Customer Reviews

Implementing Diversity

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How many organizations have attempted to promote employee diversity - only to discover that their actions and programs have lead to confusion, polarization and greater resistance? Having worked in two companies where diversity was a "corporate value," I've seen the negative results of well-intentioned but poorly conceived diversity training. I"ve listened to white males talk about the "D-word" and how alienated they feel. I've also watched women and minorities fight and compete with each other for the crumbs that fall from the corporate table. All very discouraging... Leaving me feeling that there had to be a better way! Implementing Diversity is the first diversity book I've read that acknowledges the problems inherent in many diversity programs and provides tested solutions to build support for change - not resistance to it. I wish I'd discovered this book five years ago. I'm glad I found it now!

I am co-leading an internal regional diversity effort for Hewitt Associates (a human resources consulting firm). Our team includes about 10+ members and this book was handed out after our first meeting together last November. It gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from all team members and we are including as part of our "new member kit". The book does an incredible job walking you through the basics and is very practical in it's application. It's not paint by numbers, but provides a great conceptual framework for understanding what's involved, the issues/acceptance you'll encounter in going out with a program, and proves very helpful in developing a strategy and action plan to make your efforts successful. This book was recommended to our team by an outside consultant we are using. We have had much success to date in working with leadership and rolling out our efforts among all associates in the region. This book has provided great conceptual framing for all our efforts. We will also likely order copies for our senior leadership group to start them on their journey!

After reading so many diversity books, I wasn't expecting to get much more from this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. This book takes a more pragmatic approach to the topic than others. It is less esoteric and more of a how-to book with a very strong conceptual framework borrowed from the change management field. I actually liked reading it and have found it to be very helpful in my work as a diversity council chairperson.

Every five years it seems Marilynn Loden has a new book with something original and important to say in it. I loved Feminine Leadership (book #1) and am amazed at how relevant it remains today. Work Force America (#2) was also ahead of its time. And now Implementing Diversity (#3). This is a no b.s. guide for consultants and change agents who want to build inclusive, cooperative workplaces without a mountain of backlash. The ideas and models really work. I hope this author keeps them coming!

This is a great book if you're looking for direction in how to get the word out about Diversity. It goes beyond the physical differences and has the reader think about diversity in a broader sense. I like the systems thinking that was throughout the book - to successfully implement diversity throughout the organization, the top influencers and decision makers must support the effort as well as including people from across the organization. This book is well-written with golden nuggets throughout.

This was an awesome read! It is also like a workbook at the same time with case studies to review along the way. Got to love the definition of diversity: The right of every individual to inclusion, respect, cooperation, respect, and equal treatment.

I can't think of anyone who doesn't want that. Business has to go beyond the numbers to maximize the potential of every individual in the unit, workplace, family, or organization.
The bottom line is that TOP leadership must get involved. No lip service! Upward communication is heavily filtered, leaders lack direct access to candid feedback from employees about their personal impact and feelings about diversity in the trenches.

The author has a beautiful concept that can and should be used by all leaders responsible for employees on any culturally diverse team: The Diversity Adoption Curve. Read this book to get a real world perspective on types of segmented personalities we all have to deal with. Once you have this understanding it will help you tackle all kinds of diversity issues, including opinions.

The author has an ongoing implementation assessment, and a start up impementation assessment survey with questions to quickly paint a picture of your organization's diversity initiative.

This book is loaded with solutions that include ideas for awareness training, fundamentals of valuing diversity, barriers to implementation, and accelerating change.

After serving in the U.S. Navy and returning to the American workplace I can undoubtedly say that the U.S. Navy is a worldwide leader in diversity compared to the private sector. When a ship is on fire, at battle stations, or on a mission there is no such thing as a "cultural issue" everyone is one color "blue" and that's how we do our jobs as a team to save lives or promote our international business. Routine training and updates to policies are important to basic understanding and continued success of implementing diversity.

Diversity is a very hard topic to deal with, and in this day and age the only choices are to sink or swim. This manuscript is where you can learn the differences between equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and valuing diversity. Marilyn Loden teaches us how to swim like an olympian. This book should be in every leader, boss, labor union, and coach's professional development library as a training tool and handy reference. Now I know what I couldn't fully articulate and I'm ready to help from the bottom up.

Lets begin by analyzing the concept that this book is based upon: " Implementing Diversity". Who cares about diversity? Business is about getting the best people to perform. There is no color. No diversity. Nothing but performance! No performance, no business! It's books like this that give reading a bad name. My only question is how publishers can publish this garbage?