Diversity Practices: Leadership
The diversity concepts you’ll read about in are designed to help companies grow and, hopefully, even thrive in todays demanding business environment. Yet the reality is that no diversity initiative will enjoy longevity or staying power unless it has the sanction and approval of top management. In fact, diversity experts generally agree that it is far more difficult, some might say, impossible, to have a successful diversity initiative unless the companys top management truly embraces diversity, believes in its ability to take the company to a higher level of doing business, and demonstrates this leadership and this commitment to diversity to their employees.
At one level, diversity messages and concepts can be incorporated by corporate leaders, wherever sensible. For example, diversity professionals believe that firms should consider talking about diversity at employee town meetings, when you speak with customers or external groups, when you do interviews with employee publications, when you’re crafting your advertising message, and in more corporate communications.
At another level, consultants specializing in diversity frequently state that corporate leaders need to take personal accountability for their firms diversity initiatives, and ensure their managers do the same. Some organizations hold their business leaders responsible for achieving diversity objectives, with leaders reporting back on their progress just as they do on their business results and, in many cases, having their diversity objectives tied to their rewards.
At the end of the day, leaders in this area realize that diversity isn’t a one-shot deal or a special program, but in fact an on-going way of doing business that reaps value for employees, customers and shareholders.