3 Things To Consider Before You Implement A Diversity Management Strategy

You think Diversity Management is worth your time.?

You want to put your thoughts into practice.?

You are now facing a new challenge.

An “Implementation Gap”.

I’ve found a paper that provides a 3 level, 8 step process that can help you:

“Diversity challenge: An integrated process to bridge the ‘implementation gap’”

By Rossella Ricco and Marco Guerci

I’ll discuss the process next week.?

This week:?

Here are 3 things you should consider BEFORE you start.

1 What do you mean by Diversity Management?

We think of Diversity as a management approach that recognises that as individuals we have differences and there is value in those differences.

The paper says Diversity Management is:?

“an organizational approach with the strategic aim of achieving better organizational results by creating an inclusive workplace?where people’s distinguishing qualities and needs are managed in a diversified, effective, efficient, and equitable way.”

Did you spot that?

The authors defined Diversity in terms of an inclusive workplace.?

This means you need to understand Inclusion in order to understand Diversity.?

This differs from our approach but it’s not incompatible.

So what is an inclusive workplace?

According to the paper it’s a place where:?

“people are aware of the existence of diversity and have a high regard for the feelings and rights of others,?where everyone can express themselves freely, and heterogeneity can be combined imaginatively to create new ways of communicating and collaborating”

Notice the direct reference to Diversity??

We think of Inclusion is a systematic business strategy to ensure that everyone shares the same advantages and benefits:?

- Everyone can perform

- Everyone can belong?

- Everyone can reach their potential?

We deliberately frame Inclusion as a business strategy.

The paper frames Diversity Management as a business strategy.

I felt the paper came across as a corporate case study.?

They cited Coca Cola, IBM, Sodexo.?

I still think it’s useful for Everyday Leaders like you.

Even if this isn’t your day job.?

2 What is the Diversity Challenge , What is the Implementation Gap??

This paper is defined by the Diversity Challenge.

It’s literally in the title.?

The paper says this occurs when organisations:?

Recognise the importance of Diversity Management.?

And then ask the following question:?

“How can we put Diversity Management into practice??

The authors say this question indicates the ‘implementation gap’?

This moves from a basic cost/benefit assessment to a desire to do something.?

This is directly informed by the next point I want to make.

3 The Features of the Model?

The model has 3 levels:

- Strategic Level?

- Tactical Level?

- Operational Level?

But that’s not what I mean by the features?

The authors identify 3 features that I think most people will ignore?

(1) the process is normative in all its stages, while at the same time giving companies leeway to adapt it to their specific situations

(2) the process is flexible in terms of participation so that companies can implement it in a more-or-less participative way

(3) the process integrates the strategic, tactical, and operational levels in a coordinated way.?

The first point is what I think people will ignore.?

“Normative” is a word academics love.?

I think of it as people talking about the way they think things should be as as opposed to the way things actually are.?

A normative statement could be something like:

“the workplace should be inclusive”

This often involves value judgements.

I talk about value judgements more on the show and the obvious give aways that signal normative statements.?

This is relevant because a “normative” process based on the way things should be is likely to have a persistent implementation gap.?

I felt the distance between what you want and what you’ve got was played down in the paper.?

If you play it down in real life.?

This could be discouraging.?

I don't want that for you.

We’ll talk about the 8 step process next week.?

I wanted to share this now to get you started.?

As always?

I’m cheering you on?

Dr. Jonathan?

Whenever you're ready, there are a few?ways I can support your Inclusion Journey:

1.?????Work with me 1:1?

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3.?????Get our Free Email Course?

For everything else check this?

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