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.
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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
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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?
Showing posts with label diversity education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diversity education. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter, Nov. 18, 2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/18/2010
Volume 1, Issue 21. Published Each Monday - Friday
Today's issue is really brief. My apologies. We will be back in full force tomorrow.
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
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Justice Department Announces Settlement of Litigation with AMC Entertainment Inc.
The Justice Departent today announced a settlement agreement with AMC Entertainment Incl to resolve a lawsuit filed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The suit challenged, among other things, the design of stadium-style movie theaters that fail to provide persons who use wheelchairs with comparable lines of sight to those of other moviegoers. AMC is the second largest movie theater chain in the country with about 5,300 screens. “Going to the movies is an archetypal American leisure activity,” said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for civil rights. “We are pleased that AMC is taking steps to provide persons who use wheelchairs with access to the enhanced viewing experience of stadium-style theaters.”
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/November/10-crt-1319.html
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Suit says ethnic stereotypes in nursing textbook
(Reuters) - Do many African Americans tend to be high-keyed, animated, confrontational and interpersonal? Are men of Japanese heritage presumed incapable of managing their day-to-day affairs? Are Cubans particularly sexually attracted to the overweight? A former nursing professor at the University of Central Florida says she was fired in 2008 after refusing to use a textbook, "Guide to Culturally Competent Health Care" by Larry Purnell and Betty Paulanka, containing descriptions like these.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6AH4OO20101118
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Senator pushes for vote on gender discrimination treaty
From Robert Koeni, St. Louis Beacon, Washington correspondent: When Linda Tarr-Whelan was President Jimmy Carter's White House assistant for women's issues in 1980, she and her 12-year-old daughter were thrilled when he signed an international pact called the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (called CEDAW). This year, that daughter celebrated her 42nd birthday, and Tarr-Whelan's 12-year-old granddaughter was assigned to write a school paper about why the U.S. Senate had never ratified the treaty, which affirms principles of human rights and equality for women -- even though 186 of 193 countries have done so.
http://www.stlbeacon.org/issues-politics/280-washington/106408-durbin-pushes-for-vote-on-gender-discrimination-treaty
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Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
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Keywords: cultural diversity, manage and value diversity, diversity training, diversity education, workplace violence, workplace, employment, diversity, disability, inclusion, ethnic, racial, gender, multiculturalism, immigration, lgbt, racism, discrimination, new civil rights movement, civil rights, feminist, latinos, Native Americans, hostile workplace, harassment
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Monday, November 15, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter, Nov. 15, 2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/15/2010
Volume 1, Issue 18. Published Each Monday - Friday
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Shirley Sherrod, Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., Distinguished Dialogue Event - American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc. Reports on Cross-Generational Engagement in the Workplace - Group Alleges Discrimination Against Blind - Hate-crime Law Called Ineffective - Culture of Bullying: Loss of Civility at School, Work, Politics - Ernst & Young Leader Says Global Diversity Drives Revenue - Brief History of Multicultural Education - Too Sensual For Promotion? - Even When Minorities Are At Their ‘Best,’ Another Set Of Rules Applies + Today's Diversity Management Briefing
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Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. ----- ----- ----- -----
I hope you are enjoying each issue of this newsletter. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new diversity glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take Care and Good Reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. Free gift offer inside today's issue! Remember, You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
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Shirley Sherrod and Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr., Distinguished Dialogue Event
The American Institute for Managing Diversity Hosts an Evening Reception with Shirley Sherrod and Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. on December 8, 2010. Emory University Law School,Tull Auditorium.
--Dr. Thomas writes: “During the 25 plus years I have been active in the diversity arena, many have asked, “How can we achieve a society with communities and organizations that move beyond race?” Shirley Sherrod’s story provides a case study of how one person got over her racial animosities and developed a capability to serve non-discriminately with respect to race. Yet, as her story has unfolded, relatively little attention has been paid to her reconciliation process.” Registration information at
http://www.aimd.org/index.php
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American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc. Reports on Cross-Generational Engagement in the Workplace
The demographics of organizations continue to change over the years due to the entrance of younger workers and delayed retirement of older workers. As a result, organizations must effectively manage the existence of four different generational groups with divergent work ethics, values, expectations and behaviors. AIMD has culled through an array of research and diversity literature to produce two user friendly reports on approaches and practices that help foster effective cross-generational engagement.
http://www.aimd.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=85
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Group Alleges Discrimination Against Blind
DUQ News reports: The National Federation of the Blind has filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education claiming that Penn State University discriminates against blind students and faculty. The advocacy group alleges that various university computer and technology based services and websites are inaccessible to the blind. The organization says there are text-to-speech programs and other tools to make the services accessible but Penn State has not used them.
http://wduqnews.blogspot.com/2010/11/group-alleges-discrimination-against.html
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Revised hate-crime law criticized as ineffective
Chron National reports: WASHINGTON — No one has been brought to trial or convicted under an amended federal hate crimes law in the year since it was expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity.The Department of Justice reports there are about 76 such cases pending across the country, a category that includes anything from an investigation to an indictment. Some gay and civil rights groups say the law has proved ineffective.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/7293936.html
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Culture of Bullying: Loss of Civility at School, Work, Politics
DiversityInc reports: "In today's America, incivility is on prominent display: in the schools, where bullying is pervasive; in the workplace, where an increasing number are more stressed out by coworkers than their jobs; on the roads, where road rage maims and kills; in politics, where strident intolerance takes the place of earnest dialogue; and on the web, where many check their inhibitions at the digital door," says Pier M. Forni, author of "The Civility Solution: What to Do When People are Rude" and director of The Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
http://diversityinc.com/article/8105/The-Culture-of-Bullying-Loss-of-Civility-at-School-Work-Politics/
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Ernst & Young Leader Says Global Diversity Drives Revenue
“Cultures will change, but this can't be an exporting of an American culture, a British culture, or a French culture to anywhere else. This has to be an evolution of a culture on its own. I always say to our people around the world that if we are leading that cultural change within each geography, then we're doing the right thing. If we try to be too far out ahead of it, that's not going to work.” From an interview with Jim Turley, chairman and CEO of Ernst &Young, reported by DiversityInc.
http://diversityinc.com/article/8092/CEO-Chat-EYs-Leader-Tells-How-Global-Diversity-Drives-Revenue/
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A Brief History of Multicultural Education
Paul C. Gorski, Hamline University and EdChange writes: “As conceptualizations of multicultural education evolve and diversify, it is important to revisit its historical foundation -- the roots from which it sprang. What did the earliest forms of multicultural education look like and what social conditions gave rise to them? What educational traditions and philosophies provided the framework for the development of multicultural education? How has multicultural education changed since its earliest conceptualization? The answers to these questions provide an important contextual grounding for understanding the various models of multicultural education evolving today.”
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/edchange_history.html
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“Too Sensual For Promotion?” Fired Employee Claims Harassment, Sues
Former Devereux Foundation employee, Amy-Erin Blakely, is alleging she was fired because she complained she was being harassed when she reportedly was told she was "too sensual" for promotion. Blakely is now suing the company, saying that for the six years she worked there she felt harassed and humiliated. She also said she was reprimanded for filing an initial complaint after she was told that male colleagues were distracted in meetings because of her "large breasts." She said that it was when she complained for a second time that she was fired. Devereux Foundation says the lawsuit is "purposefully inflammatory," and does not "represent the truth about our organization." Read more:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/12/too-sensual-for-promotion-amy-erin-blakely-sues-employer-for-harassment/#ixzz15N4FaMZT
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Even When Minorities Are At Their ‘Best,’ Another Set Of Rules Applies
The idea of Black Faces in White Places isn't just a numbers game. It is "about pursuing greatness in ways that leverage your culture and ethnicity as assets, not as liabilities," the authors say. The conventional wisdom passed down that blacks must work twice as hard as their white counterparts isn't completely off the mark, they say. But these strategies aren't enough. Among the strategies they map out is No. 3: Demonstrate excellence. “This may sound obvious, but the challenge is that American society tells us that we will be rewarded for being our best, but sometimes when we are the best, another set of rules based on nepotism, cronyism, or some arbitrary criteria seems to apply. And the way it plays out can be subtle,” says business scholar Jeffrey Robinson.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/jobcenter/workplace/kay/2010-11-15-black-faces-in-white-places_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
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Managing Diversity: Success With Diversity, Globalization Means Cutting Through Communication Noise
"You're kidding me. I can't graduate unless I take a speech class? But my major is engineering." Sue isn't happy after learning about this added requirement. "It is going to cost me time and money - something I am almost out of since you keep increasing my class requirements and my tuition keeps going up," she complains to her academic advisor.
--"Is this speech class really necessary?" Like Sue, many students are not happy about taking a speech class, especially if they in an "unrelated" field. Besides time and money, fear can be another factor. (Who among us can say they were not scared stiff to give their first public speech?)
--Yet, with increased globalization and diversity, the need to learn as much as possible about communication and cross-cultural communication before taking a first job, and throughout one's professional career, is becoming more and more apparent.
--If Sue's academic counselor is at all communication savvy, she will point out three immediate reasons why a speech class is required for all students: first, communication is critical for functioning in society. Second, oral tradition is a keystone to the democratic process, and third, globalization and expanding information technologies making our world smaller, putting us in contact more and more with people who communicate differently than the members of the dominant U.S. culture. As these three reasons expand due to global economic change, there becomes even more need for people to be better communicators.
http://diversitythoughts.blogspot.com/p/muting-noise-in-cultural-and-cross.html
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Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
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Keywords: cultural diversity, manage and value diversity, diversity training, diversity education, workplace violence, workplace, employment, diversity, disability, inclusion, ethnic, racial, gender, multiculturalism, immigration, lgbt, racism, discrimination, new civil rights movement, civil rights, feminist, latinos, Native Americans, hostile workplace, harassment
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Friday, November 12, 2010
Diversity Briefings Newsletter: Nov. 12, 2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/12/2010
Volume 1, Issue 17. Published Each Monday - Friday
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Latin American Leaders at G-20 Call For Responsibility From Rich Countries - Court Nixes Bedtime Story For Female Employee - US Airways Promises To Improve Diversity Activities - Ethnic Tensions Cost Banker Her Job, She Claims - Bad Economy Doesn’t Mean Harassment, Discrimination Okay - Millennials Have Little Patience For Bureaucracy; Want To Change The World - Experts: Not Enough Done In Schools About Anti-gay Bullying - DOMA Lawsuits Filed By Gay Civil Rights Groups - Chilean Government Supports Muslim School Girl Use Of ‘Hijab’- Lawmakers Divided Over Whether NBC-Comcast Merger Would Aid Diversity - Uneven Gains For Diversity + Today's Diversity Management Briefing
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Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. I hope you are enjoying each issue of this newsletter. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new diversity glossary, upper left on this blog site. Take Care and Good Reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. Free gift offer inside today's issue! Remember, You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here
Enter your email address:
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----- ----- ----- -----
Latin American Leaders at G-20 Call For Responsibility From Rich Countries
From MercoPress: Leaders from Brazil, Mexico and Argentina in the framework of the G-20 summit in Korea called on rich countries for a commitment to end the “currencies war” and ensure balanced growth out of the current crisis. “Developed countries must increase their domestic demand, in contrast with US policy which is geared to promote domestic demand in developing countries”, said Lula da Silva in Seoul warning that if rich countries don’t increase consumption instead of promoting exports, “we’re heading for a major global collapse”.
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/11/11/latin-american-leaders-at-g-20-call-for-responsibility-from-rich-countries?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily
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Court Nixes Bedtime Story For Female Employee
From The HR Café Daily Post: A supervisor who lay down on a female subordinate’s hotel bed, unbuttoned his shirt and demanded a “bedtime story” has cost his employer more than $500,000. A federal appeals court upheld a jury award of $250,000 in damages for the woman, and granted her lawyers more than $300,000 in fees. The employee’s lawsuit claimed she was sexually harassed… and fired for complaining. The supervisor admitted at trial that he knew of the dangers of harassment. “I should have been much more careful,” he said. Cite: Manzo v. Sovereign Motor Cars.(Stupid Manager Tricks, Sexual Harassment Edition)
http://rapidlearninginstitute.com/hrcafe/stupid-manager-tricks-sexual-harassment-edition/?utm_source=The+HR+Cafe+Blog&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=504a548f73-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_HRCAFE
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US Airways Promises To Improve Diversity Activities
Diversity News reports: US Airways has pledged to strengthen its diversity initiatives in the workplace after being accused of discriminating against African Americans in a suit brought on by the NAACP. The suit was voluntarily dismissed by the NAACP last Friday after a settlement was reached.
http://diversityjobs.com/news/naccp-dismisses-discrimination-suit-against-us-airways/
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Ethnic Tensions Cost Banker Her Job, She Claims
From New York Daily News: A Trinidadian banker who worked for a Guyanese boss is suing JPMorgan Chase, saying she was fired because of ethnic tensions. Shivana Persad, 26, says she was treated like a second-class citizen at Chase Manhattan's South Richmond Hill, Queens, branch.
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/11/12/2010-11-12_trinidadian_claims_bias_in_suit_vs_bank.html#ixzz1565JQA5v
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Bad Economy Doesn’t Mean Harassment, Discrimination Okay
From The Memphis Business Journal: A challenging economic environment does not alter an employer’s legal obligations to create a workplace free of harassment or other discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is as active at the present time in pursuing harassment charges as it was prior to the economic downturn.
http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/print-edition/2010/11/12/economy-does-not-alter-need-for.html
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Millennials Have Little Patience For Bureaucracy; Want To Change The World
From BNET: “Millennials” have ADD and high expectations. When it comes to their jobs, those born in the 90s seem to want to be able to move incredibly quickly and have little patience for bureaucracy. It’s natural for Millennails to want their ideas heard and evaluated fairly; most want to change the world. That’s quite a lot to ask any manager or business owner to keep up them, but isn’t a lot of what they’re saying ultimately fairly sound and logical? What about empowering everyone in your company equally?
http://www.bnet.com/blog/virtual-manager/want-to-feel-old-in-a-hurry-try-managing-millennials/854?tag=drawer-container;load-section-river
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Experts: Not Enough Done In Schools About Anti-gay Bullying
From Hometown News: A recent spate of suicides by gay teens has brought to light that a lack of information and support for gay students in their schools can be a contributing factor in tragic results. Experts say schools must do more - in their bullying policies, sex education curricula and teacher training - to help the growing number of gay teens who are coming out at earlier ages.
--"Growing up as a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) student is hard enough when it comes to getting your family and your friends to accept you, and then you walk into a classroom and you feel even more isolated if the school is not doing enough to make sure that you have a safe and affirming environment," said Daniel Presgraves, spokesman for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. "Schools have an obligation to make sure that all students, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, have an opportunity to learn."
http://www.myhometownnews.net/index.php?id=74920
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DOMA Lawsuits Filed By Gay Civil Rights Groups
From Insurance Making: Gay civil rights groups trying to build momentum for a possible Supreme Court showdown filed two lawsuits Tuesday that seek to strike down portions of a 1996 law that denies married same-sex couples federal benefits.The lawsuits were filed in federal courts in Connecticut and New York and come just months after a federal judge in Boston struck down a key component of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
http://www.insurancemaking.com/politics/41644-doma-lawsuits-filed-gay-civil-rights-groups.html
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Chilean Government Supports Muslim School Girl Use Of ‘Hijab’
From MercoPress: Yasmin Elsayed, a 9-year old girl who was prohibited from wearing a hijab (an Islamic head scarf) at the W. A. Mozart School in the La Reina borough of Chile’s capital Santiago, was allowed to register again for the 2011 school year this week. The school claimed the hijab was not part of the official school uniform. Yasmin’s parents complained that school officials had said their daughter would not be able to enrol for the following school year if she continued to wear the head scarf.
http://en.mercopress.com/2010/11/11/chilean-government-supports-muslim-school-girl-use-of-hijab?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily
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Lawmakers Divided Over Whether NBC-Comcast Merger Would Aid Diversity
From The Hill: Lawmakers are increasingly divided on whether Comcast's proposed acquisition of NBC Universal would help or harm the amount of diversity in the media. The proposed merger has drawn scrutiny from competing media companies and advocacy groups who fear the deal would concentrate too much control over media ownership and distribution in the hands of one firm. Lawmakers, especially those representing districts with significant minority populations, have increasingly found themselves choosing sides in the debate.
http://thehill.com/blogs/hillicon-valley/technology/126051-nbc-comcast-merger-divides-lawmakers-on-diversity-
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Uneven Gains For Diversity
From The New York Times: Last month’s game between Virginia and Eastern Michigan marked a milestone for diversity at college football’s highest level as the first such matchup in which both coaches and athletic directors were African-Americans. A study released Thursday found uneven progress toward more moments like it in the future.The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida reported large gains in the number of minority head coaches at college football’s highest level, but less movement in other leadership positions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/12/sports/12sportsbriefs-diversity.html
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Today's Diversity Management Briefing: Diversity Your Business and Watch It Grow
--My husband and I were having a quick breakfast in an unfamiliar restaurant, waiting for the doors to open at a nearby museum. As I sipped my coffee, I began to realize why I wasn't comfortable. It wasn't just because we were having Sunday breakfast away from home. Very quickly, I had realized every person serving us, from the greeter to wait staff, was young and white. I peeked into the kitchen and confirmed what I was guessing - the invisible people working behind the scenes, performing the lower paying jobs, were Latino, African American and of varying ages. Will this restaurant get my return business? Probably not.
--While Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender and national origin, it seems that a number of companies still don't get it when it comes to discriminatory advertising or other issues like denying an employee the right to use the Family Medical Leave Act or allowing sexual harassment in the workplace.
--Employees understand. In a recent three year period, related employment discrimination lawsuits increased by 77 percent.
Susan's article continues --
http://ezinearticles.com/?Diversify-Your-Business-and-Watch-it-Grow&id=4728152
_____ _____ _____ _____
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
/////
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Keywords: cultural diversity, manage and value diversity, diversity training, diversity education, workplace violence, workplace, employment, diversity, disability, inclusion, ethnic, racial, gender, multiculturalism, immigration
## End ##
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Diversity Briefings: 11/04/10
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/04/2010
Volume 1, Issue 11
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Welcome back to Diversity Briefings. I hope you are enjoying these diversity stories and links. Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new glossary, top left. Take care and Good reading!
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
P.S. Look for a free gift offer inside today's issue!
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Today’s New Diversity Topics: New UK diversity school, Air Force Academy assigns diversity role, Why feminism must transform, Editor says books need more diversity, NLRB defends facebook post, How controlling "the seeds" reduces poverty, Keeping others from driving you mad, Diversity leadership tips
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British Workplace diversity group wins right to start School
A UK BUSINESS organisation specializing in bringing diversity to the region's workforces has been given approval to set up a new "free school". Continued --
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/schools/Workplace-diversity-group-wins-right.6610653.jp
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Air Force Academy (AFA) Faces Diversity Issues; Brings in Expert
The U.S. Air Force Academy's new diversity officer is ready to set up shop. Adis Anative of Cuba who speaks four languages fills the first academy post dedicated to promoting diversity.Vila has a law degree and arrives later this month. Continued --
http://www.csindy.com/colorado/hot-button-issues/Content?oid=1900809
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Union College Presents Presidential Forum on Diversity
Daughter of author Alice Walker preaches "Third Wave" feminism -- author, journalist, and feminist Rebecca Walker explains "Why Feminism as We Know it Must Transform." Walker, who is both biracial and Jewish, is noted as one of the founders of a branch of feminism which intends to make room for all people. Continued --
http://media.www.concordy.com/media/storage/paper858/news/2010/11/04/News/Author.Speaks.About.the.End.Of.Feminism-3953708.shtml
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Books Need More Diversity, Harry Potter Editor Says
Cheryl Klein, continuity editor for the last three Harry Potter books and senior editor of Scholastic, talks on the importance of establishing diversity in a lecture entitled "Black and White and Read All Over: Diversity and Inequity in Children's Publishing." Lecturing a Kansas group, Klein gives insight to an industry that it is not very diverse in terms of race. Click here to continue --
http://www.kstatecollegian.com/news/editor-books-need-more-diversity-1.2394168
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Receive an inspirational quote every day from me. Just visit
http://www.quoteactions.com/a/profile/841 for information. Lots of my friends are enjoying this free gift. Susan
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NLRB Sues Company for Firing Worker Over Facebook Post
A worker who was allegedly fired for posting negative comments about her supervisor on her personal Facebook page now has the support of the National Labor Relations Board, which announced yesterday that it filed a complaint against the company. Click here to continue --
http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2010/11/nlrb-sues-company-for-firing-worker-over-facebook-post.html
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Who Controls the Seeds? Key to Poverty Reduction and Crop Genetic Diversity
In many developing countries the right of farmers to use and exchange farm-saved seed is a form of life insurance. Ensuring that farmers have this right is an important means of alleviating poverty and is crucial to maintaining crop genetic diversity throughout the world. To continue click here --
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/237/884/Who_Controls_The_Seeds_Biodiversity_And_Poverty_Reduction.html
Still More Diversity Notes
Help For Dealing With People Who Drive You Mad
From an old Buddhist parable comes the beginning of understanding of co-workers who make us nuts: A young farmer was paddling his boat up the river to deliver his produce to the village. He was in a hurry. It was a hot day and the farmer, covered with sweat, wanted to make his delivery and get home before dark. Looking ahead, he spied another vessel moving rapidly downstream toward his boat. The vessel seemed to be trying desperately to hit him.
“Change direction, you idiot!” he yelled at the other boat. “You’re going to hit me!” But his cries were to no avail. Although the farmer rowed furiously to get out of the way, the other boat hit him with a sudden thud. Enraged, he stood up and shouted, “You moron! How could you manage to hit my boat in the middle of this wide river? What’s wrong with you?”
As he strained to see the pilot of the other vessel, he was surprised to realize that it was empty. He was screaming at an empty boat that had broken free of its moorings and was just floating downstream with the current.
The next time you get angry and get ready to blow up because of someone else, just remember: there is never anyone in the other boat. When we are screaming, we are always screaming at an empty vessel. To learn more continue here --
http://www.bnet.com/blog/marshall-goldsmith/how-to-deal-with-a-coworker-who-drives-you-nuts/181?tag=drawer-container;load-section-river
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Three diversity leadership tips: 1) Know your cultural identity and understand what that identity brings to your communication; 2) Ask others about yourself and listen to their answers; 3) Examine your grading of values. Learn more about these tips, where they come from, and why they seem to work at
"What Makes An Effectice Leader?" by Susan Klopfer, continued here --
http://www.scribd.com/doc/39448938/What-Makes-an-Effective-Leader
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Diversity Briefings: 11/03/10
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 11/03/2010
Volume 1, Issue 10
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Welcome back. I hope you are enjoying these diversity stories and links.
Please feel free to resend this Diversity newsletter on to friends and colleagues. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form for Diversity Briefings is below. Also, if you have some extra time, take a look at the new glossary, top left. Take care and Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Today’s New Diversity Topics: Wage discrimination Act Exclusive, Gen-X in the Workplace, Africa's Bushmen Surprise Science, India Shows Off Diversity, UK TV Lacks Diversity, HIV Diversity Award, California School Boards Lack Latino Members, Mental Health Issues and Diversity: Stigma Gets in the Way
----- ----- ----- -----
Third Circuit Rules Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Inapplicable to Failure-to-Promote Claims
A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has narrowed the reach of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 (“FPA”), determining the protections afforded by the FPA are exclusive to wage discrimination claims and do not cover failure-to-promote claims against employers.
Continued --
http://www.jacksonlewis.com/resources.php?NewsID=3450
/////
Gen X in the workplace: Stuck in the middle?
The generational debate: youngsters want the ol' fogeys out of the way, while the boomers want to keep on working, taking offense at the mention of yielding to their children...Given that baby boomers tend to play things a little closer to the vest, are Gen-Xers best positioned to bridge both worlds?
Continued --
http://views.washingtonpost.com/leadership/leadership_playlist/2010/11/gen-x-in-the-workplace-stuck-in-the-middle.html
/////
Genetic researchers find a broad slice of humanity in one corner of Africa
Africa's Bushmen, also known as San or Khoisan, are among the most genetically diverse people in the world. Two Bushmen who live within walking distance of each other might have more genetic differences between them than a European and an Asian, says Stephan Schuster, a geneticist at Pennsylvania State University.
Continued --
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/56419/title/Decoding_diversity_in_Bushmen
/////
India Looks to Showcase Diversity When President Obama Arrives
WSJ: The President will be visiting the Taj Mahal Hotel as well as the former home of Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai, what would you like him to learn about India while he is in your city?
Milind Deora: I hope he can try to get a sense of its diversity and contribution to shaping India’s political opinions not just today but also back in the day. Its diversity is in some ways what India is really about...
Click here to continue --http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/11/03/mumbai-mp-wants-to-show-obama-city%E2%80%99s-diversity/
/////
ITV schedules have a “remarkable lack of diversity”, chief executive admits
ITV chief executive Adam Crozier, addressing the House of Lords communication committee, said there was a “remarkable lack of diversity” in ITV1’s schedule compared with ten years ago, and warned that Contract Rights Renewal, a mechanism which restricts how the broadcaster sells advertising airtime, had led it to “chase higher rating programmes”, such as soaps.
Click here to continue --
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/30153/itv-schedules-have-a-remarkable-lack-of
/////
Trans woman receives HIV award at diversity conference
JoAnne Keatley receives an award given by Kaiser Permanente honoring her work with California’s HIV patients at the 33rd annual Diversity Conference.
To continue click here --
http://www.baywindows.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=112293
Still More Diversity Notes
Low diversity stifles California's education boards
While Latinos comprise nearly half of students in grades K-12, only 15 percent of school board members in California are Latino according to a report by the Cesar Chavez Institute, the community and action research center of SF State's college of ethnic studies.
Titled "Examining Latino Representation on California's School Boards," researchers found that while all board members are committed to improving schools, Latino board members were more likely than white members to focus on improving the academic achievement of African American and Latino students.
To learn more continue here --
http://xpress.sfsu.edu/archives/life/015690.html
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
People From Diverse Communities Too Often Fearful of Seeking Mental Health Treatment
Maria recently confided to her doctor that she was having a hard time at work because of her depression. He immediately referred Maria to a psychologist and she was able to start getting some benefit from therapy, combined with medicine from her physician.
Because Maria knows her problem didn't arise overnight, she recognizes it will not go away in a week or two. Even with medicine and therapy, her treatment will probably take at least a month before any significant results occur, her therapist says.
While Maria wants to talk to her boss about this matter, particularly since she is having some trouble adjusting to her medications, she is afraid of her boss's reaction.
"Lots of people really don't understand mental illness very well, so you had better keep this to yourself," Maria's mother advises.
Susan's article on Diversity continues here -- http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-127391.php
///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings here...
Enter your email address:
Delivered by FeedBurner
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Diversity Briefings; October 26, 2010
Welcome to Diversity Briefings: 10/26/2010
Volume 1, Issue 5
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Welcome to the fifth issue of this new online Briefing. I hope you are enjoying the stories. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form is at the bottom of today's issue. Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Today’s Topics: generational diversity; rule for FMLA; intellectual diversity; an attitude towards intolerance; diversity and collaboration; opting out; older staff; good leaders
----- ----- ----- -----
Benefits of Bridging the Generational Gap
People are living and working longer, and the workplace is developing a “generational diversity.” So how do you get people who watched television in black and white to relate to people who watch television on their cell phones? And vice versa?
To continue, click here
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=532009
/////
"Insights for Employers: Don’t retaliate against employees because they have taken FMLA leave. Not ever. Never."
Want to know why? Click here to get the answer:
http://www.fmlainsights.com/retaliation/scared-of-liability-for-fmla-retaliation-beware-of-bingo-workers/
/////
(diversity = liberal?)
Conservative and libertarian professors are becoming increasingly rare at colleges and universities, and this lack of intellectual diversity may be hampering the development of innovative solutions to the nation's problems.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_986136544
/////
A 39-year-old Irish retired athlete, now a trainer, attributes his childhood in Scotland as a big factor in his attitude towards intolerance. "Being part of an immigrant family, in Glasgow, I was surrounded by intolerance all the time and it opened my eyes at an early age. I was brought up as anti-racist and anti-fascist, and have always wanted to get social justice for minority groups."
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_986136547
/////
The combination of diversity and collaboration can lead to a tremendous competitive advantage in business, a group of Orlando, Fla. college students and faculty were told Friday by Guillermo Novo, UCF alumnus and vice president of Dow Coating Materials.
To continue, click here
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-10-25/community/orl-ucf-dow-vp-speaks-at-ucf_1_diversity-cultures-ucf-s-college
/////
"Call it a glass ceiling, glass wall or a glass floor - there is still a barrier blocking senior women leaders in organizations. High-powered executive and professional women are increasingly opting out of, being bypassed, or otherwise disappearing from the highly professional workforce. While this exists, true diversity in organizations will not happen, at least in the U.S. and Canada."
To continue, click here
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201010/why-has-the-glass-ceiling-become-impenetrable
Still More Notes
Could a diversity of ages improve workplace motivation?
Interested in creating a workplace bristling with motivation and productivity? You may wish to hire a workforce with a wide age range, says Rachel Krys, campaign director for the Employers Forum on Age. Older staff can bring just as much fresh thinking to the table as younger people, asserts Kyrs as she reacts to a recent study by the Age and Employment Network which discovered that long-term unemployment rates for the over-50s are still high, despite a fall in the jobless total over the past quarter.
To learn more, continue here --
http://www.youatwork.com/128/section.aspx/581/Could-a-diversity-of-ages-improve-workplace-motivation
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Effective Diversity Management Starts From Within; Self Awareness is Key
What makes an effective leader? Many diversity experts say that self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership, and that good leaders stay ahead by working on improving themselves.
No matter how hard a person tries, we all have biases; we discriminate without even recognizing what we are doing. An important key is committing oneself to the lifelong practice of self-understanding such issues while comprehending the diverse world around us.
Continue this article by Susan Klopfer --
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-124929.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Volume 1, Issue 5
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Welcome to the fifth issue of this new online Briefing. I hope you are enjoying the stories. If you would like to subscribe to receive daily updates, the form is at the bottom of today's issue. Good reading!
Susan Klopfer
Today’s Topics: generational diversity; rule for FMLA; intellectual diversity; an attitude towards intolerance; diversity and collaboration; opting out; older staff; good leaders
----- ----- ----- -----
Benefits of Bridging the Generational Gap
People are living and working longer, and the workplace is developing a “generational diversity.” So how do you get people who watched television in black and white to relate to people who watch television on their cell phones? And vice versa?
To continue, click here
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=532009
/////
"Insights for Employers: Don’t retaliate against employees because they have taken FMLA leave. Not ever. Never."
Want to know why? Click here to get the answer:
http://www.fmlainsights.com/retaliation/scared-of-liability-for-fmla-retaliation-beware-of-bingo-workers/
/////
(diversity = liberal?)
Conservative and libertarian professors are becoming increasingly rare at colleges and universities, and this lack of intellectual diversity may be hampering the development of innovative solutions to the nation's problems.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_986136544
/////
A 39-year-old Irish retired athlete, now a trainer, attributes his childhood in Scotland as a big factor in his attitude towards intolerance. "Being part of an immigrant family, in Glasgow, I was surrounded by intolerance all the time and it opened my eyes at an early age. I was brought up as anti-racist and anti-fascist, and have always wanted to get social justice for minority groups."
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_986136547
/////
The combination of diversity and collaboration can lead to a tremendous competitive advantage in business, a group of Orlando, Fla. college students and faculty were told Friday by Guillermo Novo, UCF alumnus and vice president of Dow Coating Materials.
To continue, click here
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-10-25/community/orl-ucf-dow-vp-speaks-at-ucf_1_diversity-cultures-ucf-s-college
/////
"Call it a glass ceiling, glass wall or a glass floor - there is still a barrier blocking senior women leaders in organizations. High-powered executive and professional women are increasingly opting out of, being bypassed, or otherwise disappearing from the highly professional workforce. While this exists, true diversity in organizations will not happen, at least in the U.S. and Canada."
To continue, click here
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201010/why-has-the-glass-ceiling-become-impenetrable
Still More Notes
Could a diversity of ages improve workplace motivation?
Interested in creating a workplace bristling with motivation and productivity? You may wish to hire a workforce with a wide age range, says Rachel Krys, campaign director for the Employers Forum on Age. Older staff can bring just as much fresh thinking to the table as younger people, asserts Kyrs as she reacts to a recent study by the Age and Employment Network which discovered that long-term unemployment rates for the over-50s are still high, despite a fall in the jobless total over the past quarter.
To learn more, continue here --
http://www.youatwork.com/128/section.aspx/581/Could-a-diversity-of-ages-improve-workplace-motivation
Diversity Management Tip of the Day
Effective Diversity Management Starts From Within; Self Awareness is Key
What makes an effective leader? Many diversity experts say that self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership, and that good leaders stay ahead by working on improving themselves.
No matter how hard a person tries, we all have biases; we discriminate without even recognizing what we are doing. An important key is committing oneself to the lifelong practice of self-understanding such issues while comprehending the diverse world around us.
Continue this article by Susan Klopfer --
http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-124929.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Diversity Briefings: 10/21/2010
Volume 1, Issue 3
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Today’s Topics: New research on personality and leadership, bullies as health threats, Mcdonalds loses sex discrimination lawsuit, white men hurt Canadian board rooms, USDA and Native American farmers settle, More Notes (Popular NPR Commentator Loses Job Over Muslim Remarks) and Tip of the Day (Spaghetti Wednesdays and Managing Diversity)
New research reveals “dark side” behaviors — such as those associated with narcissism, being overly dramatic, being critical of others and being extremely focused on complying with rules — can have a positive effect on leadership development over time.
To continue, click here
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/the-pros-of-having-a-jerk-for-a-boss-0638/
/////
“It was a feeling that never left, that didn’t lift when I went home for the night or weekend. It was starting to color all of my experiences. And I had real suicidal thoughts for the first time since my junior year in college, 22 years earlier.”
Celebrate Freedom From Bullies in the Workplace Week…
To continue, click here
http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2010/10/workplace-bullies-as-health-threats-especially-in-health-care/
/////
McDonald’s will pay $50,000 to settle a sex discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC charged that McDonald’s USA, LLC unlawfully subjected an employee to sexual harassment at one of its New Jersey restaurants.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit filed September 29, 2009 in U.S. District Court for District of New Jersey, an assistant store manager made lewd comments to a teenaged crew member and touched, spanked and hugged him in a way that made him very uncomfortable. The crew member was only 16-17 years of age when these incidences took place.
To continue, click here
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/10-20-10d.cfm
/////
The top board tables at large Canadian companies are dominated by white men and do not reflect the country's diversity, a factor that may cost firms their competitive edge, a study found.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1223771344
/////
The USDA has settled a decade-old case brought by Native American farmers alleging discrimination. As with the Pigford litigation, the Native American class action – commonly known as Keepseagle – claims USDA employees caused loans to not be processed and/or checks to arrive so late that it negatively impacted farming operations.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1223771349
/////
MORE NOTES
NPR commentator Juan Williams (“Eyes on the Prize”) has lost his job over a Muslim remark. Quite a surprise, since Williams is a long time civil rights advocate and should have known better. More on this story at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-juan-williams-20101021,0,2593969.story?track=rss
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY
Don’t Miss “Spaghetti Wednesday”! Managing Diversity Takes Companies to Their Cultural Roots…
If the idea of managing diversity has piqued your company's interest, here are several critical questions to consider: What basic assumptions drive your organization − what makes life tick at your place of business? What fundamental understandings do people quickly learn that help them fit in and work in acceptable ways, and how are these assumptions passed on to employees?
The assumptions that drive life in corporations are different from values and traditions, which are usually made clear in some way.
Once I applied to work as an intern for a company that celebrated "Spaghetti Wednesdays" in the corporate lunchroom. I was told about the tradition when interviewed for the job and I still believe to this day if a person would have revealed they didn't like spaghetti, they would not have been hired!
Continue – http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-119115.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Group Klopfer Diversity Consulting
Susan Klopfer, editor and publisher
Today’s Topics: New research on personality and leadership, bullies as health threats, Mcdonalds loses sex discrimination lawsuit, white men hurt Canadian board rooms, USDA and Native American farmers settle, More Notes (Popular NPR Commentator Loses Job Over Muslim Remarks) and Tip of the Day (Spaghetti Wednesdays and Managing Diversity)
----- ----- ----- -----
New research reveals “dark side” behaviors — such as those associated with narcissism, being overly dramatic, being critical of others and being extremely focused on complying with rules — can have a positive effect on leadership development over time.
To continue, click here
http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/the-pros-of-having-a-jerk-for-a-boss-0638/
/////
“It was a feeling that never left, that didn’t lift when I went home for the night or weekend. It was starting to color all of my experiences. And I had real suicidal thoughts for the first time since my junior year in college, 22 years earlier.”
Celebrate Freedom From Bullies in the Workplace Week…
To continue, click here
http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2010/10/workplace-bullies-as-health-threats-especially-in-health-care/
/////
McDonald’s will pay $50,000 to settle a sex discrimination suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The EEOC charged that McDonald’s USA, LLC unlawfully subjected an employee to sexual harassment at one of its New Jersey restaurants.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit filed September 29, 2009 in U.S. District Court for District of New Jersey, an assistant store manager made lewd comments to a teenaged crew member and touched, spanked and hugged him in a way that made him very uncomfortable. The crew member was only 16-17 years of age when these incidences took place.
To continue, click here
http://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/newsroom/release/10-20-10d.cfm
/////
The top board tables at large Canadian companies are dominated by white men and do not reflect the country's diversity, a factor that may cost firms their competitive edge, a study found.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1223771344
/////
The USDA has settled a decade-old case brought by Native American farmers alleging discrimination. As with the Pigford litigation, the Native American class action – commonly known as Keepseagle – claims USDA employees caused loans to not be processed and/or checks to arrive so late that it negatively impacted farming operations.
To continue, click here
http://www.blogger.com/goog_1223771349
/////
MORE NOTES
NPR commentator Juan Williams (“Eyes on the Prize”) has lost his job over a Muslim remark. Quite a surprise, since Williams is a long time civil rights advocate and should have known better. More on this story at http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-juan-williams-20101021,0,2593969.story?track=rss
DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY
Don’t Miss “Spaghetti Wednesday”! Managing Diversity Takes Companies to Their Cultural Roots…
If the idea of managing diversity has piqued your company's interest, here are several critical questions to consider: What basic assumptions drive your organization − what makes life tick at your place of business? What fundamental understandings do people quickly learn that help them fit in and work in acceptable ways, and how are these assumptions passed on to employees?
The assumptions that drive life in corporations are different from values and traditions, which are usually made clear in some way.
Once I applied to work as an intern for a company that celebrated "Spaghetti Wednesdays" in the corporate lunchroom. I was told about the tradition when interviewed for the job and I still believe to this day if a person would have revealed they didn't like spaghetti, they would not have been hired!
Continue – http://www.submityourarticle.com/articles/Susan-Klopfer-7986/diversity-119115.php
///// ///// ///// /////
Feel Free to pass this Diversity Briefings Newsletter on to your co-workers and others. Thank you for visiting the Diversity Briefings website. Please note that the information located on our site is general and not intended to provide specific legal advice. You should consult with an attorney and not rely on any information contained herein regarding your specific situation.
You can subscribe to Diversity Briefings:
Friday, October 15, 2010
Some of Today's Top Graphic Artists Sport a Tattoo; It Pays To Value Diversity When Hiring
"Say what?"
As soon as she left the graduation stage, diploma in hand, Jill received a whisper from her favorite professor, "Remember to be aware of the prevailing corporate culture, wherever you go."
Jill paused to wonder just what the professor was talking about, faintly recalling the word "culture" from her organizational sociology class.
Her professor was only concerned that her best student might have a tough time "fitting in" at any company in this rural, conservative state. Jill, an arty person, wears self-designed clothing, sports a tattoo and remains culturally close to her Louisiana Creole roots, reflected in her mixed language.
In any work environment, a dominant set of rules or customs arise over time that guide the way work is done, becoming what is called the organization's culture.
Researchers Deal and Kennedy popularized the idea of developing positive corporate cultures in their 1982 book Corporate Cultures. This idea became a central role in corporate strategy, with some organizations still clinging today to the idea of having a strong and tight corporate culture where all employees must "fit in" to be productive and happy.
In 1988 one sociologist defined four types of corporate cultures: the academy (exposing members to different jobs so they can move within the organization), the club (which is concerned with people fitting in), the baseball team (with its well-rewarded stars who leave for better opportunities) and the fortress (concerned primarily with survival).
Other models soon appeared, and it was thought that employees would work better and be happier if they were in the "right" corporate culture, one they naturally fit into. Not untypical were dictates like, "Managers should model the behavior they wish to encourage, and then reinforce the desired culture with visionary statements or slogans, celebrating employees' successes or promotions, distributing newsletters, hiring culture-compatible staff..."
Today's employees increasingly come from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, with different personalities and experiences. So how does this idea of knowing and maintaining a fixed culture stack up with today's recognition of managing and valuing diversity, recognizing diversity's important role in increasing markets, and as a response to globalization?
Not well.
Today's managers, rather than finding the "right" job candidates to "fit" the existing culture or corporate mold are better served by paying attention to the management of cultural differences,concerning themselves more with valuing and managing diversity.
Writes R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., a diversity management expert: "Women, Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans Native Americans and others outside the mainstream of corporate America bring different, important and competitively relevant knowledge and perspectives about how to actually do work, how to design processes, reach goals, frame tasks, create effective teams, communicate ideas, and lead.
"When allowed to, members of these groups can help companies grow and improve by challenging basic assumptions about an organization's functions strategies, operations, practices, and procedures" - in others words, by challenging and diversifying the existing and "understood" corporate culture.
When companies start thinking about diversity holistically - providing fresh and meaningful approaches to work - "and stop assuming that diversity relates simply to how a person looks, where he or she comes from, how they will "fit in," they will be able to reap the full rewards [of diversity]."
As for Jill, she just might be better off in today's economy by setting up her own graphics shop.
Both she and her professor could be certain the corporate culture of this new business would support broad diversity, making Jill far more competitive with a host of larger businesses that still don't get it.
As soon as she left the graduation stage, diploma in hand, Jill received a whisper from her favorite professor, "Remember to be aware of the prevailing corporate culture, wherever you go."
Jill paused to wonder just what the professor was talking about, faintly recalling the word "culture" from her organizational sociology class.
Her professor was only concerned that her best student might have a tough time "fitting in" at any company in this rural, conservative state. Jill, an arty person, wears self-designed clothing, sports a tattoo and remains culturally close to her Louisiana Creole roots, reflected in her mixed language.
In any work environment, a dominant set of rules or customs arise over time that guide the way work is done, becoming what is called the organization's culture.
Researchers Deal and Kennedy popularized the idea of developing positive corporate cultures in their 1982 book Corporate Cultures. This idea became a central role in corporate strategy, with some organizations still clinging today to the idea of having a strong and tight corporate culture where all employees must "fit in" to be productive and happy.
In 1988 one sociologist defined four types of corporate cultures: the academy (exposing members to different jobs so they can move within the organization), the club (which is concerned with people fitting in), the baseball team (with its well-rewarded stars who leave for better opportunities) and the fortress (concerned primarily with survival).
Other models soon appeared, and it was thought that employees would work better and be happier if they were in the "right" corporate culture, one they naturally fit into. Not untypical were dictates like, "Managers should model the behavior they wish to encourage, and then reinforce the desired culture with visionary statements or slogans, celebrating employees' successes or promotions, distributing newsletters, hiring culture-compatible staff..."
Today's employees increasingly come from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, with different personalities and experiences. So how does this idea of knowing and maintaining a fixed culture stack up with today's recognition of managing and valuing diversity, recognizing diversity's important role in increasing markets, and as a response to globalization?
Not well.
Today's managers, rather than finding the "right" job candidates to "fit" the existing culture or corporate mold are better served by paying attention to the management of cultural differences,concerning themselves more with valuing and managing diversity.
Writes R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., a diversity management expert: "Women, Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans Native Americans and others outside the mainstream of corporate America bring different, important and competitively relevant knowledge and perspectives about how to actually do work, how to design processes, reach goals, frame tasks, create effective teams, communicate ideas, and lead.
"When allowed to, members of these groups can help companies grow and improve by challenging basic assumptions about an organization's functions strategies, operations, practices, and procedures" - in others words, by challenging and diversifying the existing and "understood" corporate culture.
When companies start thinking about diversity holistically - providing fresh and meaningful approaches to work - "and stop assuming that diversity relates simply to how a person looks, where he or she comes from, how they will "fit in," they will be able to reap the full rewards [of diversity]."
As for Jill, she just might be better off in today's economy by setting up her own graphics shop.
Both she and her professor could be certain the corporate culture of this new business would support broad diversity, making Jill far more competitive with a host of larger businesses that still don't get it.
Strong, Effective Leaders Know Importance of Self-Awareness, Diversity
What makes an effective leader? Many diversity experts say that self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership, and that good leaders stay ahead by working on improving themselves. An important key is committing oneself to the lifelong practice of self-understanding and comprehending the diverse world around us.
No matter how hard a person tries, we all have biases; we discriminate without even recognizing what we are doing. William Sonnenschein, a noted diversity expert and author, suggests overcoming this tendency by “waking up tomorrow morning” and “try wondering what prejudice you will discover during the day, what assumption you will make that will be proven wrong, and what bias will affect your day.”
By finding a daily bias, Sonnenschein explains a person will know they are continually working on self-awareness, show themselves they are self-aware enough to know they have biases, and are working at eliminating as many as possible.
As people work on self-awareness, they become aware of things that are happening around them and are able to intervene and taking on a leadership role.
What if a company leader who always views diversity in terms of numbers of employees, as Affirmative Action, attended a diversity workshop that included formation of problem-solving teams and observed that diverse teams actually did a better job solving problems than the vanilla teams? This experience could actually change the way this company leader sees diversity and what it could mean to his company. He may also recognize how his own blinders had held back his company’s progress.
This imaginary company leader might further recognize that change is needed at every level of the organization. As an initial step, he might create a diverse group to staff one of the company’s trouble areas – and if all goes well, the troubled area could turn around, showing a profit.
So how does one work on self-awareness, so as to be more aware of what is going on around them with respect to diversity? It starts by working on communication skills in relation to diversity. Sonnenschein has developed a diversity questionnaire to help increase self-awareness. Here are three sample questions:
• Do you recognize and challenge the perceptions, assumptions, and biases that affect your thinking?
If the answer is “almost always,” assign one point; “frequently,” 2 points; “sometimes,” 3 points; “seldom” 4 points and “almost never, “5 points.”
Use the same scoring system for the next two questions:
• Do you think about the impact of what you say or how you act before you speak or act?
• Do you do everything you can to prevent the reinforcement of prejudices, including avoiding using negative stereotypes when you speak?
Sonnenschein includes seven more questions in this diversity questionnaire, part of his Diversity Toolkit (Contemporary Books, 1997). The lower the score, the better his or her ability is to communicate in a diverse organization and the community at large.
Here are three more diversity leadership tips:
1. Know your cultural identity and understand what that identity brings to your communication. This helps in communicating with others of differing cultural identities.
2. Ask others about yourself and listen to their answers. This helps in increasing self-awareness.
3. Examine your order or grading of values. This helps in understanding how you behave and communicate.
Manager must be good leaders. They are responsible for creating a work environment in which the contributions of all people are recognize. For this to happen, managers must understand how to best use people’s differences so that their special attributes can be used to achieve company goals and objectives.
But it starts from within, from the manager’s self-awareness.
No matter how hard a person tries, we all have biases; we discriminate without even recognizing what we are doing. William Sonnenschein, a noted diversity expert and author, suggests overcoming this tendency by “waking up tomorrow morning” and “try wondering what prejudice you will discover during the day, what assumption you will make that will be proven wrong, and what bias will affect your day.”
By finding a daily bias, Sonnenschein explains a person will know they are continually working on self-awareness, show themselves they are self-aware enough to know they have biases, and are working at eliminating as many as possible.
As people work on self-awareness, they become aware of things that are happening around them and are able to intervene and taking on a leadership role.
What if a company leader who always views diversity in terms of numbers of employees, as Affirmative Action, attended a diversity workshop that included formation of problem-solving teams and observed that diverse teams actually did a better job solving problems than the vanilla teams? This experience could actually change the way this company leader sees diversity and what it could mean to his company. He may also recognize how his own blinders had held back his company’s progress.
This imaginary company leader might further recognize that change is needed at every level of the organization. As an initial step, he might create a diverse group to staff one of the company’s trouble areas – and if all goes well, the troubled area could turn around, showing a profit.
So how does one work on self-awareness, so as to be more aware of what is going on around them with respect to diversity? It starts by working on communication skills in relation to diversity. Sonnenschein has developed a diversity questionnaire to help increase self-awareness. Here are three sample questions:
• Do you recognize and challenge the perceptions, assumptions, and biases that affect your thinking?
If the answer is “almost always,” assign one point; “frequently,” 2 points; “sometimes,” 3 points; “seldom” 4 points and “almost never, “5 points.”
Use the same scoring system for the next two questions:
• Do you think about the impact of what you say or how you act before you speak or act?
• Do you do everything you can to prevent the reinforcement of prejudices, including avoiding using negative stereotypes when you speak?
Sonnenschein includes seven more questions in this diversity questionnaire, part of his Diversity Toolkit (Contemporary Books, 1997). The lower the score, the better his or her ability is to communicate in a diverse organization and the community at large.
Here are three more diversity leadership tips:
1. Know your cultural identity and understand what that identity brings to your communication. This helps in communicating with others of differing cultural identities.
2. Ask others about yourself and listen to their answers. This helps in increasing self-awareness.
3. Examine your order or grading of values. This helps in understanding how you behave and communicate.
Manager must be good leaders. They are responsible for creating a work environment in which the contributions of all people are recognize. For this to happen, managers must understand how to best use people’s differences so that their special attributes can be used to achieve company goals and objectives.
But it starts from within, from the manager’s self-awareness.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Respect, Tolerance, Sense of Humor All Required For Embracing Diversity
We talk about embracing diversity, but what does this really mean?
Say that you have employees and/or customers who speak English as a second language. Can you pronounce their names? Speak some common words or phrases in their native language? If the answer is yes, you are showing signs of embracing diversity.
For leaders, embracing diversity means they must do far more than merely accept the existence of diversity. To make diversity work, they must embrace it, and this starts by modeling good diversity skills, by showing respect and appreciation for the differences among the people they lead, and by helping others accept and value these differences.
Fundamentally, embracing diversity translates into showing respect for others and their differences. Tolerance for uncertainties (haziness) in language, styles and behavior, is at the top of a list created by William Sonnenschein, a diversity expert and author of “The Diversity Toolkit.”
So for the employer who has Latino customers and employees, as an example, it makes a significant difference when he or she is able to pronounce names and common words in Spanish. A friendly “Buenos Dias” makes a nice welcome in the morning as does “Buenos Tardes” in the afternoon and “Buenos Noches” in the evening. Using such phrases and pronouncing them correctly, represents a key step to embracing diversity. And besides, it’s fun to learn a new language!
Flexibility is another key factor. When situations are new, difficult or challenging, do you show flexibility? Do you give your employees and customers added time and assistance for adjusting to change?
Self-awareness represents another point on Sonnenschein’s diversity embracement list. A person must understand his or her own reactions and know what they bring to the diverse workplace. Maybe you enjoy dressing in expensive clothing; how do you feel about the employee who would rather dress comfortably than model your expensive image? What is important to you may not even be on the radar of your employee or customer. The whole world does not enjoy dressing formally – so are you being unfair in your evaluation of others who do not dress exactly like you do?
Empathy is another requirement. Are you capable of feeling what someone who is different from you might be feeling in new or strange surroundings? What about the new employee who comes to the XYZ Company from a country of extreme poverty. Will they truly feel welcome at a large cocktail party after their first day of work? Or overwhelmed? Or even frightened? Can you imagine how you would feel in their shoes?
How would a new mother returning to work after having a baby feel if she did not have an appropriate place to use a breast pump? Sound bizarre? Recently in Iowa, a company refused to allow a woman to use their “special” lactation room because she didn’t fill out a form that required three days notice to use such a facility.
The woman finally had to leave work (and quit) because of the physical pain she was in due to her employer's insensitivity.
Are you patient? Some cultures (actually most) do not consist of Type A racers, requiring a manager’s adjustment if the working relationship is going to be successful.
A sense of humor tops off this list that comes from Sonnenschein’s book, “The Diversity Toolkit.” When we lose our sense of humor, we lose our sense of humanity, as well as our perspective.
But humor is tricky. Having a sense of humor certainly does not mean poking fun at someone because they are “different.” It does not mean mimicking someone’s accent or laughing behind their back. It does mean enjoying others and keeping in mind the ability to laugh at oneself can dispel tension.
Remember – showing respect, tolerance, flexibility, self-awareness, empathy, patience and humor – means that you are well on your way to embracing diversity.
Say that you have employees and/or customers who speak English as a second language. Can you pronounce their names? Speak some common words or phrases in their native language? If the answer is yes, you are showing signs of embracing diversity.
For leaders, embracing diversity means they must do far more than merely accept the existence of diversity. To make diversity work, they must embrace it, and this starts by modeling good diversity skills, by showing respect and appreciation for the differences among the people they lead, and by helping others accept and value these differences.
Fundamentally, embracing diversity translates into showing respect for others and their differences. Tolerance for uncertainties (haziness) in language, styles and behavior, is at the top of a list created by William Sonnenschein, a diversity expert and author of “The Diversity Toolkit.”
So for the employer who has Latino customers and employees, as an example, it makes a significant difference when he or she is able to pronounce names and common words in Spanish. A friendly “Buenos Dias” makes a nice welcome in the morning as does “Buenos Tardes” in the afternoon and “Buenos Noches” in the evening. Using such phrases and pronouncing them correctly, represents a key step to embracing diversity. And besides, it’s fun to learn a new language!
Flexibility is another key factor. When situations are new, difficult or challenging, do you show flexibility? Do you give your employees and customers added time and assistance for adjusting to change?
Self-awareness represents another point on Sonnenschein’s diversity embracement list. A person must understand his or her own reactions and know what they bring to the diverse workplace. Maybe you enjoy dressing in expensive clothing; how do you feel about the employee who would rather dress comfortably than model your expensive image? What is important to you may not even be on the radar of your employee or customer. The whole world does not enjoy dressing formally – so are you being unfair in your evaluation of others who do not dress exactly like you do?
Empathy is another requirement. Are you capable of feeling what someone who is different from you might be feeling in new or strange surroundings? What about the new employee who comes to the XYZ Company from a country of extreme poverty. Will they truly feel welcome at a large cocktail party after their first day of work? Or overwhelmed? Or even frightened? Can you imagine how you would feel in their shoes?
How would a new mother returning to work after having a baby feel if she did not have an appropriate place to use a breast pump? Sound bizarre? Recently in Iowa, a company refused to allow a woman to use their “special” lactation room because she didn’t fill out a form that required three days notice to use such a facility.
The woman finally had to leave work (and quit) because of the physical pain she was in due to her employer's insensitivity.
Are you patient? Some cultures (actually most) do not consist of Type A racers, requiring a manager’s adjustment if the working relationship is going to be successful.
A sense of humor tops off this list that comes from Sonnenschein’s book, “The Diversity Toolkit.” When we lose our sense of humor, we lose our sense of humanity, as well as our perspective.
But humor is tricky. Having a sense of humor certainly does not mean poking fun at someone because they are “different.” It does not mean mimicking someone’s accent or laughing behind their back. It does mean enjoying others and keeping in mind the ability to laugh at oneself can dispel tension.
Remember – showing respect, tolerance, flexibility, self-awareness, empathy, patience and humor – means that you are well on your way to embracing diversity.
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