Diversity or diversion? Experts express their views about the effectiveness of diversity...

Who would have thought that white males would become the new minority in the workplace? Experts say that notion is already coming to pass since nearly half of employees are women one-quarter are minorities. African Americans are now the largest minority group and steadily growing. But according

to Workforce Economic Trends, by 2006, Hispanics will represent the largest minority segment in the U.S. workforce and Asians and African Americans will represent 17% of the workforce. These statistics indicate that American businesses will have to adjust accordingly to employees' needs. Training programs and promotions will have to include employees that were once excluded. In response, many firms have implemented diversity programs based on supporting, nurturing, and using people with varied backgrounds, capabilities, beliefs, and skills. That's the premise. But when we look at what is actually occurring in the workplace, the results don't correlate. Studies indicate that the same barriers that plagued African American employees in the past, such as the glass ceiling and discrimination, still top the list as hindrances today.

So what's the solution? The answers are as diverse as the employees who work in today's corporations. But our panel of corporate diversity insiders and consultants offers some thought-provoking ideas as well as hope for the future. The diversity panelists included Juanita R. Mitchell, vice president of human resources for Volvo Cars of North America L.L.C. in Irvine, California; Guillermo L. Hysaw, vice president of diversity for Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. Inc. in Torrance, California; Melanie L. Harrington, executive director for the American Institute for Managing Diversity Inc. in Atlanta; Mark Williams, CEO and founder of the Diversity Channel in Bethesda, Maryland, a diversity training company for Fortune 1,000 companies; and Ted Shaw, attorney and assistant director of the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund in New York City.

BLACK ENTERPRISE: How do you define diversity in today's environment?

JUANITA R. MITCHELL: Diversity, literally, can mean just different. I can be diverse because I like Diet Coke and you like Coke. [But] that doesn't get you anywhere, not with the initiative that we need to embark on, particularly in the Premier Automotive Group. We have chosen to say that our diversity initiative will begin with visible dimensions of diversity. We mean ethnicity, gender, and people with disabilities. We find it difficult to believe that you can embrace diversity that you can't see if you don't embrace diversity that you can see. Our focus is on ethnicity and women.

GUILLERMO L. HYSAW: Our focus is on the verb diversifying. When you can take diversity and make it a verb, now you have to come up with a plan. You have to take action. There are African Americans, females, different opinions, and different attitudes. We look at how to manage that diversity and that's the process of diversifying.

MELANIE L. HARRINGTON: We define [diversity] as any collective mixture characterized by differences and similarities. That definition takes into consideration race and gender, plus behavioral diversity.

A lot of times, you think you have diversity representation because a lot of individuals in a room look different, or they may have different educational experiences, geographic locations, or differences of origin. But, if you have invited all of these people into the room expecting them to assimilate into the environment, then you have diversity representation without true diversity.

MARK WILLIAMS: When you say diversity, it depends on where you are on that continuum and where you think your group is. Some people believe that their group is still dealing with basic issues of dignity and human rights, so they want to have a discussion about oppression in society and corporate America. Some groups believe that the discussion is still around segregation, meaning that their group is not included [and is] isolated, or not invited to fully, formally participate in the corporate game. Some groups are trying to have a discussion about civil rights, and they're trying to get laws passed to protect their group. Gays and lesbians, and seniors, for example, are having their own civil rights movement.

Other groups are having a multicultural discussion because they are looking across national lines. Then there are those that are thinking globally. I prefer to think there is a movement that began and is evolving [more] along a continuum than [on] a single word. The term is problematic because it leaves out the reality that we are in each of these places, having each of these discussions simultaneously. We never moved to diversity and then ended all of these other discussions.

It's really about all of the work that is still going on in the American society and in corporate America.

TED SHAW: The term, diversity, is not one that African Americans chose. If we really want to look at its origin, as this is a legal discussion, it's [also] a political discussion [and] a sociological discussion. But the legal framework, for better or worse, is going to control the parameters of the discussion.

Mark is absolutely right. This started off as a struggle for civil or human rights and dignity. In the '60s up through the '70s, we were talking about desegregation and integration. Those terms are usually thought of these days, particularly by more sophisticated African Americans, as somewhat Pollyannaish and outdated.

The point is that even while we try to struggle to maintain our own issues, [we are still under attack] because there is a savage [movement] under way on anything articulated on behalf of African Americans, particularly if it's by African Americans. At the same time, we can't isolate ourselves from all these other groups that have wrapped themselves in the mantle of civil rights, whether they are women, or gays and lesbians, because politically, it doesn't work. We have to find a way to vote for ourselves and be able to do that without apology and, at the same time, work in coalition with other groups.

B.E.: Now that we've heard your definitions, tell us how diversity affects African Americans' ability to achieve and to move forward, both as entrepreneurs and employees within corporate America?

HARRINGTON: I think there is a kind of backlash to efforts that are characterized as affirmative action, particularly as they relate to African Americans.

For example, African Americans are losing contracts to other groups that are now being defined as minority when a lot of the procurement programs were initially set up to bring in African Americans. In addition, there are real issues with the places that we have to go to [in order to] get contracts or good jobs because these places traditionally didn't have African Americans in them. They were created for somebody else, so their structures fit their own preferences and conveniences. They like it like that.

HYSAW: Diversity is going to make it tougher for African Americans. Because it is going to become more inclusive, you're really going to have to have standard metropolitan statistical analysis (SMSA), which does a 30 mile radius of a location to identify the ethnicity and demographic profile to determine what that metric should be, as a template, when you overlay it against your organization. Whether it's your business partners who are responsible for procurement or supplier development, or whether it's in-house, you're going to have to overlay the template.

If you really start looking at the metrics, with the increase of Hispanics into this country and us becoming a minority amongst minorities, it's going to get tougher.

MITCHELL: When you talk about the buying power of African Americans, you're looking at some $500-plus billion of spending power. That's an opportunity that businesses can't afford to overlook. Whether businesses want to or not, they have to embrace diversity for African Americans.

African Americans [represent] 12.9% [of the U.S. population]. Companies can't expect to do business with African Americans if they don't reach out to them, employ them, or have programs to keep them once they employ them. If they don't focus on African Americans, then they're leaving a lot of money on the table.

B.E.: From an intellectual standpoint, you are 100% correct. One would think you couldn't possibly ignore people who make up a significant portion of the people who support your business. But why doesn't that translate in practice?

WILLIAMS: We're living in an environment where people do not believe that we need strong corrective measures in the workplace. Affirmative Action, equal employment programs, and many of the things that are under attack today were born out of people who supported a more integrative mind-set. We're in a society where only 9% of the people support that.

The predominant viewpoint among the upper echelons of corporate America is the meritocratic lens (see "No Longer Just Black and White," Powerplay, this issue). That's the lens that believes that you kill what you eat; you get what you get because of hard work, focus, and making sacrifices. They believe that cream rises to the top and say that if you work hard enough, there are no barriers to success.

So don't expect diversity programs to specifically focus on African Americans. But African Americans can still benefit from those programs by taking advantage of things such as flextime, alternative work schedules, and childcare. All of these programs are part of the diversity initiative and they help everybody.

Also understand that diversity is not meant to further the civil rights agenda. It wasn't designed to do it. It can't do it. That's important for us as African Americans, but we had better be doing that outside of the workplace.

B.E.: So if I'm a manager trying to move up, what strategies should be employed within this environment?

WILLIAMS: Focus on the systems of that organization.

HYSAW: I agree. The system and the people are our key opportunities as African Americans.

MITCHELL: Today, the focus is not social. Social responsibility is nice to have but it's a side benefit. Companies like to be seen in the community and they like having African Americans see that their firm is supporting [our] initiatives by participating in black events. But again, this is a side benefit. Diversity is really a business imperative and the systems, whether they're H.R. or marketing, help the company see a return on its investment.

African Americans need to know what opportunities exist in the firm and aggressively pursue them. We should also hold companies accountable for delivering what they say they have.

For example, if you say you have an intern program, then sign me up. If you say you have a succession plan, fine. Tell me where I am in the system. If you say I have a developmental gap, tell me how I can close the gap. Then, if the company has these systems in place, and these systems don't deliver, that's a different story. The diversity councils that Hysaw and I both serve on have those systems in place, but individuals have to pursue them. It's a two-way street.

HYSAW: When you combine the system's focus and the people management, it's just an integrated strategy. The tools in the system include career development, succession planning, talent reviews, and recruiting. As for the people-management component, you need specific people to help employees guide their careers through coaching and mentoring.

HARRINGTON: We see people coming to the issue of diversity, particularly diversity management, by virtue of either pain or vision. As a result, a lot of the stimuli or motivation does come from organizations like the NAACP and the Rainbow Coalition.

I don't want to downplay the importance of systems. That is critical. But the social piece, the civil rights movement, and the advocacy around this issue for African Americans, are also critical. And it doesn't go away because now we're having a discussion about diversity.

B.E.: So pain is what inspires action?

WILLIAMS: Pain and market share and the potential damage to your brand. Companies don't want their brands damaged. There has been research to suggest that when something happens, like Texaco, white women are the most outraged by the incident. That means when something happens to one group, it impacts the brand and affects all groups because the American society does have rooted values around quality business practices.

RELATED ARTICLE: Diversity Program Musts

design a strategic plan. A corporation's diversity initiative needs to outline the objectives, accountability measures, and mechanisms that will achieve the firm's goals. It must also designate the people responsible for making these things happen. A fluid plan is necessary, however, so that adjustments are integrated as the program unfolds.

* Foster an inclusive organizational culture. The human resource systems should work proactively to eliminate barriers and increase opportunity. This may be accomplished through employee mentoring and efforts, training programs, career counseling, and other special programs specifically designed to further diversity initiatives.

* Honor the spirit and the intent of civil rights and employment laws. If you have an organization that is intolerant, then its managers, leaders, and employees will exhibit intolerant behavior. That could result in lawsuits, which could prove very expensive in the long run.

* Customer satisfaction should reign supreme. Get a clear understanding of the marketplace as well as what's driving the sales of your products and services across multiple constituents. If you're targeting African Americans, you'd better understand how they influence your business.

* Ensure that your diversity initiative reflects profitability. Determine how this initiative is going to help your firm make more money, sell more products, penetrate new markets, or increase shareholder wealth.