Career TOOLBOX #25: Corporate Diversity

What It Is and What It Isn’t

Lots of talk these days regarding diversity – and it’s not limited to corporations. Lots of organizations, including companies, universities and non-profits, now issue diversity mission statements and even allocate dedicated teams to ensure what happens within their brands. But how many have any idea what it means? And how is that information disseminated to everyone within that space?

If you’ve actually read some of these statements, you probably left more confused than before you laid your eyes on them. They are typically full of pretty words stating pretty things that make you feel warm and fuzzy. Yet, simultaneously, many say absolutely nothing and there’s nothing actionable about them.

I once partook in a corporate poetry event that fell under diversity.  I’ve been a writer my whole life. I also grew up multi-cultural and in one of the most diverse high schools in the country. But even I couldn’t make the connection between poetry and diversity.

So I reached out to a friend of mine — EvaLynn Green, MM. We attended the same high school and enjoyed the same French class. We reconnected a few years ago and thanks to social media have been in touch ever since. EvaLynn is an Employment Security Interviewer 2 with the Tennessee Department Of Labor Workforce and Development.

“Diversity is so important to me, because I am an educated African-American woman, who has locks and endures discrimination from time to time,” says EvaLynn. “Since becoming ‘natural’ and wearing my locks, it makes no difference if I am dressed business formal — I can (still) feel the eyes upon me. My outer appearance has nothing to do with my intelligence or ability to do my job effectively. I have three strikes against me before I even start: black, a woman and natural hair. Does this constitute that I make less money or have a position of little responsibility?”

EvaLynn continues by stating, “When I think of corporate diversity, what come to my mind are various individuals of different beginnings working together. Diversity is not just black and white. It has gray areas, areas which affect each individual within your organization, from the CEO to the person in the cubicle next to you.”

This topic is something we’re both very passionate about. “Growing up in Skokie, Illinois, taught us diversity at a young age. Just about every race, nationality, sexual orientation or disabled individual attended our high school.It was a great stepping stone.”

And she’s right. Because we grew up where we did, we thought far less of people’s backgrounds and far more about their character. We both realize that this kind of childhood isn’t the norm and because of that — and mostly, because not only is America’s population shifting, but so is the whole world’s — companies today must align themselves with bringing in people who think differently. If not? They will fall quickly behind the firms that do.

“The only difference between corporate diversity and everyday diversity is money. Corporations are in the business to make money; however that money usually involves individuals…from different (backgrounds). As the money exchanges take place, corporations should understand the cultural differences of the other party that lead to ultimate satisfaction between both parties. If a company makes the decision to outsource to China, for these companies to have cohesiveness, they must understand one another’s culture.”

Most organizations are finally catching on that in order to best serve their customer (or end user) that the employees that represent the firm have to, at some level, identify with those very clients that will increase their payroll.

Once of the things I encourage my MBA students to do on day one of the semester is to pitch themselves to the rest of the class. This not only gives them an opportunity to practice showcasing their skills to a large group, but, also, creates the perfect platform for them to form teams with people that have little in common with them.  If one is strong at giving presentations, then she should align herself with the person who is great at research, and so forth.

Because if everyone that you work with is just like you, you’ve now created a major blind-spot and lowered your overall skill portfolio. You’ve lost the competitive race to another innovator that has surrounded himself with opposing view points, bilingual teammates and international experience.

So what isn’t diversity? Per EvaLynn, “Diversity is not only the color of one’s skin. Diversity is not straight or gay. Due to the changing culture and trends of today, it is important to understand the complexity of diversity to be effective in business or it can be detrimental to a business deal.”

Yes, it really does boil down to the fiscal factor. From the corporate point of view, its only incentive is to answer to shareholders and to be within the law. Anything else the organization wants to do is extra. Or simply good PR.

Diversity is also not about quotas or affirmative action. The people who combine everything into one bucket of confusion misunderstand what diversity is. It is about alignment to the global shift and ensuring that the very best talent that represents that shift is working on your team.

How do you know if you will fit within that platform and if you have opportunity to grow?

What I share every semester with my students and with many of my clients looking for new opportunities is that there is one clear way to see if you have a chance at breaking the glass ceiling within a firm vs. remaining a worker bee during your entire duration: look at the board. If the board is a bunch of cousins, unless you’re a cousin or marry into the family, you don’t stand a chance. But if the board is reflective of the customer base and you resemble the clients and the key people driving all major decisions, then you have an opportunity to make an impact.

EvaLynn questions it best. “I am currently working on my PhD in professional studies in education and my post-masters certificate in enrollment management. Will organizations or institutions of higher learner have an issue calling me Dr. EvaLynn H Green, despite the locks, my tan colored skin, my round hips, or full lips?”

The truly diverse firm won’t have any trouble at all.

First published in October, 2013.

Reprinted with permission and gratitude from CoolCleveland.com.