denise morris kipnis c hange f low c onsulting. session objectives cool theory practical skills you...

Diversity is Organization Effectiveness

Denise Morris Kipnis

CHANGEFLOW CONSULTING

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Session ObjectivesCool theory Practical skills you can apply to your own systemsDecrease discomfort with the topicIncrease self-efficacy (self as instrument) by getting in

touch with comfort/discomfort

CHANGEFLOW CONSULT ING

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What problems does this session address?Organizational effectiveness in a global/multicultural world

demands flexibility, plurality, and meeting customers (both external and internal) where they are at- including culturally

“Managing” Diversity is a common organization challengeOD practitioners able to do what diversity practitioners

usually cannot: integrate efforts with the core of the business

Answers demanded to do more with less—to increase employee engagement, contribution, and performance

It’s the right thing to do


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Top 5 things you need to know as an OD Practitioner

1. OD’s roots are in diversity and inclusion2. Diversity awareness and actions develop on a

continuum: Think diversity learning capacity, not competency

3. Diversity “management” is a sophisticated change effort

4. You are already influencing others about diversity5. You already have the tools and expertise to intervene


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Expected take-aways Diversity is not someone else’s problemWhat we do in systems has an impact—implicitly or

explicitlyWe are trained to do part—not all—of this work


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OE is OD is Diversity


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OD & DiversityUnderstanding the history of diversity and inclusion efforts is critical to

framing where we are today and why a leap is needed. The roots of diversity and inclusion efforts are intertwined with the roots of organization development. The founding of National Training Lab’s (NTL) approach to T Groups in 1947 began as a result of a conference focusing on issues of race and anti-Semitism.

Katz & Miller (2007)The principles of diversity—broad and meaningful participation by all

members of a system in order to maximize available creativity and energy for organizational learning and effectiveness—are fundamental to OD. Attentiveness to diversity is critical for: (a) taking a systems perspective; (b) using the OD process; and (c) maximizing stakeholder participation.

Greene & Berthoud (2007)


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What is Diversity?Diversity includes human differences, aspects of human

experience, and elements of culture. These diversity measures apply at individual, group, organization, community, nation, and world levels of human systems.

M. Brazzel (2007)


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Diversity Wheel

Personality

Ethnicity

Gender

SexualOrientation

PhysicalAbility

Age

Race

GeographicalLocation

Income

PersonalHabits

RecreationalHabits

Religion

EducationalBackground

WorkExperience

Appearance

ParentalStatus

MaritalStatus

Functional Level/Classification

WorkContent/Field

Division/DepartmentUnit/Group

SeniorityWorkLocation

UnionAffiliation

ManagementStatus

*Internal Dimensions and External Dimensions are adapted from Marilyn Londen and Judy Rosener.

Workforce America! (Business One Irwin, 1991)Managing Diversity in Health Care Manual by Lee

Gardenshwartz and Anita Rowe. Copyright © 1999 by Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA


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Diversity ROI/The Business Case for DiversityOrganizational cultureDemographicsAccountabilityProductivityGrowth and ProfitabilityDiversity Leadership

Commitment

Workforce Profile Representation

Workplace ClimateLearning & GrowthDiverse Customer /

Community PartnershipsFinancial ImpactEtc.


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What inhibits progress on diversity efforts?Wide understanding of the importance of diversity and

inclusionAssume good intentionsBut…

Organizations and people may not know where to beginTime/Energy consuming, and time is moneyUsually requires transformational change

Need to drop down to the group and personal levels to look at behavior as well as policy and process


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Diversity capacity, not competencyNot about mastery but continual commitment to actively

learning and building the skills and behaviors to work outside of your comfort zone

No right answers; willingness to experimentAs people change and evolve, so does diversity Human interaction—personal and professional—evolvingDrivers for increasing diversity and inclusion


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Theory: learning continuumThomas & Ely’s (1996) Learning ParadigmBennett’s (1998) Six-Stage Model for Understanding

Cultural Differences

In organizations…In teams…As individuals…


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Discussion: Tell your diversity story—professionalIntroduce yourselvesWhat’s the practical situation you’re working on?


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Success predictorsHave progressive diversity perspectivesHave high ethnic identitiesUse contingent approaches to relationships and performance evaluationModel diversity leadership and practicesFavorably link racial and ethnic differences to group, organization, and

client outcomesHave had diversity training that specifically addresses behaviorAre engaged in self-discovery and continual learning about diversityHold diversity perspectives that are aligned with or more progressive

than their organizations’Promote commitment to diversity

Morris Kipnis (2008)


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Identity theoryCulture mapYou may have many filters but…

You don’t use the same filter all the timeYou act from one filter at a time

People in your organization are making these choices constantly, mostly unconsciously

Positive identification with difference predicts positivity towards difference in others Chrobot-Mason (2004)


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Discussion: Your diversity story—personalHow much of this applies to you?Consider Schein’s comment about everything being an interventionWhat is it you do now in regards to organization effectiveness and diversity?What are you committed to do?What will you do now, as a result of this discussion?What past opportunity to facilitate diversity did you ignore?What would it really take for you to be a facilitator in the advanced model?Who suffers or what is lost in the organization because you’re afraid to have

the diversity conversation that needs to happen? What are the values that you bring that prevent it from happening? What story do you tell yourself about why you can’t or shouldn’t facilitate

diversity?What is your opportunity now?


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We’re uniquely qualified to helpWe know human behaviorWe know how to facilitate difficult conversations We facilitate strategy and organization design We’re often in a “superior” position with an opportunity

to speak Truth to PowerSuperior/subordinate relationships Helms (1984) /

Thomas (1993)


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Tools at the ReadyJohari Window

Building a positive self-identity around your own differenceDeepening awareness of your own biases

Active listeningGiving and Receiving FeedbackThe Way We Intervene

What we say about ourselves and what we modelWho we bring into decision makingWhose voices we lift up


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Specifically about Diversity“Will what we’re about to do perpetuate a bias?”Your [Insert Diversity Dimension here] Autobiography

What percent of your life is affected by [race, class, gender, or…]?

Facilitate discussion about responses


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Negotiating RealityNegotiating reality involves surfacing the tacit knowledge and assumptions of the

parties involved and bringing this knowledge to bear in the service of addressing a particular issue or problematic solution.

Friedman & Berthoin Antal, 2005

To engage with dissimilar people, must first be willing to confront your own cultural and ethnic perspectives and acknowledge how these perspectives affect your own behavior, recognize that the other person is going through the same thing, and then nurture conditions such that a shared reality can be negotiated through open dialogue

Assumes differences are differences as opportunities for learning, not sources of conflict

A framework to achieve intercultural competenceAnticipates the possibility of not getting cross-cultural interaction right the first time

and suggests how to move forward


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Courageous Conversations About Race* (G. Singleton, 2005 )Four Agreements Six Conditions Stay Engaged Experience Discomfort Speak Your Truth Expect/Accept Non-Closure

* I believe this framework can be adapted for other diversity dimensions

Personal, Local, and Immediate Isolate Race Normalize Social Construction

and Multiple Perspective Monitor Agreements and

Establish Parameters Establish a “Working

Definition” for Race Examine the Presence and Role

of Whiteness


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AcknowledgmentsMatt Auron, my design partnerTerri Egan, my thesis advisorThe diversity trainers, thesis interviewees, and others

who made my thesis possibleMy Ukrainian-American spouse


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For more [email protected]://www.changeflowconsulting.com


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denise morris kipnis c hange f low c onsulting. session objectives cool theory practical skills you...

Documents

diversity efforts

roots of diversity

diversity practitioners

history of diversity

aways diversity

culturallymanaging diversity

diversity measures

diversity learning capacity