Guest Editorial
Diversity Paradox
Todd Corley, 05-09-2010
Implementation of a successful diversity initiative requires organizational commitment and should be designed and implemented like any change management strategy. If you possess a strong handle on your organization’s business model, core product or corporate strategy, securing organizational commitment is easier to achieve.
But the big opportunity comes when you skillfully manage the broad objectives of a diversity initiative with the specific goals your organization needs to achieve to measure its success. This inevitably leads to a diversity paradox. For example, can you set metrics for the organization without losing associate engagement? Does the initiative risk losing momentum and sustainability if there is an appearance of doing both simultaneously? The answers are yes and no.
Among today’s generation this paradox is even more challenging because its members are more forward thinking than previous generations. For instance, they have grown accustomed to befriending people who are “out” and comfortable with their sexual orientation. According to a May 2009 Associated Press article, this generation also saw the number of multiracials rise 3.4 percent in one year — topping 5.2 million people. All of which means this generation requires more than a good faith effort at embracing differences.
People in touch with the necessity of creating an inclusive and diverse environment must think broad and all encompassing while respecting the need for a targeted approach to increase representation among subgroups, whether they are African-American women or Asian males in the management ranks or women business owners in the supplier equation. At the end of the day, the most important factors are to make sure the message reinforces the commitment and remain candid about why the focus may be targeted.
Being consistent in how you enforce accountability measures is a standard that can’t be arbitrary. At Abercrombie & Fitch, we focus on stores that have significant areas of hiring opportunity. Those stores get additional support to improve, and we identify stores for in-person visits to walk them through how to use best practices adopted by other stores.
Behavior that is anything less than that exhibited by a diversity champion is unacceptable. For example, diversity champions challenge inappropriate behavior the moment they become aware of it, even if challenging that behavior must be done publicly. Case in point, if a manager uses a derogatory comment in a meeting, a diversity champion will use that incident as a teachable moment immediately. Certainly there will be associates who are seen as strugglers or neutral observers, but they can be coached along the continuum with timely and specific feedback and development plans to move closer to champion-like behavior.
That applies to diversity executives, too. For example, say you recruited a young Asian-American woman from an outside company. We’ll call her Tasha. Tasha has had several visible roles in various parts of the business and has been led to believe her pathway to a director-level position is imminent. However, after four years with the company, she is beginning to wonder why her career movement has been lateral rather than upward.
Her reviews consistently indicate she is doing well. Further, there are no specific, documented reasons in her review why she has not been moved upward. As you become familiar with her work product and, more importantly, how she conducts herself on group projects, you are forced to consider how to deliver critical feedback to someone who may never have been handled so directly.
After exploring more about Tasha, you hear more “off-the-record comments” about her than you can put your arms around. You’ve scheduled her one-on-one review. Are you ready to be a champion and give her the feedback she needs and the coaching she has missed, or will you just pass it along to the next manager?
Struggling when delivering constructive feedback may cause you to miss your opportunity to be the champion you need to be in this instance. If you don’t master this goal, your efforts — even in a mature diversity initiative — may start to erode. Said differently, every business objective has a tipping point, and that tipping point can move in one of three ways: decline, plateau or accelerate. Where is your workplace leaning? Do you have a handle on what will help accelerate your diversity efforts?
If your answer to any of these questions creates any pause, you have a diversity paradox. «
Todd Corley is senior vice president of diversity and inclusion for Abercrombie & Fitch. He can be reached at editor@diversity-executive.com.
