| Karen remembers the diversity management | | | | approval. |
| class she took back in graduate school. The basic | | | | Like most professionals tasked with such a large |
| ideas sounded practical and the professor kept | | | | project, Karen does not have much practical |
| everyone's attention with his case studies about | | | | experience but knows that she is not alone, since |
| this new business practice. | | | | managing change and moving to diversity |
| Now her boss of two years, at the regional bank, | | | | management is so new to most organizations. |
| is suggesting Karen may be asked to oversee a | | | | Taking her bank through a transition from |
| transition team to move the bank from | | | | affirmative action and valuing difference to |
| affirmative action and valuing differences to a | | | | diversity management will required education and |
| focus on managing diversity. | | | | time since the later approach involves a "way of |
| He tells her that bank board members, the CEO | | | | life" change − a real change of the |
| and several key executives are seriously | | | | corporation's roots. |
| concerned about this project, after two key | | | | "It's going to be like changing a person's |
| new-hires recently left their positions. It was | | | | personality," she explains to her boss. "And that |
| expensive to recruit them and there had been | | | | never comes easy." |
| high hopes these two college superstars would | | | | "Do we need a psychologist or someone to, uh, |
| easily move through the bank's executive training | | | | hold therapy sessions?" |
| program. | | | | Karen laughs, and tells him that a shrink would |
| "So, do you know why Miss Morales and Mr. Diego | | | | probably help out a lot, along with an |
| left?" Karen asks. | | | | anthropologist and sociologist, and maybe a |
| "Well, I did hear they were speaking Spanish | | | | lawyer. Perhaps her old business professor would |
| together at lunch and someone came up and | | | | be available, too, she chuckles. |
| complained that they didn't care about their | | | | "Our first issue is that most of our managers |
| co-workers if they didn't speak English at work," | | | | have limited knowledge of culture roots, let alone |
| her boss says. | | | | experience with changing them. We are going to |
| "Oh, brother," Karen says, shaking her head. "Why | | | | need to find out if our board members are |
| didn't that person ask for Spanish lessons | | | | realists − are they going to fully |
| − and take advantage of their ability to | | | | understand the time, effort, commitment, and |
| speak several languages? | | | | risk involved?" |
| "Yes, I do believe it is time for some change | | | | Karen's boss answers that from what he knows, |
| around here." | | | | the board members and executives pressing for |
| Karen's boss continues. "I guess they both got | | | | change appear to recognize the competitive and |
| new jobs over at the ABC bank. Anyway, the | | | | strategic urgency driving the need for this change. |
| change committee wants to meet next week. | | | | They may not recognize the time factor or |
| Tim Brown told me we need to show diversity at | | | | complexity. |
| our bank, that we want our customers to know | | | | "I know they have the skills to encourage buy-in |
| this is an important issue for us, that we culturally | | | | from the rest of the board once they understand |
| reflect the communities we serve," her boss says. | | | | what is involved," he tells Karen. "But we really |
| "How can we do this if we cannot keep our new | | | | are going to have to lay out these important |
| employees comfortable?" | | | | facts, right from the start, about time and |
| ("Oh, there is so much that we need to be | | | | complexity." |
| thinking about involving diversity besides how to | | | | "Well, then. It looks like we will be having a very |
| recruit and keep minorities, but I am just going to | | | | interesting meeting with this group next week. |
| keep listening and see what I can gather," Karen | | | | And I am up to the challenge. In fact, this is going |
| thinks to herself while her boss continues on | | | | to be quite an exciting project," she adds. |
| about his conversation with the vice president of | | | | That night, even before dinner, Karen gets out |
| human resources.) | | | | her books, class notes and tells her husband some |
| The complexities of managing diversity challenge | | | | serious change is about to take place at work and |
| are not surprising and challenge any business. | | | | she'll be staying up late at night, at least for a |
| Karen, with her specialized training, knows how | | | | while. |
| hard this can be in any organization; she has | | | | "Sounds like you are going to be busy. Will I have |
| already helped move employees away from using | | | | to do more cooking? Cleaning? Ironing" he laughs. |
| traditional bank accounting methods into new, high | | | | "Oh, I think we can go out more than usual. Get |
| tech directions and understands why she would | | | | some extra help, too. How's that sound? |
| be a good choice for this project, if it gets final | | | | "Real good to me, Karen! How about tonight? |