Dr. Shirley Davis is the President and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, Inc., and will be the closing keynote speaker at the In2Risk Conference this fall. Dr. Davis brings a unique background as a seasoned HR and Diversity & Inclusion global thought leader, a senior executive, a certified leadership coach, and a former Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for several major Fortune 100 companies. She has worked in more than 30 countries on five continents and delivers more than 80 speeches a year. She is the former Global Head of Diversity, Inclusion, and Workplace Strategies for the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and earned the highest designation in the speaking industry as a Certified Speaking Professional, bestowed by the National Speakers Association. She holds a Bachelor’s in Pre-Law, a Master’s in HR Management, a Ph.D. in Business and Organization Management, and is a former Ms. America United States. She is also a featured author for LinkedIn Learning’s online course, entitled “Inclusive Leadership.”

 

In this episode of the In The Know podcast, Chris Hampshire and Dr. Davis explore innovative strategies for attracting the best talent, developing future leaders, and enhancing inclusiveness and involvement in the insurance industry.

 

Key Takeaways

 

• A lifelong learner, Dr. Davis started in banking and has worked in a wide variety of industries.

• As a woman of color, Dr. Davis has earned her place at the table as a credible voice and now shares her empowering strategies with others.

• Bringing your best self to work starts with working at an organization that values great talent.

• Developing a meaningful life starts with the internal work of finding your personal power.

• The power of analyzing the “what if” questions that plague all of us.

• Dr. Davis’s advice on the best way to attract new talent to the insurance industry.

• Developing talent and clearly defining the career path starts with closing the leadership gap.

• Best practices to enhance inclusiveness and encourage involvement in insurance.

• Tactics for effectively messaging the value of the insurance industry from a humanitarian perspective.

• Dr. Davis shares her journey from the corporate sector into her own independent consulting business.

• The importance of surrounding yourself with people who are going to push you into your destiny.

• The writing process for Dr. Davis started with her successful speaking endeavors.

• A five-year look at the future of the insurance industry and the demand for entrepreneurship.

• Dr. Davis reflects on the risk-taking approach she wishes she would have taken in her career.

 

Quotes

• “It has certainly been a journey to get a seat at the table, becoming that person that is heard, seen, and perceived as credible.”

• “[Bringing your best self to work] starts with working at an organization that really does value great talent.”

• “In order to get a seat at the table, I’ve got to do some things for myself first.”

• “Every one of us wants meaning and significance. Every one of us wants to feel like we are being fulfilled and living our best life.”

• “Understanding what this next generation of talent needs and what their expectations are and understanding what they are asking for is very, very important.”

• “Relationships are the new currency. You’ve got to get around people who are not afraid of your BHAG.”

• “We want to hear from people who are going to push us into our destiny.”