Diversity Strategy

To begin with the engagement of diversity requires a strategy. Diversity must be seen to be positive force, one that is inspirational, visionary and embraces the organisations code of ethics. The strategy has to begin with taking up a position which reflects where the organisation is now. The strategy is a blueprint for where the organisation wants to get too. The delivery of the strategy is then up to everyone involved in the organisation to move it forward so that the diversity strategies objectives are met.

Our consultancy service connects with the relevant business or organisation. We use a number of unique tools and techniques designed and developed by ourselves to ensure that by engaging with diversity your service, business or organisation will reap the benefits diversity can bring.

Although it would be nice to feel that everyone in the organisation is going to move in this forward direction, the reality of organisational life frequently means that this is not the case. We will however ensure that this happens by using some of the methods we have tried, tested and proven to work. Diversity means examining root causes and issues relating to inequality, discrimination and prejudice. The difference here between Diversity and Equal opportunities is one of degree, in Diversity there is no superficial tinkering. We can sometimes pretend everything is all right, except for one or two bad actors, or we can look more deeply at underlying roots and causes and work towards fixing the whole system. Sometimes by engaging with Diversity organisations are going to need new structures and erect dramatically different models. This is what the Diversity strategy guides and maps out, out and will offer new solutions to undealt with problems.

It is far more important to be moving forward in broadly the right direction, than to be stuck in a static position. This process of moving towards achieving the strategy is an opportunity to get the involvement and commitment of as many in the organisation as is possible which will form the motive power that can achieve the diversity strategies objectives. This of course takes time and action. The strategy and the training must commit individuals to action, this action must create Diversity leaders who can be the focus of creating the momentum to take the organisation forward. These are known as the guiding coalition.

So once the strategy is in place the organisation will have a map of where it broadly needs to go and equally important how to get there, we help the organisation produce a map. It is at this stage that the transfer of the ownership of the objectives has to be communicated and owned throughout the organisation. Making it happen means involving the hearts and minds of those who have to execute and deliver the service. With the best will in the world nothing will happen unless these hearts and minds are won we have ways of connecting with the hearts and minds, ensuring that individuals have a voice.. The test has to be does our strategy, organisational policies, our staffs actions and behaviours generate social justice, reduce or work towards eradicating discrimination, oppression and prejudice and creating social stability.

This is why the initial training takes on such great importance. Our diversity practitioner programme gives individuals an insight on how to engage staff into the training programme making diversity an integral way of working. Therefore by engaging with Diversity the organisation will gain many benefits one of which is the legal framework, others of course will be financial, personal development, time saving and the quality of your service. Like all organisational processes some are top down and some are bottom up, however each process shares with it the fact several runs are required. Engaging with Diversity is an Art not a science; we are dealing with people and their emotions. Everyone approaches Diversity from different backgrounds and situations, and each of us having a different starting point. There are of course common points and factors which apply to all of us. It is a fact that we all have prejudices and all of us to a greater or lesser extent have dealt with discrimination and oppression. This is what makes the subject so emotional and potentially volatile. It is also these emotions that makes it potentially a very powerful motivational and performance increasing force.

Remember, Diversity implies using and promoting a strong sense of community. In which individuals understand the strength created by harnessing each others differences. This creates and environment which is productive and in which individuals work and activities benefit themselves and each other, and are motivated not just by the expectation of material rewards. (Note that strong communities can also create and evidence pockets of intolerance and prejudice.)

The training therefore has to engage and deal with the emotions likely to be aroused by this subject. To achieve this, a skilful mix of technical knowledge of Diversity, emotional intelligence and the psychology of the participants is required. The object of Diversity training must be to enable people to gain confidence in their ability to be able to create a productive diverse working environment. Thus the workshops act as a means of translating the content and ideas of diversity into exciting, dynamic action tools that benefit and become embedded in the daily work of the organisation. We are currently in the process of having all our Diversity training programmes accredited (including the Diversity Practitioner and Diversity Awareness) and although the Diversity framework is in place, the application of the issues and needs relating to your business or organisation will be embraced in dynamic and flexible way.

The key to delivering Diversity in a positive manner involves creating a training environment where:-

are created. Most importantly the facilitators of Diversity workshops must be, creative, genuine and most importantly of all know and understand the importance of the issues, and know why they are doing it. If these are not present the danger is that the workshops will create a legacy of resentment, ill-feeling and anger, which often then spills over into the organisations work environment.

This delivery then is about being intelligent and passionate about the emotions and issues raised, but not about being over emotional about the issues raised. I am not saying here that the facilitator has to an unemotional individual what I am saying is that during these sessions a lot of the negative emotions involved in this subject are projected onto the them. So the facilitator has to be able to not only understand this process but be capable of managing their own emotions so that they do not get in the way of the objectives of the workshop.

Another danger being identified by a number of researchers (including Kossek and Zonia) in this field is one where various patterns of inequalities are exacerbated or the patterns of discrimination and oppression have been amplified. This is also holds true where there is evidence of some workshops reinforcing unhelpful stereotypes. The general consensus of opinion emerging is that good intentions are just not enough in fact they may well be damaging.

To generate a full understanding of these issues requires not only open and frank debate, a certain amount of structure bit also a degree of flexibility. We find that this can be achieved by using an NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) framework. Another factor that affects this openness is that the work is best carried out in an environment that is different form the normal working one and is initially facilitated by if possible by outsourced individuals. Otherwise the subject matter becomes far more entangled with the current issues faced by the organisation, also due the nature of the topic a certain amount of psychological projection takes place between the participants and the facilitators. This on occasions is not necessarily helpful for future productive working relationships.

In conclusion to achieve the objectives of any strategy in an organisation a sense of urgency is required, a powerful guiding coalition of people need to be drive forward the strategy. The vision needs communicating, empowered action sets instigated, celebrations of successes carried out, and a whole process of continuous invigorating new activities and projects carried out. A diversity strategy is no different it needs not only to be anchored in to the organisational culture but thoroughly integrated into it.

The role of Training within the context of the Diversity Strategy is therefore vital. Similarly, the role of the guiding coalition is needed to continually promote the benefits of Diversity.

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