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KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
Volume 36, March 2004
Publisher: © Key Associates, 2004
ISSN # 1545-8873
http://www.mkkey.com
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This Issue: On "Valuing Diversity"
Contents:
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do
everything, but still I can do something; I will
not refuse to do the something I can do."
- Helen Keller
" Diversity is the one true thing we all have in
common. Celebrate it every day ."
- Anonymous
"If we cannot now end our differences, at least
we can make the world safe for diversity."
- John F. Kennedy
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WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
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VIEWING THE RICHNESS OF DIVERSITY
AS AN ASSET TO YOUR ORGANIZATION.
DISCOVERING AND UTILIZING THE
TALENTS OF ALL PEOPLE.
DEMONSTRATING THE VALUES OF
EGALITARIANISM, ACHIEVEMENT,
AND INDIVIDUALISM THROUGH ACTIONS,
NOT JUST WORDS.
DISTRIBUTING POWER AND LEADERSHIP,
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITY.
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MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
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Similarity breeds liking, so the social psychologists
say. You will prefer to keep the company of
people like you--in age, gender, social status,
cultural background. When hiring, promoting,
composing your leadership team, or decision-making,
you will be drawn to include people you "like"
and who are like you.
But to change the culture of an organization--
so that it offers genuine opportunity to all people--
will require that you resist this impulse that leads
to ethnocentrism. Your commitment to diversity
must be unflinching, and people will look to you
to show the way.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How do I encourage the dominant culture to
accept the "outsiders"?
It begins with leadership, as we said above.
To be fair is not to treat all people the same,
but to treat all people with equal respect and
dignity. This means honoring cultural differences.
A useful exercise is to ask people to consider
all the cultures they belong to--region of the country,
gender group, corporate culture, mother/father, etc.
and the rules, norms, and values of each
sub-group. We are all , in fact, culturally
diverse entities and are programmed differently.
None of us are alike. Diversity is not about THEM,
it is about US.
Yet when you really look at the data, we are
more alike than we are different. All of humankind
has shared the same basic human experience
since the beginning of time. Variation in cultural
practices are overshadowed by universal life
events--e.g., birth, growth, joining, parting, death.
In visioning exercises conducted around the world,
all people want the same things. To be loved,
to be someone, to engage in meaningful work,
to experience joy, and to be connected to a higher
order.
How do we gain greater understanding of the
cultures within our workforce?
Borrowing from Gardenswartz & Rowe (1998):
1. Ask the employees of the other cultures to teach you the differences.
2. Ask cultural informants outside the organization.
3. Tap community resources, cultural coalitions and associations.
4. Read about other cultures.
5. Observe without judgment.
6. Share what you have learned with each other.
7. Conduct focus groups.
8. Use employee/customer survey information.
9. Experiment with different behaviors and approaches.
10. Spend time in other cultures.
How is valuing diversity different from EEO
and Affirmative Action Plans?
Equal employment law and affirmative action
focus on preventing discrimination in employment
that impacts workforce representation. Valuing diversity
is an outgrowth of these, but goes beyond mere
numbers to embrace the potential of every person.
Why has our Diversity Training effort failed to
integrate the various cultural factions ?
While there is a real need for training and education,
it is critical to integrate diversity into the operational
structure of the organization--e.g., recruitment, career
development, reward and recognition, communication
systems. Embracing diversity is about sharing power.
Those who have it are not eager to give it up. Therefore,
commitment at the highest level is called for.
Open, tactful discussions about the new demographic reality
and the associated fears, frustrations and discomfort
can be helpful, to begin the molding of a different culture.
More interchanges than just classroom learning
are called for. Valuing diversity requires reaching out
with generosity of spirit and a willingness to work in
a mosaic world.
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
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Over 100 diversity training products
http://www.hrpress-diversity.com/
Books, simulations, and other training materials
about crossing cultures
http://www.interculturalpress.com
Film and video resources for international
educational exchange
http://www.interculturalpress.com/shop/filmtext.html
Video tapes, books, audio tapes, software and workshops
http://www.ideasandtraining.com/Diversity-Training-Programs.html
Visit the National Multicultural Institute for
publications, training and consulting
http://www.nmci.org
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OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
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Resources for cultural diversity at work
http://www.diversityhotwire.com/
An online resource offering up to date cultural
reference including nearly 200 country reports,
and an online database. An insider's perspective
on daily life and culture, including the history,
customs, and societies of the world's people
http://www.culturegrams.com/
Over 4,000 pages of news, articles and case studies
on the business benefits of diversity
http://www.diversityinc.com/
University of Maryland's diversity database--
syllabi, references, initiatives, and loaded with
links
http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/Diversity/
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ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS
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Abrams, Bob & George F. Simons. (Eds.) Cultural
Diversity Sourcebook . Amherst, Mass: ODT, 1996.
Althen, Gary. Understanding American Ways
in the United States. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural
Press, 1988.
Arrendondo, Patricia. Successful Diversity Management
Initiatives: A Blueprint for Planning & Implementation.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1996.
Baytos, Lawrence M. Designing and Implementing
Successful Diversity Programs. Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995.
Carnevale, Anthony P. & Susan C. Stone.
The American Mosaic: An In-depth Report on
the Future of Diversity at Work. New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1995.
Chideya, Farai. The Color of Our Future .
New York: William Morrow, 1999.
Gardenswartz, Lee, & Anita Rowe. Managing Diversity:
A Complete Desk Reference and Planning Guide (Revised).
New York: McGraw-Hill, 1998.
Gardenswartz, L., Rowe, A. Digh, P. & Martin F. Bennett.
The Global Diversity Desk Reference . San Francisco:
Pfeiffer, 2003.
Hall, Edward T. Beyond Culture. New York: Anchor Books,
1989.
Hayles, Robert & Armida Mendaz Russell. The Diversity
Directive: Why Some Initiatives Fail and What to Do About It.
Chicago, IL: Irwin Publishing and ASTD, 1997.
Jamieson, David & Julie O'Mara. Managing Workforce 2000:
Gaining the Diversity Advantage. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-
Bass, 1991.
Judy, Richard W. & Carol D'Amico. Workforce 2000:
Work and Workers in the 21st Century. Indianapolis, IN:
Hudson Institute, 1997.
Morrison, Terri, Borden, George A., & Wayne Conway.
Kiss, Bow or Shake Hands: How to Do Business in
Sixty Countries. Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural
Press, 1994.
Pederson, Paul. A Handbook for Developing Multicultural
Awareness. Alexandria, VA: American Association for
Counseling and Development, 1988.
Ponteroto, Joseph J. & Paul B. Pederson. Preventing
Prejudice: A Guide for Counselors and Educators.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1993.
Simons, George F., Vasquez, Carmen & Philip R. Harris.
Transcultural Leadership: Empowering the Diverse
Workforce. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing, 1993.
Simons, George F. & Amy J. Zuckerman. Working
Together: Succeeding in a Multicultural Organization.
Los Altos, CA: Crisp Publications, 1994.
Walton, Sally J. Cultural Diversity in the Workplace.
Lexington, Mass: Lexington Books, 1994.
Wheeler, Michael L. Diversity Training. New York:
Conference Board, 1994.
Wilson, Trevor. Diversity at Work: The Business Case
for Equity. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: John Wiley &
Sons, 1997.
