engaging white men in the diversity journey · 2011-08-05 · skills for success • intellectual...

Engaging White Men in the Diversity Journey

SIETAR

Dr. Louise C. Wilkinson

April 15, 2011

Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson

Reactions to Expect

What were your reactions to the title of this course?


Premises

• The world is shifting•White men often feel excluded from

diversity initiatives•White men can help change the culture by

being involved in key diversity initiatives •Engaging white men requires

understanding them and developing strategies based on that understanding


White Men

Who are white mainstream men?

What are your relationships with white men?


Prerequisites

1. Suspending our Judgments- Examine our own assumptions, grievances,

and suspicions- Inquire into their perspectives and their journey

2. Distinguishing between white menand white male mainstream culture


Challenges

What are some of the challenges of engaging white men in the diversity journey?


Successes

What are the sources of some successes?


Key Questions

Discuss in pairs, one of you taking the position of a diversity advocate and one trying to take the position of an unengaged white man.

1. How are white men diverse?2. What are the differences we should value?3. What is ‘fair’? When is ‘same’ not ‘fair’?4. When do intentions count, and when don’t they?5. Who has benefited from Affirmative Action? Who’s

left out?6. To what extent is bias still alive and well? Where?


Discoveries• Many white men (and women) feel:• squeezed and scared by shifting demographics

− “We’re losing our culture and way of life.”• stereotyped when referred to as a group

− “That’s not true of me. Don’t label me. I’m an individual.”• targeted by those involved with diversity

− “I didn’t do it.”• skeptical about claims of discrimination

− “They are imagining it. They are just playing the race card.”• pressured by diversity initiatives and requirements

− “We’ve done enough. When are you going to stop?”• it’s not fair anymore

− “We don’t get the opportunities that women and people of color get. The tables have turned.”

• their individual differences should count for as much as differences in race and gender− “We’re completely different from each other.”


Two Roads to Engagement

1. Transactional - business case2. Transformational – shifted

understanding


Side-Step the Resistance

•Develop a clear vision/business case• World is changing rapidly−Demographics−Globalization− Technology−Complexity− Speed− Impact of environmental and political events


Side-Step the Resistance

• Develop a clear vision/business case• Competitiveness depends on keeping up and

surpassing− Accessing top diverse talent− Market knowledge− Problem Solving− Innovation

− Leveraging all skills, perspectives and ideas− Fully engaging all employees− Using collaboration to leverage diversity

− Access to global customers/suppliers/technology


Reframing

• Instead of talking about diversity and inclusion, and the need to develop cultural competence or capacities –−Talk about the skills and behaviors

necessary for success−People skills – build effective

relationships− Intellectual skills – openness, learning

agility


Skills for Success

•People skills• Emotional intelligence• Recognize, value, develop and leverage

diverse talent• Build relationships; collaborate

effectively


Skills for Success

• Intellectual skills• Openness - evaluate and transcend own

thought processes• Complexity - engage and apply diverse

perspectives• Synthesis - make decisions in the midst

of complexity


•Visible leader commitment•Incentive systems•Success stories•Education and training•Projects and assignments•Coaching and support

Transactional Engagement Strategies


• Visible Leader Commitment−Leaders embrace and speak about talent

and skills required for success−Leaders participate in teaching about talent

and skills required for success−Leaders insist that diversity, inclusion and

global mindset are taught in every leadership development course

−Leaders create clear expectations and incentive systems that reward skills required for success



• Incentive Systems−People who create powerful teams that

deliver, innovate and create value−People who discover and develop diverse

talent−People who create relationships and

networks−People who continuously learn



• Success Stories−Accomplishments of diverse teams−Contributions of diverse individuals− Power of an idea that came from another

culture− Learning gained from intercultural experience



• Training and Education−Make it a part of all leadership development− Start with the business case−Build emotional intelligence by creating

characters and scenarios− Pull out their reactions, how to self-manage− Pull out how they read others, what they imagine

others are feeling and thinking− Discuss how they can create an effective relationship

that leverages the talents of everyone−Build intellectual complexity by practicing

different perspectives applied to real business situations; give practical applications



• Diverse experiences – develop capacity to learn and engage with diversity and complexity−Cross-functional opportunities−Global assignments−Opportunities to manage change −Cross-cultural mentoring−Cross-cultural teams−Cross-generational teams



• Coaching and Support−Diversity consultants−Human Resources−Diversity Councils−Affinity Groups or Networks

− Inquire into issues with diversity− Suspend judgment−Give them voice; Listen carefully

−Address their diversity issues−Be specific−Be helpful



• Build skills and openness transactionally

• Prepare people for transformation

• Determine when people are ready

Moving to Transformation


• Build relationships and partnerships−With white men−Between white men−Between white men and multicultural

groups

• Create experiential learning opportunities

Transformational Engagement Strategies


•Build personal relationships with white men• Build trust− Show respect− Show caring− Share stories

• Use relationships to expand understanding− Share personal experiences−Ask challenging questions that transform

diversity from a problem to an advantage−Create cross-mentoring relationship



•Build relationships between white men • Create safe havens for their exploration−Can make mistakes−Can share frustrations−Can create partnerships to support each other

• Use these forums to further educate− Explore their own culture− Explore their relationships with their culture− Explore their reactions to other cultures− Support each other in expanding their

understanding



•Build relationships between white men and multicultural groups• Invite them into these groups• Make them feel welcome• Show respect and interest in their reactions and

learning



•Create experiential learning opportunities−Work in diverse communities− Explore experiences of marginalization−Use movies, books, art



“Just when the caterpillar thought that the world was over, it became a butterfly.”

engaging white men in the diversity journey · 2011-08-05 · skills for success • intellectual...

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