What can we say about Americans, and how we are alike? Not much, except that … we hold a fondness for ice water!
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Leave it to fun-loving Mark Twain. This delightful spokesperson for the 19th century American popular culture, really did once say that ice water was the ONLY thing Americans have in common. Twain really didn’t know what he was talking about on this issue, but at least he wasn’t trying to force the term “melting pot” on Americans, a phrase that is still used by many Americans – and infers this country is nothing but a composite of cultures from around the world.
If not the melting pot phrase, how often do we hear something like, “It seems like every other country has a culture but we don’t” or “America is just a hodgepodge of group – we don’t really have any values that distinguish us?”
Social scientist Sondra Theiderman, a speaker and author on diversity, bias-reduction, and cross-cultural issues, asked this question in writing for Diverse issues, a Penn State publication. She is also the author of Making Diversity Work: Seven Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace (Chicago: Dearborn Press, 2003)
People talk about the "melting pot" and say that the United States is nothing but a conglomeration of cultures from around the world. Or they focus on this country as a "nation of immigrants," but there are still unique American characteristics that resulted from the synergy or coming together of these many cultures, Theiderman states.
But it is from that very fabric that a true American culture has developed, from the Puritan work ethic brought by the English to the "all-American" German hot dog, and such "American" French words as rendezvous and hors d'oeuvres.
So, it seems, we do have a culture – and there are many reasons why we need to remember this is so, most importantly to learn how to understand other cultures so we can get along with people who are different - by learning about ourselves, first.
Understanding other cultures, starts with knowing one’s own culture. And when we are master of both, it becomes far more possible to accurately interpret the needs and behaviors of colleagues, patients, and families who might be new arrivals to this country – people whose cultures have different ways of looking at the world.
Getting to a point of understanding of culture, might come through simply thinking of human beings as fish in a fishbowl surrounded by water and glass, and unaware these elements exist, thus distorting the view of the outside world.This analogy is used by Theiderman, and I think it works quite well.
Most humans functioning inside our culture (the fishbowl), have no idea that their own culture exists, let alone the cultures (fishbowls) of others, and vice versa.
To most people, cultural values -- what we do and the way we feel about things -- are assumed to be human nature, and many of us simply reason this is just the way ALL people act and behave.
Take the issue of eye contact. Americans generally believe it is a sign of respect to look someone in the eyes, or that this behavior is an accurate way to determine if a person is telling the truth.
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What we often may not realize is that direct eye contact is considered totally DIS-respectful in many cultures. While an American might see lack of eye contact as deceitful, uninterested, or shifty, a person from another culture often sees lack of eye contact as communicating respect.
A major trick for achieving and managing diversity in the workplace is to eliminate misunderstandings like this; to learn the basis of such cultural misunderstanding is first to become consciously aware of our own values and that our way of seeing the world is not automatically shared by everyone we meet, particularly from across cultures.
Once this is realized, that our views are not simply a fact of human nature, we can better interpret the behavior and needs of those around us. And voila! We have cross cultural understanding in today’s diversified workplace.
So how do we do this – become aware of how we see outside of the fishbowl, compared to the variety of viewpoints coming into the workplace from other ethnic groups and cultures?
Theiderman suggests a number of ways, including a quick lesson learned by looking at popular proverbs used in the American culture, such as “There’s no fool like an old fool” – a saying, albeit antiquated, that shows the value we place on youth.
While the saying is old, the practice continues, and the United States is practically alone in the world in its obsession with youth and cavalier attitude toward older people, suggesting it is critical that we stay alert to this contrast in values. Take a person who might be a Navajo; even as a citizen of the United States, he or she would most likely show respect for older people, looking to them for advice and counsel, because reverence for the elderly is a significant belief practiced by the Navajo culture
Hence, even for the non-Navajo person unwilling to accept advice from an elderly person, if they are going to be successful communicators with other Navajos, they must understand this cultural difference, at least when communicating across cultures. (Hopefully, the non-Navajo person who does not honor age will actually learn from the experience. But that’s another day…)
So specifically, how can one person learn values held by people from other cultures, in order to achieve better understanding? Theiderman believe this is achievable through several other means. Besides looking at proverbs, she also suggests listening to the stories told by families and cultures, to see what values they contain.
Stories are passed on through families and cultures for a reason – often, for instance, to impress values upon the next generation. A recently followed tradition for many African American families has been the telling of the story of Emmett Till, a cautionary tale for young people about a 14-year-old Chicago African American who was brutally murdered.
Emmett Till visited relatives in the Mississippi Delta in the summer of 1955, following the 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education and the second decision, known as Brown II (“all deliberate speed” in enforcement of school desegregation).
Till did not understand the Jim Crow laws in Mississippi with respect to deference paid to white women in the state at that time, and he was brutally murdered after whistling at a white store owner’s wife.
His story was told thereafter to many black children by their families in order for them to understand the Jim Crow laws and the consequences if not followed. (Fortunately, the Till incident also brought people away from the civil rights sidelines and helped initiate the modern civil rights movement.)
Values transmitted in a number of family stories – inside and outside of the American culture -- might contain themes of perseverance, the virtue of hard work, the importance of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps or the value of appreciating what you have.
And, so...bottom line: how can we move our employees' and customers' fishbowls closer together – and get our fish to start communicating, even if they come from other fishbowls?
Examining our proverbs and stories are two methods that may help employees to start learning about and appreciating other cultures – two critical steps in bringing diversity to the workplace.
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Thursday, September 29, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Muslim-Christian Conflicts Not Limited to United States – But Are Felt World-Wide
The Muslim-Christian divide that captures almost daily attention in news coming out of the United States, is actually felt worldwide.
Although progress has been made—particularly in multinational workforces— struggles remain around religious diversity, suggests Susan Welch, executive director of Diversity Best Practices.
“With Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr just completing in the United States, now might be a good time to explore the Muslim-Christian divide around the world. It represents one of the toughest diversity issues to address, for a handful of reasons,” Welch recently asserted in an editorial written for her organization’s weekly publication.
We know that religious conflict is not always straightforward. One country bans burka wearing, -- is that rooted in religion? Or would we describe this as a gender issue?
Is banning a burka (or burqa – the full body cloak worn by some Muslim women) simply a dress code issue? Or does this represent a security concern?
If not a burka, what of the "hijab" (or "ḥijāb – referring to both the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women and modest Muslim styles of dress in general).
It is sometimes too convenient to classify these arguments into "seemingly harmless" categories. But religious problems are often rooted in historical, even traditional conflicts between two peoples. And this, Welch says, muddies the waters.
Muslims represent roughly one in four people on the globe. In some Asian countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Indonesia, listed by Welch)Muslims dominate the population. In many other Asian countries, as well as European and North American countries, they are a minority ,and “This sets the stage for regional and country-specific clashes that become more political than religious,” she explains.
When considering economic status, these clashes can also represent problems between the “haves and have-nots”.
Of the 40 Muslim-majority nations worldwide, “only two outside of the Persian Gulf (Turkey and Malaysia) have GDPs above the global median GDP.” (Gross domestic product or GDP refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced in a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living.)
And so, as India, China, and Latin America grow explosively, Muslim populations are further marginalized, both within rapidly growing countries and within competing Muslim-majority nations.
But on the eve of 9/11’s ten-year anniversary, Welch believes there is a sliver of good news:
Pew Research Center (a nonpartisan "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world) reports a thaw in attitudes toward Muslims in the United States and Europe over the past five years.
(Yet, Muslims have not experienced the same thaw in their own attitudes toward the West, the Pew report goes on to state.)
TWelch believes that herein lies the most interesting rub of all, perhaps the crux of the issue:
Both sides blame the other side for poor relations, each believing they hold the high moral ground. "Age-old beliefs dealing differently with critical debates around life and death drive apart Muslims and the somewhat Christian, somewhat non-secular West."
Cultural competency and inclusion meet their fiercest challenge here, Welch believes, yet she asks -- “Can we set aside our fundamental life-and-death beliefs and embrace different beliefs in another human being?”
Her question is a good one – and is certainly deserving of more talks and discussions.
Meanwhile, education of differences and similarities is a good place to start. Businesses and organizations, meanwhile, cannot ignore these differences, by simply blaming any clashes as “religious” differences.
Such simplistic thinking about cultures, ethnicity, diversity, inclusion and differences just does not work anymore. We need better information to identify and solve problems -- to make higher quality decisions.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
Cross-cultural leadership and understanding – not limited to the “big city”
“You guys live in such a nice little town,” Larry S. was telling me.
My new teaching colleague was sharing his first impressions of Lawrenceburg, Indiana soon after being dumped by the faculty dean in the teacher’s lounge of the town’s small junior college campus.
“Larry, this is Susan – Susan, this is Larry, the new accounting instructor. Susan teaches computer classes.”
It turned out that Larry had always lived in a metropolis, and was now experiencing some culture shock after relocation from Indianapolis, a city of one million plus people, to this little river town of less than 7,000.
We got to talking, and it scared me when I learned he had no place to live, let alone a place to stay his first night. Larry was quite black and Lawrenceburg was still very racist, so I invited him to live at our house until he could find a place of his own.
Larry told me he was born near Salisbury, Zimbabwe, now called Harare, the biggest city in this African country, with a population of around 2 million. Harare is also the commercial capital of the country. The British founded the city in 1890 and called it Salisbury but when Zimbabwe gained independence in the early 1980's, the name was changed to Harare after a Shona chief, Neharawa.
True, Lawrenceburg was a comfortable, little town back in the mid 1970s. Located in the tri-states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, “Whiskey City” was situated on the Ohio River and known by this moniker, since Seagram Whiskey was the town’s main (and only) major employer.
Indiana Vocational Technical College, where Larry and I taught, was a very small local campus (known informally as Ivy Tech and headquartered in Indianapolis) that catered mostly to white, young adults studying business-related classes.
My husband Fred and I knew most people in Lawrenceburg, from the local politicians, newspaper owner and medical practitioners, to teachers and other folks who worked for the Canadian distiller. Fred worked for the region’s mental health center.
In those days, if you went shopping in downtown Lawrenceburg you would find the typical small-town stores. Of course, this was pre-Walmart and most shops and larger stores carried American manufactured items.
Meanwhile, Fred and I have moved to a somewhat larger region; the population of the small city where we now reside is about 20,000. I think my colleague, Larry, would enjoy visiting here some day!
As a teacher back in Lawrenceburg, I once had a student from Russia. That was an exciting venture for me; I enjoyed hearing his life story and about how he moved to Indiana. Where I now live, I can probably count a representation of at least 20 ethnicities and cultures represented. (Moreover, we have a Walmart.)
Honestly, the days of Mom and Pop businesses that catered to people who looked, felt, thought, and talked the same as Mom and Pop are over. Ethnic and cultural diversity have reached even the most remote and isolated regions of our nation.
In what ways are you preparing to build a successful enterprise in the midst of this diversity?
Business diversity expert Dr. Greg Waddell, who writes about adapting leadership style to cultural context, asks this question, while saying he does not lament for the days when everyone was like him – and neither do I.
It really is quite exciting to live in times where you can easily meet people from around the globe, even if you live in a small city or even a smaller little village or town.
Here are three reasons why both Dr. Waddell and I get excited about diversity:
1. Ethnic and cultural diversity is here to stay. “It’s always better to accept reality than it is to live in denial,” Dr. Waddell notes.
2. While cultures differ in fundamental ways, these differences follow certain patterns and can be learned. We CAN learn to do business with people from other cultures. It has been happening for centuries all over the world.
3. The ethnic diversity in which we live today provides an excellent opportunity to discover new approaches to leadership.
Dr. Waddell suggests this change requires effort and preparation. Even with practice, this can be an intimidating experience, “because it requires seeing yourself through the eyes of another culture.”
Many of the management theories that were inscribed in the hallowed pages of management literature of the 1970s and 80s are now obsolete. Almost all of the research behind these earlier business theories was carried out in the context of a Euro-Anglo cultural background.
Sure, there is a lot that we can learn from these classic studies, as long as we see them as one way to envision leadership and as long as we remain open to the very real possibility that these concepts may not work today.
Cultures typically differ in some predictable ways. So, if a person is willing to do what it takes to learn new information about other cultures and ethnicities, he or she can learn to be culturally and ethnically sensitive.
Not too long ago, I took a college course in intercultural communication. Students were assigned to choose a culture different from our own, and to do a report about differences.
Darned, if some of the white students didn’t pick their grandparents’ countries of Sweden, Switzerland and Germany for their reports. I was surprised they were allowed to get away with their lazy, “safe” decisions. What could they have possibly learned?
Once a person really learns about differences or uniquenesses, they are more adept at adjusting leadership behavior to fit the situation, Waddell believes.
Here is a short list of several cultural patterns that Waddell finds helpful in understanding cultural diversity.
•Power Distance. How people view power and the degree to which differences in power are not only allowed but even preferred.
•Individualism versus Collectivism. Some cultures think as a group—others think individually. The Anglo-European culture of the U.S. has been consistently identified as high in individualism.
•Uncertainty Avoidance. This is the degree to which a culture sees uncertainty as a bad thing, something to be avoided.
•Contextual versus Verbal communication. Some cultures allow the context to communicate meaning without words. In the U.S., we usually feel the need to say it.
•Human nature. Some cultures sees human nature as fundamentally evil while others as fundamentally good.
•Work and Leisure. Many cultures see work as an unavoidable or even necessary evil needed to get to what life is really about. Others see work as the main point of life.
There are so many more considerations to address when trying to become a better cross-cultural leader. This short list shows, at least, that cultural differences can be understood. In other words, these differences are not mysterious and impossible to comprehend.
Waddell suggests the main requirement is to have “an inquisitive spirit and a willingness to experience some discomfort for the sake of learning to see the world from a different perspective.”
What about you? What are some of your feelings toward cultural and ethnic diversity? To what extent is it making an impact on your organization? How well do you think other companies are adapting?
All are very good questions to consider in your journey to understanding cross cultural leadership.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
A Real Civil Rights Veteran Shares Her Review of The Help - The Joyce Ladner Report
No thanks Kathryn Stockett, I don't want to be "The Help" (Joyce Ladner)
"God forbid that a black maid who cooks their food would ever be allowed to use the same toilet the white people use. I guess this explains the fixation segregationists had with toilets.... for in so many public places there were four. One each for black women, black men, white women, and white men. It's no wonder they didn't have money for libraries and good schools. It was all spent making sure that no black person would ever sit on the same toilet a white behind had graced."
* * * * *
Don't miss this blog post by SNCC veteran and sociologist Joyce Ladner about The Help. This native of Hattiesburg, MS, writes about her own experience as a black teenage maid for white people in her community in the 1950s. Writer Ben Greenberg blogs he was particularly moved by the anecdote about her grandmother's attendance of the wedding of a young white woman whom the grandmother, as the family's maid, had raised.
Read Ladner's review at http://theladnerreportblog.blogspot.com/
"God forbid that a black maid who cooks their food would ever be allowed to use the same toilet the white people use. I guess this explains the fixation segregationists had with toilets.... for in so many public places there were four. One each for black women, black men, white women, and white men. It's no wonder they didn't have money for libraries and good schools. It was all spent making sure that no black person would ever sit on the same toilet a white behind had graced."
* * * * *
Don't miss this blog post by SNCC veteran and sociologist Joyce Ladner about The Help. This native of Hattiesburg, MS, writes about her own experience as a black teenage maid for white people in her community in the 1950s. Writer Ben Greenberg blogs he was particularly moved by the anecdote about her grandmother's attendance of the wedding of a young white woman whom the grandmother, as the family's maid, had raised.
Read Ladner's review at http://theladnerreportblog.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
When workplace diversity becomes a fraud; don't let the PR photos fool you
Now come on. Do you really believe that many (most?) large organizations are as "diverse" as they appear in their advertising and public relations venues? I am talking about that photograph of "casually" posed black and white females and males, all wearing elegant suits with their arms folded, and looking as if they are at the pinnacle of their corporations.
It’s quite unfortunate that the rally cry for diversity has companies scrambling to make sure that they appear diverse to the outsider, states William Powell, writing for The Leadership Advisor, an online publication representing an international leadership organization.
In fact, a significant percentage of companies have developed informal “quotas” to make sure they are a diverse organization, causing some business leaders to claim diversity in the workplace has become a fraud. "The common thought is that it mitigates discrimination accusations and makes them appear forward thinking to stakeholders and investors. Pretty much keeping up appearance for the current “trend”," Powell says.
Of course this isn’t true for all companies, but it’s more common than what it should be. The mantra “diversity strengthens an organization” is absolutely true, but with one caveat. You have to embrace what diversity brings. The mere existence of various cultures, ethnicities, gender and religious beliefs within the same relational space does not connote strength of anything. It’s just a description of a group of people.
Far too often, even in the face of this pseudo or fraudulent diversity, there is an expectation that those diverse groups of people must somehow lose whatever makes them diverse for the sake of conforming to specific standards so that there is less conflict.
I remember this so well from my old college sorority days. "Lose that sweater. It's the wrong color! We wear camel blazers. Cut your hair. We all wear Sassoons at Delta Delta Delta! (Now, that last remark dates me!)
Unfortunately, leadership of a number of organizations see diversity within the organization as an increased chance of conflict, "so their conflict strategy is to encourage (dare I say, enforce) this generic sense of homogeneity" (Powell's words).
Of course, this counters the power of diversity altogether and is ignorant leadership. For most people, it is common to feel threatened by an unfamiliar viewpoint. Take a look at the childish drama seen in Washington D.C. Is this how you want your organization to behave?
So where can an organization initiate change?
Start by genuinely making it a point to include the opinions and insight of those from varied cultures and ethnic groups.
"Switch off your judgment for a moment (or permanently) and instead of seeing their perspective through your filters, ask questions to understand why that seems like a viable solution for that individual. You may actually learn something. You are giving people a voice and may be able to incorporate a hybrid of what differing opinions bring to the table."
If you value what a person’s culture/ethnicity (something extremely personal) brings to the table for solution management, how engaged do you think that person will be? How likely are they to be looking for work elsewhere? Things don’t have to be perfect, just moving forward in a way that can allow them to be proud to be a part of making the solution a reality.
We now certainly know from diversity research, that embracing the true value of diversity, allows for the discovery of innovation and creativity within an organization. "Typically, turnover may decrease as engagement increases. How much stronger would your bottom be if just 8% of your workforce would increase their discretionary effort by 5%?" Powell states.
Why is Powell's message surprising?
Folks who live and work at the apex of multinationals and other large organizations, for the most part, are quite elitist. (Think Brown University, Harvard, Smith). Diversity is “in” but not so in that such an apex employee would actually send his or her child to a public school (where most of these “diverse” employees send their children).
We have seen elitist politicians kill health care, public education, social security, Medicare and Medicaid etc. in the name of greed. We have seen them short the market until retirement plans for the “diverse” are DOA.
Until rich and elite white people get serious about diversity, nothing much is ever going to change. For an organization to “look” diverse, probably fools the stockholders for a while. (But no problem, the elites are killing stockholders off, too.)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Are You Against Same Sex Marriages?
A fellow blogger reminded me of the following:
Interracial marriage was also made legal state-by-state, until 1969, when it finally became legally recognized & allowed in all the United States. The EXACT same arguments were used against interracial marriage: "it's against teachings of the Bible", "it's against nature", "it will lead to legalizing pedophilia & bestiality", "legalizing it would encourage deviant behavior", and on & on. Also, the churches that were historically against civil rights for racial minorities were the same groups that switched over to attacking the glbt community in the 70's, after having clearly lost their fight against racial equality.
All of this is the same fight... either you are for a structure of oppression & privilege through stratified social dynamics of superiority vs. inferiority or you are against it. Because of these dynamics, if you are not against all oppression, then you are supporting a system of supremacy & oppression.
So true.
Interracial marriage was also made legal state-by-state, until 1969, when it finally became legally recognized & allowed in all the United States. The EXACT same arguments were used against interracial marriage: "it's against teachings of the Bible", "it's against nature", "it will lead to legalizing pedophilia & bestiality", "legalizing it would encourage deviant behavior", and on & on. Also, the churches that were historically against civil rights for racial minorities were the same groups that switched over to attacking the glbt community in the 70's, after having clearly lost their fight against racial equality.
All of this is the same fight... either you are for a structure of oppression & privilege through stratified social dynamics of superiority vs. inferiority or you are against it. Because of these dynamics, if you are not against all oppression, then you are supporting a system of supremacy & oppression.
So true.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Check Out - how understanding across cultures brings fast success
(Cash In On Diversity eBook author Susan Klopfer reviews The Cultural Intelligence Difference, By David Livermore
. Amacom, 206 pages, $25)
So I remember the days of sorority sisterhood back in the mid 1960s. We sisters of Gamma Phi all had cute, short haircuts, wore the same camel-colored mohair blazers and pretty much dated very similar young men from the same fraternities, especially sisters who were of higher status, members of Greek Council.
While our sorority house was known to be less conforming (some people called us the "zoo") than other more popular houses at the University of Nevada, Reno, we still had a sense of safety in our ability to toe the acceptable conformity line, most of the time.
And when we finally graduated, leaving college and the safety of sisterhood to enter the workforce, what we encountered was really not much different from the institution we just left. The workplace of that era was certainly not as diverse as today; it was not even close. Nearly all co-workers were of the same ethnicity as us (white, Germanic or Irish heritage) and we closely conformed to the accepted dress norms, if we wanted to keep our jobs. Actually, one of my friends was fired from a major pharmaceutical company because he wore loafers with tassles. No kidding.
Today, many of us work with colleagues and customers from around the globe, people who may dress, talk and behave much differently from our former, cookie-cutter sorority sisters and fraternity brothers. To succeed in today's world of business, author David Livermore believes we need cultural intelligence, or CQ. A consultant, Livermore came to this conclusion because he moved from Canada to New York when he was a child. However, he made regular trips back to visit relatives, remaining fascinated by Canada's culture - the different money and way of saying things, the foods and other significant things that keep Canadians being Canadians.
Now a grownup and highly respected author on this topic, Dr. Livermore still enjoys navigating between different cultures, using CQ - "the ability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts, including national, ethnic, organizational, and generational."
Livermore tells us that CQ is the primary predictor of your success in today's borderless world. "It's more important than IQ or, the current darling, EQ (emotional intelligence)," he asserts.
"EQ is a strong predictor of your success when you're working with people who come from the same culture as you, but your CQ is a much better predictor of how you'll do working with people from different cultural backgrounds - the inevitable reality for all of us over the next decade," Livermore writes in The Cultural Intelligence Difference.
He clearly explains that our cultural intelligence is comprised of four different capabilities based on our motivation, knowledge, strategy and ability to adapt our behavior appropriately for different cultures.
While it might seem quite difficult to change one's CQ, this author gives specific advice making the task appear less tenuous. Most important, he tells us we must face our biases:
"Explore which subcultures really push your hot buttons, encourage your defences or just make you uncomfortable. Any time you meet someone new, make an effort to connect on a human level as early as possible rather than just seeing him or her in light of cultural context. Another approach is to explore your hobbies and pastimes - be it art, sports, or food - in new cultures."
Livermore gives us many more specific ways to become better at operating in and around cultures that are new or different. For instance, he suggests that we "Discreetly watch people from other cultures when you're in public places." Or that we "Attend celebrations of other cultures in your city; eat their foods and attend their music and events. When travelling, visit public markets, shopping districts, museums and art galleries. Increase your global awareness by visiting BBC news online and reading The Economist, for example, or by plunging into novels and movies that immerse you in different cultures. Learn about different cultural values in other countries, how they may differ in terms of factors such as individualism, avoidance of uncertainty, co-cooperativeness, and orientation to time."
Livermore's book is an excellent guide to gaining or increasing cultural intelligence as he points out some of the research and concepts; highlighting some of the critical differences between countries and spelling out specific ideas about how to improve one's CQ.
"It won't transform you overnight, but will alert you to important factors and help you along the path to fitting in beyond your traditional culture," blogger Harvey Schachter advises his followers. (I learned about this book from Harvey.)
And I am going to agree with Schachter, going a step further. Livermore's book is a must read for anyone who wants to survive (and succeed) in today's world of diversity. This means learning how to work well with older people, gay people, transgendered people and just about any people who are not the same as us (whatever this means). Is this important? Ask the CEOs of major corporations who by now should be sick and tired of being sued because an employee called an older worker an "old fogey." Or because a supervisor demanded a female remove the scarf she wears for religious reasons. Happens every day. Don't kid yourself.
This book is especially critical for those who might have just escaped a cookie-cutter world of most educational institutions and are ready and waiting to face reality. For anyone who went to private schools that specialize in all white kids, especially -- my advice, pick up a copy now.
Don't leave home (for work) without it.
* * *
Other books by Livermore
. Amacom, 206 pages, $25) So I remember the days of sorority sisterhood back in the mid 1960s. We sisters of Gamma Phi all had cute, short haircuts, wore the same camel-colored mohair blazers and pretty much dated very similar young men from the same fraternities, especially sisters who were of higher status, members of Greek Council.
While our sorority house was known to be less conforming (some people called us the "zoo") than other more popular houses at the University of Nevada, Reno, we still had a sense of safety in our ability to toe the acceptable conformity line, most of the time.
And when we finally graduated, leaving college and the safety of sisterhood to enter the workforce, what we encountered was really not much different from the institution we just left. The workplace of that era was certainly not as diverse as today; it was not even close. Nearly all co-workers were of the same ethnicity as us (white, Germanic or Irish heritage) and we closely conformed to the accepted dress norms, if we wanted to keep our jobs. Actually, one of my friends was fired from a major pharmaceutical company because he wore loafers with tassles. No kidding.
Today, many of us work with colleagues and customers from around the globe, people who may dress, talk and behave much differently from our former, cookie-cutter sorority sisters and fraternity brothers. To succeed in today's world of business, author David Livermore believes we need cultural intelligence, or CQ. A consultant, Livermore came to this conclusion because he moved from Canada to New York when he was a child. However, he made regular trips back to visit relatives, remaining fascinated by Canada's culture - the different money and way of saying things, the foods and other significant things that keep Canadians being Canadians.
Now a grownup and highly respected author on this topic, Dr. Livermore still enjoys navigating between different cultures, using CQ - "the ability to function effectively in a variety of cultural contexts, including national, ethnic, organizational, and generational."
Livermore tells us that CQ is the primary predictor of your success in today's borderless world. "It's more important than IQ or, the current darling, EQ (emotional intelligence)," he asserts.
"EQ is a strong predictor of your success when you're working with people who come from the same culture as you, but your CQ is a much better predictor of how you'll do working with people from different cultural backgrounds - the inevitable reality for all of us over the next decade," Livermore writes in The Cultural Intelligence Difference.
He clearly explains that our cultural intelligence is comprised of four different capabilities based on our motivation, knowledge, strategy and ability to adapt our behavior appropriately for different cultures.
While it might seem quite difficult to change one's CQ, this author gives specific advice making the task appear less tenuous. Most important, he tells us we must face our biases:
"Explore which subcultures really push your hot buttons, encourage your defences or just make you uncomfortable. Any time you meet someone new, make an effort to connect on a human level as early as possible rather than just seeing him or her in light of cultural context. Another approach is to explore your hobbies and pastimes - be it art, sports, or food - in new cultures."
Livermore gives us many more specific ways to become better at operating in and around cultures that are new or different. For instance, he suggests that we "Discreetly watch people from other cultures when you're in public places." Or that we "Attend celebrations of other cultures in your city; eat their foods and attend their music and events. When travelling, visit public markets, shopping districts, museums and art galleries. Increase your global awareness by visiting BBC news online and reading The Economist, for example, or by plunging into novels and movies that immerse you in different cultures. Learn about different cultural values in other countries, how they may differ in terms of factors such as individualism, avoidance of uncertainty, co-cooperativeness, and orientation to time."
Livermore's book is an excellent guide to gaining or increasing cultural intelligence as he points out some of the research and concepts; highlighting some of the critical differences between countries and spelling out specific ideas about how to improve one's CQ.
"It won't transform you overnight, but will alert you to important factors and help you along the path to fitting in beyond your traditional culture," blogger Harvey Schachter advises his followers. (I learned about this book from Harvey.)
And I am going to agree with Schachter, going a step further. Livermore's book is a must read for anyone who wants to survive (and succeed) in today's world of diversity. This means learning how to work well with older people, gay people, transgendered people and just about any people who are not the same as us (whatever this means). Is this important? Ask the CEOs of major corporations who by now should be sick and tired of being sued because an employee called an older worker an "old fogey." Or because a supervisor demanded a female remove the scarf she wears for religious reasons. Happens every day. Don't kid yourself.
This book is especially critical for those who might have just escaped a cookie-cutter world of most educational institutions and are ready and waiting to face reality. For anyone who went to private schools that specialize in all white kids, especially -- my advice, pick up a copy now.
Don't leave home (for work) without it.
* * *
Other books by Livermore
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Check Out the Top Ten Facts about diversity management that could benefit your organization or business
If you own or work for a business, you might not be taking advantage of all the opportunities managing diversity has to offer. Many of us are still confused over diversity best practices and how diversity benefits an organization.
Yet, research is showing that organizations close to diversity, that really know how to maximize diversity, are moving ahead.
(A group of researchers from MIT Sloan School of Management in a five-year study, for instance, found that... "To be successful in working with and gaining value from diversity requires a sustained, systemic approach and long-term commitment...Organizations that invest their resources in taking advantage of the opportunities that diversity offers should outperform those that fail to make such investments. See http://bit.ly/p8dzBK )
So, here are ten questions and answers that I believe can benefit -- and of course, I want to hear more ideas from you. So please add your comments at the end.
1. What are the advantages of a more diverse workplace?
Co-workers with different histories and life experiences may think of new, different products or services. They may have other social or information networks to enable them to promote products or services. They may also identify potential customers that we have so far missed, overlooked, or dismissed.
2. What is the matter with doing more of what has worked in the past?
Nothing — if it keeps working. Yet the population base, from which our customers come, is rapidly changing due to disease, war, travel, changing birth rates, and the rapid spread of information. If we don't adjust to what our potential customers will look like, we'll get smaller.
3. Will increasing the diversity of my company's workforce guarantee success?
No single-thing approach to management can guarantee success. Beware of fads.
4. Do I really have to change my workforce? Can't my good salespeople sell to anyone?
Selling anything to anyone is one way to define a good salesperson. Another is to say that a good salesperson can sell any one thing over any other thing. Yet even good salespeople can't make a sale if they don't know how to deliver the message in a language or in a way the customer understands. Even worse is a product name that translates poorly in the language of the customer. Barriers can also exist in terms of price. For example, India is encouraging businesses to come up with a computer device costing less than ten U.S.dollars. Cultural difference can be complex, and some of them really matter.
5. How can I get my current employees to accept new and different employees?
In general, two characteristics of success come to mind. First of all, management, from the very top down, needs to understand that success in this arena is absolutely expected and that resistance is not acceptable. Secondly, it needs to be clear that the success of new employees is not part of a zero-sum game. No one has to lose in order for the new employees to win.
6. Will an emphasis on diversity fundamentally change my business?
That depends on the nature of the business. The more you work with people instead of things, the more your business will change as the population it serves, and your employees, change with it.
7. What if my business mostly sells to other businesses? Do I still need to worry about diversity?
Who owns the other businesses? As you well know if you've ever looked at manufacturing’s "Made in" labels or tried to call customer service, many companies now outsource work to foreign companies. If your company markets to businesses, your customer base, and potential competitors are growing.
8. I make a lot of sales on-line? Does the diversity of my workforce matter when my customers are mostly ordering my products on a computer?
Of course it does. Language, whether written or oral, often contains idioms, inferences, or idiosyncrasies that a person unfamiliar with American English will not understand. If your Internet site contains videos of people talking, the nonverbal communication may also be unclear or misunderstood by persons with other backgrounds.
9. How do you "train" for diversity? Isn't this mostly a matter of tolerance?
Tolerance is part of it, and our first lessons about tolerance come during our childhood. But tolerance, and receptiveness, and active listening, and company priorities, and evaluation procedures, and many of the day-to-day details of how business is done” in your company may be able to be improved if given proper review and assessment. Learning new things is a lifelong requirement, even if we don't like it. In this case, we stand to learn some new worthwhile things.
10. Can we do our own diversity training in-house? Isn't this a good way to identify and get rid of bad supervisors? Also, What is wrong with continuing to hire people who “fit in?”
If you want the idea of Diversity Training to create hatred and resentment in your company, that would be the ideal way to do it. Instead, training should be available at all levels of the organization, with obvious top-level endorsement. It should be done by outside “experts.”
To this final question, the answer is nothing, if your business skills are good enough to hire such persons, avoid losing discrimination lawsuits, and continue to grow or maintain the business as customers change.
Tags
Yet, research is showing that organizations close to diversity, that really know how to maximize diversity, are moving ahead.
(A group of researchers from MIT Sloan School of Management in a five-year study, for instance, found that... "To be successful in working with and gaining value from diversity requires a sustained, systemic approach and long-term commitment...Organizations that invest their resources in taking advantage of the opportunities that diversity offers should outperform those that fail to make such investments. See http://bit.ly/p8dzBK )
So, here are ten questions and answers that I believe can benefit -- and of course, I want to hear more ideas from you. So please add your comments at the end.
1. What are the advantages of a more diverse workplace?
Co-workers with different histories and life experiences may think of new, different products or services. They may have other social or information networks to enable them to promote products or services. They may also identify potential customers that we have so far missed, overlooked, or dismissed.
2. What is the matter with doing more of what has worked in the past?
Nothing — if it keeps working. Yet the population base, from which our customers come, is rapidly changing due to disease, war, travel, changing birth rates, and the rapid spread of information. If we don't adjust to what our potential customers will look like, we'll get smaller.
3. Will increasing the diversity of my company's workforce guarantee success?
No single-thing approach to management can guarantee success. Beware of fads.
4. Do I really have to change my workforce? Can't my good salespeople sell to anyone?
Selling anything to anyone is one way to define a good salesperson. Another is to say that a good salesperson can sell any one thing over any other thing. Yet even good salespeople can't make a sale if they don't know how to deliver the message in a language or in a way the customer understands. Even worse is a product name that translates poorly in the language of the customer. Barriers can also exist in terms of price. For example, India is encouraging businesses to come up with a computer device costing less than ten U.S.dollars. Cultural difference can be complex, and some of them really matter.
5. How can I get my current employees to accept new and different employees?
In general, two characteristics of success come to mind. First of all, management, from the very top down, needs to understand that success in this arena is absolutely expected and that resistance is not acceptable. Secondly, it needs to be clear that the success of new employees is not part of a zero-sum game. No one has to lose in order for the new employees to win.
6. Will an emphasis on diversity fundamentally change my business?
That depends on the nature of the business. The more you work with people instead of things, the more your business will change as the population it serves, and your employees, change with it.
7. What if my business mostly sells to other businesses? Do I still need to worry about diversity?
Who owns the other businesses? As you well know if you've ever looked at manufacturing’s "Made in" labels or tried to call customer service, many companies now outsource work to foreign companies. If your company markets to businesses, your customer base, and potential competitors are growing.
8. I make a lot of sales on-line? Does the diversity of my workforce matter when my customers are mostly ordering my products on a computer?
Of course it does. Language, whether written or oral, often contains idioms, inferences, or idiosyncrasies that a person unfamiliar with American English will not understand. If your Internet site contains videos of people talking, the nonverbal communication may also be unclear or misunderstood by persons with other backgrounds.
9. How do you "train" for diversity? Isn't this mostly a matter of tolerance?
Tolerance is part of it, and our first lessons about tolerance come during our childhood. But tolerance, and receptiveness, and active listening, and company priorities, and evaluation procedures, and many of the day-to-day details of how business is done” in your company may be able to be improved if given proper review and assessment. Learning new things is a lifelong requirement, even if we don't like it. In this case, we stand to learn some new worthwhile things.
10. Can we do our own diversity training in-house? Isn't this a good way to identify and get rid of bad supervisors? Also, What is wrong with continuing to hire people who “fit in?”
If you want the idea of Diversity Training to create hatred and resentment in your company, that would be the ideal way to do it. Instead, training should be available at all levels of the organization, with obvious top-level endorsement. It should be done by outside “experts.”
To this final question, the answer is nothing, if your business skills are good enough to hire such persons, avoid losing discrimination lawsuits, and continue to grow or maintain the business as customers change.
Tags
multicultural, psychology, business, marketing, economics, counseling, civil rights, diversity, administration, personnel, inclusion, human relations, diversity ebooks, cultural diversity
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Techies call older engineer names (like "Fuddie-duddie") and run him off the job -- Who Will Pay? Why Was This Behavior Allowed?
What if this happened to your dad or your mom? Would it make you angry?
What if these were your employees? Would you consider diversity training? --
A recent California Supreme Court decision involves an experienced engineer who went to work for a giant corporation (the kind of company that one would think comprehends and practices diversity).
This guy knew that going into a high-tech job would mean working in a youthful company, with fewer older workers. But he didn’t expect the bullying he received by younger workers, including his boss, who immediately started called him names like “fuddy-duddy” and “old man,” he alleged.
but
The engineer had worked successfully for years in major corporations, but was suddenly taunted with name-calling, with words like "slow," "fuzzy," "sluggish" and "lethargic."
Employees allegedly called him an "old guy" and stated that his ideas were "obsolete" and "too old to matter" and that his knowledge was “ancient.”
They allegedly joked that his office placard should be in the shape of an "LP" (i.e. a vinyl record) rather than the customary (then current music format) "CD." For several years this inappropriate behavior progressed, the engineer alleged, and after a time, when his job was taken away, he left this company, but then sued for age discrimination.
While the case had not been settled at the time I read about it, the court issued a unanimous decision that could make it more difficult for California employers to win summary judgment in certain discrimination cases involving potentially discriminatory comments.
In fact, California courts must now evaluate such “stray” remarks together with all other admissible evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of discrimination for a case to proceed to a jury trial.
This decision reaffirms that employers must do more than simply maintain policies preventing discrimination and harassment. They must take steps, including training of supervisors and nonsupervisors alike, to ensure all employees are aware of such policies and the risk of liability posed by potentially discriminatory comments, in any context. In other words, they must learn to manage their company’s diversity.
This story leaves me wondering who raised these young employees to show such meanness and hostility toward an older, experienced co-worker? Did any professors ever discuss diversity at their schools? Or multiculturalism? Good manners? And what kind of managers and CEO led this company? Had they ever experienced any leadership education?
The failure to raise someone who tolerates people who are different, or who values the very skills and experiences others may have to offer, no matter how “different” they appear to be, has to land somewhere.
Someone failed these employees quite miserably, either their parents, teachers or employers. Perhaps all of the above tried and failed. I hope my new eBook, Cash In On Diversity, will help fill in gaps that are apparently missing for those who behave in this way and for others who tolerate or encourage this misbehavior, as well.
We are a diverse nation filled with people of many sizes, shapes, ages, religions and sexual preferences — people with missing limbs, stutters, mental challenges and so many other differences.
But too many of us still do not always recognize that all people are deserving of equal treatment. Or that even with “differences,” nearly all of us still have something to contribute, if allowed to participate. As the battles heat up at school and at work, and as the civil rights lawsuits keep piling up, isn’t it about time to change?
This eBook is an attempt to explain how our world is changing in the organizations where we work and spend much of our time each day — and will endeavor to describe where intolerance and hate come from, and why these attitudes and behaviors do not serve us well in the workplace. This book also shows many of the benefits we can achieve as individuals, and as organizations, when getting along with others, as we celebrate and appreciate our differences — as we embrace diversity.
People who care about getting along need to take a stand when intolerance is displayed. Leaders must help the people they manage with proper tools and guidance. This is the basic message presented, along with important explanations of themes, including cultural diversity, multiculturalism, cross-cultural communication and showing how all of us can become better human beings with this knowledge.
I hope that readers enjoy this information and put it to use, because we are living in a world that demands we change.
~ ~ ~
Ageism can be defined as "any attitude, action, or institutional structure which subordinates a person or group because of age or any assignment of roles in society purely on the basis of age" (Traxler, 1980). As an "ism", ageism reflects a prejudice in society against older adults.
A wonderful comment follows this blog. I was not able to comment back, directly, but want to add this note --
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and excellent advice. I have a friend going through this now, and the supervisor's comments are a daily assault. Boy will she be surprised when she gets zapped with a lawsuit! Companies that don't learn how to treat older workers get sued -- and good employees simply leave. What a waste of resources, either way. Take care and thanks. Susan
What if these were your employees? Would you consider diversity training? --
A recent California Supreme Court decision involves an experienced engineer who went to work for a giant corporation (the kind of company that one would think comprehends and practices diversity).
This guy knew that going into a high-tech job would mean working in a youthful company, with fewer older workers. But he didn’t expect the bullying he received by younger workers, including his boss, who immediately started called him names like “fuddy-duddy” and “old man,” he alleged.
but
The engineer had worked successfully for years in major corporations, but was suddenly taunted with name-calling, with words like "slow," "fuzzy," "sluggish" and "lethargic."
Employees allegedly called him an "old guy" and stated that his ideas were "obsolete" and "too old to matter" and that his knowledge was “ancient.”
They allegedly joked that his office placard should be in the shape of an "LP" (i.e. a vinyl record) rather than the customary (then current music format) "CD." For several years this inappropriate behavior progressed, the engineer alleged, and after a time, when his job was taken away, he left this company, but then sued for age discrimination.
While the case had not been settled at the time I read about it, the court issued a unanimous decision that could make it more difficult for California employers to win summary judgment in certain discrimination cases involving potentially discriminatory comments.
In fact, California courts must now evaluate such “stray” remarks together with all other admissible evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of discrimination for a case to proceed to a jury trial.
This decision reaffirms that employers must do more than simply maintain policies preventing discrimination and harassment. They must take steps, including training of supervisors and nonsupervisors alike, to ensure all employees are aware of such policies and the risk of liability posed by potentially discriminatory comments, in any context. In other words, they must learn to manage their company’s diversity.
This story leaves me wondering who raised these young employees to show such meanness and hostility toward an older, experienced co-worker? Did any professors ever discuss diversity at their schools? Or multiculturalism? Good manners? And what kind of managers and CEO led this company? Had they ever experienced any leadership education?
The failure to raise someone who tolerates people who are different, or who values the very skills and experiences others may have to offer, no matter how “different” they appear to be, has to land somewhere.
Someone failed these employees quite miserably, either their parents, teachers or employers. Perhaps all of the above tried and failed. I hope my new eBook, Cash In On Diversity, will help fill in gaps that are apparently missing for those who behave in this way and for others who tolerate or encourage this misbehavior, as well.
We are a diverse nation filled with people of many sizes, shapes, ages, religions and sexual preferences — people with missing limbs, stutters, mental challenges and so many other differences.
But too many of us still do not always recognize that all people are deserving of equal treatment. Or that even with “differences,” nearly all of us still have something to contribute, if allowed to participate. As the battles heat up at school and at work, and as the civil rights lawsuits keep piling up, isn’t it about time to change?
This eBook is an attempt to explain how our world is changing in the organizations where we work and spend much of our time each day — and will endeavor to describe where intolerance and hate come from, and why these attitudes and behaviors do not serve us well in the workplace. This book also shows many of the benefits we can achieve as individuals, and as organizations, when getting along with others, as we celebrate and appreciate our differences — as we embrace diversity.
People who care about getting along need to take a stand when intolerance is displayed. Leaders must help the people they manage with proper tools and guidance. This is the basic message presented, along with important explanations of themes, including cultural diversity, multiculturalism, cross-cultural communication and showing how all of us can become better human beings with this knowledge.
I hope that readers enjoy this information and put it to use, because we are living in a world that demands we change.
~ ~ ~
Ageism can be defined as "any attitude, action, or institutional structure which subordinates a person or group because of age or any assignment of roles in society purely on the basis of age" (Traxler, 1980). As an "ism", ageism reflects a prejudice in society against older adults.
* * * * *
~ ~ ~A wonderful comment follows this blog. I was not able to comment back, directly, but want to add this note --
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and excellent advice. I have a friend going through this now, and the supervisor's comments are a daily assault. Boy will she be surprised when she gets zapped with a lawsuit! Companies that don't learn how to treat older workers get sued -- and good employees simply leave. What a waste of resources, either way. Take care and thanks. Susan
Monday, June 27, 2011
Defining Diversity; It's Not Just About R E S P E C T
How many times have you heard a person say, "Well, I get along with everyone. We really are all alike, deep down." Or, "We don't need diversity training. We just need to learn to get along."
Wanted to share this great definition of diversity. I ran into it on a site supported by the University of Oregon --
Wanted to share this great definition of diversity. I ran into it on a site supported by the University of Oregon --
The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect.
It means understanding that each individual is unique,
and recognizing our individual differences.
These can be along
the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs,
political beliefs, or other ideologies.
It is the exploration
of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment.
It is about understanding each other and moving beyond
simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the
rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.
Reminds me of R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr.'s Platinum Standard of diversity. Here is a link to a fascinating video of Dr. Thomas talking about diversity
Have a great day. I am off to the accupuncturist... (I believe in diversity of health care.)
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Cash In On Diversity NEW eBook Price: 99 cents
Dear Subscribers and Readers of Diversity Briefings:
After thinking about it, I decided my new eBook, Cash In On Diversity, should only cost 99 cents. It's a new eBook trend that I am responding to -- keeping the cost way down so that nearly everyone who is interested has an opportunity to read this information. And, I really like this idea!
At the same time, I also lowered the price of Who Killed Emmett Till?, as well, to 99 cents.
Please send me your comments and I always appreciate your reviews -- good and bad.
Here is a link to today's news release on the Till book with this information:
Not Enough People Know About Emmett Till; New, Low Cost eBook Could Help Solve the Problem, Author Hopes
Susan
Cash In On Diversity
After thinking about it, I decided my new eBook, Cash In On Diversity, should only cost 99 cents. It's a new eBook trend that I am responding to -- keeping the cost way down so that nearly everyone who is interested has an opportunity to read this information. And, I really like this idea!
At the same time, I also lowered the price of Who Killed Emmett Till?, as well, to 99 cents.
Please send me your comments and I always appreciate your reviews -- good and bad.
Here is a link to today's news release on the Till book with this information:
Not Enough People Know About Emmett Till; New, Low Cost eBook Could Help Solve the Problem, Author Hopes
Susan
Cash In On Diversity
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Ohio Jailers Need Lesson in Diversity, Civil Rights; So Does Wolf Blitzer of CNN
Not too long ago, I watched reporter Wolf Blitzer of CNN shake his head and say "I didn't think things like this happened any more." He was reporting on a civil rights violation of an African American (I don't even remember what this particular event was about).
I do remember that I was so disgusted that someone who reports national news would think racist incidents like those that used to be reported during the modern civil rights movement simply don't happen today.
Really, Wolf? Look at the story I just read this morning out of Mansfield, Ohio, reported by WFMD.com -- a news report eminating not exactly from the Deep South:
I do remember that I was so disgusted that someone who reports national news would think racist incidents like those that used to be reported during the modern civil rights movement simply don't happen today.
Really, Wolf? Look at the story I just read this morning out of Mansfield, Ohio, reported by WFMD.com -- a news report eminating not exactly from the Deep South:
Just in case you are walking around with your head in the sand -- like the Wolf Blitzers of the world -- it does still happen.
What if this were your son?
The Mansfield Branch of the NAACP is responding to the outcome of an investigation by the Richland County Sherriff's Office into allegations of misconduct involving a juvenile that was in custody at the jail.
Three Richland County Corrections officers and one retired Corrections Officer were criminally charged Thursday. Sgt. Kristin Gillis, 41, corrections officers Rodney Gallaway, 47, and Michael Reef, 45, and former corrections officer George Isaman, 65, were charged with dereliction of duty of second-degree misdemeanor; interfering with civil rights, a first-degree misdemeanor; and endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Maj. Dale Fortney said the department will pursue separate administrative charges against Gillis, Gallaway and Reef and four other corrections officers involved in the incident.
The officers are accused of leaving 17-year-old, Kenneth Puckett, in a freezing garage on the second floor of the jail where he was shackled to a concrete pillar while fully restrained in a restraint chair. The garage doors were opened exposing Puckett to the extreme cold weather for more than two hours as he screamed in agony.
The Mansfield Branch of the NAACP issued the following news release in response to the outcome of the Kenneth Puckett investigation at the Richland County Jail:
The Mansfield Unit of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is dismayed at the outcome of the Kenneth Puckett case. No individual should be subject to the inhumane treatment this young man received while in the custody of the County jail. It is also our position that no employee paid for with public funds should ever be allowed to participate in such a deplorable act and continue to remain in public employment. The continued public employment of these individuals is inappropriate and the decision to charge these offenses as misdemeanors is indefensible.
The corrections officers involved in this incident were seven adults who were in a position of authority over a minor in their custody. To deliberately expose him to below freezing temperatures for hours while barefoot, wearing the jail uniform and restrained to a chair can be described as nothing short of criminal. Many, many individuals in this community have felony records for much less. The outcome of this case demonstrates a systemic inability to discern what does and does not constitute inhumane treatment and spotlights an outrageous abuse of power and authority. Furthermore, the willingness of the legal system to turn a blind eye to the severity of such abuses by public employees merits further action.
The NAACP recognizes that not all jail corrections officers and Sheriff’s office personnel condoned this reprehensible behavior. We are grateful that within that institution, there were individuals who witnessed these actions and reported them to the public rather than relying on an internal investigation to ensure a just resolution.
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, eradicating civil rights violations, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
Gillis, Gallaway, Reef and Isaman will make their first appearance in Mansfield Municipal Court on June 23 at 10 a.m.
Gillis, Gallaway, and Reef have been reassigned to jail posts and will have no contact with inmates until the issue is resolved. Isaman recently retired from the sheriff's office.
Friday, June 17, 2011
If you don’t think diversity is important, you are an idiot. | SmartData Collective
If you don’t think diversity is important, you are an idiot. | SmartData Collective ... Diverse environments get better results.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Lack of Diversity, Discrimination Can Cause Mental Health Issues, Study Notes
A story in today's Legal Industry News by KCJ News Service states that many minority workers 'feel discriminated against'
Employment law developments to promote diversity in the workplace may not be having the desired effect, as many people from minority backgrounds still feel they are being discriminated against, it has been claimed. According to a study by Business in the Community (BitC), the majority of individuals from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups believe they have been overlooked for promotion at least once.
Basically, the study found white British workers average almost four promotions during their careers, compared with 2.5 advancements for those of African, Indian or Pakistani descent, while many staff members from minorities feel they have a lack of support from their managers.
"The survey highlights evidence of racial discrimination, with African and Caribbean workers particularly feeling discriminated against," the BitC report stated, with one in four African workers and one in seven from the Caribbean saying they have been treated unfairly.
Recently, it was stated by the Mental Health Foundation that discrimination is also a problem for people who suffer from mental health issues.
Makes sense to me. We still aren't "there" when it comes to diversity. Just a few days ago, I posted a story about a major university in Missouri that refuses to ensure students receive diversity training. What are these professors afraid of?
Is it really a wonder that this can become a mental health issue for some people?
In my new eBook, Cashing In On Diversity, I tell a true story about a recent California Supreme Court decision involving an experienced engineer who went to work for a giant corporation (the kind of company that one would think comprehends and practices diversity).
This engineer knew that going into a high-tech job would mean working in a youthful company, with fewer older workers. But he didn’t expect mistreatment he received by younger workers, including his boss, who immediately started called him names like “fuddy-duddy” and “old man,” he alleged.
The engineer, who had worked successfully for years in major corporations, was suddenly being taunted with words, including "slow," "fuzzy," "sluggish" and "lethargic." Employees allegedly called him an "old guy" and stated that his ideas were "obsolete" and "too old to matter" and that his knowledge was “ancient.”
They allegedly joked that his office placard should be in the shape of an "LP" (i.e. a vinyl record) rather than the customary (then current music format) "CD." For several years this inappropriate behavior progressed, the engineer alleged, and after a time, when his job was taken away, he left this company, but then sued for age discrimination.
While the case had not been settled at the time I read about it, the court issued a unanimous decision that could make it more difficult for California employers to win summary judgment in certain discrimination cases involving potentially discriminatory comments.
In fact, California courts must now evaluate such “stray” remarks together with all other admissible evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of discrimination for a case to proceed to a jury trial.
This decision reaffirms that employers must do more than simply maintain policies preventing discrimination and harassment. They must take steps, including training of supervisors and non-supervisors alike, to ensure all employees are aware of such policies and the risk of liability posed by potentially discriminatory comments, in any context. In other words, they must learn to manage their company’s diversity.
This story left me wondering who raised these young employees to show such meanness and hostility toward an older, experienced co-worker? Did any professors ever discuss diversity at their schools? Or multiculturalism? Good manners? And what kind of managers and CEO led this company? Had they ever experienced any leadership education?
The failure to raise someone who tolerates people who are different, or who values the very skills and experiences others may have to offer, no matter how “different” they appear to be, has to land somewhere.
Someone failed these employees quite miserably, either their parents, teachers or employers. Perhaps all of the above tried and failed. I hope this book will help fill in gaps that are apparently missing for those who behave in this way and for others who tolerate or encourage this misbehavior, as well.
We are a diverse nation filled with people of many sizes, shapes, ages, religions and sexual preferences — people with missing limbs, stutters, mental challenges and so many other differences.
But too many of us still do not always recognize that all people are deserving of equal treatment. Or that even with “differences,” nearly all of us still have something to contribute, if allowed to participate. As the battles heat up at school and at work, and as the civil rights lawsuits keep piling up, isn’t it about time to change?
Employment law developments to promote diversity in the workplace may not be having the desired effect, as many people from minority backgrounds still feel they are being discriminated against, it has been claimed. According to a study by Business in the Community (BitC), the majority of individuals from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups believe they have been overlooked for promotion at least once.
Basically, the study found white British workers average almost four promotions during their careers, compared with 2.5 advancements for those of African, Indian or Pakistani descent, while many staff members from minorities feel they have a lack of support from their managers.
"The survey highlights evidence of racial discrimination, with African and Caribbean workers particularly feeling discriminated against," the BitC report stated, with one in four African workers and one in seven from the Caribbean saying they have been treated unfairly.
Recently, it was stated by the Mental Health Foundation that discrimination is also a problem for people who suffer from mental health issues.
Makes sense to me. We still aren't "there" when it comes to diversity. Just a few days ago, I posted a story about a major university in Missouri that refuses to ensure students receive diversity training. What are these professors afraid of?
Is it really a wonder that this can become a mental health issue for some people?
In my new eBook, Cashing In On Diversity, I tell a true story about a recent California Supreme Court decision involving an experienced engineer who went to work for a giant corporation (the kind of company that one would think comprehends and practices diversity).
This engineer knew that going into a high-tech job would mean working in a youthful company, with fewer older workers. But he didn’t expect mistreatment he received by younger workers, including his boss, who immediately started called him names like “fuddy-duddy” and “old man,” he alleged.
The engineer, who had worked successfully for years in major corporations, was suddenly being taunted with words, including "slow," "fuzzy," "sluggish" and "lethargic." Employees allegedly called him an "old guy" and stated that his ideas were "obsolete" and "too old to matter" and that his knowledge was “ancient.”
They allegedly joked that his office placard should be in the shape of an "LP" (i.e. a vinyl record) rather than the customary (then current music format) "CD." For several years this inappropriate behavior progressed, the engineer alleged, and after a time, when his job was taken away, he left this company, but then sued for age discrimination.
While the case had not been settled at the time I read about it, the court issued a unanimous decision that could make it more difficult for California employers to win summary judgment in certain discrimination cases involving potentially discriminatory comments.
In fact, California courts must now evaluate such “stray” remarks together with all other admissible evidence to determine whether there is sufficient evidence of discrimination for a case to proceed to a jury trial.
This decision reaffirms that employers must do more than simply maintain policies preventing discrimination and harassment. They must take steps, including training of supervisors and non-supervisors alike, to ensure all employees are aware of such policies and the risk of liability posed by potentially discriminatory comments, in any context. In other words, they must learn to manage their company’s diversity.
This story left me wondering who raised these young employees to show such meanness and hostility toward an older, experienced co-worker? Did any professors ever discuss diversity at their schools? Or multiculturalism? Good manners? And what kind of managers and CEO led this company? Had they ever experienced any leadership education?
The failure to raise someone who tolerates people who are different, or who values the very skills and experiences others may have to offer, no matter how “different” they appear to be, has to land somewhere.
Someone failed these employees quite miserably, either their parents, teachers or employers. Perhaps all of the above tried and failed. I hope this book will help fill in gaps that are apparently missing for those who behave in this way and for others who tolerate or encourage this misbehavior, as well.
We are a diverse nation filled with people of many sizes, shapes, ages, religions and sexual preferences — people with missing limbs, stutters, mental challenges and so many other differences.
But too many of us still do not always recognize that all people are deserving of equal treatment. Or that even with “differences,” nearly all of us still have something to contribute, if allowed to participate. As the battles heat up at school and at work, and as the civil rights lawsuits keep piling up, isn’t it about time to change?
Friday, June 10, 2011
One Major Midwestern University Can't Get It Together Enough to Teach Diversity
It is sad when the faculty of a major University doesn't "get it" -- that we live in a global world and diversity training is highly appropriate for their students.
If you asked any University of Missouri faculty to cite reasons for why they didn’t agree to require all students to take a diversity class, they could probably come up with a few. It is pretty obvious, however, that misinformation wasn’t one of them.
Some instructors have explained they simply don’t think a diversity requirement is necessary, according to Rubin, chairwoman of the MU Faculty Council, who told this to a Missouri reporter, after the requirement was voted down. Others thought it was a knee-jerk reaction to racially charged incidents on campus.
Some saw the proposal as too broad; others thought it was too narrow and violated academic freedom, reports Janese Silvey of the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Rubin told faculty council members there were “other reasons I’d rather not discuss in public," Silvey reports."And those reasons, [according to Rubin], highlight the need to require a diversity course."
In May, MU instructors were asked to approve a plan that would have required all students to take a diversity class as part of general education requirements. Existing courses already teaching diversity issues could have been deemed as “diversity-intensive” courses to meet the requirement — much like MU’s existing writing-intensive program.
But as Silvey reports, the proposal failed with 232 members voting against it and 210 voting for it.
"At the time, Rubin blamed the Faculty Council for not communicating the plan well enough to faculty at large."
Blaming misinformation hasn’t gone over well with those who voted, Nicole Monnier, a professor of Russian, told the Tribune reporter. "Faculty members don’t like being told they voted “no” by mistake," she said. “They voted ‘no’ for a reason.”
All was quiet before the election, with only a small number of faculty members publicly voicing concerns about the proposal. According to Silvey, this was probably because they didn’t feel comfortable speaking out against a diversity plan. Silvey repeorts she was told this on the side by some faculty members.
Before the election, there was "nothing but positive feedback," one faculty member said. But later, "they expressed fear about speaking against a diversity class."“It’s easy to vote in isolation,” that faculty member told Silvey.
Others said they felt Faculty Council proponents of the plan weren’t open to other ideas.
-----
Special Announcement: As a special bonus to readers of this blog, I am offering a special discount on my new eBook, Cashing In On Diversity when they purchase it through Smashwords --
Promotional price: $2.99
Coupon Code: HC29F
Expires: July 10, 2011
To purchase your copy now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63393 and use the Coupon Code, above, for your special discount.
Susan
-----
Will this diversity training proposal come back to faculty for a vote next school year? Already several council members have warned against "rushing to put it up for a vote too soon."
One engineering professor and incoming chairman of the council suggests faculty "better explain that students need to understand diversity before entering a global workforce," Silvey reports.
But an associate professor of agricultural economics, questioned what happens if faculty were to vote against a diversity course a second time. “Are we going to keep coming back?” he asked. “Are we hellbent on getting a diversity requirement at this university?
If you asked any University of Missouri faculty to cite reasons for why they didn’t agree to require all students to take a diversity class, they could probably come up with a few. It is pretty obvious, however, that misinformation wasn’t one of them.
Some instructors have explained they simply don’t think a diversity requirement is necessary, according to Rubin, chairwoman of the MU Faculty Council, who told this to a Missouri reporter, after the requirement was voted down. Others thought it was a knee-jerk reaction to racially charged incidents on campus.
Some saw the proposal as too broad; others thought it was too narrow and violated academic freedom, reports Janese Silvey of the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Rubin told faculty council members there were “other reasons I’d rather not discuss in public," Silvey reports."And those reasons, [according to Rubin], highlight the need to require a diversity course."
In May, MU instructors were asked to approve a plan that would have required all students to take a diversity class as part of general education requirements. Existing courses already teaching diversity issues could have been deemed as “diversity-intensive” courses to meet the requirement — much like MU’s existing writing-intensive program.
But as Silvey reports, the proposal failed with 232 members voting against it and 210 voting for it.
"At the time, Rubin blamed the Faculty Council for not communicating the plan well enough to faculty at large."
Blaming misinformation hasn’t gone over well with those who voted, Nicole Monnier, a professor of Russian, told the Tribune reporter. "Faculty members don’t like being told they voted “no” by mistake," she said. “They voted ‘no’ for a reason.”
All was quiet before the election, with only a small number of faculty members publicly voicing concerns about the proposal. According to Silvey, this was probably because they didn’t feel comfortable speaking out against a diversity plan. Silvey repeorts she was told this on the side by some faculty members.
Before the election, there was "nothing but positive feedback," one faculty member said. But later, "they expressed fear about speaking against a diversity class."“It’s easy to vote in isolation,” that faculty member told Silvey.
Others said they felt Faculty Council proponents of the plan weren’t open to other ideas.
-----
Special Announcement: As a special bonus to readers of this blog, I am offering a special discount on my new eBook, Cashing In On Diversity when they purchase it through Smashwords --
Promotional price: $2.99
Coupon Code: HC29F
Expires: July 10, 2011
To purchase your copy now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63393 and use the Coupon Code, above, for your special discount.
Susan
-----
Will this diversity training proposal come back to faculty for a vote next school year? Already several council members have warned against "rushing to put it up for a vote too soon."
One engineering professor and incoming chairman of the council suggests faculty "better explain that students need to understand diversity before entering a global workforce," Silvey reports.
But an associate professor of agricultural economics, questioned what happens if faculty were to vote against a diversity course a second time. “Are we going to keep coming back?” he asked. “Are we hellbent on getting a diversity requirement at this university?
Special Announcement: 25 percent discount on new diversity eBook for blog readers
Readers of this blog will receive a special discount on my new eBook, Cashing In On Diversity when they purchase it through Smashwords --
Promotional price: $2.99
Coupon Code: HC29F
Expires: July 10, 2011
To purchase your copy now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63393 and use the Coupon Code, above, for your special discount.
Susan
Promotional price: $2.99
Coupon Code: HC29F
Expires: July 10, 2011
To purchase your copy now, go to http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/63393 and use the Coupon Code, above, for your special discount.
Susan
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Good Intentions Aren't Good Enough -- When It Comes to Diversity Management
Former U.S. President George W. Bush hit one nail on the head when he said, “Good intentions aren’t good enough!” Bush’s quote should be considered today by those organizations that strive for racially and ethnically diverse workplaces, but don’t necessarily meet their diversity goals.
As popular the topic, and with so much being written about valuing diversity and its management these days, many companies might recognize the value that diverse employees can bring, but as it turns out, few successfully exemplify those values.
In a recent study conducted by Commongood Careers and the Level Playing Field Institute, researchers found when it comes to promoting staff diversity there was little connection between intentions and actions of nonprofit organizations.
(Other studies show that private companies are having the same problem implementing diversity, as well. For instance, major European organizations display little diversity in the ranks of their top management according to an analysis by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of 40 randomly selected companies from the Euro Stoxx 50 index; on average, 93 percent of the executive directors were male; 86 percent were native Europeans; and 49 percent were between the ages of 51 and 60 years old. By contrast, the market demands on these same companies are far less homogeneous: the purchasing power of women is steadily increasing; the companies generate, on average, approximately 40 percent of their revenues outside of Europe; and their customers are growing older. "Diversity must be seen as a strategic response to major business trends such as globalization, demographic shifts, and the talent shortage," explained Dr. Rainer Strack, senior partner at BCG, HR expert, and an author of the report.)
Meanwhile, in the Commongood study, of the 1,638 nonprofit professionals surveyed, 90 percent of employees said they believe their organization values diversity, but 70 percent of respondents also said their employer does not do enough to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. Commongood Careers focused on diversity as it pertains to race and ethnicity.
James Weinberg, Commongood’s founder, says the extent to which an organization embodies diversity not only affects its ability to remain competitive but it also plays a role in fulfilling its founding mission.
“In the nonprofit sector, most organizations are in the business of helping people,” says Weinberg. “You run into a particular set of challenges when you run an organization that is not representative of the community you’re serving, and that opens you up to being disconnected to the nature and challenges of those in the community.”
According to the survey results, 64 percent of the respondents who reported that they left an organization because they experienced a lack of diversity or inclusiveness were people of color. Additionally, the cost to organizations to recruit and fill a vacancy can range from 30 to 150 percent of an employee’s salary – a much bigger loss for the big picture, the report indicates.
“In our experience working with the organizations who prioritize diversity and have a fundamental understanding of the full benefits of diversity and the costs that they incur if they don’t, is what separates a successful organization from those that aren’t,” Weinberg says. “This is a mission critical core value that is vital to organizations and it’s that perception shift that we really need to encourage in the sector.”
Commongood gives several suggestions for how to build diverse and inclusive workplaces in the nonprofit sector.
--Have open conversations that lead to clarity, consensus, and commitment.Talking about race can be difficult, and yet a productive exchange of ideas and openness can take place when there is a thoughtful process involved. To get a conversation going, leaders can form a staff committee with the assignment to organize trainings, structure settings for staff conversations, and report on results.
--Communicate effectively about diversity commitments. Create and share an organizational diversity statement and plan that clearly tells how the organization defines diversity, what its goals are related to diversity, and what strategies it uses to meet those goals.
--Develop partnerships and networks that enable effective recruiting. Target community organizations that represent diversity, such as professional associations, educational institutions, alumni networks, cultural societies, etc. in order to expand the possibility of locating a more diverse candidate pool.
--Ensure hiring processes that are equitable and inclusive. Take steps to ensure that unintentional bias doesn’t affect hiring processes, and to conduct an audit around hiring-related policies for subtle cues that could be interpreted as biased, unfair, insensitive, or offensive. Weinberg suggests involving diverse individuals in the design and implementation of the hiring process. The organization should also make sure that it is clear on its messaging about diversity throughout the interview process.
--Embrace, develop, advance, and retain employees. Simply succeeding in hiring diverse employees is not enough to maintain a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To keep new people, organizations must focus on activities that promote diversity. Consider a well-designed mentoring or coaching program for new employees. There are many other ways for organizations to demonstrate a commitment to diversity throughout all the ranks, while making sure that diverse employees have opportunities to advance to senior leadership positions.
Susan
I look forward to your comments and reviews on my newest eBook, Cashing In On Diversity.
As popular the topic, and with so much being written about valuing diversity and its management these days, many companies might recognize the value that diverse employees can bring, but as it turns out, few successfully exemplify those values.
In a recent study conducted by Commongood Careers and the Level Playing Field Institute, researchers found when it comes to promoting staff diversity there was little connection between intentions and actions of nonprofit organizations.
(Other studies show that private companies are having the same problem implementing diversity, as well. For instance, major European organizations display little diversity in the ranks of their top management according to an analysis by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) of 40 randomly selected companies from the Euro Stoxx 50 index; on average, 93 percent of the executive directors were male; 86 percent were native Europeans; and 49 percent were between the ages of 51 and 60 years old. By contrast, the market demands on these same companies are far less homogeneous: the purchasing power of women is steadily increasing; the companies generate, on average, approximately 40 percent of their revenues outside of Europe; and their customers are growing older. "Diversity must be seen as a strategic response to major business trends such as globalization, demographic shifts, and the talent shortage," explained Dr. Rainer Strack, senior partner at BCG, HR expert, and an author of the report.)
Meanwhile, in the Commongood study, of the 1,638 nonprofit professionals surveyed, 90 percent of employees said they believe their organization values diversity, but 70 percent of respondents also said their employer does not do enough to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. Commongood Careers focused on diversity as it pertains to race and ethnicity.
James Weinberg, Commongood’s founder, says the extent to which an organization embodies diversity not only affects its ability to remain competitive but it also plays a role in fulfilling its founding mission.
“In the nonprofit sector, most organizations are in the business of helping people,” says Weinberg. “You run into a particular set of challenges when you run an organization that is not representative of the community you’re serving, and that opens you up to being disconnected to the nature and challenges of those in the community.”
According to the survey results, 64 percent of the respondents who reported that they left an organization because they experienced a lack of diversity or inclusiveness were people of color. Additionally, the cost to organizations to recruit and fill a vacancy can range from 30 to 150 percent of an employee’s salary – a much bigger loss for the big picture, the report indicates.
“In our experience working with the organizations who prioritize diversity and have a fundamental understanding of the full benefits of diversity and the costs that they incur if they don’t, is what separates a successful organization from those that aren’t,” Weinberg says. “This is a mission critical core value that is vital to organizations and it’s that perception shift that we really need to encourage in the sector.”
Commongood gives several suggestions for how to build diverse and inclusive workplaces in the nonprofit sector.
--Have open conversations that lead to clarity, consensus, and commitment.Talking about race can be difficult, and yet a productive exchange of ideas and openness can take place when there is a thoughtful process involved. To get a conversation going, leaders can form a staff committee with the assignment to organize trainings, structure settings for staff conversations, and report on results.
--Communicate effectively about diversity commitments. Create and share an organizational diversity statement and plan that clearly tells how the organization defines diversity, what its goals are related to diversity, and what strategies it uses to meet those goals.
--Develop partnerships and networks that enable effective recruiting. Target community organizations that represent diversity, such as professional associations, educational institutions, alumni networks, cultural societies, etc. in order to expand the possibility of locating a more diverse candidate pool.
--Ensure hiring processes that are equitable and inclusive. Take steps to ensure that unintentional bias doesn’t affect hiring processes, and to conduct an audit around hiring-related policies for subtle cues that could be interpreted as biased, unfair, insensitive, or offensive. Weinberg suggests involving diverse individuals in the design and implementation of the hiring process. The organization should also make sure that it is clear on its messaging about diversity throughout the interview process.
--Embrace, develop, advance, and retain employees. Simply succeeding in hiring diverse employees is not enough to maintain a commitment to diversity and inclusion. To keep new people, organizations must focus on activities that promote diversity. Consider a well-designed mentoring or coaching program for new employees. There are many other ways for organizations to demonstrate a commitment to diversity throughout all the ranks, while making sure that diverse employees have opportunities to advance to senior leadership positions.
Susan
I look forward to your comments and reviews on my newest eBook, Cashing In On Diversity.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Why in the world would a business owner put up a 'right to refuse service' sign?? No diversity here!
Any retailer that posts a sign announcing they “reserve the right to do business with anyone for any reason," needs to at least recognize that's a pretty dumb way to attract new customers --
I really can't believe I still see these signs, but I do. What is going through the head of any business owner that appears to say, "hey, if I don’t like the color of your skin, or how you look or act, I can tell you to leave my store and I don’t have to even be rational or even follow the law.”
I moved to New Mexico in January and am really surprised that in a state with such a diversity of population, business ‘refusal’ signs are still common in many communities.
For many people – whether or not they fit into a ‘minority’ classification, such a statement harkens back to the days when non-white people were actively discriminated against by racist retailers. So, why would any business owner in their proper mind – someone who wants to make money by serving as many people as possible -- post a potentially offensive sign in their store in this day and age?
Well, here is a quick sociology lesson for anyone who would defend this practice: almost half, nearly 40 percent, of the U.S. population doesn’t fit the white family stereotype that made marketing in the 60s so easy – the image of June Cleaver and her popular family.
Guess what! Leave it to Beaver days are over! The changing cultural landscape of the country is exciting and offers so much opportunity. This requires all of us in business to think about the best way to start an engaging conversation.
An offensive sign that brings back memories of our country’s worst behaviors, the days of water hoses and black children being hosed down, simply is not a way to start a good conversation with any customer.
I DO still remembers those horrible images from the 1950s when watching television with my parents, and I often ask store owners to explain their signs when I see these discriminatory signs in their stores.
It can be an interesting encounter. Sometimes, the store owner is quite defensive, even when I quietly explain how I feel about their sign and why. But I do think they get the message, and I ask others to ‘run’ the same ‘social experiment’.
This type of bigotry, whether or not it is purposefully intended, really harms all of business and can be so hurtful.
One has to wonder. Who is the store owner targeting? Would they kick out a gay couple holding hands? Do they want poor people to stay away? Are they directly targeting Native Americans? Often, the store owner can’t even answer these questions, probably because they haven’t given their sign enough thought in the first place. Yet, I am sure they want to have a successful business and make money from lots of customers.
My new eBook, Cash In On Diversity,is published by Smashwords (distributor of eBooks to the Apple iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, Sony Reader Store, Kobo and the Diesel eBook Store) and I've tried to blend practical experience with academic findings and provide do-able solutions for companies that are trying to grow their customer base, capturing a better representation of ethnicity and cultures.
The 12 chapter eBook features a diversity and psychology FAQ contributed by a social and clinical psychologist, a discussion of five common diversity mistakes companies make, specific tips for communicating with non-native speakers, an 11-point organizational diversity analysis, the script from Klopfer’s popular diversity webinar, followed by a complete glossary of critical diversity terms (from Abrahamic religions to xenophobia).
So take a look -- follow the link -- and you can download 20 percent for free!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Serving the Underserved - Bringing Diversity to Your Customer Base
How would you like your business to profit from “doing good”?
It takes “starting small,” according to Ron Ashkenas, writing for The Harvard Business Review.
In the past two decades, many corporations have made strides in shedding their reputations as polluters, exploiters, and gluttons, Ashkenas states. But there is still a long way to go until doing good is an accepted norm for successful businesses. How can you help your company get there? Ashkenas advises trying these first steps to diversify your customer base:
“Ask people to think about the bottom of the pyramid. There are billions of underserved, poor consumers in the world. Encourage your people to learn more about these populations and think about ways your company can serve them.
“Educate your team. Send out articles and websites, invite speakers, and get the discussion going about how your company can contribute to and profit from social change.
“Do a sustainability audit. This one doesn't have to be company-wide. Focus on how your unit can reduce waste and increase sustainability. Can you cut back on your use of supplies or make travel more efficient?”
Read more on "To Profit from Doing Good, Start Small" by Ashkenas here --.
http://bit.ly/eGgkYA
----
I am taking this advice to heart as I build a Mary Kay business. How can I involve a diversity of customers and potential sales team members? Askenas advice is a good place to start.
It takes “starting small,” according to Ron Ashkenas, writing for The Harvard Business Review.
In the past two decades, many corporations have made strides in shedding their reputations as polluters, exploiters, and gluttons, Ashkenas states. But there is still a long way to go until doing good is an accepted norm for successful businesses. How can you help your company get there? Ashkenas advises trying these first steps to diversify your customer base:
“Ask people to think about the bottom of the pyramid. There are billions of underserved, poor consumers in the world. Encourage your people to learn more about these populations and think about ways your company can serve them.
“Educate your team. Send out articles and websites, invite speakers, and get the discussion going about how your company can contribute to and profit from social change.
“Do a sustainability audit. This one doesn't have to be company-wide. Focus on how your unit can reduce waste and increase sustainability. Can you cut back on your use of supplies or make travel more efficient?”
Read more on "To Profit from Doing Good, Start Small" by Ashkenas here --.
http://bit.ly/eGgkYA
----
I am taking this advice to heart as I build a Mary Kay business. How can I involve a diversity of customers and potential sales team members? Askenas advice is a good place to start.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Come join me in this new venture with Mary Kay Inc.
Hello,
I am so excited to invite you along on my business venture as a new independent Beauty Consultant selling Mary Kay, Inc. cosmetics. When I first decided to do this as an extra source of income, I also knew it would be even better if you join with me as I begin this journey.
After doing my own investigation, I learned that Mary Kay, Inc. promotes positivity, integrity and most of all, DIVERSITY, in their catalogs. On my soon to appear website, you will be able to find products for every skin type and complexion. Also, you will find fragrances and great gift ideas. I am very proud to report that Mary Kay, Inc. does not test on animals and proudly signed the PETA pledge.
You will soon be able to help me as I begin this journey. Here are 5 simple ways:
1. I'll let you know when my website is up and running. You can go there and register to receive emails about new products and spread offers and create your own signature look.
2. Ask me to share the Mary Kay opportunity with you.
3. Ask me about the benefits you can receive when you schedule a skin care class, collection preview or host your own web show.
4. Ask me how you can become a preferred customer.
5. Forward this blogpost to your friends and family. Word of mouth is very helpful.
So -- I am really looking forward to sharing my journey with you. Please be a part of it! Yes, it will be hard, but setting goals will pay off. It always does.
I have more to share with you --
Susan Klopfer
After doing my own investigation, I learned that Mary Kay, Inc. promotes positivity, integrity and most of all, DIVERSITY, in their catalogs. On my soon to appear website, you will be able to find products for every skin type and complexion. Also, you will find fragrances and great gift ideas. I am very proud to report that Mary Kay, Inc. does not test on animals and proudly signed the PETA pledge.
You will soon be able to help me as I begin this journey. Here are 5 simple ways:
1. I'll let you know when my website is up and running. You can go there and register to receive emails about new products and spread offers and create your own signature look.
2. Ask me to share the Mary Kay opportunity with you.
3. Ask me about the benefits you can receive when you schedule a skin care class, collection preview or host your own web show.
4. Ask me how you can become a preferred customer.
5. Forward this blogpost to your friends and family. Word of mouth is very helpful.
So -- I am really looking forward to sharing my journey with you. Please be a part of it! Yes, it will be hard, but setting goals will pay off. It always does.
I have more to share with you --
Susan Klopfer
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