Supporting & Empowering Our Black Leaders

By: Chris Bocage

At Thumbtack, we’re committed to cultivating an environment where Black employees feel welcomed, valued and are able to succeed. This means not only building a diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment, but also providing opportunities for Black employees to build community with other Black leaders, discuss the challenges posed by lack of representation and learn how to lead by example while challenging the status quo.

Chris Bocage, Senior Manager of Global IT Support and co-lead of our NOBLEtacks Employee Resource Group, recently participated in McKinsey’s Black Leadership Academy. Here he shares his experience, how the academy helped him grow as a leader and how he was able to implement his learnings.

What is the goal of McKinsey’s Black Leadership Academy?

The goal of the leadership academy is to help organizations improve their talent pipelines and to support Black leaders in achieving their professional aspirations. The academy provides networking opportunities as well as a curriculum that supports Black leaders in building capabilities, mindsets and behaviors to achieve career goals.

What prompted your interest in joining the academy?

Our Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Dionna Smith, reached out to Black leaders in the business to let them know about the academy and to gauge interest. When I looked at the academy’s curriculum, I was immediately interested because it included some areas that I felt would be beneficial for my career growth. More specifically, I was interested in strategy, finance, marketing and budgeting — areas that can touch all leaders in different capacities. There was also the opportunity to connect with a wide range of Black leaders who lived across the country and worked in a variety of industries.

What was the curriculum like and what were some takeaways?

The online curriculum consisted of three modules, webinars and assignments. To pass, we needed a 70% score or higher in each module to be granted a completion certificate.

Each module had a takeaway, and I was able to apply a lot of these to my current work. For example, the strategy module was incredibly pertinent as it prompted me to assess my team’s short-term decisions and realign them with long-term goals. It was an important reminder that in order to be effective, short-term decisions need to be connected to our overarching, long-term strategy. It also allowed me to implement more automation and put various processes in place for long-term growth and scalability.

How long was the academy? What was the outcome for you?

It was just over 6 months long. I started in July of 2021 and finished in January of 2022. I really enjoyed the monthly cohorts because I was able to meet people who were at various stages of their career — some had been in corporate America for 30 years. I was able to get advice on how to navigate situations that are commonly experienced by Black leaders and developed relationships with people who have become mentors.

How has the experience impacted you?

As a Black leader at Thumbtack, having this opportunity made me feel valued as an employee and I am very appreciative of the investment made in me. It is important to provide employees, especially leadership, with the necessary skills to flourish in their role. The skills and knowledge I was able to acquire by attending this program will benefit me and Thumbtack in the long run, creating a win/win situation for everyone.

Chris Bocage has been with Thumbtack for almost 5 Years. To learn more about him, read our Q&A with him here.

NOBLEtacks stands for Network of Black Leaders and Employees and is our Black employee resource group. The mission of NOBLEtacks is to foster an environment that supports and empowers Black employees at Thumbtack.

Interested in a career at Thumbtack? View our open roles at thumbtack.com/careers.