Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall Addressed Sands Team Members During Women's History Month - Seite 2

"He (Cuban) told me, ‘I need a leader. I need someone who could transform cultures.' I went home, prayed about it, talked to a lot of different people and just said, yes. I just felt called to do it … even though I didn't know the business of basketball. He told me don't worry about that. He told me his request was to create a great place to work. Together, we laid out a vision and a set of values."

With this roadmap, the Dallas Mavericks organization continues to set the standard for workplace culture, innovation and corporate social responsibility, and is a two-time recipient of the NBA's Inclusion Leadership award.

Marshall and Reese kicked off the In Focus session by discussing the value of observances such as Women's History Month and Black History Month.

"Women and Black people have contributed a lot to this country and to this world," Marshall said. "We don't always recognize the amazing contributions of these groups of people … These months are an opportunity to appreciate just the richness and diversity of the people who make this country great."

Marshall talked about facing career challenges as she was often the first woman, the first Black person or the first Black woman in a role. From pressure to change her appearance to the way she spoke, Marshall complied in the early years of her career. At one pivotal point, however, she took a stand.

On the cusp of becoming an officer at AT&T, she was told she had to change her hair and name (because what is the name Cynt, she was told) and lower her speaking voice when she assumed the position.

"So when it got to that point, I just told (the hiring leader) … I feel like you're fundamentally trying to change who I am," Marshall said. "And I actually knew that wasn't the company that I worked for - but that's where she was going with it, so I turned it down."

Marshall's commitment to authenticity paid off. After a call from the chairman of AT&T, she officially accepted.

"He said, ‘Let's start all over again. I know exactly who you are.' And he described me to a tee. He said, ‘That's the person who we want to walk into our doors as an officer tomorrow.' And he gave me this great pep talk. And then he offered me the job again. And I said yes. And I love to tell that story."

Marshall relayed the experience as an example of strong leadership and recognizing the value of authenticity and diversity.

"I like that story because it shows the powerful words of a leader, and how a leader can actually free somebody into being themselves, which is what we all want," she said. "We want people to walk in the door as their authentic self every day and give us the best of what they have to offer.