Latino values might clash with corporate
organizational D&I strategist, C-suite
many projects previously, we quickly
cultures, and we even tackle the
coach, diversity executive, and journalist.
got into a comfortable operating rhythm
debilitating intra-Latino divides that
He is also the author of “The Inclusion
in writing the book. First, we would
sub-optimize the full impact we could have
Paradox: The Obama Era and the
simply discuss key themes and riff
in corporations and American society.
Transformation of Global Diversity.”
back and forth until we came up with
The end result is a book that clearly
Want to comment or have any questions on
our main point of view. Next, one of us
signals to Latinos that their Hispanic
this article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
42 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 2, 2018
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