Jacqueline M. Welch
Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, Freddie Mac
When asked what this award meant to her, Jacqueline Welch told MReport , “While an acknowledgement like this one is certainly lovely to receive, the story behind the story is an organization that values the work and colleagues who help and support making it happen. At Freddie Mac, we drive accountability for inclusion and diversity up, down, and across the organization.” Welch added that she was accepting the award “on behalf of all of my colleagues.”
While working to further diversity and inclusion, and throughout her career more generally, Welch said that she follows “a personal philosophy inspired by many lessons learned” throughout her career: “leave people and things in better condition than when you first encountered them.”
On the topic of mentorship, Welch pointed out that “there are three critical relationships you need to grow and advance your career: coach, mentor, and sponsor.” She added that she has been lucky enough to have been on both sides of each of those relationships. “In fact, my most recent for-profit board appointment was, in part, due to a coaching turned mentoring turned sponsorship relationship that began almost 20 years ago.”
Welch added that it’s important to understand the distinction and nuance between these relationships.
“The coach helps you up-skill and take your performance to new levels,” Welch explained. “Coaches talk to you. Mentors take their comprehensive view of who you are on and off the job to help you think through career choices. Mentors talk with you. A sponsor is most typically a senior person willing to use her or his positional and reputational capital and influence on your behalf. Sponsors talk about you. Once you understand those differences, develop and leverage each of these relationships throughout your career journey to reach your goals.”