Busy doesn't mean productive. Helping and mentoring would be nice instead of the HR director watching people squirm and then say they need work on compromising.

Recognizing a long term employee with great work ethic, production, and substantial proof of great customer service doesn't just suddenly become the plaque. Leaders create the norm. My leaders had no idea that guiding behaviors were for everyone - even the too rich white ones.

Stop listening to others personal bias and look at a person from your own perspective and your own department agenda of what will create success. The need to like everyone and group think have got to go; along with busy and a messy desk are good.

Picture of my last department - I was criticized for not putting the in/out dots in the center of the square. I was told it made our group look sloppy. After two years my manager swore I couldn't do anything right; I reconciled monthly budgets correctly, including documenting budget season revisions

The company has been around over 100 years and has never had a non-white person in C-Suite. Talk to ex-employees around Portland and you will hear nightmare HR director stories that they won in court. A 100 yrs of tendrils underneath the system would need to be weeded and monitored for defamation

Some are picked and groomed or REALLY good friends and supported beyond the scope of fair. Others work their butts off and men or envious white women will do everything to smear your name at the company and beyond - even after they return - the hell that never dies unless you go to court.