Hallmark Leader Profiles | A Conversation With Kim Newton About the Impact of Women’s Leadership
SUMMARY
Kim Newton Vice President, Corporate Strategy and Business Development
2017 NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS: Selected to the Henry Crown Fellowship Program by The Aspen Institute Global Leadership Network • Received notice she would be included in Savoy’s Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America in 2018.
Q: How does women’s leadership help shape the company?
A: For our Hallmark and Crayola branded businesses, women are our primary consumer. Therefore, making a concerted effort to attract and retain outstanding female leaders has always been and will continue to be paramount to our continued success.
In terms of the role of women in the workplace, there is a growing appreciation for the special attributes women bring to the table such as the ability to multitask and have empathy, intuition and resiliency. It is also exciting to see women excel when they are able to bring their whole selves to work and achieve work-life harmony.
Q: What value does diversity bring to Hallmark?
A: Diversity alone won’t ensure business results. We have to drive for diversity and inclusion. We need to value and include the voices of all kinds of diverse talent in our business decisions at all levels. Diversity of thought and cultural perspective is critical to success today.
Q: How does diversity in the workplace help Hallmark’s bottom line?
A: In our company and the increasingly diverse consumer marketplace, there is no way we can win without diversity of thought, opinion and experience. If everyone is the same, they can share the same blind spots and biases that can undermine our relevance. In fact, there is significant increased revenue and margin, as well as decreased costs, in the nuances that only this kind of inclusion uncovers.
Q: What are you doing within your team and in your leadership role to help everyone feel included?
A: I am a daughter of a teacher who instilled the value of continuous learning, critical thinking and using your voice. Therefore, the values I nurture and have come to expect on the teams I lead are listening, leading with a point-of-view and managerial courage. I work hard to foster that within my team, but also within the leaders I encounter, mentor and influence. Good leaders ask questions, understand why, value others’ perspectives and use all of that to develop and share their own views as well.
