This session will focus on direct actions leaders can take to gain acceptance and buy-in for their DEI programs and ensure they are embedding the concepts effectively.
Organizational leaders in today’s world must be equipped with enhanced skills and traits that may have been considered as required twenty or more years ago. Leading in today’s world requires leaders to understand concepts such as empathy, equity, diversity in the workforce as well as diversity in policy and execution, generational and cultural aspects of inclusion, societal expectations, and social media influences. These are a few of the attributes that will be a portion of an effective DEI program. Leaders must learn to enact processes that help shift mindsets, individual and team behaviors, and processes that build equitable and inclusive leadership.
Every leader is different but no matter your style, industry, role, or personality; part of leading with DEI includes effectively communicating across all areas of your organization. Leaders must build and strengthen their coaching and discussion skills with a view to committing to building a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture.
This session will focus on direct actions leaders can take to gain acceptance and buy-in for their DEI programs and ensure they are embedding the concepts effectively. Ensuring organizational practices are equitable is critical to maintaining a sustainable DEI program and retaining top talent.
Topics Covered
• Skills imperative to a strong DEI leader
• Leader requirements to develop the proper culture of a diverse DEI program
• Leadership expectations by personnel of their DEI leaders
Field of Study: Behavioral Ethics
Lynn Fountain has over 45 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate accounting and consulting. 24 years of her experience has been working in the areas of internal and external auditing. She is a subject matter expert in multiple fields including internal audit, ethics, fraud evaluations, Sarbanes-Oxley, enterprise risk management, governance, financial management and compliance. Ms. Fountain has held two Chief Audit Executive positions for international companies. In 2011, as the Chief Audit Executive for an international construction/ engineering firm, she was involved in the active investigation of a joint venture fraud. The investigation included work with the FBI and ultimately led to indictment of the perpetrators and recovery of $13M. Ms. Fountain is currently engaged in her own training and consulting business and is a regular trainer for the AICPA. Ms. Fountain is the author of three separate technical books. “Raise the Red Flag – The Internal Auditors Guide to Fraud Evaluations” was published by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation. -“Leading The Internal Audit Function” and -“Ethics and The Internal Auditor Political Dilemma” were published by Taylor & Francis In addition Ms. Fountain was a contributing author to the certification program exam for the National Association of Accountants. She also has certificate programs on various on-line platforms. Ms. Fountain has performed as an adjunct instructor for the School of Business for Grantham University and developed the first internal audit curriculum for the School of Business at the University of Kansas. Ms. Fountain obtained her BSBA from Pittsburg State University and her MBA from Washburn University in Kansas. She has her CGMA, CRMA credentials and CPA certificate (non-active).
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