By: Anna Paglia, Global Head of ETFs, Indexed Strategies, SMAs & Models

As a little girl, all I wanted was a Barbie doll. However, a Barbie doll was too expensive for my family so one day my parents surprised me with the cheap knockoff “Barbara.” I hated Barbara, I was sure that my friends would make fun of me, and I cried myself to sleep.

It was days before I took Barbara out of the box and took her to a play date. To my surprise, none of my friends cared about her stiff legs, her cheap dress, or strange hair. I had the best playdate ever and Barbara and I became inseparable.

Everyone wants to belong, however, we risk jumping to conclusions about whether we fit in or whether others are going to accept us and, at times, we do not give people a chance. These fears may run so deep, that they stop us from even trying.

I’m proud to work at a company like Invesco, that promotes an inclusive culture, and offers abundant opportunities for colleagues of all walks of life to “fit in.” Our Business Resource Groups (BRGs) provide a community for employees to network, develop business skills, and find their community. A few examples of these include:

·         Invesco Black Professionals Network:  a group committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that cultivates an awareness and understanding of the value and competitive advantage that diverse talent brings to the firm and to the communities it serves.

·         Hispanic or Latino Association (¡HOLA!):  a group that promotes an inclusive culture with a commitment to: 1) connect Hispanic & Latino professionals and allies. 2) advocate for Hispanic & Latino talent through recruitment, external partnerships, and client engagement, and 3) advance the Hispanic & Latino community through career development, mentorship, and financial education.

·        The Neurodiversity Network: The Neurodiversity Network exists to increase awareness and promote dialogue on how we can make Invesco a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent individuals.

A big shout-out to those people who take a leap and always assume good intentions in others.