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"Great ideas for working with diversity! Right?"

 

Provide diversity training….Form a diversity council
Establish affinity groups…Administer assessments…Measure results
Institute work-life balance programs…Implement Mentoring Programs

"Maybe."

 

    Firms eager to move forward on the complex and important issues of diversity often offer diversity training as a first step. Others begin with diversity councils composed of young professionals interested in diversity and eager to facilitate change within their organizations. Almost invariably, these and other "one size fits all" approaches and "stand-alone" fixes have unexpected, unsettling consequences, the most common of which are unrealized goals and few, if any, lasting effects. This in turn results in increased friction around diversity issues as good intentions flounder and high hopes stall out in feelings of disenchantment. The reason for these undesirable outcomes is remarkably simple: lack of executive direction and support.

 

"The single most important predictor of a successful diversity

initiative is significant, visible, and on-going executive

direction and support."

Craig B. Clayton, Sr. - Director
International Institute of Diversity
and Cross Cultural Management
University of Houston - C.T. Bauer
College of Business Administration


"One of the biggest mistakes organizations make

is sending employees directly to diversity

training." Training that is not integrated with the

business' priorities, the marketing strategic plan and

the culture of the organization can be a waste of time."

Tracy Brown, Diversity Trends, LLC, Dallas, Texas



How have organizations such as TXU, Chase Bank, Shell Oil and Texas Instruments built effective structures for diversity tailored to the unique needs of their organizations? A few common denominators distinguish their individual approaches:

 

• Strong and visible commitment and involvement from the executive level
• Involvement and guidance from executive leadership in developing    corporate culture assessments that measure diversity.
  
• Formation of diversity steering committees and diversity councils, headed    by an executive officer(s) and composed of a diagonal slice of stakeholders    interested not only in diversity but also committed to corporate vision and    success.
  
• Diversity is incorporated as an integral part of strategic business initiatives    and corporate goals.
  
• Diversity commitment and awareness permeate all levels of the    organization
  
• On-going accountability to diversity goals.
  
• On-going and meaningful measurement of the diversity initiative(s).
  
• Diversity goals are reflected in corporate dealings in the community (for    example, in vendor relationships and recruitment practices).

    Diversity training, diversity steering committees, diversity councils, affinity groups, work-life balance and mentoring programs are common and important components of corporate-led diversity programs. Each plays integral and supporting roles in the building of effective structures for diversity. In a speech delivered April 2001, Jarrell Gibbs, TXU Vice Chairman and Chairman of TXU Diversity Steering Committee, communicated the importance of diversity for competitive advantage and the critical component of executive support:

"Workforce diversity is an essential part of our business strategy. We know it is necessary to deliver world-class business solutions in a global economy. There is a strong, genuine and intense commitment to workforce diversity from top management... We believe that any organization that is put in place to support diversity initiatives must permeate the company. It must invite and urge the participation of every employee."