Diane Poirier is Director of Network Systems & Support at DelCor, a company that provides IT consulting, digital strategy, technology assessment and managed services. She has directed IT for the non-profit and association community for over 25 years. Prior to her work at DelCor, Diane held leadership roles at the American Red Cross, BDM Federal, the US Navy and Recreation Management in Paris, France. She has a demonstrated track record of delivering business results by leveraging strategic thinking, process and technology, and by building and leading teams that provide exceptional support.

Interviewed by Ritu Josan

// In a recent research study conducted by Grant Thornton, it was reported that only 29% of senior management positions in companies are occupied by women. What are your thoughts on the gender gap in the corporate world? 

Companies that engage diverse leaders that represent the country, their workplace and their client base are more profitable than those that don’t. We are a diverse country — a mix of men and women, individuals with non-binary gender identity, and people of different color, race and religion. It is beneficial for Corporate America to encourage diversity. Men and women have different attributes, which together add to the overall strength of the leadership team. 

Companies with a diverse leadership structure are more likely to encourage innovation to address the various requirements of their customers. The gender gap is not just about hiring more women, it is about creating an environment in which women are encouraged to thrive. How do we ensure women are encouraged to reach their potential while balancing this with the reality that in most households the woman is expected to shoulder the lion’s share of the household management activities? If we want to change things and to reduce the gender gap, men and women in leadership positions need to speak up and make changes. Organizations need to create more opportunities geared towards increasing diversity and flexibility, and also prioritize the creation of balance and inclusion.

// What steps can organizations take to improve gender diversity across all levels at the workplace? 

Walk the walk. Don’t just talk about creating opportunities for diversity — do it. Women are strong in critical thinking and emotional intelligence; so recognize the value of those strengths and look for those skills during the hiring process. Ensure that the leaders know how to look for both the conscious and unconscious bias that may lead to poor hiring and discrimination against women and people of color. Train employees to understand what to do if they witness discrimination or harassment and do not tolerate violations of company values and ethics. Reward those that perform as role models in the organization as well as those that incorporate the behavior that encourages “doing the right thing.”

// Is there anything you would like to bring to the attention of your male counterparts in the corporate world? 

Society has undergone a lot of change in the past 25 years, and notably more in the past five. We have all become more educated about what constitutes discrimination and gender bias. Become familiar with the challenges women experience in the workplace. And then identify ways you can remove those challenges and support your female colleagues. Help by being part of the solution. We are all responsible for creating a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace.

// What new initiatives is your company working on to enable business growth? 

At DelCor, we are always evaluating the marketplace and our clients’ ever-evolving needs to ensure that we align with the industry as it grows and matures. We adjust our service offerings to support the rapidly changing business community. Since COVID-19, the B2B market has shifted. So we must as well. We are focused on developing "‘virtual-first’" services to enable our business partners to quickly adapt to the new normal. We have made changes in our client relationship processes to enable us to make more personal connections in different ways as we can’t engage in true in-person interactions like before.

// How has COVID-19 affected your work-life balance?

I think that, like a lot of people, my day starts a little earlier and ends a little later. But I feel like this is well-balanced with the fact that I no longer have to spend time commuting, which saves me at least three hours a day. As I have been in IT for most of my career, I am always on call; COVID-19 has not changed that. 

// Has your company’s business strategy changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, how? 

DelCor has recognized that we can add significant value for our clients through the creation of new services focused on virtual technology. Our clients are trade associations and professional societies — in addition to other types of non-profit entities — that represent the largest in-person meeting footprint, and most have been significantly and negatively impacted by COVID-19. As a result, we designed a service that assists our clients as they develop a strategy and gather requirements for a virtual event technology platform. We help them translate their events from in-person to online and assess how they can make the event experience more valuable for their members — all with the goal of making the best use of member time and resources.

// What are your thoughts on remote work processes in your organization? Will this trend continue even after the pandemic is over? 

DelCorians are extremely comfortable working with one another through the virtual tools available to us as many of us were working remotely before the pandemic. However, dealing with the changes and challenges presented by the new post-COVID-19 world has enabled us to solidify our way of working with one another with the platforms we already had available to us. While we would certainly like to see one another, it is no longer a requirement to collaborate. We have found that the COVID-19 crisis has forced organizations to apply their internal and consulting brain trusts to implement controls in areas they have wanted to address for years. Since March 2020, companies have been forced to quickly identify who is responsible for what aspects of the digital workplace and address issues that have been more fluid in the past. More organizations are now identifying how to manage the digital workplace according to consistent guidelines, documenting processes and identifying ways to work more effectively. This is becoming the new normal and is very likely going to continue even after corporations establish more control over the business risks introduced by the pandemic. We have been able to take our experience and assist with this process. We are helping clients implement robust digital workplaces and enabling better use of their digital tools for cross-organizational collaboration and training. With our assistance, our clients have implemented governance standards that set them up for success. 

// If you could share one piece of advice with other women in the corporate world, what would it be? 

Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself and go after what you want. You don’t have to do it like your male counterpart does it; do it your way. You have a lot to offer based on YOUR skills, education, background and experience. Tell people what you can do and then go do it!