Our first speaker with Doug Melville, the “Diversity Leader.”

It was a privilege to have the most inspiring, entertaining, and outstanding guest speaker, Doug Melville, VP, Head of D&I at Richemont, also known as “diversity leader,” as our guest!

He gained expertise in reputation management through seven different jobs, including the Chief Diversity Officer at TBWA. He led various projects on diversity, such as ensuring their Superbowl commercials brought diversity or advised on making impactful changes to traditional products such as eliminating derogatory images and names with Uncle Ben’s and Aunt Jemima, which are considered offensive nowadays.

Diversity is an essential topic for reputation management that organizations should value. As an international student, I was glad that Doug was inclusive in pointing out the global difference in the definition of diversity. “While in the US, diversity is defined as ethnicity first, globally, diversity typically means gender first,” Doug says.

Now, Doug works for Richemont, one of the largest luxury companies. Doug’s next adventure is to meld inclusion and exclusivity that luxury brands value under the rapidly changing world.

What was also exciting about today’s class was that Doug shared his reputation management tips.

Seven tips for reputation management

1. Prove trust + consistency.
   Utilize a third party that could validate your work. For example, writing a blog will prove your creativity, writing skills, and consistency.
2. Your reputation is the only thing that precedes you when you walk into a room.
   85% of every decision that directly affects your life is made in a room you are not in.
3. Be comfortable with uncomfortable.
   Your first job for an adventure into the new world may not be what you want. However, you never know where that leads.
4. Know the people you are with every day.
5. You pay for what you don’t know.
   People charge you for knowledge we lack. It is your responsibility to read and stay updated. Actively attend dinner conversations to elevate our knowledge level.
6. Focus on your strengths, not your weaknesses.
   People want to work with you because of your strengths, not because you don’t have a weakness.
7. Know how to tell your story.
   Many people are horrible in telling their stories. Win different listeners’ hearts.
8. Bonus tip: Lean into your superpower.
   Once you keep shining, you know your extreme competencies. Then, double down, even triple down to it.

Personal

ly, what stood out to me was the combination of Tip 2 and Tip 6. People form the reputation of others based on their strengths. Those strengths are the factors that people talk about you and what makes people decide to work with you.

Our class had such an inspiring time with Doug! I am glad to get to know him, and you would be as well. Readers, access LinkedIn and connect with him!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougmelville/