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We continue to honor, celebrate, and reflect on the accomplishments, history, and culture of the Black community.
We are fortunate to be in the presence of strong Black leaders, like Scot Miller, vice president of information security, who are able to share their perspectives on both current and historical events affecting the Black community.
Who is a Black leader from history or a role model from the present that you admire, and what important advice or lessons have you learned from them?
U.S. Army General and former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has been an incredible inspiration to us all—it is not merely because of his esteemed military career and commitment to public service. My admiration of Colin Powell is founded in his unwillingness to accept the status quo and his strength to affect the outcome. He reminds me that having the right attitude is more important than having the right skill. Skills can be learned, but attitude is a characteristic that defines leadership.
What do you wish people knew or understood more about the Black experience?
Everyone faces adversity throughout their lives, and while my experiences as a Black man have shaped me, they have taught me how to maintain strength and flexible synchronously. Every Black experience is unique, and impacted by location, education, and the surrounding individuals. It’s important to understand that we don’t wake up thinking about being Black. We wake up and are shown we are Black through experiences. If you want to change people’s attitudes you have to change people’s experiences.
If someone wants to show support for the Black community, what are the best ways to show support?
If you want to supportive, be transparent with your intentions. Smile because you mean it and lend a hand when you have it. Don’t wait for a special event to be supportive. It’s no different than Valentine’s Day, a birthday, or an anniversary—show your love and support through consistent behavior, otherwise assume it will be perceived as contrived and disingenuous.
In what ways have you felt supported at work with the events that unfolded in the last few months that affected the Black community?
Our company has had a constant flow of communication with an active stance against racism. The attitude of senior leadership starts with the president of Mr. Cooper, Jay Bray, and I’ve been so impressed that I’ve read aloud his statements to my family over dinner and broadcasted in our home the corporate-wide events that occurred during the summer. I have the unique opportunity in simultaneously reporting to two EVPs and can attest that there is excellent consistency within the messaging and expectations throughout the executive staff. Working for the company has given me great pride, and I share my Mr. Cooper communications with my family so they can establish perspective on how a great company acts during times of great struggle.
