Amazon.com Review
Not so with this well-thought-out series. The brainchild of Debbe Kennedy, veteran consultant to companies such as Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft and a former Equal Opportunity and HR manager at IBM, it includes six short, snappy booklets--each on a key phase in what Kennedy calls the "imperfect circle" of change. The first, "Assessment," helps companies take a diversity inventory, while "Acceptance" shows how to build internal support for change. "Action" helps organizations launch a new program or breathe life into an existing one. "Accountability" gets everyone in on the process, and "Achievement" comes with a plan for measuring and celebrating success. Crucially, "More Action" keeps everyone from resting on their laurels once the good work has begun.
Each booklet is nicely outfitted with jargon-free guidance (particularly refreshing these days), quickie worksheets and vivid, firsthand accounts from folks in corporations, government agencies, small businesses, nonprofits, and even churches on how they tackled the multilayered challenge of promoting diversity within their ranks.
The components function either à la carte or as a full-course meal, and can serve a company-wide initiative as well as a small, ad hoc group... or a CEO who curls up with it one night in bed. All told, an extremely astute, user-friendly tool kit that demystifies diversity management and accords it the seriousness of purpose it deserves. --Timothy Murphy
Review
Hard hitting, pragmatic approaches, supported by well selected stories;immediately useful, forever valuable. -- Lane Michel, Partner, Director of Western Region Peppers and Rogers Group, Marketing 1 to 1, Inc., Letter to Publisher, October 1999
Makes "diversity" an approachable topic for everyone---an opportunity to learn and grow. It makes you want to get involved. -- Debby McIsaac, Manager, Global People Development, Hewlett-Packard Consulting, Letter to Publisher, November 1999
Most innovative, insightful, practical concepts and tools I've seen in a very long time; destined to become a 'classic. -- Barbara "BJ" Hateley, Co-Author, Peacock in the Land of Penguins:A Tale of Diversity and Discovery; Letter to Publisher, October 1999
Superb exercises, ideas, stories, and assessments; a perfect set of interventions for the beginner or the skilled professional. -- Beverly Kaye, President, Career Systems International, Inc. and Beverly Kaye & Associates, Inc., Co-Author, Love 'Em or Lose 'Em: Getting Good People to Stay, Letter--February 2000
We need Kennedy's diversity work; she has a creative gift in presenting ideas in an intriguing and compelling way. -- Margaret J. Wheatley, author, Leadership and the New Science and co-author, A Simpler Way, Letter--February, 2000
Wonderful tools for individuals, teams and organizations. Kennedy gets to the heart of things, communicating insights simply, powerfully. -- Terence Brake, Vice President, TMA-US/London/France and author, The Global Leader, March 2000
