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Delving Into Diversity – Increasing Inclusion

Posted on 24. Jan, 2010 by Susan Roane in American Idol | Twitter: @ |

Their Nielson ratings and audience appeal are about more than just singing and dancing. The contestants on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance, although mostly young, come from all walks of life, different geographic regions, races, religions and ethnic origins. Robinson pointed out that, because the contestants are diverse, the show attracts varying segments of our population who can relate to them and see someone similar to themselves on television. That powerful connection is also great marketing.

Contestants on Dancing with the Stars, recognized from some part of our entertainment or sports world, reflect diversity of age, culture, race, country of origin, and even physical ability. Because of this, the dancers draw viewers from multiple market segments. These hit shows represent our country’s diverse population just as many workplaces reflect the diverse population of our communities.

On a daily basis, we interact with a multi-faceted population. While the conversation consists of our words, tone, pacing and inflection, face to face communication is broader and includes our facial expressions, our body language and our attitude. Although we aren’t singing or dancing, how we converse and communicate with the people who are different from us, and from each other, speak volumes. When we’re face to face in both the workplaces and the social spaces of our lives, we need to make sure the messages we send, verbally and nonverbally, reflect positively.

Take the Initiative

In the early 90s, I first suggested we develop diverse networks in The Secrets of Savvy Networking and further addressed the issues of conversing in a diverse world in What Do I Say Next? The crescendo of communication continues to swell. Diversity initiatives are part and parcel of the missions of most Fortune 500 companies. We live in a global economy that requires not only diversity awareness, but also the principles and practices of inclusion. While it may originally have been the right thing to do, it’s now the bright thing to do in order to capture to the ever changing marketplace, much like the producers of American Idol and Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance have done.

Through diversity initiatives and programs, these firms recruit, retrain and retain their workforce by offering programs that create interpersonal connections and foster communication among varying cultural, racial, gender, religious, economic and multi-generational networks. It makes sense to embrace these corporate goals and commitments in order to succeed in the global workplace.

Robert Cohen, a Gen Y/Millennial, is an audio technician for Las Vegas’ Bellagio Hotel (housing the world’s tallest chocolate fountain), a favorite of mine. “The MGM/Mirage Corporation has an amazing diversity training program for our managers. Our team of twenty is the top audio visual team in Vegas. We turn around set-ups for events in record time. We work well together, and meet and exceed each client’s needs and expectations. But I’ve noticed that geographic differences play a bigger role than race or religion among our team. Although the two guys from the South are different races and religions, they spend more time talking and hanging out with each other than with team members of similar races or religions from other parts of the country. And, that’s a good thing.”

The Inclusive “Host”

When I was asked to speak to employees in the municipal electricity district, Susan Oto mentioned the difficulty, importance and need for bridging many gaps. She pointed out that my prior books, my blog and programs always focused on inclusion. “You suggest that people ‘act like a host’ wherever they are. That is a significant way to include others.”

In a webinar for Sodexo’s Organization of Latinos, one if the affinity networks in their diversity initiative, I emphasized how acting like the host, gives us the opportunity to make others feel comfortable with us. And that is memorable because it is inclusive.

Don’t Be Miss Congeniality

Companies are now carefully looking at congeniality, likeability and how well we get along with other employees. Henry Ford was known to have said that he could teach an employee job skills, but it wasn’t possible to teach enthusiasm. In an Associated Press article by Ellen Simon on getting good jobs (San Francisco Chronicle, November 6, 2007), Kris Thompson, Vice President of Lindblad, an adventure cruise company, updated Henry Ford’s sentiment. “You can teach people a technical skill, but you can’t teach them to be a kindhearted, generous-minded person with an open spirit.” People of open spirit embrace all people, whether it’s face to face, on the job or in our personal lives.

In addition, companies want employees who have the trait that was featured on elementary school report cards: “Works and plays well with others.” As a teacher, that was one aspect of my “golden rule.” I gave red checks to those who didn’t play nicely with all their classmates. Getting along harmoniously, face to face, in the diverse workplace or play group, is a must.

Recognizing and honoring our diversity and differences is important; and recognizing and honoring our similarities is also important, as it creates common bonds that contribute to connection and collaboration. In the face to face space, the process starts small. It happens when words are exchanged at the water cooler, in the elevator, in the company lunchroom or at the gym and continues through brainstorming sessions and team and division meetings. Our conversations, our actions and our behaviors are part of that process.

Though it’s very important to know and understand group differences, we cannot make assumptions about an individual’s attitudes, values, interests or abilities based on his/her defined group. In their book, When Generations Collide, authors Stillman and Lancaster caution us to “watch the amount of (generational) stereotyping” (Harper Collins, New York, 2002, p. 116). Indeed, we must expand their caution to stereotyping of any group.

It’s not only good manners, but also makes good business and career sense to develop our skills of inclusion and positive attitude so that we can communicate and work well with coworkers, colleagues, clients, managers, vendors, employees, and bosses who are different from us. If we don’t have those skills, we may lose contracts, sales, staff support, promotions, jobs, referrals or rich relationships. In spite of the spate of television talk shows which feature pundits who are young or “old yellers,” screamers and bullies, most people prefer to work in a congenial, collegial atmosphere. It’s like a symphony where all musicians are playing their individual notes while using numerous, diverse instruments to create harmony. Music is the over-arching metaphor and model that demonstrates the best traits and products of a diverse team that stays in tune.

The Gens

Generational issues are the “hot button du jour.” How we communicate, relate and work across the generations is the subject of books, research and training programs. The emphasis on the four-generation workplace would lead one to believe this is a new phenomenon. Hate to burst the bubble; it’s always been that way. But, now we have given new labels to each generation so it seems new.

Because there are generational differences with regard to preferred modes of communication, most of my clients now ask me to address those issues in my presentations and consulting. That wasn’t the case five years ago. The crux of the issue is how to converse, connect and relate among the different generations, while finding common interests, having a common goal and bridging gaps.

Much of our current communication is not face to face, because now we use emails, voicemails, text messages and phones. We don’t know much about the person on the other end that can be learned at a glance. Technology is leveling the playing and working field. That person at the other end of our communication may be very different from us – and he or she may be a colleague, a potential client, or even the person who signs our paycheck. It makes sense to be nice, receptive and open.

Age-Related

These days, fifty-year-olds are reporting to thirty-year-olds, and that can be a bitter pill to swallow. It’s not an easy situation, but it can work if both parties embrace the richness and variety of experiences and education that their differences bring to the workplace.

To clarify the terms for generations as determined by age:

Gen Y/Millennials (1978-1987) – sometimes called “Gen Text”

Gen X (1963-1977) – sometimes referred to as “Generation Me”

Boomers (1946-1962) – learned to “Question Authority”

Traditionalists (1945 and earlier) – believed “Respect Authority

The term traditionalist, as it was used in Generations At Work (2000), encompassed a generation who have either retired or have reinvented themselves in the workplace by starting new businesses or careers or working part time in their prior companies. Traditional retirement is also changing. Some Boomers are doing the same; they semi-retire. “John Stone” was a juvenile probation officer throughout his entire career and retired at 58-1/2 after a final stint as acting chief. “I retired twice. Even though I mountain bike and play golf, doing either or both just wasn’t enough.” While John has also been a part-time mortgage broker, the change in the real estate world has impacted his industry. Because of his experience with the probation department, he was asked to return and now works four hours a day, which works perfectly for him. “If I want, I play golf or bike up Mt. Tam (Tamalpais) in the afternoon. Sometimes I baby sit my grandchildren, and that’s the most fun.” According to Don’t Retire, REWIRE! Second Edition, by Sedlar & Miner, people are staying in the workplace longer in a career of their creation. Because boomers and traditionalists have experience, skills and connections, it would be unwise to be dismissive of them because of their age.

The workplace will continue to have four generations or more who will have to communicate to get the job done. My grandfather worked three days a week as a ladies’ garment worker (tailor) until he was 85 years old. I expect to follow in his footsteps, although not as a garment worker. Coworkers in his workplace spanned sixty-five years. He was from the generation who didn’t expect to be “happy at work”; living through The Depression, he was “happy to HAVE work.” Different ages, different attitudes. He worked that long because his skill as a tailor was in demand. Zaidi, my grandfather, was happy to be needed and valued, and treated kindly and with respect by his bosses and coworkers. He, too, worked in a diverse workplace, with born and bred Chicagoans, as well as immigrants of all ages from many countries. I guess my grandfather was an early adopter of working in his later years. Although he didn’t talk about his workplace being diverse, he worked in one that was.

“Aging” Conversations

“Generational Confusion” can creep into our interactions, whether the person to whom we’re speaking is older than we are or younger. Part of the “Generation X’er vs. Boomer vs. Gen Y/Millennial” tension is a kind of parent-kid squabble transplanted into both the workplace and the popular culture.

After my presentations, young managers and associates often ask me how they can approach and talk to senior people in the industry or firm. Here are some ideas:

Speak intergenerationally. Learning from those with more experience and those with differing experience is learning without “reinventing the wheel.”

Good manners make a great impression when speaking to an older, more experienced person.

Use the person’s title until they say otherwise.

Use the person’s given name; do not shorten to a nickname.

Focus on the event, project or problem in common.

Ask intelligent, open-ended questions. (“How has your membership in the CPA Society helped you?” “What was your oddest client experience?”)

Offer something about yourself. (“I never imagined that I would get to attend a conference with this many industry superstars.”)

These tips apply not only to Gen Y or X’ers speaking to Boomers, but to Boomers speaking to the “Greatest Generation” – and to anyone speaking to an elder.

To be able to meet and connect with clients, managers and professional colleagues of all ages, one Gen Y manager told me that he took up golf right out of college. He found that golf bridges gulfs and that’s a payoff. Sally Minier noticed that colleagues at the Society for Foodservice Management (SFM), who played in their golf tournaments, appeared to have deeper connections. She decided to take golf lessons, joined their tournaments, and in 2007-2008, she was SFM’s president. Golf bridged the gender, age and (golf) handicap difference. That’s on a par with . . . oops, couldn’t resist the pun.

May/December/May

If your client, boss or employee is significantly older or younger, how to interact with him or her can be perplexing. Most people have interests, hobbies, and lives outside the office: they have parents and children, obligations, music and movie preferences, hobbies, alma maters, and geographic loyalties. Find out what these are and talk about them. Share thoughts, ask questions and show interest.

Again, the keys are 1) respect, and 2) making people feel comfortable with us. We can respect the experienced colleague who has long-time information about the industry (and may know where bodies are buried). We can also respect the bright, young, energetic person who has a great education and highly-developed technical skills. In some ways, connecting in the face to face space can be simply reduced to one phrase: Be nice . . . to everyone.

Author: Susan Roane
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Latest trends in mobile phone