Back in January, NPR ran a series on diversity in the workplace on their Morning Edition program. The series highligheds how diversity has been and is viewed from different perspectives--recent history, HR, and minorities. In doing so, NPR has shown the evolution of what we understand as Diversity in organizations.
I am struck by how organizations do not clearly tie the need for diversity to the all-important bottom line without expressing a devotion to the Rainbow of diversity. Don't get me wrong--I believe that companies need to reflect the changing look of America today, but that's a personal belief grounded in my experience as a member of that minority Other. This is not an explicit business-based argument for diversity as crucial to the bottom line.
Why is diversity fundamental to lasting success in the 21st century? It is about skills. Not minority skills to effectively do the jobs of traditionally white male employees. It's about the skills of a predominantly white male business establishment to recognize the growing exceptional talent in crowds of humanity that historically have not been represented in Corporate America. This is not a mere pool of talent--it's an ocean! And, American Big Business must learn to collaborate with this ocean to remain ahead of the world in terms of innovation and leading change.
If the culture of business remains tethered to the strings of the past, we will not be able to think outside of our confined assumptions about other people and possibilities for building new partnerships, markets, and products that appeal to a world of customers within our borders and beyond. This is not about righting past wrongs, about developing more palatable workplace cultures, or adhering to compliance-based requirements--all of which are important. This is about looking at the world within our organizations differently so that we can do the tasks of growing our businesses in a way that is consistent with who we are today so that we can continue to remain relevant and ahead tomorrow.
This is where the business-based case for diversity begins.
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