Managing Diversity

What can diversity leaders learn from diversity pioneers? This article describes the history of diversity education, the role consultants have played in making it a viable profession and the changing landscape of the diversity professional’s Work.

How DTUI Pioneered the First Diversity Certification Program

DTUI began preparing and certifying diversity professionals in 1998, years before DEI certification became a growing professional education field. This article documents that early history, highlights the structure of the Diversity Leadership Program, and explains how its competency-based model helped shape today’s professional diversity credentials.

How Leaders and Diversity Professionals Can Best Respond to the EEOC’s Proposed Removal of EEO 1-6 Reporting Requirements

Fairness Governance Will Keep Organizations Safe Should EEO End Mandatory Reporting The proposal is not yet final. The public inspection version is scheduled for publication in the Federal Register on July 23, 2026. The EEOC also announced a public hearing for August 11, 2026. The agency’s stated position is that the reports are unnecessary for […]

DEI Is on the Ropes—But It Should Be a Rallying Cry, Not a Retreat

I’m not the typical person you’d expect to be writing in support of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I’m a white male, a former Fortune 50 vice president, and now an adjunct professor of strategy. Over decades in leadership, I’ve seen firsthand what DEI can accomplish when practiced intentionally—not as a slogan, but as a fundamental […]

Creating Inclusive Workplaces: Accommodations and Best Practices for Supporting Neurodivergent Employees

In contemporary diverse work environments, supporting neurodivergent employees through thoughtful accommodations is not only a legal responsibility but also essential for fostering inclusive and productive teams. Neurodivergent employees, including autistic individuals and those with mental health differences, often require specific disability-related accommodations to fully thrive. Understanding Accommodations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of […]

Race, Empathy, and the Stories We Tell: Reframing America’s Racial Dialogue

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action, the narrative of “reverse racism” has gained traction in national conversations. Despite statistical evidence showing ongoing disparities in health, wealth, and justice for marginalized groups, misconceptions about anti-White discrimination persist. This article explores concepts like availability heuristic and zero-sum thinking to understand their impact on the future of racial equality in America and the importance of shared stories in building empathy and bridging divides.

IS DEI DEAD AFTER THE SUPREME COURT ENDED AFFIRMATIVE ACTION?

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in university admissions, many companies have halted their DEI programs. However, DEI efforts remain legal and crucial for business success. Companies should ensure compliance by hiring the best candidates irrespective of demographics, while fostering inclusion through measures like implicit bias training, diverse interviewers, and focusing on skills over degrees.

The Attack on Diversity Training: Is it Warranted? – Interviews with Howard Ross, Billy Vaughn Ph.D., & Mary-Frances Winters

Introduction The September 2020 Presidential Executive Order on Combating Race or Sexual Stereotyping has all but completely halted diversity training in the government and military sectors. It has also had a chilling effect on the profession. The government argues that the executive order is needed to address unfair and disruptive training that blames and shames […]

Institutionalized Racism Versus Bad Apples Racism

How Social Dominance Orientation Accounts for Differences Among Black Americans’ Views of Institutional Racism According to the Pew Research Center, most Black American adults believe that little race relations progress has been made in their country.[i] In the same poll, 56% of white American respondents agreed that being born white offers an advantage in one’s […]

Are the Black Lives Matter Protestors Any Less Patriotic Than the Boston Tea Party Rioters?

Black people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. The Boston Tea Party was a protest in opposition to government practices that were perceived as a violation of rights. Demonstrators, including some who dressed up as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea from East India. The protests spread across the thirteen […]

ERG’s Can’t Create Change Alone: Six Traps and How to Escape Them

As today’s organizations struggle to attract, retain and develop a talented diverse workforce, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are often asked to play key roles in diversity-and-inclusion (D&I) change efforts. But they cannot do it alone. To be most effective, they must be part of the package; they cannot be the package. ERGs serve a wide […]

Private: Inclusion and Workplace Safety during Covid-19: Be a Beacon!

Private: Inclusion and Workplace Safety during Covid-19: Be a Beacon!

Building an Inclusive Community: Tips for Working Remotely

We are living through an unprecedented time, which is calling on each person, team, and organization to find new ways of interacting as we practice physical distancing. At the same time, we still need to carry on our work responsibilities. While many people are working from home and behind a screen most of the day, […]

Remote Work Driving Managers to Embrace New Technologies and Leadership Skills

Introduction Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, Former SVP & CHRO for Symantec and Shiran Yaroslavsky, the CEO of Cassiopeia provide real-world insight on remote work challenges and the opportunities the new virtual workplace creates for companies. The shift to remote work has created major challenges for team members and their managers. Traditionally, 66% of remote employees experience difficulties […]

Diverse Candidates: Finding the Right Professional Fit for You

Being the only one who looks like you in a room full of people can be exhausting!  This feeling of exhaustion is only aggravated by the everyday stress of trying to succeed in your professional career.  Choosing the right employer professionally and personally is crucial for minorities entering the professional world as a successful transition […]

How an Apology for Racial and Ethnic Bias Can Change Everything

Introduction The first African slaves arrived in the United States in 1619 and slavery lasted for 250 years. A formal government apology to those enslaved and their descendants has not been made. We are seeing some signs of progress among American citizens. It would be naive to think that even the best of apologies will […]

What is Inclusion & Belonging Competence?

Test Your Inclusion & Belonging Competence. Which Inclusion & Belonging competence component is Ken lacking for managing diversity? Watch the short video!

TRY THIS 8 STEP HIGH IMPACT LARGE SCALE DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING TRAINING DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PLAN

Small training jobs can be challenging, but they are a piece of cake compared to preparing training for thousands of participants. Offering an off the shelf training to a few thousand participants reduces the large scale training project challenges, and can work pretty well for compliance training. The off shelf training isn’t as powerful otherwise. […]

Bobbye Sweat MBA CDP Outstanding Certified Diversity Professional Awardee 2019

Bobbye Sweat CDP Current position: Director of Diversity & Inclusion Integration Organization: Hallmark Cards Prior positions: Chief Diversity Officer (Mercedes Benz Financial Services), Senior Manager Diversity & Inclusion (JC Penny), Lead Consultant Diversity & Inclusion, HR (AT&T) Diversity Officer Bobbye Sweat, MBA, CDP is the recipient of the Diversity Executive Leadership Academy 2019 outstanding certified […]

ARE YOUR SLIDES KILLING YOUR CASE FOR CULTURAL DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PRESENTATION? TIPS

Presenting a high impact case for cultural diversity is critical for onboarding the leadership, getting followers to participate, and requesting necessary resources. You cannot get the leadership or followers to take your initiative seriously without making a powerful case. While the content selection is crucial for impressing your audience, how you present the content can […]

The Top Ten 2018 Diversity, Inclusion, & Belonging Events

Introduction Both practitioners and laypersons thought resistance to cultural diversity in the United States could not get any worse. Yet, we found ourselves appalled at the sheer amount of divisiveness highlighted in the news media during 2018. Fortunately, there were glimpses of hope. Here are just a few of the highlights. HIGH TECHNOLOGY EMPLOYEE DEMOGRAPHICS […]

DIVERSITY TRAINING: FROM PAIN ISLAND TO PLEASURE ISLAND

The Diversity Training Pain Island Diversity training has a bad reputation and diversity professionals are at fault. Diversity training alone is too often marketed as a strategy. This leads to unreasonable expectations about outcomes. Consider the research by Professors Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev. Their 2006 diversity training publication received considerable media attention because the research […]

Diversity Officer Interview – Amy Capellanti-Wolf CHRO Symantec

Introduction Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, CHRO graciously offered her valuable time for an interview. She is Chief Human Resource Officer for Symantec, an American software company. Diversity Officer Magazine was very fortunate to have interviewed her shortly after her presentation at the Tech Inclusion Conference in San Francisco on October 16, 2018. The media has covered a lot […]

American Views of Race Relations – An All Time Low

“Seven-in-10 Americans view race relations in the United States as poor — nearly matching the record high”, according to a new poll from NBC News and The Wall Street Journal.

Three Cultural Diversity Attitude Change Exercises

Tanya’s “Rude” Awakening Tanya was surprised and puzzled. The training facilitator had just walked the class through an exercise. It brought her and the other participants to the sober reality that training is generally ineffective for changing people’s attitudes. It was disappointing because she fully expected to learn how to straighten out some of the […]

No! We Actually Can Read a Bigot’s Mind

Introduction A bigot is someone who is intolerant of values and beliefs that they do not share. They show disdain for others in predictable ways. We all know the script. Some politician, actor, or religious leader says something that sounds like it crosses the race relations line. That sets off a tweet storm and days […]

Our Brain Loves False Narratives More Than “Boring” Stereotype Busting Facts

Why Well-Documented Facts Don’t Stand A Chance Against Juicy False Narratives Why do we buy into narratives that exclude other cultural groups? Consider messages about Muslims being terrorists.  The narratives more or less go something like this. “The 9/11 bombing of the twin towers changed life in America. There are people in other parts of […]

The Fool Proof Cultural Diversity Recruitment Bias Buster

The Civility & Collegiality Matters™ Series Mirror Neurons & Unconscious Bias Cultural diversity recruitment is far from easy. Interviewer bias is a common troublemaker for the best recruitment efforts. Social science research supports this view. In one set of studies, researchers concluded that humans have mirror neurons that activate the prefrontal lobe area of the […]

Starting Your Own Diversity Initiative

HOW TO START A DIVERSITY INITIATIVE Click the Image to Get a Complimentary Copy of Navigating the Landmines of Cultural Diversity Leadership! Design, Develop, & Implement a Cultural Diversity Initiative This article provides several lists of thought-provoking, surprisingly practical, and highly effective procedures. This information provides several lists of thought-provoking, surprisingly practical, and highly effective […]

The Top 10 Cultural Diversity Events of 2017

Diversity Executive Leadership Academy 1. The Removal of Confederate Monuments in Public Spaces Sparks Deadly Protests (December 2017) In 2015, there were about 700 Confederate national monuments that celebrate the controversial American civil war across the United States. Most Americans gave them little thought. That changed during the same year after Dylann Roof, a young […]

Seven Actions To Take Campuses Back From the Alt-Right

Students on the other side of the debate feel like they are not heard in the university’s “cultural diversity agenda”. Many of them do not personally agree with alt-right speakers’ choice of words or a lot of their positions. The trade off is that alt-right speeches level the playing field in the cultural diversity wars. Here […]

African American Recruitment & Retention – Show Me the Money!

Want to Impress Me? A Diversity Best Practice Award is Not Enough! African American Recruitment & Diversity Best Practice Organizations The workplace is where people aim to make their economic lives better. Perceptions of income disparity affect perceptions of unfairness and inequities in the workplace. That is because differences in income have real-world consequences. The perception […]

Organizational Leadership: When Students Invite Ann Coulter to Campus

Organizational Leadership is the Key to Learning Outside the Classroom The college campus is recognized as a place for sharing ideas and developing critical thinking skills. Discussing controversial topics in the classroom is crucial for learning about different values and beliefs. I learned about the power of exposing students to different viewpoints in structured learning […]

How Social Responsibility Marketing Can Be Good for Business

Enjoy this Amazon commercial with a Social Responsibility Marketing Twist

What is the Difference Between Diversity Training & Diversity Education?

What is the Difference Between Diversity Training & Diversity Education? It is necessary to think beyond diversity practices as an inclusion strategy to appreciate the difference. Diversity training is a diversity best practice. Similar to Employee Resource Groups, training is considered an important solution for any serious diversity and inclusion program effort.  The problem is […]

Top 10 Reasons Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives Fail

One way to increase the probability of success is to learn from the mistakes of others’ efforts to implement a diversity & inclusion initiative. Below is a list of sources of failure.

The Frightening Reality of Workforce Diversity

The Current Reality of Workforce Diversity The frustration was palpable. Gathered as panelists at the April 2016 PUSHTech2020 Summit were Diversity Leaders from Yelp, Dropbox, Pinterest, Airbnb, Twitter, and Intuit.  All in the early stages of launching diversity and inclusion programs at their respective companies, they came together for the first time to share challenges […]

Cultural IQ: Cop Nearly Gives Black Woman Heart Attack

It is very difficult to build trust when there is a history of perceived injustice. Any attempt by the police to show a good gesture to people in the black community is commendable. But it requires cultural competence. One white American’s offer to a black American woman a good example of poor Cultural IQ. It was caught on video. […]

DIVERSITY TRAINING: FROM PAIN ISLAND TO PLEASURE ISLAND

The Diversity Training Pain Island Diversity training has a bad reputation and diversity professionals are at fault. Diversity training alone is too often marketed as a strategy. This leads to unreasonable expectations about outcomes. Consider the research by Professors Frank Dobbin and Alexandra Kalev. Their 2006 diversity training publication received considerable media attention because the […]

HOW TO WIN AN INCLUSION DEBATE WITH A TRUMP SUPPORTER

Clever Cultural Diversity Debate Games Want to win an inclusion debate? Cultural diversity debates present teachable moments. Being able to nail someone who has difficulties embracing inclusion is not easy. You want them to hear you out and take your values seriously. Unfortunately, most of us are ill-equipped to take full advantage of those moments. […]

IS DR. REVEREND MARTIN LUTHER KING’S ‘I HAVE A DREAM SPEECH’ OUTDATED?

It appears that the television series Scandal has done more to promote racial harmony given the increase in white male and African American female relationships.

Top 15 Diversity Topics 2015

High Tech companies implement The Rooney Rule recruitment plan to increase diversity. Tips for using items from the list for diversity training are offered.

Diversity Best Practices Steps

Diversity Best Practices refer to the strategy, plans, and actions in implementing a diversity initiative. Here are 10 High Impact Implementation Steps

Diversity Officer Magazine Newsletter

The Top Ten Keys to a Successful Diversity Mentoring Program In this issue: Message from Dr. Billy Diversity Manager/Executive Jobs Events Calendar Annual Diversity Officer Magazine Leadership awards Nominations Life as Diversity Professional: Has  This Ever Happened to You? What is a Diversity Dashboard? Going Fast: Get Your CDP Seminar Seat Right Away Message from […]

Diversity Officer Magazine Newsletter

Metrics speak louder than words. The diversity dashboard is a visual representation of workforce diversity and inclusion performance.

What is Inclusive Intelligence?

What is Inclusive Intelligence?: Changing the D&I Landscape By Billy Vaughn, PhD CDP (Special thanks to Carla Grantham, CDP and Bruce Stewart for their feedback on a draft of this article). [dropcap]I[/dropcap] was once contacted by a large healthcare organization. The IT manager had a recurring problem with the technician team. The manager confided that […]

Male Red Lobster Culinary Manager Gropes Female Employees

Red Lobster Restaurants Will Pay $160,000 to Settle EEOC Sexual Harassment Lawsuit 4-29-15 Former Culinary Manager Sexually Harassed Female Employees, Federal Agency Said BALTIMORE – Red Lobster Restaurants LLC will pay $160,000 and furnish significant equitable relief to resolve a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency […]

What Kind of Asian Are You? Video

Cultural Collisions occur when a person of one culture brings attention to another individual’s cultural difference in offensive ways – whether the individual intended to do so or not. Video

APPLE’S GIFT TO JESSIE JACKSON Protecting The Brand at the Cost of Return On Investment

A major shortcoming is the view that the problem is very complex, difficult to solve, and will take time.

Selecting a Diversity Certification Program

Just a hand full of reputable diversity professionals programs exist. By reputable, I mean that the program has been in existence more than ten years, the facilitators are experts, and the client list is impressive.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY & INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE ENGAGEMENT DRIVERS

You know that an employee is engaged when she or he is willing—even volunteering—to go the extra mile for the organization. This commitment is the result of feeling included, trusting that colleagues and supervisors are committed to helping each other, and a sense of respect for differences.

The Top Ten Diversity Recruitment Suggestions & Tips

Letter from Billy Vaughn: Hi. Happy New Year! I am really excited about 2014. I had the pleasure of training a lot of people who were vying to become certified diversity professionals. They encouraged me with your success stories even the recent graduates. I also had opportunities to support clients who courageously challenged their organizations […]

Why Employee Engagement Matters

Kodak’s Diversity and Inclusion Worldwide Strategy – Augustin Melendez, Eastman Kodak Company Editor’s choice – Presentations  

’12 Years a Slave,’ ‘Nebraska’ Lead Indie Spirit Award Nominees

By: Derrick Deane on November 26, 2013 at 1:27PM It’s time to see which film can build up momentum heading into awards season. This morning, the Spirit Award nominees were announced and all the expected, buzzed-about indie films are in the mix. 12…

Celebrating Cultural Diversity with a Bit of Humor

NOVEMBER Thanksgiving or Turkey Day?   Readers also read this similar article: How a Holiday Party Announcement Defunded a Diversity Office https://www.diversityexecutiveacademy.com/2017/12/02/cultural-diversity-holiday-party/  

Investigating Civility & Collegiality Complaints: Lessons from the George Zimmerman–Trayvon Martin Case

HIGH IMPACT DIVERSITY & INCLUSION LESSONS Managing Collegiality & Civility Can Be a Challenge Managing employee collegiality and civility is one of the more challenging human resource management responsibilities. Insults, bullying, and name-calling make trouble in close employee encounters. The overall impact on the organization is undermining civility, which drains productivity. Yet, according to a […]

Building & Sustaining Innovation in the Workplace

BSBINN801A: Lead Innovative Thinking and Practice Element 3: Generate and support a culture of innovation Element 4: Sustain innovative thinking and practice Link to all diagrams & resources through PearlTrees Building & Sustaining Innovation in the…

Women Wanted: Breaking the Diversity Stalemate

SOURCE: PA Consulting Group US September 03, 2013 10:11 ET Research From PA Consulting Group Shows Why Organizational Culture Is the Key to Gender Diversity — and to a Company’s Success NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwired – September 03, 2013) – According to…

What Credentials Do I Need to Become a Diversity Professional?

Diversity professional credentials are becoming both popular and required. How much education does a diversity expert need? What type of education is satisfactory? These are difficult questions to answer due to individual differences. Some people come into the world with the propensity to promote inclusion–although statistically very few. However, most of us need to learn […]

Implementing a High Impact Diversity Initiative Communication Strategy

Strategic Plan Implementation–Start with the Communication Strategy[i] [ii] Communicating your strategic plan is crucial for successful roll out and sustainability.  This module offers insights into communicating the strategic plan to your organization. It also describes how to go about implementing the communication plan. Why Do You Need a Communication Plan? You have a strategic plan […]

Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.

Dr. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr. (1944 – 2013) was a cultural diversity pioneer at the forefront of developing a framework for Diversity Management and innovative strategies for maximizing organizational and individual potential. He was active for more than 30 years as a consultant to numerous Fortune 500 companies, corporations, professional firms, government entities, non-profit organizations and […]

Was Pro Golfer Sergio Garcia’s Comment About Inviting Tiger Woods Over for ‘Fried Chicken” Dinner Insensitive or Racist?

A human resource professional does not have the luxury of taking a person’s word for it when investigating a report of an employee’s “insensitive” remarks. At the same time they are human. Check out Sergio’s apology in the media video, but first read the quick article about discerning animosity in racial slur incidents.

Traveling Managers: New Nomads of Globalization

Economic globalization is imposing a greater rate of cultural interaction that sets the basis for a unique, modern cultural output. People are must transcend their original cultural boundaries in order to function and integrate with one another both as citizens and consumers.

Assessing Diversity and Inclusion Needs in a Global Enterprise: A Scenario-Based Approach

A scenario-based approach to predicting demographic shifts can prepare organizations to meet challenges and take full advantages of opportunities. An essential part of scenario creation is calling on a diverse group of employees to openly and constructively share ideas about what the future will likely hold and how to meet the challenges.

Diversity Training Evaluation: How Does Your Initiative Measure Up?

The amount of evaluation that you provide depends on the types of decisions that your organization must make and the information needed to make those decisions.

THE HISTORY OF DIVERSITY TRAINING & ITS PIONEERS

Some diversity pioneers argue that the broader definition of diversity has “watered down” the focus on race to the extent that it is no longer dealt with seriously in diversity training.

Championing Diversity: Past, Present, & Future

We know that diversity has unique meanings, functions, and uses in different parts of the world. While the United States may have led the diversity consulting and training movement, the full range of knowledge needed to promote inclusion within and beyond its borders relies on sharing information at the global level. We need professionals from every corner of the world participating in this knowledge sharing to enhance the utility of diversity and inclusion as an area of expertise.

The Top Ten Ways to Avoid Teamwork Sabotage

Team building is an important part of managing staff. Yet too often leaders treat it as a one-time workshop or seminar that has a life of its own afterwards. In fact, teamwork is built over time and needs leadership to sustain. By utilizing the ten things covered in this article, the leader can create self-managed teams.

Managing Cultural Collisions

Cultural collisions refer to interactions that go wrong due to cultural differences. Readers also like this article: https://www.diversityexecutiveacademy.com/what-is-diversity-certification-cdp-cdt-cde/5-cultural-diversity-practitioner-competencies/

Comfort Women or War Crime Victims?

The term “comfort women” was a euphemism used to describe women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.[1][2] Estimates vary as to how many women were involved, with numbers ranging from as low as 20,000 from some Japanese scholars[3] to as high as 410,000 from some Chinese scholars,[4] but the […]

Achieving Diversity – Step by Step Guidelines

PHASE 1 ~ Start-Up. Before introducing organization-wide diversity efforts, senior-level staff and the board of directors should learn as much as possible about managing a diversity process and should identify internal and external resources that they can rely on for support and assistance. Familiarity with how other organizations have managed an organizational change process can build […]

Diversity Board Return on Equity

Why There are George Zimmermans in Every Organization & How to Manage Them

March 2012 public opinion polls indicate that about 75% of Americans want George Zimmerman arrested for shooting Trayvon Martin to death. The opinions take into account news reports indicating that Zimmerman is ‘white Hispanic”, from a racially mix family, and a neighborhood watch person for the racially mixed community in which Trayvon Martin was visiting. Zimmerman’s family and […]

Cultural Competence Performance Appraisal: Executive Accountability

By Billy Vaughn, PhD CDP reprint from Diversity Blog (July 14, 2008 – http://dtui.com/diversityblog/?p=26)   Keywords: 360° feedback, Cultural competence, diversity & inclusion, performance appraisal.   Please watch this humorous, insightful, yet unfortunate short video before reading the main article. Keep in mind that there while this video may look like a commercial, wait for […]

Judge Faults Atheist Mocking Mohammed for Muslim Attack On Him

Article By Dugald McConnell and Brian Todd, CNN (CNN) – A protester who ridiculed the Muslim prophet Mohammed claims he was assaulted by a Muslim who was offended by the stunt, but a judge has sympathized with the alleged perpetrator, in a case that has drawn national attention. Read more at http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/02/28/judges-dismissal-of-atheists-harassment-claim-against-muslim-makes-waves/?hpt=hp_t3

Outlearn Your Competition: Cultural Diversity Live Course

Please join the Cultural Diversity Course on March 7, 2012 at 9:00 am PST, 11 am Central, and 12 Noon EST. 1.  Go to this link (Please give yourself about 15 minutes for set up. https://www3.gotomeeting.com/join/355598878 2.  Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) – a headset is recommended.  Or, call in using your telephone. Dial […]

How to Deal With Resistance to Diversity & Inclusion – A Short Course

Case Study Sara is ready to present her case for diversity and inclusion to her organization’s leadership team. She is dressed in a new ‘power” suit, flaunts a new hairstyle, and glows with the confidence that comes with days of preparation. Before she can get started, her boss points out how ‘very nice’ she looks […]

Airline Does It’s Part to End Racism

A 50- something year old white woman arrived at her seat on a crowded flight and immediately didn’t want the seat. The seat was next to a black man. Disgusted, the woman immediately summoned the flight attendant and demanded a new seat. The woman said "I cannot sit here next to this black man!" The […]

Life of the Diversity Professional

Top Ten Ways to Recruit the Native American Job Candidate

By Staff Writer The Native American job candidate with a tribal worldview offers an opportunity to increase diversity and inclusion in the interest of increased innovation and competitiveness. Their ability to navigate between a tribal worldview of which they are proud and American culture is just one reason that they add value to any organization. […]

The Top Ten Culturally Competent Interviewing Strategies

One of the major challenges in creating a culturally diverse organization is the trouble recruiters make for themselves, their organization, and the candidates in the interview. At the same time, that is where the stakes for attracting the most talented candidates are highest. The following list is offered to give you insights into what is […]

How to Develop a Killer Diversity Council

Sometimes you get one chance to avoid a landmine that could put you and the diversity initiative on the back burner, so taking care in developing this group is an imperative. The most important thing to consider in developing a diversity council is to balance leadership, middle management, and staff level representatives. Doing so requires […]

The Contribution of Support Programs on Ethnic Minority Employee Retention

Introduction Researchers have long found that there is a relationship between employee’s commitment to their organization and turnover intention. In particular, ethnic minority employee turnover has remained a serious problem for leaders across the high technology (high tech) industry. Studies have revealed the importance of diversity in the workplace, which indicates that culture of inclusion […]

Delivering Effective Strategic Diversity Management Education

The Business Case for Diversity Management Education If you want to know what the business case is for diversity education ask the leaders of any organization. For eight months I worked with the officers of a major transportation organization to develop a strategic diversity management plan. This gave me a good comprehension of the organizational […]

A High Impact Training Module Design and Development: How to Treat the Problem Instead of the Symptoms

September 29, 2011 (updated 3/8/2019) Deploying high impact training modules requires competency gap analysis, the use of a competency framework, and competent facilitation skills. Integrity in the delivery of all three parts is crucial in cultural diversity, inclusion, and belonging education. A good example is designing a training course to address staff complaints about manager […]

What is Cultural Competence & How is it Measured?

What is Cultural Competence? This article cultural competence and describes how to assess it at the individual and organizational levels. This article also uses a cultural competence framework as a unique approach to designing and developing high impact diversity education. A What is Cultural Competence? video is also included. Cultural competence has a solid representation in healthcare […]

Managing the Downside of HR: When Employees Clash

by Susan Lucas (Evil HR Lady) Dear Evil HR Lady,If clashes keep occurring among team members, (whether due to personalities, ages, nationalities, communication or work styles), who is best able to identify, address, and formulate solutions? Should conflict resolution be addressed by our manager or by members of the work team? What behaviors should be […]

Good Diversity Leaders Work Hard at Self Awareness

by Susan Klopfer, Group Klopfer Self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership. Effective diversity leaders stay ahead by working to improve this critical skill. 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; […]

Cultural Competence: The Nuts & Bolts of Diversity & Inclusion

MERCEDES MARTIN & BILLY VAUGHN Cultural competence is at the heart of managing diversity. While a few people seem to be born with cultural competence, the rest of us have had to put considerable effort into developing it. This means, in part, doing a lot of personal work on our biases and prejudices, searching for […]

What’s in a Name?

Upon returning from The 10th Annual Summit on Leading Diversity held in Atlanta March 16 – 18, I was struck by how fast the workforce diversity “lingo” changes between those of us in the field of diversity and inclusion, D&I, as it is now referred to among colleagues and peers. These conferences are specifically held […]

Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Solutions

December 7, 2010 Workplace diversity refers to the variety of differences between people in an organization. That sounds simple, but diversity encompasses race, gender, ethnic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, education, background and more. Diversity not only involves how people perceive themselves, but how they perceive others. Those perceptions affect their interactions. […]

Micro-aggressions and Daily Indignities Can Be Costly in a Diverse Organization

Hubbard and Hubbard surveyed employees to find out what percentage of an eight-hour day is not spent on critical work due to real or perceived workplace barriers. While answers ranged between 9 and 90 percent, Hubbard said 25 percent was the score given most often by respondents. ‘Twenty-five percent of an eight-hour day is two […]

Chicago United Survey Shows Impact of Recent Recession on Diversity and Inclusion

November 16, 2010. Chicago United and Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago teamed up to survey Chicago area largest corporations in order to measure companies’ intent to advance diversity and inclusion strategies and the impact of racial diversity and inclusion as it relates to retention policies. This was the sixth edition of the Corporate Diversity Profile, […]

Diversity Certification – Go or No?: The merits behind becoming a Diversity Certified Supplier

by Glenn Haussman, Editor in Chief of Hotel Interactive, Inc. Supplier Diversity is quickly becoming a core initiative by many leading lodging companies. But like most new things, figuring out how to make these programs work is a learning process. Both buyers and suppliers are not only learning the ropes of these programs; they’re still […]

Managing the Downside of Diversity: When Employees Clash

If clashes keep occurring among team members, (whether due to personalities, ages, nationalities, communication or work styles), who is best able to identify, address, and formulate solutions? Should conflict resolution be addressed by our manager or by members of the work team? What behaviors should be attempted before I decide to leave the organization?

Good Diversity Leaders Work Hard At Self-Awareness

by Susan Klopfer, Group Klopfer Self-awareness is at the heart of strong leadership. Effective diversity leaders stay ahead by working to improve this critical skill. 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; […]

A Comparative Study of Awareness and Sensitivity Diversity Training Strategies and Human Resource Policy-Driven Strategies

Cultural diversity has become the buzzword for the 1990s.  We hear less and less about equal employment opportunity and affirmative action efforts and programs, but hear more about multiculturalism, managing cultural diversity, and diversity training.  The importance of the cultural diversity movement stems in large part from the predicted demographic shifts that are already underway […]

CULTURAL COMPETENCE: The Nuts & Bolts of Diversity & Inclusion

Cultural competence is at the heart of managing diversity. While a few people seem to be born with cultural competence, the rest of us have had to put considerable effort into developing it. This means, in part, doing a lot of personal work on our biases and prejudices, searching for role models, and taking advantage […]

Radio Host Dr. Laura Schlessinger Criticizes Black Female Caller for Racism Advice

August 13, 2010 American talk radio host, socially conservative commentator and author Dr. Laura Schlessinger, 63, has apologized after going on a race-relations tirade in response to a black caller seeking advice on interracial tensions with her white husband on Thursday. Dr. Laura, who has marriage and family counseling credentials, takes a conservative stand with […]

What Is a Chief Diversity Officer?: Higher Education Perspective

The emergence of the chief diversity officer in higher education is not without historical precedence, as some institutions had ‘vice president for minority affairs” positions in the 1970s, when the first large group of African Americans enrolled at what were nearly all-white colleges and universities. These early units were often criticized as being a symbolic […]

Francine Small CDP Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion Cook Group, Inc.

An Interview with Francine Small CDP Vice President of Diversity & Inclusion Cook, Inc. by REGINA KLAESGES, PsyD Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry magazine named Cook the 2006 Medical Device Manufacturer of the Year. Now the trailblazing company is seriously committed to venturing boldly into new territory–creating a model for a culturally inclusive organization.The first […]

Powerful Questions for Correcting Someone’s Diversity Misconceptions

Does Confrontation Work? Many diversity trainers believe that confronting people about their prejudice increases awareness of how their negative beliefs make problems for others. The early U.S. military race relations training approach is a good example of the confrontation method. In an effort to promote racial harmony, the military required several weeks of race relations […]

The Social Psychology of Team Learning

Organizational Assessment: An Important First Step in Cultural Competency Training

Healthcare leaders are eager to develop the competence needed to serve people across different cultures. One reason is that a serious patient care mishap due to cultural misunderstanding can potentially cost a life. However, the cultural competence needed in one setting to another varies as a result of different patient demographics, and those demographics may […]

Organizations Aren’t Raising the Bar High Enough

Organizations Aren’t Raising the Bar High Enough: The Need for a Giant Leap in Diversity & Inclusion Efforts Judith H. Katz & Frederick A. Miller, The Kaleel Jamison Consulting Group, Inc. Over the past two decades, many organizations have undertaken some form of diversity initiative. In fact, it is estimated that more than 85 percent […]

Teachable Moments: Emotionally-Charged Workplace Discussions About Politics, Race, Gender, and Ageism

John, a white male manager, says that ‘he is sick and tired of hearing about how ‘poor little ole’ Obama is being picked on because he is a black man,’ while he has to stand by and watch John McCain and Sarah Palin get labeled as angry and incompetent over and over again without anyone […]

Top Ten Diversity Best Practices

Examples of Top Ten Diversity Best Practices Strong support from top management and board chair (written statement of commitment) Diversity linked to the strategic planning process, mission, vision “Diversity” or “Inclusion” identified as a core value for the organization in the appropriate documents (see also the first item on this list) Management reporting systems track, […]