A key component of any diversity and inclusion/ culture change process is the ability to understand one’s own biases and assumptions. Learning to recognize personal unconscious biases and assumptions, enables leaders to see the world through other peoples’ eyes, and practice “inclusionist leadership” behaviors. This results in employees having opportunity and motivation to use their skills and experience to be…
If you’ve been following the news, you know there is a lack of women, and people of color in the technology industry. However, consumers of technology are from every diversity dimension. Lack of diversity in these organizations, means lack of different kinds of ideas, and can eventually be obstacles to new ideas and problem solving. Any company that wants to…
A senior leader at a high tech company called and said, “Simma, I just spent an enormous amount of money for a training program about unconscious bias. It was very well received and people are still talking about how much they liked it,” he said. “However, nothing changed.” The demographics stayed the same, people of color, women, and LGBT people…
In this business era of speed, competition and globalization, innovation rules all. You never know where the next great product, process or profit builder will originate. Good Diversity Management and Culturally Intelligent Leadership can make the difference between repeatedly hearing mediocre ideas from the same people, or mining the hidden genius in your organization for breakthrough ideas. Conversely, not knowing…
A participant in one of my Diversity and Cultural Intelligence programs this week said that it was just a matter of having an open mind. That’s like using the word “respect.” To many people having an open mind is being around people who are just like themselves. I don’t even know what that means any more. Most people think they…
Here are some of my diversity and inclusion heroes and zeros for August 2014- Feel free to send me your diversity and inclusion heroes and zeros. Diversity and Inclusion Hero #1 is The Chicago White Sox for sponsoring a night called “LGBT Pride Night, Out At the Sox,” on August 16, when they played against the Blue Jays. So if…
In honor of Gay Pride-Please promise to never use the term “sexual preference.” It’s culturally ignorant and you sound like you know nothing. When someone who should know better uses it, it’s simply offensive. Please think about sexual orientation and gender identity. Being Transgender is not a sexual orientation.A person can be Transgender and be straight or lesbian, bisexual or gay.This is…
Beyond LGBTQ, Finding Commonalities In Our Multiple Identities Every one of us has multiple identities. Those multiple identities influence our thoughts, perceptions and behaviors every day in our lives at work, and in our communities. Our multiple-identities are like panels that make us each separate but connected beautiful diversity quilts The late Dr. Roosevelt Thomas stated Diversity is any collective mixture…
Potential Problems With a Diverse Workforce: Problem #1 and Solution We’ve probably all have heard that a culturally diverse workforce is more creative and innovative than a homogeneous one. It’s become the “diversity meme,” so much so that there is hesitancy on the part of many people to question that statement. In over twenty years, and with at least…
Join diversity and inclusion expert, Simma Lieberman, “The Inclusionist,” for a free one-hour teleseminar, “Practical, Simple Ways to Champion Diversity and Build Inclusion,” on Tuesday, April 1, 2014 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM (PDT) to learn how you can take your organization to the next diversity and inclusion level. Simma will share ten actions (from her new E-Book “110 Ways to…
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