A Manager's Guide to Sexual Orientation in the Workplace [Hardcover]

Bob Powers (Author), Alan Ellis (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415912776 | ISBN-13: 978-0415912778 | Publication Date: September 18, 1995 | Edition: 1

For the first time ever, managers will have a tool that will enable them to effectively grapple with the controversial, and sometimes explosive issues surrounding sexual orientation. Cultivated from Bob Power's 25 years business experience with some of the world's finest organizations, A Manager's Guide to Sexual Orientation in the Workplace provides managers with the knowledge, skills and resources to foster higher productivity and performance through an all-inclusive work environment.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

How do American companies develop diversity in programs in their workplaces today that successfully integrate gays and lesbians into the corporate fabric of inclusivity? This question is the first premise for both these books. Bob Powers and Alan Ellis, long-time diversity trainers, look at specific individuals?gay/lesbian/bisexual/heterosexual?who have come to terms with sexual orientation workplace issues themselves and influenced others in a positive way. In six chapters the authors build on these personal accounts to explore how managers can implement diversity programs and make them work. A highlight of the book is a listing of "101 ways to make your workplace more inclusive." An excellent resource listing concludes the work. Winfield and Spielman, who are founders and principals of Common Ground, a consulting firm that specializes in workplace education about sexual orientation, offer a far more ambitious book. While they also incorporate personal stories to make points, they succeed in creating a far more comprehensive manual on how to achieve true diversity for sexual minorities. In addition to describing successful corporate diversity programs (notably Lotus and AT&T), they go on to cover discussions of what "domestic partnership benefits" are and how they can be realistically achieved in work settings. Both works are recommended to general readers.?Richard Drezen, "Washington Post" News Research Ctr., Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

'...down in the trenches at many companies, unfamilar lifestyles are being demystified at lunch, over coffee and in meetings. Mere familiarity begins to change perceptions. Until recently, most Americans couldn't say the words 'gay' and 'lesbian' without thinking something weird was coming out of their mouths,' said Bob Powers, a diversity consultant in San Francisco. -- New York Times, Sunday, June 13, 1993
A Manager's Guide is a clear, readable handbook that achieves its stated goal. Those who do not already appreciate the need to foster an inclusive environment for gay and lesbian employees will be touched by the many personal narratives that are presented. -- Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services
The first book to demonstrate the impact diversity has on productivity and preformance. A Manager's Guide is essential reading for smart managers and a shrewd investment. -- W.E. Downing, Executive Vice President-Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer Pacific Telesis Group
Unlike any other book, A Manager's Guide answers the kind of questions people are afraid to ask. This is a stunning achievement! -- Rand Rosenberg, Managing Director-Head of Global Telecommunications, Salomon Brothers Inc.
A Manger's Guide will change the way organizations look at sexual orientation in the workforce. This book is a huge contribution to businesses, large and small. -- Forrest Miller, President & Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Bell Directory
The stories in this book are incredibly moving - a most effective way of raising awareness about issues that many of us are insensitive to without realizing it. The techniques for being more inclusive are specific and practical. They have applications for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals - and also for other groups who have traditionally been less-than-fully-welcomed in the workplace. -- Ann W. Parkman, Executive Vice President, Center for Effective Performance, Inc.
Written expressly for heterosexuals, this book equips managers to tackle the toughest of all diversity issues--sexual orientation. A Manager's Guide is much needed! -- Julie O'Mara,Past President, American Society for Training and Development
Not only does A Manager's Guide show why sexual orientation, like all diversity, is a business issue, it shows how it affects total performance and gives managers the tools and resources to dramatically improve performance. This is a powerful book! -- Mike Underhill, Diversity Consultant, Amoco Corporation
This book will change the way we manage all people, regardless of their sexual orientation. -- Alvin Hageman, Managing Director, Citicorp
A Manager's Guide to Sexual Orientation inthe Workplace provides both a general manager's toolkit as well as a stirring and personal educational journey for its readers. It speaks to the hearts and minds of individuals through profoundly moving stories about the actual experiences and contributions of gay and lesbian employees, and it provides concrete, tactical guidance to managers in a concise and readable format. A remarkable and rare feat indeed to accomplish all in a single book. -- Mary Gentile, PhD, Harvard Business School
'What does sexual orientation have to do with business effectiveness?' 'Why do we need to talk about this stuff at work?' A Manager's Guide challenges the assumptions that are behind such questions, allowing managers to better understand how invisible biases stand in the way of achieving the full productivity from all memebers of their workforce. -- Kim Cromwell, Senior Consultant, Diversity and Change, Bank of Boston
Finally a book that helps all managers get through a very uncomfortable aspect of their job and enables them to deal effectively with these critical issues. -- Dr. Roger Addison, Vice President & Manager, Wells Fargo Bank
It's time to wake up and welcome all people into the workforce, regardless of sexual orientation. This remarkable book tells us how. -- Reverend Cecil Williams, Minister, Glide Memorial Methodist Church
The stories in this book are incredibly moving -- a most effective way of raising awareness about issues that many of us are insensititve to without realizing it. The techniques for being more inclusive are specific and practical. They have applications for gays, lesbian, and bisexuals -- and also for other groups who have traditionally been less-than-fully-welcome in the workplace. -- Alan W. Parkman, Executive Vice President, Center for Effectice Performace, Inc.
No one has wanted to talk about sexual orientation and the impact on the workplace performace, in part, becuase until this book there were no resources to help the average manager deal with these issues. This is a timely and important book! -- William C. Cosarelli, President, National Society for Performace & Instruction
An easy-to-read and interstingly constructed text. A Manager's Guide to Sexual Orientation in the Workplace shows us how to tackle the issues of sexual orientation dealing with gay, lesbian and bisexual employees... the reader becomes intimately acquainted with the authors and with the lives of eleven people. -- The Lesbian Review of Books
To ensure equality of opportunity across all human dimensions is a bedrock duty of leadership. For those who do not yet acept this duty, this book is essential. For those who do, this book is also essential. -- John R. Gaulding, President and CEO, ADP Claims Solution Group
This is the book we've been waiting for. Now, managers can no longer ignore these issues and their impact on the bottom line. -- Arun Sarin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy/ Development & International Operations, Air Touch Communications
A Manager's Guide is a powerful combination of heartfelt stories, well-tested tools and hard business facts. This book really helped us use our resources to the fullest. -- Thomas Oliver, President and Chief Executive Officer, VoiceCom Systems, Inc.
In order for us to live and work peacefully together we need to accept all sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. -- Susie Tompkins, Owner and Founder, Esprit
The issues surrounding sexual orientation, like HIV/AIDS which has been a catalyst for understanding illness... embracing diversity... creating safe work environments, raises the bar for what it means to be a manager in the 90s' and far beyond. -- Paul A. Ross, Worldwide Manager, HIV/AIDS Programs, Digital Equipment Corporation
Powers and Ellis bring sensitivity to management and empower all diverse working populations. -- Janice Mirikitani, President, Glide Foundation
In today's global and competitive world, no company can afford to get less than the best from all its employees. Bob Powers' new work provides valuable insights and practical advice for managers on how they, their staff, and their companies can do better by being better. -- Elliot Maxwell, Director, International Technology Policy, Department of Commerce
...is a how-to book for personell managers and small business owners. -- Seattle Gay News
Aimed at managers, [A Manager's Guide] shows how to achieve inclusiveness and why it is important. [Powers and Ellis] anticipate problems that differing sexual orientation might create among co-workers, employees, bosses, and customers, and they suggest how to handle each situation. The authors use numerous examples - some moving, some amusing - effectively. Included are a sample diversity policy, a bibliography, and a helpful resource guide that lists consultants, company-sponsored employee grous and business organizations for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. -- David Rouse, Booklist September 15, 1995

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 209 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (September 18, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415912776
• ISBN-13: 978-0415912778
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,341,935 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not great compared to others, June 24, 2002

By 

Jeffery Mingo (Homewood, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Manager's Guide to Sexual Orientation in the Workplace (Hardcover)

This book was okay. It spoke about how gays deal with sexual orientation issues in the workplace. The good thing about it is that it included case studies of a gay black man and a bisexual white woman; so the authors were trying to think about diversity within the LGBT community. However, this book is simplistic and doesn't say much. There are large-scale studies and anthologies out there about gays in the workplace that are more thorough, and just better. You should consider reading this, after you've read all the other stuff on the topic.