Leading Diversity

June 1, 2000

Diversity is a vital leadership responsibility and business imperative, thus, accountability for diversity applies to everyone — from the board of directors to the CEO, to managers  and leaders — including employees.   Each is responsible for the success for diversity within the industry; however leadership is especially liable to being called to account for its mismanagement.   Our  corporate counterparts have discovered and embraced the notion that in order to be successful, commitment to diversity must come from “the top”. 

According to Diversity Best Practices, a survey of Fortune 500 CEOs found that:

80% see a strong correlation between an organization's commitment to diversity and that organization’s long-term success

92% of CEOs ensure that the organization's Board of Directors is diverse

89% or CEOs say they ensure top management participation and accountability in diversity programs

90% or CEOs view diversity as a competitive advantage in improving employee retention

85% of CEOs think diversity programs help them become "employers of choice"

100% of CEOs surveyed cite the need for training and education to help their companies achieve diversity goals

Diversity Inc.’s 2004 Top 50 Companies for Diversity revealed that:

90% of  the Top 50 say CEO personally reviews diversity metrics and programs

90% of the Top 50 have mandatory diversity training for managers

100% of the Top 50 maintain data on recruitment of people of color and women

The workforce for the Top 50 is 32% people of color, compared with only 17% for the national workforce as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In order to be an effective, here are some important operating principles implicit in successful diversity leadership:

Determine how diversity applies to your business.  Consider the work you do, the deliverables you produce and your markets (internal & external).  Integrate diversity elements into your business strategy for increased results;

Articulate and model supportive behaviors that reinforce MPA and ASME's commitment to diversity to ensure industrial and organizational awareness and accountability for change;

Maximize the inclusion of everyone in the organization. Facilitate the creation of a positive working environment for the effective and successful contributions of individuals and teams to the organization;

Seek to increase the value-added opportunities and resources that result from knowing and understanding the similarities and differences in our workforce;

Identify and eliminate barriers for employee attraction, development, retention and advancement in your organization to achieve a fully engaged and diverse workforce;

Evaluate key leadership on how well it contributes to a diverse working environment that provides equal access for everyone and how effectively it seeks to cultivate diversity in organizational life;

Identify an area for personal growth and pursue self-education for greater personal effectiveness.