How Sol Trujillo is changing the landscape of corporate America.
Sol Trujillo, Co-Founder of L'ATTITUDE.
Throughout his career leading multiple telecom giants, Sol Trujillo has never shied away from a good fight. Rising from humble beginnings in the heartland of Wyoming, he not only worked his way to the top of the corporate ladder but also overcame bias faced by millions of Latinos in the workplace.
This tenacity allowed Sol to become the first native-born Latino CEO of a Fortune 200 company. Having held the top spots at US West (AT&T), Orange S.A., and Telstra, Australia’s largest telecom, and serving on the Boards of Target, WPP, Bank of America, Pepsi, and Western Union, has allowed him to witness first hand the challenges and opportunities of bringing greater diversity into corporations.
I had a chance to sit down with Sol to learn how he is creating stronger brands and organizations by empowering Latinos, and awakening corporate America to the power of this segment.
Soon Yu: What are the misconceptions, biases, and barriers faced by Latinos in corporate America?
Sol Trujillo: The list is long and represents a classic tale of missed opportunity, not only for the Latino executives themselves but for our overall economy that could benefit from investing in this demographic. I have witnessed firsthand how Latinos have been overlooked time and again, which has created a sort of “cristal techo” (glass ceiling).
At the beginning of my career, I was one of the first Latinos hired into management at AT&T, but despite my hard work, I witnessed many others being promoted before me who perhaps didn’t have the same results. Over time, I was fortunate that my career advanced, but sadly I was an anomaly since this was not the case for most of us.
More often than not Latinos were represented in cleaning services and facilities management. Inherent bias probably led Corporate America to view Latinos as hard workers, but not sophisticated nor cerebral. I attribute this to a few factors; 1) a lack of positive role models for younger generations who didn’t see others like them in positions of power and influence, 2) a lack of mentors who would take Latinos under their wing and show them the proverbial ropes, and 3) a lack of educational opportunities where they could broaden their horizons and become informed about the economic power we represented. Over time, I’ve tried to do my small part to change this paradigm.
Yu: Given that those are the challenges, how have you specifically tried to overcome them for the next generation?
Trujillo: Simply put, if Latinos don’t believe they can succeed, then they won’t.
I’ve tried to address this underlying issue, including serving as a role model for up-and-comers, seeking out mentees who I can inform and inspire, and addressing the educational piece with a platform called L’ATTITUDE, an event taking place virtually this year from September 24th - 27th. L’ATTITUDE shines a spotlight on the Latino cohort that is generating the largest incremental net growth in the U.S. today. We really needed to make a splash in order to have an impact, so we’re excited that joining our discussions are leading C-suite executives like Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock; Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America; John Donahoe, CEO of Nike and Oscar Munoz, Executive Chairman of United Airlines. Each of these companies can fuel our economic recovery, and their leadership agrees that Latinos are a critical component to achieving this goal.
Yu: I’d imagine you’ve faced some professional challenges in other phases of your career.
Trujillo: I’ve certainly faced my share of obstacles and criticism, but every challenge brings opportunity. I learned that Latinos must work twice as hard to be noticed and to excel.
That can be viewed as a burden, or as a gift. From very early on I needed to stand out and dedicate immense personal effort, which on occasion ruffled some feathers. When I took over Telstra, the telecom that was previously run by the Australian government, I became a flashpoint for controversy locally. I tried to make the case that our diversity strategy was important for the organization’s health, and we now had a fiduciary responsibility to the shareholders to return to growth.
That period required fundamental confidence to get through, which is a challenge I had to overcome and which I’ve tried to help others with. I believe wholeheartedly that if 100% of people have confidence and believe they can pursue their career path, then they will deliver in their own performance and help a company’s bottom line. This belief system manifested later in life when I faced the challenge of companies I was associated with simply not believing in the positive impact of diversity. I had to strongly encourage organization s where I served on boards to recruit, retain, and promote Latinos. I truly believe inclusion in the workplace isn’t merely about a diversity box to check, but rather the best path to explosive economic growth for companies large and small.
Yu: Tell us how your international experiences have impacted your perspective
Trujillo: I have lived abroad a few times and noticed major disparities in opinions on the economy, immigration, and more. Today much of the focus is on immigration from Mexico, which has me pondering things from a historical perspective. I say to myself, this doesn't sound like the country I grew up in when Ronald Reagan was pointing to another leader, from the Soviet Union, saying, ‘Take down that wall’. Today we're talking about building walls, which is not American. During my time abroad, I learned that this country perceives something as a weakness (being an immigrant) when it should be repackaged as a profound strength. Furthermore, spending time internationally just gives you a broader worldview and a more empathetic perspective, in the sense that you learn to appreciate differences in others and using those for the betterment of the team.
That’s why I also feel strongly that boards comprised of global representation breed strength. Providing confidence for people to bring their distinct life experiences is another step in getting underrepresented populations into leadership roles. A great CEO is one who wants to capture as much diversity in their toolbox as they can process.
It certainly helps to understand nuance and sub-segments. When I've served on the board of Pepsi, we took the bold step to restructure our focus from being the number two cola company to the number one snack foods and beverage company. What did that mean? Well, we understood the demographics of what was happening in the U.S. and what was going to happen over decades outside the U.S. We needed to think about health trends and penetrate new markets, even adding a sprinkle of different flavors that are unique to various parts of the world.
Yu: What advice would you give other leaders who share your beliefs?
Trujillo: For one thing, be bold and have the courage of your convictions. You won’t get anywhere by merely trying to blend in and do things the way “they’ve always been done.” Another one is to prioritize diversity as you would any other performance indicator and empower your teams to develop a set of metrics for your Board, company, and customer base. The tools needed for individual success are often the same ones required to propel a company forward: diverse thinking, tenacity to execute, and courage to stay the course.
Thankfully, things are improving but there is still so much work to be done. It’s a fact that our economy is in a difficult position, and GDP growth was stagnant long before COVID-19. I believe one of the keys to our collective prosperity is this Latino cohort, as we are the youngest and fastest-growing segment and will play a massive role in helping fuel the New Mainstream Economy. I view L’ATTITUDE as a mini MBA on these topics, and we’re proud to have the support of so many iconic brands who share our belief system. Particularly during these times of racial unrest and compromised financial markets, unlocking growth potential by focusing on Latinos is critical.
