Tag Archive for: Risk taking

Johanna Diaz: Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy, Goldman Sachs

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Johanna Diaz“In facing challenges or change, I always go back to the questions: Am I in the right place? Am I surrounded by the right people? Am I learning? Am I growing?” says Johanna Diaz. “When you can identify core tenets to return to and hold yourself to them, they become a guide for navigating almost anything.”

Led as much by her intuition as by the foundational aspirations of her first-generation beginnings, Diaz leverages every opportunity to learn, grow, and lead. She shares how her trajectory reflects not only her resilience but also the support of mentors whose influence continues to inform her leadership.

From the Bronx to Goldman Sachs

Born in the Bronx to parents who immigrated from the Dominican Republic, Diaz understood the value of education from an early age: “being a first-generation American, my parents made it a priority for my siblings and me. We were the first in our family to attend university and enter the business world.”

For Diaz, that focus on education was also a path to financial stability, which led her to pursue accounting — a profession she saw as both practical and reliable. Starting her career first as an intern and then as a CPA at Grant Thornton, Diaz gained both skills and exposure. When she was first introduced to Goldman Sachs as a client of Grant Thornton, the experience left an impression.

“I was blown away by the caliber of the people, the rigor around collaborative teamwork and the focus on delivery.” That exposure opened her eyes to possibilities beyond what Diaz had imagined. When the opportunity came to join Goldman, she took the leap. “That was the first big twist in my career as it redirected my vision from accounting to a whole other world of possibility.”

Over the next two decades, Diaz’ career grew organically across business development, research, and ultimately asset management to be the Global Head of Alternatives Product Strategy, a role that she finds equally rewarding and inspiring.

“The last five years have been so incredible, pivoting to the alternative investing landscape. I’ve had the opportunity to help build a business from scratch and expand the shelf as it relates to our products. The content, as well as being a part of a team that is integral to Goldman Sachs’ growth has been so fulfilling.”

The Influence of Mentors and Executive Coaching

Diaz credits her ability to pivot, take risks, and grow in new roles as being bolstered by the mentors who offered guidance and perspective along the way. An early mentor gave her a piece of advice that still resonates: take stock every few years.

“That conversation was pivotal for me. Even 20 years later, every two to three years, I take a personal moment of deep reflection: Where am I? Have I accomplished what I set out to do? Could there be more? That practice has guided me throughout my entire time at Goldman.”

She sees mentors as a personal “board of directors” — people who know her well and can be honest when she calls on them for guidance, whether about career decisions or balancing family and work. “My mentors played a huge role in helping me navigate my personal journey, including building a family, while building momentum in my career.”

Executive coaching complemented that support, giving Diaz structured feedback and tools to grow. Early programs offered through Goldman helped her refine presentation skills, while later on she focused on refining “leadership and communication skills but in a more nuanced way than I’d ever had before.”

Together, mentorship and coaching have provided Diaz with both a trusted sounding board and a framework for continuous growth, shaping the leader she is today.

Values-Driven Leadership

Beyond the mentors and coaches who helped guide her, Diaz points to a foundation of authenticity and integrity as key to her success.

“First and foremost, it’s important to remain true to yourself,” she says. “All of my values anchor around being a good human and working with high integrity. They guide me through everything I do.”

Fairness is equally central. Diaz strives to create a work environment where people feel valued, connected, and confident that they will be treated justly. “I want to be someone people feel comfortable approaching,” she explains. “They should know I’ll listen and provide support.” Drawing on lessons from leaders she has worked with, Diaz shapes her leadership around trust, relationship-building, and followership.

Hard work and high standards also define her approach. She believes in delivering quality work with reliable outcomes and modeling excellence to inspire her team to do the same. “As a baseline, I expect that not only of myself, but it’s also important to me to set the right example that my team then wants to follow,” she notes.

Embracing Risk

While Diaz’s career has been marked by achievement, it has not been without moments of uncertainty. She recalls these moments as an opportunity to pause and reflect.

“Early on, I faced a decision about whether to continue in research or move toward a more strategic, leadership-focused role. It was uncomfortable because I wasn’t sure I’d excel, but I leaned on my core values and trusted mentors to guide the decision.”

Over time, Diaz has learned to embrace risk thoughtfully, viewing it as an opportunity to challenge herself and explore new possibilities. Her recent transition into asset management illustrates this approach. Encouraged by a mentor to consider another part of the firm, she reflects, “it was through that conversation that I realized that it was time to take a risk. I was super comfortable. I had a lot of security. I had to consider, ‘do I want to push myself a little more?’”

Deciding to “take a risk on herself” and accept the opportunity to become the COO of Goldman’s growth business, Diaz says, “was a big transition. But it pushed me, and it’s been the most pivotal part of my career.”

Legacy of Access and Opportunity

Looking ahead, Diaz is focused on creating opportunities for others to grow, much like she was supported throughout her career. “I hope to provide a platform for the teams I work with, and for the junior professionals I mentor, where they have access, exposure, and opportunity the way I did.”

Reflecting on her own journey, Diaz acknowledges how her first-generation roots are a part of shaping this commitment. “We really have lived the proverbial American dream. My parents grew up on a farm — my mom one of 12 kids, my dad one of nine — and through a combination of hard work, timing, and a little luck, we’ve seen growth that isn’t just financial. It’s also about access to the world, to opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have been organic. It’s important to me and my family to pay it forward.”

Thanks to the holistic support embedded in Goldman’s culture, Diaz also makes an impact beyond the firm through programs like 10,000 Small Businesses. “Having the opportunity to serve as a mentor in the program, I have listened to small business owners’ pitches and given feedback—providing people with access that they otherwise wouldn’t have.”

Ultimately, Diaz measures her legacy by the people she supports. By combining high standards, integrity, and a values-driven leadership style, she aims to cultivate talent, inspire confidence, and foster a culture where people feel valued, challenged, and capable of achieving their potential.

“If, 20 years from now, I can look back and see that the people I touched built successful, meaningful careers, then I’ll know I’ve done my part.”

By Jessica Robaire

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An Updated Look at Risk Taking for Professional Women

woman typing on a laptop

A new report by KPMG for 2019 called “Risk, Resilience, Reward- Mastering the 3 Rs: The Key to Women’s Success in the Workplace” suggests that women are still cautious when it comes to risk taking in their careers with 69% of report respondents saying they are are open to taking small risks to further their career, but a lower number (43%) revealing that they are open to taking bigger risks that may be associated with career advancement.

Just 8 percent of respondents say risk taking has contributed most to their professional success, crediting task-oriented factors over leadership traits. Instead, women attributed success to good habits such as working hard (73 percent), being detail oriented (45 percent), and organized (45 percent) to their success. Other highlights from the report suggest that women are willing to take risks to ask for new assignments and projects (69%) but less keen to ask for more salary if they deem it to be risky or moving locations for a job (both 35% respectively).

Risk studies that are available on the topic and that we have written about over the years are inconclusive since there are many factors to risk taking, including personality, environment and what is perceived as risky by the taker or even by the system.

However, KPMG’s research is mostly consistent with trends that show women are not as confident as men when it comes to risk taking, including how women think about risk. Research also shows that in some cases, women are more concerned about risk and the impact on a group than men and feel more accountable for the implications of the riskier decision. There are so many factors that correlate and cause women to not want to take risks as well as societal and organizational eroders of even the most confident woman over time, not least the double bind of being “Damned if you do, Doomed if you don’t”. So, knowing all this and still being undaunted, we caught up with Michele Meyer-Shipp, KPMG’s Chief Diversity Officer to discuss this report’s trends and actions for women and men to take in light of the findings.

Nicki (NG): What parts of the report resonated with you personally or otherwise?

Michele (MMS): This report really spoke to me, as throughout my own career I’ve definitely been hesitant at times to take risks. Like the respondents in the report, I thought ‘if I just work hard, everything will happen for me’. It was all about working hard. That’s what I was taught growing up and I truly believed that was all there was to it. It was never ‘go forth and ask for what you want’ – I had to figure that out along the way.

NG: What advice do you have for women regarding risk taking?

MMS: We have to take ownership of our careers, we have to speak up and ask for what we want, and navigate the politics along the way. Don’t assume someone is going to hand you the next job just because you’re working hard; it just doesn’t work that way. Engage your board of mentors, and identify those who are sponsoring you. Your mentors are the people you choose to give you career advice. Your sponsors are the leaders who are advocating for your career. Both are incredibly important.

NG: What role does the organization have in helping women who do take risks?

MMS: Organizations have a huge role to play in helping women who take risks. First and foremost, they must make it clear that risk taking is a welcomed and valued leadership trait. This message has to come not only from the very top of the organization, but also from a woman’s immediate supervisor. From there, when a woman does take that risk, the company must support her in those efforts. For example, a risky new role requires the woman assuming that role to have the support she needs to get the job done. Does she have the right team, the right budgetary support, and so on. These are all factors an organization must consider.

NG: Since most leaders are still men, what role do men have in this?

MMS: Men need to “lean in” and support women on their teams. Some men have hit the snooze button in the wake of the #MeToo movement out of fear and uncertainty, but this is not a moment to sit on the sidelines. It is a great time to decide who we are and what we stand for and to be intentional about it. Whether you are a man or a woman, my advice is to proactively support each other, mentor each other, partner on teams together and advocate for one another. We must ‘assume good intent, until you see otherwise’ as it is a two-way street.

Men must also beware of their unconscious biases as related to women. Let’s face it, if you have a brain, you have a bias. It’s human nature. That said, men need to interrupt stereotypical assumptions they may make about women as that can inevitably lead them to make a bad decision.

NG: What surprised you about the findings in the report?

MMS: I found it really interesting that money remains the top motivator for risk taking. It runs counter to a lot of research and I kind of like that it debunks the notion we are so different. If 40% of women who responded said that they would take risks when there is an opportunity to make more money, then we know that along with the finding that 70% of women tend to be very resilient even in the face of failure, then I have great reason to remain optimistic that we will continue to see women taking smart risks that bring long term rewards.

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Career Advancement: Why it’s Worth Taking Risks

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Risk TakingBy Nneka Orji

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.”  T.S. Eliot

We seem to be encouraged to take risks in many aspects of life in the hope or expectation of reaping greater rewards; from high-risk, high-return financial investments to extreme sports for “the thrill”. In our careers, we are also challenged with taking risks to increase the likelihood of successful career progression. Playing it safe, we’re told, will not differentiate us from our peers.This is welcome advice for some; taking risks is second nature. However for others, risk aversion comes more naturally. The definition of risk is “the possibility that something bad or unpleasant (such as an injury or a loss) will happen.” Every time we take a risk, we open ourselves up to an increased chance of something going wrong. This is hardly an appealing prospect, so why then do some people see risk as a prerequisite for success?

Risk as a prerequisite to success
To answer this question, we only need to look at those who have been successful and how they have approached risk. From political to sporting successes, it is clear to see that risk was not just one of many factors of success, but a necessity:

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” Robert F. Kennedy

“Progress always involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first.” Frederick Wilcox

It seems that for people to be successful, instead of seeing risk as being vulnerable to failure, they seize risky opportunities as a means of learning not to be scared of failure. The Huffington Post’s “7 reasons why risk-taking leads to success” also include seizing unforeseen opportunities, learning career-changing lessons and standing out from the crowd as reasons to take risks. The article highlights successful women who embraced risks, including Arianna Huffington (President and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post), Heather Rabbatts (first female director of The Football Association), Sandra Peterson (CEO of Bayer CorpScience). Some of these women have been interviewed by theglasshammer.com previously on the topic, with Mrs Clinton’s famous learning that she had to “Dare to compete.”

With such prominent women promoting risk taking as a prerequisite to success, it isn’t too hard to see why many now see risk as essential to career advancement. But what happens if we are risk averse by nature?

Women – are we really more risk averse?
Previously, risk was viewed as an inborn trait – remaining static regardless of experiences or environment. If you were born a risk-taker, you remained a risk-taker in all aspects of and throughout your life. However more recent studies show that this is not an accurate reflection of risk. Research, such as the paper included in the 2012 Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, show the importance of environment and “culture of honour” in influencing an individual’s appetite for risk. Other papers also show that discrimination, rejection or the presence of women can all increase the chances of throwing caution to the wind and taking risks.

According to a paper by Bernd Figner and Elke Weber, it’s not just the environment that plays a role in the way we approach risk; “risk taking is not a single trait but is a behavior influenced by characteristics of the situation (what the decision is about and to what extent it engages affect vs. deliberation), the decision maker (age and gender), and interactions between situation and decision maker.”

Does gender matter?
The concept of gender differences when it comes to risk appetite is not new. Stereotypes have led to the belief that women are less likely than their male peers to take risks. These beliefs are supported by studies such as that led by the British Psychological Society. Geoff Trickey, study author, found that women were “Cautious Carols” at work and twice as likely to be wary and prudent compared to male colleagues.

Julie A. Nelson, author of the 2012 Tufts University paper, believes that the preconception that women are more risk averse than men needs to be challenged. Dr. Susan Marchant-Haycox agrees that it’s not black and white: “it’s the nature and perception of the risk which accounts for the sex differential”. While most research supports the case that men take more financial risks, there is increasing evidence to suggest that women take more career-related risks, including career changes, in an effort to seize opportunities they feel are more commonly given to their male peers. Mara Mather and Nicole R. Lightfall also highlight the effect of stress on risk taking and the gender differences in risk appetite; men tend to take more risks and adopt the “fight-or-flight” response under stress, while women tend to focus on bonding and developing relationships.

The message here is not that one gender is better than the other in taking risks, rather there needs to be a gender balance across any risk taking or decision making panel or board. Although a study by the German Bundesbank showed that female presence increases the risk appetite of male colleagues, there is evidence to show that both risk prone and risk averse men and women can work effectively to provide a balanced view for calculated risk taking – required for organisations to succeed.

Dealing with risk
While risk taking tends to be viewed as an intellectual exercise, a recent article in The New York Times argues that the physical experience associated with risk is just as important. John Coates, who authors the article, shows that when there is continuous volatility on the trading floor, the traders’ cortisol levels increase while risk appetite decreases by up to 44%. The reverse is true – spikes in volatility result in reduced cortisol levels, increased dopamine and testosterone, and an increased risk appetite.

The characteristics of the environment on a trading floor are similar to those we see in our careers. In our information rich and constantly changing world, we need to be mindful of how we are reacting physically and how that in turn determines our approach to risk. Learning how to deal with risk is crucial to our careers and avoiding it could potentially lead to missed learning opportunities and career defining moments.

As existential philosopher and theologian Paul Tillich says; “He who risks and fails can be forgiven. He who never risks and never fails is a failure in his whole being.” We must embrace risk, but it must be done in the right environment in order to be effective.

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