Anthony Woods on Challenging Misconceptions & Promoting Inclusivity - Chief Influencer - Episode # 011

Anthony Woods is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs. After serving two tours of duty in Iraq and earning a Bronze Star, Anthony was discharged from the US Army under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy. Through his work and the work of many dedicated others, that law, which barred members of the LGBTQ community from serving openly in the military, was repealed and Anthony was able to rejoin the US Army. Anthony shares the importance of using inclusive language when communicating with veterans, what companies need to do to attract the next generation of leaders, and how his military service prepared him for a career in both the public and private sectors. 
Takeaways: The widely held stereotype of a military veteran as a straight, white male that saw frontline combat is not wholly representative of the diversity of the men and women of all races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations that have sacrificed for the United States.  To reach veterans where they are and to make the term “veteran” more representative of the full breadth of servicemen and women in this country, it is important to tell a wider range of stories that better reflect the experiences of everyone that has served. One way to overcome this stereotype is by asking “Have you served?” in place of “Are you a veteran?”. In particular, many women who have served in the military don’t think of themselves as “veterans” because of the connotations associated with that term. Only approximately 40% of female veterans utilize at least one of the benefits available to them which they earned through their uniformed service. Companies that are competing for talent need to know that potential job applicants that are part of Gen. Z value authenticity and can easily sense when being pandered to. This means that pictures of diverse groups of employees or promises about DEI on a company website aren’t going to hold much weight in the minds of this generation when the company hasn’t made real efforts to back up its commitments. For those that are hesitant toward promoting themselves or their work, Tony’s advice is to focus on promoting their team or organization and the work they are doing. Promoting the great work of your team is a critical way to grow support for broader organizational goals among new and existing audiences.
Quote of the Show:“Take those calculated risks, do what you think is right, and if it doesn't work out, you'll bounce back.” - Tony Woods
Links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-woods-22390978/  Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs website: https://veterans.maryland.gov/