This Is Your Brain On Diversity

November 15, 2011

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON DIVERSITY

Society of Human Resource Management

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Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity is a state of being; inclusion is a state of mind.

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Workforce 2020

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The American labor force will become somewhat more brown and black in the next twenty years, but its most pervasive tint will be gray.

Hudson Institute, Workforce 2020

U.S. Demographics

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U.S. Demographics

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Overview: Age & Ratio of Whites to People of Color

Americans who are 70 years old grew up with a 5 to 1 ratio

Americans who are 40 years old grew up with a 3 to 1 ratio

Americans who are 10 years old are growing up with a 1.5 to 1 ratio

7Source: U.S. Census, Statistical Abstract of the United State: 2002, Alex Ulanov, BCG analysis

Inclusive MindsetWhat Get’s In the Way?

INTERFERENCE• Our own• Other party

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“Illusion of Objectivity”

David Armour

High Performing Organization

High Performance

Capacity

InterferenceKnowledg

e

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What to Look For!

Automatic Pilot (Mindlessness)

Repeated Messaging

Possible Interference• unconscious biases• blind spots• Stereotypes• implicit prejudice

+=

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Microinequities

Interference Microinequities

Microinequity, according to Sandler[1], refers to the ways in which individuals are "either singled out, or overlooked, ignored, or otherwise discounted" based on an unchangeable characteristic—race, gender , generation etc. A microinequity generally takes the form of a gesture, different kind of language, treatment, or even tone of voice.

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InterferencePerception, Assumptions, Reality

Generalizations – the act or process of generalizing; applicable to or characteristic of the majority of individuals involved; generally or widely understood; a statement or conclusion inferred from a set of descriptions, experiments or observations. Merriam Webster

Crooked or Straight?

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Is There a Triangle?

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Unconscious Competence

Cross-cultural competence builds from complete unawareness to automatic behavioral integration

Unconscious Competence

Conscious Competence

Conscious Incompetence

Unconscious Incompetence

Continual cycle of learning each time a new culture is encountered

Automatic Pilot

• Increase awareness about ourselves

• Increase awareness about others

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Please pay attention Activity

Color Blind?

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

Don’t leave home without it…

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

Plop, plop, fizz, fizz…

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

Have it your way.

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

It’s the real thing.

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

Winston taste good like a …

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Repeated MessagesWho Am I?

Blacks are… Jews are… The younger generation is… The older generation is… People with thick accents are…

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Wait just one second!It takes is a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger from their face, …

Source: "First Impressions," in the July issue of Psychological SciencePrinceton psychologists Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov.

You noticed me!

1. Race2. Gender3. Age4. Appearance5. Facial expression6. Eye contact7. Movement8. Personal space9. Touch

The Solution is Beneath the Water Line

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Iceberg Model of Diversity

The Solution Is In The Space

Stimulus

Response

The Space

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Framework

G.R.O.W. (InsideOut)

F.A.I.R. (VisionPoint)

Goal FeedbackReality AssistanceOptions InclusionWay Forward Respect

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Action Planning: Creating an Inclusive Culture

Raise awareness of the value of diversity among your staff and promote it - actively promote and celebrate the fact that you have a diverse workforce. This will illustrate to your employees that diversity is embraced and will give them a sense of comfort with their surroundings, leading to greater productivity. Raising awareness will also ensure that your employees are onboard and agree that a diverse workplace is important – even necessary for a business to thrive.

Treat everyone as individuals – no two people are alike. Examine each employee and recognize their strengths, weaknesses, preferences and work style. This will allow you to assign them tasks that play to their best abilities and give them a greater chance for success. This also allows you to limit opportunities for failure.

Look for opportunities to learn – be observant of your employees and try to learn more about their heritages, traditions and beliefs. This knowledge will allow you to compare the differences and similarities of your staff and build on those for the benefit of your organization.

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Action Planning: Creating an Inclusive Culture

Set aside time for team interaction during regular meetings – encourage all employees to take part in the discussion and give their thoughts on how they feel things are going. This will allow you and your staff to learn more about each other.

Regularly assess your work environment – on a regular basis, survey your staff regarding the current work environment and ask questions about how comfortable they are working for you and with other employees. This will identify any issues that exist and give you the opportunity to address them.

Address concerns immediately – if a concern regarding diversity in your work environment is brought to your attention, address it as soon as possible. Carefully examine the situation to ensure you know all of the facts. If a change is necessary, take action and address the issue. This will show your staff that you take it seriously and consider it an important factor for the success of your company.

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Questions

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