diversity at work
Diversity: Post Election - Is The Job Done Or Are We Just Getting Started?
Diversity: Post Election
Is The Job Done Or Are We Just Getting Started?
By Carl Braun
Diversity & Inclusion have been a vital part of American corporate culture for years. Creating a business environment that respects employee differences and promotes equal opportunity are cornerstones of good business practice. Unlike its predecessor “Affirmative Action”, D&I programs have focused on ensuring that minorities and women get
an “invitation to the party”; not just employer encouragement to hire based on race, or gender. We moved away from the days of Jim Crow. We moved forward with the civil rights marches of the sixties; we continue to march forward in the 21st century.
In life, understanding, growth, and acceptance of diverse initiatives are incremental. One belief gives way to another in a natural progression of growth and understanding. Affirmative Action had its place in history but it was an incremental step in the evolution of the American social and business environment.
Yet now, with the election of the nation’s first black President, some political pundits say that diversity is now unnecessary. There is no need for ongoing programs to assist minorities and women. The playing field is now “level”. Time to move on.
Is that true? Have we really come so far that discrimination of any kind can be erased by the election of one man, even if he is the President of the United States? Is the election of Barack Obama an indication of achieved success or simply a mile-marker on the road to racial equality and inclusion?
According to Eric Shannon, President of the Hispanic job board LatPro.com “Our work is far from done. But diversity efforts will get a big boost from Obama whose remarkable gifts are selfevident. This goes a long way towards breaking the stereotype of the unqualified 'token minority'.”
Indeed, the “token minority” was pervasive in the old days of affirmative action and Obama’s election may finally put an end to such demagoguery. Still, going forward, what does the election of a black man to the highest office in the land really mean to diversity & inclusion? Surely there will be no “mission accomplished” statements but there are
those that will use this as an excuse to declare that the war is won and that diversity must be shown the door.
Eric Watson, Vice-President of Diversity & Inclusion for Food Lion grocery stores disagrees. “President Obama has said two things, in my opinion, that fit the Diversity space. One, there is renewed HOPE and two, we must WORK HARD. Hope and Hard Work are still what will move D&I efforts forward. So there is no declaring victory! “ he said. “What is glaringly an obvious representation of Diversity alone does not cause Inclusion. Specifically, Obama being the first Black President, will not change the need for more inclusion. “ Watson added.
Mr. Watson raises a good point. Diversity & Inclusion, though intrinsically tied together represent two very distinctive efforts in the promotion of equality. The former serves as a beacon of light that guides us towards a place of cultural acceptance while Inclusion is an ongoing process of ensuring the lessons learned through diversity are implemented in a real world fashion. The election of Barak Obama shows us this can be done, and reaffirms we’re on the right track. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Steven Garcia, Vice-President of DiversityWorking.com sees it this way “It is clear with the overwhelming support of an African American President our nation understands the importance of providing opportunity at the highest level for all individuals. This support provides clear evidence that Americans are expecting to see opportunities for everyone within Corporate America. Companies that do not have diversity programs within their organizations are behind the times, and need to understand that diversity branding is a key aspect to their market outreach. By having the first African American President of the United States it has brought diversity outreach to the forefront and companies will be making a stronger effort to include everyone within their organizations”.
‘Thought Leadership’ in this area is driven by key individuals representing, in many cases, large corporations who see good business reasons for improved diversity & inclusion. The hands and faces of America are changing and smart companies are ensuring that they have workforces that reflect a changing customer base. Here, revenue drives social change…or does it? A case could be made that more appropriately social change drives revenue and smart companies are quick to take advantage of it. Still, understanding how each interacts for the benefit of the other is a business unto itself. Diversity & Inclusion demands through market interaction that corporations pay attention.
Again, Eric Watson one of the nation’s foremost thought leaders on diversity and inclusion had some salient points: “In corporations, there must still be Individual Behavior Change and Organizational Culture Change. Recently, The Conference Board Council
on Work Force Diversity, with Indra Lahiri, developed, key competencies for Diversity Practitioners in the 21st century. Among them are a healthy respect for the values of change management, a broader, global perspective on diversity and a strong relationship to the core of the business.
Appropriate use of management tools and principals that take diversity and inclusion into consideration are critical. Charting a course for an organization without diversity and inclusion would almost certainly mean failure. D&I initiatives are largely a United States phenomenon though we are increasingly driven by global concerns and issues. What we do here has a stunning impact on how we are perceived elsewhere and the days of operating a business within the US industrial bubble are over. Perception is reality. Understanding the value of diversity & inclusion to the bottom line and communicating that in a succinct fashion further strengthens the core of the business.
This discussion often tends to be driven by the commonalities and differences generated by race and racial interactions but what about women? Where is the focus on gender? The glass ceiling after all was originally meant for them.
“The election of Barack Obama in regards to its impact on women’s initiatives is another rung up the ladder. Women received the right to vote before African Americans, yet women continue in their appeal to be viewed in positions of power. I believe it gives us chance to see that it is not our differences, but our indifferences to each other that have caused
the chasm we currently face” noted Patti Yaritz, President of Divercities Research in Minneapolis.
Obama has already staked a claim in this race having signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act a few days after taking office. Which raises perhaps the most important consideration for the future of diversity & inclusion. It is unlikely that the first African American President will oversee the destruction of the very initiatives that have laid the groundwork for his meteoric rise to power. He will more likely be a conscientious and thoughtful steward of diversity & inclusion and provide still another base line from which future generations may measure success.
Is diversity dead? No. Diversity is a perennial flower, blooming full of hope and wonder for what lies ahead. Barack Obama, watering can in hand, will do his part to tend the garden and then pass the watering can to the next pioneer, perhaps a woman. For now, Diversity & Inclusion is a shining example of what can be done when like minds work toward a
common goal for the betterment of mankind.
About the author:
Carl Braun is a principal in The Inclusiv* Group, an executive search and career consulting firm with offices in San Francisco and San Diego. He is also the CEO of CrossPost LLC, leaders in diversity cross-posting with newspapers and niche job boards. He is generally regarded as an expert in diversity and Internet recruiting having published many articles on
the subject. He can be reached at cfbraun at inclusiv.net.
Is The Job Done Or Are We Just Getting Started?
By Carl Braun
Diversity & Inclusion have been a vital part of American corporate culture for years. Creating a business environment that respects employee differences and promotes equal opportunity are cornerstones of good business practice. Unlike its predecessor “Affirmative Action”, D&I programs have focused on ensuring that minorities and women get
an “invitation to the party”; not just employer encouragement to hire based on race, or gender. We moved away from the days of Jim Crow. We moved forward with the civil rights marches of the sixties; we continue to march forward in the 21st century.
In life, understanding, growth, and acceptance of diverse initiatives are incremental. One belief gives way to another in a natural progression of growth and understanding. Affirmative Action had its place in history but it was an incremental step in the evolution of the American social and business environment.
Yet now, with the election of the nation’s first black President, some political pundits say that diversity is now unnecessary. There is no need for ongoing programs to assist minorities and women. The playing field is now “level”. Time to move on.
Is that true? Have we really come so far that discrimination of any kind can be erased by the election of one man, even if he is the President of the United States? Is the election of Barack Obama an indication of achieved success or simply a mile-marker on the road to racial equality and inclusion?
According to Eric Shannon, President of the Hispanic job board LatPro.com “Our work is far from done. But diversity efforts will get a big boost from Obama whose remarkable gifts are selfevident. This goes a long way towards breaking the stereotype of the unqualified 'token minority'.”
Indeed, the “token minority” was pervasive in the old days of affirmative action and Obama’s election may finally put an end to such demagoguery. Still, going forward, what does the election of a black man to the highest office in the land really mean to diversity & inclusion? Surely there will be no “mission accomplished” statements but there are
those that will use this as an excuse to declare that the war is won and that diversity must be shown the door.
Eric Watson, Vice-President of Diversity & Inclusion for Food Lion grocery stores disagrees. “President Obama has said two things, in my opinion, that fit the Diversity space. One, there is renewed HOPE and two, we must WORK HARD. Hope and Hard Work are still what will move D&I efforts forward. So there is no declaring victory! “ he said. “What is glaringly an obvious representation of Diversity alone does not cause Inclusion. Specifically, Obama being the first Black President, will not change the need for more inclusion. “ Watson added.
Mr. Watson raises a good point. Diversity & Inclusion, though intrinsically tied together represent two very distinctive efforts in the promotion of equality. The former serves as a beacon of light that guides us towards a place of cultural acceptance while Inclusion is an ongoing process of ensuring the lessons learned through diversity are implemented in a real world fashion. The election of Barak Obama shows us this can be done, and reaffirms we’re on the right track. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Steven Garcia, Vice-President of DiversityWorking.com sees it this way “It is clear with the overwhelming support of an African American President our nation understands the importance of providing opportunity at the highest level for all individuals. This support provides clear evidence that Americans are expecting to see opportunities for everyone within Corporate America. Companies that do not have diversity programs within their organizations are behind the times, and need to understand that diversity branding is a key aspect to their market outreach. By having the first African American President of the United States it has brought diversity outreach to the forefront and companies will be making a stronger effort to include everyone within their organizations”.
‘Thought Leadership’ in this area is driven by key individuals representing, in many cases, large corporations who see good business reasons for improved diversity & inclusion. The hands and faces of America are changing and smart companies are ensuring that they have workforces that reflect a changing customer base. Here, revenue drives social change…or does it? A case could be made that more appropriately social change drives revenue and smart companies are quick to take advantage of it. Still, understanding how each interacts for the benefit of the other is a business unto itself. Diversity & Inclusion demands through market interaction that corporations pay attention.
Again, Eric Watson one of the nation’s foremost thought leaders on diversity and inclusion had some salient points: “In corporations, there must still be Individual Behavior Change and Organizational Culture Change. Recently, The Conference Board Council
on Work Force Diversity, with Indra Lahiri, developed, key competencies for Diversity Practitioners in the 21st century. Among them are a healthy respect for the values of change management, a broader, global perspective on diversity and a strong relationship to the core of the business.
Appropriate use of management tools and principals that take diversity and inclusion into consideration are critical. Charting a course for an organization without diversity and inclusion would almost certainly mean failure. D&I initiatives are largely a United States phenomenon though we are increasingly driven by global concerns and issues. What we do here has a stunning impact on how we are perceived elsewhere and the days of operating a business within the US industrial bubble are over. Perception is reality. Understanding the value of diversity & inclusion to the bottom line and communicating that in a succinct fashion further strengthens the core of the business.
This discussion often tends to be driven by the commonalities and differences generated by race and racial interactions but what about women? Where is the focus on gender? The glass ceiling after all was originally meant for them.
“The election of Barack Obama in regards to its impact on women’s initiatives is another rung up the ladder. Women received the right to vote before African Americans, yet women continue in their appeal to be viewed in positions of power. I believe it gives us chance to see that it is not our differences, but our indifferences to each other that have caused
the chasm we currently face” noted Patti Yaritz, President of Divercities Research in Minneapolis.
Obama has already staked a claim in this race having signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act a few days after taking office. Which raises perhaps the most important consideration for the future of diversity & inclusion. It is unlikely that the first African American President will oversee the destruction of the very initiatives that have laid the groundwork for his meteoric rise to power. He will more likely be a conscientious and thoughtful steward of diversity & inclusion and provide still another base line from which future generations may measure success.
Is diversity dead? No. Diversity is a perennial flower, blooming full of hope and wonder for what lies ahead. Barack Obama, watering can in hand, will do his part to tend the garden and then pass the watering can to the next pioneer, perhaps a woman. For now, Diversity & Inclusion is a shining example of what can be done when like minds work toward a
common goal for the betterment of mankind.
About the author:
Carl Braun is a principal in The Inclusiv* Group, an executive search and career consulting firm with offices in San Francisco and San Diego. He is also the CEO of CrossPost LLC, leaders in diversity cross-posting with newspapers and niche job boards. He is generally regarded as an expert in diversity and Internet recruiting having published many articles on
the subject. He can be reached at cfbraun at inclusiv.net.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jazmin Dent on -
I really think that your have a point there. When it all comes down to it, diversity is going to better slowly but progressively over time. It's not going to be something that happens overnight, but there will be improvement. And I definatley think that Obama becoming president has given hope to many minorities because they now realize that if he can make it, they can make it as well.
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