by James O. Rodgers

The task of mastering the diversity of the workers, managers, customers, and executives of American corporations has been a long and arduous journey (and, in all honesty, it has not been much fun, either). Since the early days of EEO and Affirmative Action, executives and managers have been struggling with what to do and how to do it in a way that is the least disruptive to business operations and that does not violate principles of business success.

One senior executive framed the issue, "I'm concerned. The curve of progress has started to flatten more than it should relative to the effort we've made. I need to know how to be successful in moving up competent but different people who are not clones of those above them."(Jones, HBR May/Jun 1986).

The discipline of Managing (or Valuing, depending on your preference) Diversity seeks to move us beyond those dilemmas and on toward the realization of real success in the area of strategic management. For that to happen, the emphasis may need to shift from a complete focus on what and how (which assumes we agree to do it) to more of a focus on "why". As Friedreich Nietzsche once said "He who has a "why" to live for, can (develop and) bear almost any "how". American executives are accustomed to success. That is why the whole effort to master diversity in the workplace has been such a frustrating ordeal. Where are the results? I would suggest that we need to revisit the "why". I believe we will then see a number of successful "hows" emerge.

A line from the Preamble to the Constitution provides one the most compelling examples of reasons for senior executives to look critically at how well their organizations manage their diverse workforce. As most popular literature suggests, we have gone beyond the need to embrace diversity for moral, ethical, or social reasons. Diversity is a strategic issue of our times and must be dealt with as such. Why?

The Preamble says, In order to preserve a more perfect union. We have a number of examples in history to illustrate the point.

Abraham Lincoln is credited with having freed the slaves of the South for very humanistic and noble reasons. But, as we look at his motives more closely, we find that his decision to draft and sign the Emancipation Proclamation was a strategic decision ... in order to preserve the union. Lincoln provided leadership for his organization (the United States) by recognizing the need to deal effectively with a key issue. His mission, according to his oath of office, was to preserve, protect and defend the Union. Part of his strategy was to eliminate one of the most divisive issues that faced the country, that is, the economic advantage enjoyed by the South because of slavery. Not because it was the right thing to do, (though I'm sure he knew it was), but because it made strategic sense at the time.

Many executives in America are still having a difficult time dealing with the reality of increased cultural diversity in the workplace. After the debilitating experience they had with EEO and Affirmative Action, there is a natural desire to not repeat the exercise. But, if more of these executives examined the real motives for embracing and valuing diversity at all levels of their companies, the decision to move ahead would be more obvious.

The decision to embrace Managing (Valuing) Diversity as a core strategy has little to do with the social or moral rightness of it. It is instead a strategic issue requiring effective leadership to master. The mission of any CEO or senior executive is to preserve the competitive health of the company they lead. Part of the strategy for doing that in these times is to create an environment in which all workers feel free to contribute to the goals and objectives of the company. That environment helps to mitigate the competitive advantage enjoyed by other companies who are more capable of inspiring and motivating a diverse team of workers toward peak performance.

Not because it is the right thing to do (though I'm sure it is), but, because it makes strategic sense. In other words, in order to preserve the (company) union.

Wess Roberts wrote a breakthrough book entitled The Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun. It gives a good historical perspective to leadership and shows clearly how to lead with diversity. As we know, Attila inherited hordes of nomadic, multiracial, multilingual, and culturally diverse people. He had a dream of world conquest and a Hunnish homeland (a vision that was not shared, at first, by his subordinates). This vision and his strategy for achieving it are legendary. The single most important factor of his success is in the fact that he knew "why" he was promoting the collective goals of this diverse group of tribes. In order to establish a union, a nation, that could successfully withstand challenges by the likes of Rome.

Note some of the lessons offered by Attila on managing a diverse team:

• A nation of one ancestry and race is weak. We must hold strong our custom of welcoming all foreigners who seek to join our cause, treating them with dignity and respect and teaching them our language and customs (corporate culture).
  
  
• Our accepted differences and diversities must be pooled into a common purpose worthy of our efforts as tribes and as a nation.
  
  
• Our racial, cultural, moral and social concepts, inherited from our ancestors of Asia and Europe (and Africa, Latin America, North, South, racial, ethnic, and religious), must be recognized and honored by all, through respect for our fellow man, his faculties and well-being.

One of the strategies that Attila employed was to allow each horde to maintain those things which made them unique. He did not attempt to assimilate the groups but to rally them around a set of common goals. "It is not essential that a Hun compromise those characteristics that make him a unique warrior. We must be single in purpose, yet individuality that does not distract from the tribe or nation must be preserved."

Effective leadership is an essential element of successful diversity initiatives. It is best to begin the initiative with an executive retreat in which the senior managers establish the purpose (why) of the initiative and gain a common commitment to the process. Leaders must be equipped to understand their role in making the process successful.

Quite often, the discussion at these sessions begins with several leaders asserting that it (valuing diversity) is the right thing to do. In effect, they have a need to position themselves as good people (socially, morally, and ethically sensitive). Fortunately, however, they soon see the connection between mastering diversity and the success of the enterprise. Only then are they prepared to commit the time, resources, and energy necessary to produce a successful outcome.

The effort required to implement a diversity strategy will only be sustained when the reasons are clear. Leaders, and eventually everyone else, must understand that mastering diversity management is essential to building and sustaining competitive advantage in today's world. It must be done for strategic reasons; that is, in order to preserve the (company) union.

About the author
James O. Rodgers, CMC is president of The Diversity Coach™., in Lithonia, GA. The CMC designation (Certified Management Consultant) is awarded by the Institute of Management Consultants and represents evidence of the highest standards of consulting and adherence to the ethical canons of the profession. Less than 1% of all consultants have achieved this level of performance. For further information, call 770-482-9452 or visit the company's Web site at www.thediversitycoach.com.