profile


Jeffrey Siminoff – A Senior Leader Promoting Diversity and Inclusion


Jeffrey Siminoff is Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Morgan Stanley. In this role, Jeff is at the forefront of the corporate and legal communities’ diversity efforts. Jeff has built strong working relationships across the business community as a means of fostering diversity in the profession, including one with Andrew (Drew) Schaffran. Drew is a partner in the Labor and Employment Practice at Morgan Lewis and a member of the firm’s Diversity Committee. What follows is an excerpt from a discussion between the two on inclusion, diversity, mentoring, and career development:


Drew: Jeff, you have a remarkably successful career. What has contributed to your success?


Jeff: Let me tackle that question by talking about personal traits and organizational traits. First, I am fortunate to have had a strong family foundation. I had role models who taught me the importance of listening and building relationships. Second, I am lucky to work for an organization — Morgan Stanley — that is inclusive and recognizes that each individual can flourish and be a strong contributor in a team-based environment.


Drew: What do you wish someone had shared with you before you entered an in-house law department and before you started your position as Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Morgan Stanley?


Jeff: Transitions are important in careers, and I’ve tried to be mindful of the very different role that an attorney takes when moving in-house from a law firm. I would encourage folks who are thinking about moving in-house to understand that you are becoming an internal resource for the business, and you are shifting from having a multitude of clients to having a “one priority” client — the organization itself. You are going to be called on to provide rapid-fire responses to immediate issues. You have less time than you would in a law firm for memoranda and research.


As for the transition to Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, I was able to build upon 10½ years of strong relationships within Morgan Stanley and this made for a much smoother transition. I focused on continuing to broaden my relationships in the organization, and to understand how they were now changing. I had a reservoir of goodwill and many people who were willing to help me.


Drew: What do you look for in sponsor or mentor relationships?


Jeff: Sponsors and mentors are important to a person’s career but are slightly different concepts. A sponsor is someone who is willing to put their reputation and credibility on the line for someone they believe in — they champion another’s growth, development, and advancement. A mentor


Jeffrey Siminoff Andrew J. Schaffran


is more focused on giving advice, navigating an organization, and organizational dynamics. A mentor must be “bluntly honest.” A relationship can shift between mentor and sponsor during the course of your career. For example, my relationship with one of my biggest sponsors within Morgan Stanley has now shifted to a “reverse” mentoring relationship on certain issues (with me as the mentor).


If you are flexible and focus on building relationships, you and others can benefit greatly in the workplace. The importance of these concepts is reflected in Morgan Stanley’s recent support for research on the sponsorship effect in the workplace, which was compiled by the Center for Work-Life Policy. (Note: for more background on sponsor/mentor relationships I also would recommend a book by one of my colleagues, Carla Harris – Expect to Win: Proven Strategies for Success from a Wall Street Vet [Hudson St. Press, 2009].)


Drew: Why did you focus your career on employment law and now diversity and inclusion?


Jeff: I focused on these areas because I am drawn to interpersonal dynamics and different aspects of human behavior — “people” issues. I started in the employment area at Morgan Stanley and then began getting involved in the Diversity Committee for the Legal and Compliance Division. Then, I served as the Chair of the Pride Employee Network- ing Group for our LGBT employees. These activities created a deeper sense of engagement between me and the organization. I think of it as “stickiness” — a way that enabled me to feel that I was making a difference.


Drew: Tell me a little about the approach to diversity at Morgan Stanley.


Jeff: We recognize that we create a richer mosaic if people bring their full selves to work every day — not bits and pieces of who they are, not checking things at the door because they think they need to do that. It is critical that diversity is not just some amorphous concept that people talk about. Here at Morgan Stanley, we are more effective as an organization because diversity — the richness of what makes us different — is woven into the culture of the firm.


www.morganlewis.com


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