What Happened
HaysMac managing partner Natasha Frangos recently earned a spot on INvolve's Empower Role Model List 2026, a recognition reserved for leaders driving meaningful ethnic diversity progress. In a follow-up interview with Consultancy, she spoke about what genuine workplace inclusion requires from those at the top. Her core argument: real change does not happen through policy alone. It demands sustained leadership and visible commitment.
The Communication Angle
Let's start with what Frangos did right, because most leaders in her position get this completely wrong.
When senior leaders talk about inclusion, they typically retreat into abstraction. They say things like "we value diversity" and "we are committed to building an inclusive culture." These phrases mean nothing. They are noise. Frangos took a different path. She framed inclusion as a leadership communication problem, not a HR checkbox. That reframe is everything.
The moment a leader says "this requires commitment and time," they are making a specific claim about behavior, not values. Values are invisible. Behavior is observable. When you tell your team what you will actually do, consistently, over time, you give them something to hold you accountable to. That is powerful. That is also terrifying for most executives, which is exactly why so few of them do it.
There is also something worth examining in how Frangos used her recognition as a platform rather than a trophy. Too many leaders accept awards and say thank you. Full stop. Frangos used the moment to restate her position publicly, which amplifies the message and creates a record. Now her organization knows where she stands. Her industry knows. That kind of public declaration raises the personal cost of going back on your word. Intentional or not, it is smart communication strategy.
The one gap I see: specificity. Talking about inclusion in broad terms, even with the right framing, still leaves followers guessing about what to do Monday morning. The strongest inclusion leaders do not just model commitment from the top. They name specific behaviors they expect from everyone. They say: "In our meetings, every voice speaks before we make a decision." Or: "We will name bias when we see it, and here is how we do that." That level of concrete instruction is what turns a good speech into a changed culture.
Frangos is clearly doing something right. Getting onto that list is not a communications accident. But the interview is an opportunity to go one level deeper, and the most effective leaders never leave that opportunity on the table.
This is exactly the kind of scenario I break down in Say It Right Every Time. The chapter on leading with behavior over belief gives you a framework for translating your values into language your team can actually act on. Because if you cannot describe what your value looks like in practice, you do not actually have a value. You have a preference. And preferences do not change cultures.
Never Be Lost
for Words Again
Get word‑for‑word scripts for the conversations that shape your life, from job interviews and negotiations to difficult talks with family and partners, so you always know exactly what to say and how to say it.
Never Be Lost
for Words Again
Get word‑for‑word scripts for the conversations that shape your life, from job interviews and negotiations to difficult talks with family and partners, so you always know exactly what to say and how to say it.
Key Takeaway
The next time you speak publicly about a value your organization holds, follow the statement with one specific, observable behavior that proves it. Not "we believe in inclusion" but "every meeting agenda now includes five minutes for dissenting opinions." One concrete action beats ten inspiring sentences every time.
