Synergy Fuels Teamwork In Organizational Leadership: My Diversity P Plan
Posted: Monday, July 12, 2010
by Michael Gaffley
flatlinetochange
How do we embrace people who come to work with long traditions and cultural constructs that are firmly etched in their mind-set? How do we transcend history? The world and our society are becoming more and more confused. In this confused and complex world we need to develop a diversity policy because a realistic diversity policy may prevent workplace disasters and promote authentic engagement. We have to rethink our diverse world that is being shaped by pain, trauma and greed.
The ability to make effective choices and live an authentic life depends to a great extent on our capability and capacity to be self-reflective. Self-reflection is the greatest asset that you have for living a fulfilling life that provides a sense of direction and influence over what happens to you. If you do not understand your own feelings, your own fears, your own values, your own intentions, and patterns of behavior, your life can be like a floater bobbing on the ocean and going nowhere.
On a personal note, I had to be aware of the oppression that I was subjected to. I had to be aware that my physical movements were being dictated by a political regime that was bent on destroying any decency in the lives of people of color. I had to always be vigilant that the regime did not control my mind, my ideas and my freedom to think. They restricted my physical movements but they never succeeded in restricting my possibility thinking and solution strategies. People may try to join the diversity effort, may tolerate it for a while, get frustrated and eventually withdraw to their own comfort zone and circling the wagons, or laager mentality. Do not underestimate the power of mob mentality and peoples need to follow whatever seems fashionable or hip. How then do I define diversity?
I define diversity as the cooperative of people who bring a variety of biological, spiritual and social backgrounds, styles, perspectives, values, and beliefs as assets to groups and organizations in which they work together to energize and enact the organizational mission.
I invite you to implement the following exercise in your workplace:
Stage 1. Diversity in the Institution: The Players, The Personalities, The Profiles
Different does not mean deficient. Organizations are staffed by people who though uniquely different in terms of culture and traditions, history, and political and yet the same in terms of basic human needs one of which is the need for belonging. People have different learning styles, decision making styles and ways of dealing with conflict. Staff will enjoy knowing what type fits them best. A fun preference analysis will put everyone at ease.
Stage 2. Institutional Diversity: The Place, The Processes, The Policies,
Organizations that do not have a sense of the diversity temperature in the workplace set itself up for energy draining and money wasting interpersonal conflict, erosion of scarce resources and lengthy litigation. A simple, yet comprehensive needs assessment can bring all the organizational forces and factors into focus. This will spawn a shared vision and strategic plan. The diversity plan is best operationalized with bona fide support of the executive leadership. No-one needs to be made to feel uncomfortable in dealing with the diversity plan. Staff will enjoy doing a Personalized Lifestyle Collage (PLC). These collages become the symbol and snapshot or the real organization at the functional level. A commitment to create an organization worth working in for all, will put everyone at ease.
Institutionalized Diversity: The Purpose, The Plan, The Product
Organizations impact the lifestyle of its workers. Its workers impact nation building in the country. Diversity works best when the diversity paradigm generates mindset change in society. We are all answerable for creating a better world for ourselves and our children. Research is clear that organizations that galvanize their staff in supporting a common corporate social cause enhance commitment to service excellence and quality. Managing diversity and managing the abilities of your talent pool are flip sides of the same coin or organizational initiative if you want your executive faces to mirror those of your trading spaces. Diversity plays a key role in strategic planning. Leonard Goodstein, Timothy Nolan, and J. William Pfeiffer (1992) remind us in Understanding and Managing Diversity that " strategic planning is the process by which the guiding members of an organization envision its future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future. "
Be prepared for surprises and do make many mid-course corrections.
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