Ep 220: Earn the Right to Demand Excellence (with Thasunda Brown Duckett)

So can you, can you talk a little bit, because I know you talk a lot about inclusion, and it's hard to have those conversations, you know, within a work environment without politicizing it.

But can you talk about the honor and privilege and responsibility you feel as one of the few female CEOs of a Fortune 500? Um, can you talk a little bit about that?

Yeah, I mean, first of all, I'm just incredibly blessed.

You know, my dad always says, "People see your glory, but they don't know your story." And when I think about the fact that I am first-generation full integration, just think about that.

My, my dad grew up in Louisiana, my mother grew up in Alabama.

And so when I think about here I am, a girl from Texas, running 1.6 trillion assets under management, my dad was a warehouse worker, scanned boxes, drove trucks, my mother is a retired educator.

I share this backdrop because when I think about the ability to now, uh, be the first female CEO of TIAA, I think about the cooks, the janitors, and the secretaries-

Yes

... that introduced my gender and my melanin into corporate America, so that someday over time, here I am.

You know, I think about the opportunity and recognizing that I am on the shoulders of giants.

No matter how smart I may think I am, no matter how passionate I am for financial inclusion, I love markets, this could not have been a given if it had not been for others.

That's right.

And so for me to have the privilege of, you know, privilege is an honor.

Mm-hmm.

And for me, I hope my story doesn't end with being the first female or one of only four African American women to ever run a Fortune 500.

I believe talent is created equally, opportunity is not.

That's right.

And if we can continue to just make progress, we'll grow GDP, we'll create more companies, we'll create more entrepreneurs.

We'll ensure that, you know, all of the talent that each of us have inside of us can be a dream that's realized.

And so yes, um, it's a burden, but I just look at it as a privilege, and to say while I am in the seat, how can I inspire so many more people to say regardless if you don't see yourself today, it doesn't mean you won't see yourself tomorrow.

So just do the work.

Just do the work.

That's good.

Uh, you just mentioned a quote, um, that I love of yours.

It's, "Talent is created equally, opportunity is not." S- so we have to be relentless about seeking equity and inclusion.