KeeleyOne Spotlight: Henry Isaac

Keeley Companies’ most recently launched cultural pillar, KeeleyOne, is focused on Diversity & Inclusion. This pillar would not exist without the hard work and dedication of the incredible members of the KeeleyOne team. Henry Isaac, member of the KeeleyOne team and Senior Project Manager at ADB, jumped at the opportunity to create a culture of Diversity & Inclusion from the ground up and help his team members wholeheartedly embrace this change.

When the opportunity to join KeeleyOne was brought to Henry’s attention, he was immediately interested. After taking time to think about what he wanted to contribute to the team and to the companies, Henry quickly realized he wanted to be an integral part of KeeleyOne’s growth. He knew that he could share his own personal experiences to help make KeeleyOne a success. Diversity & Inclusion is important to Henry and he is excited to do his part to make it something meaningful for every single Keeley’n. To him, Diversity & Inclusion means:

“Understanding that everyone is unique and different. We have to recognize our individual differences and that everyone deserves to be included and have their voice be heard.”

Forming a culture surrounding Diversity & Inclusion brings countless opportunities, but it also brings its own lessons and challenges. The biggest lesson that Henry has learned is that Diversity & Inclusion can be a huge morale booster and make people excited to come into work every day. This directly correlates to team member retention in the long run and will help Keeley Companies not only enhance our culture but grow our bottom line. He has learned just how important KeeleyOne is going to be for continued success. While KeeleyOne will make people happy, Henry has seen that one of the biggest challenges is getting other people to buy-in to its importance. The team works hard encouraging people to see it as a positive change and helping them feel comfortable talking about uncomfortable topics. As we embark on this journey together, Henry has some great advice:

“Have an open mind and be willing to step out of your comfort zone. Take the time to learn about different cultures, races, religions, etc. and reach out to someone that is different from you and have an open and honest conversation. Participate in the various engagement opportunities that KeeleyOne has to offer – surveys, VOICE Chats, and INCLUDE sessions.”

KeeleyOne is going to set an example not only for Keeley’ns, but for other businesses on what it means to value Diversity & Inclusion. Henry has seen firsthand what goes into brainstorming and executing their plans, and he wants to be able to help other companies do the same. His piece of advice to someone wanting to start their own Diversity & Inclusion team would be:

“Be authentic and don’t just talk about it. Actually develop a strategy and make it a part of the everyday culture. Educate yourself before starting a program and don’t be afraid to talk about uncomfortable topics.”

For those looking to further educate themselves, Henry recommends the following books and podcasts:

• Books:

  • It’s Time to Talk About Race at Work: Every Leader’s Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Kelly McDonald

  • Diversity in the Workplace: Eye-Opening Interviews to Jumpstart Conversations About Identity, Privilege, and Bias – Bäri Williams
    

• Podcasts:

  • From Difference to Distance: Rethinking Diversity & Inclusion – Fred Falker

  • How to Get Serious About Diversity & Inclusion in the Workplace – Janet Stovall

Click here to learn more about KeeleyOne.