50 Leading Women: Ebele Kemery
In honor and celebration of our Women’s Division‘s 50th Anniversary, we will be spotlighting 50 Leading Women making an impact, raising their voice, and leading the next generation of women in the workforce and Plano community.
Introducing, Ebele Kemery, is the Head of Global Technology Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) for JPMorgan Chase & Co., embedding an inclusive lens into how the firm develops technology, serves clients, helps communities, and supports employees. She is charged with delivering the firm-wide agenda to over 50K technologists, focusing on priorities such as inclusivity, supplier diversity, emerging technology, and ethical code. In addition, Ebele has governance and oversight of all DEI leads and pillars across 21 global technology centers.
1. Describe your leadership style and how you lead others.
I am purposeful in creating a team culture that values inclusion, as well as celebrates and respects the differences of all employees. All voices on my team are welcomed and encouraged. I make it a priority to create an environment where each member feels comfortable being exactly who they are at work. I love seeing the ‘real’ side of people, as it’s that authenticity that drives true creativity and innovation. I find it extremely rewarding helping each member of my team find their strength, lean into their superpower, and accomplish remarkable feats. I want them to feel empowered and know that I trust them, and the talent(s) they bring to the table.
2. How can women develop their leadership skills in the workforce?
Be curious and invest in yourself. For instance, I am continuously educating myself by reading, or listening to podcasts. Also seek out stretch assignments and gain exposure to new areas outside of your comfort zone. At times this might be a challenge, however there is power in leveraging your existing network to find sponsorship or visibility. With the right sponsorship, opportunities will begin to present themselves
And for those in senior positions, I encourage you to be a sponsor. Put high potential women in projects/initiatives where they will be required to manage the delivery, and lead through influence. This can turn out be a learning opportunity, or a platform to shine. Either outcome is impactful and creates a great pipeline of talent for senior roles.
3. What are the most important decisions you make as a leader?
Building and developing my team. I strive to hire smart people with differing skillsets or background from myself or others on the team. I welcome diversity of thought and believe in having a diverse team, with both acquired and inherent traits. If we were homogenous, we would not have differentiated ideas. Diversity creates different points of views, friction, and at times, outright conflict. I intentionally make time and space to connect with my team so that I can support their growth and career mobility.
4. What has been one of your biggest joys as a leader?
Success of my team. I don’t just mean us as a collective, but also as individuals. Watching them grow, develop, and move up in their careers gives me a sense of pride. I feel like a proud parent watching their child beat out the competition and emerge victorious! Their success is my biggest compliment.
5. What has been your greatest career disappointment? What did you learn from it?
Early in my career I was offered an opportunity to take an assignment in Asia. For reasons that were important at the time, I declined. I soon realized; those reasons were focused on short-term versus long-term factors. I knew going forward I needed to stay open to opportunities and think about the future impact. Thankfully, there was a next time, and I took an assignment in London. That experience taught me a lot about myself, how/where I wanted to further my career, as well as how I approach decisions.
6. What strategies could be used to promote inclusion in the workplace?
The key is to foster a culture where employees feel valued and have a sense of belonging, where candidates want to work, and a place where employees want to stay and grow their careers. It’s an environment that listens and empowers employees with a culture of learning; leaders and employees are aware of their differences, and the manifestation of those differences in the workplace. How? By building trust, investing in your resources’ career path, and making connections across your entire organization.
7. What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?
My advice is to 1) be present, 2) know your brand and 3) be intentional about how and where you show up. It’s very important to be effective at the right tables, and at the right time. These 3 focus areas will drive that. Also, keep your mind open. It’s wise to set your goals and drive towards them, but don’t miss out on the present moment – you could inadvertently miss out on hidden opportunities.
8. What advice can you give to the next generation of female leaders?
Resilience, empathy and agility are characteristics that I believe are important and have played a major part in my career. Resilience allows us the ability to adjust to career change, regardless of the circumstance. We all face different challenges in work and life. Having the right mindset and strategies helps us through those unexpected change. More now than ever, we need to be empathetic towards others – we don’t know what others are facing nor their journey. Finally, agility –the ability to adapt and flex your skill set to the ever-changing environment. To be a good leader you must be flexible and easily adapt to a competitive landscape.
9. Who inspired you and why?
My Dad. In my journey, I credit much of my success to being true to my strong work ethic which was engrained in my upbringing. Family supported me and pushed to me educate myself. Once I entered the corporate world, I used this to navigate the organization in ways that benefited my career growth/potential; specifically seeking out mentors and sponsors who understood me – who I am and my aspirations.
10. What do you want to be remembered for?
IMPACT. My purpose in this world is to make a positive impact on my family, friends, and community at large.
