Diversity Executive - September 2008 - (Page 4)

FROM THE EDITOR The Business of Diversity We’ve launched a magazine called Diversity Executive, and there’s a white man on the cover. You may be wondering what on earth was going through our minds. Traditional thoughts around diversity might suggest the cover is grossly insensitive, not to mention counterproductive to diversity leaders’ efforts to create a more inclusive workforce, one where minorities play a signiﬁcant role in organizational leadership. The decision was not made lightly. We wondered if this cover would send the wrong message and doom the magazine before we even got started. Ultimately, we decided it would not. Gerard Arpey, the CEO of American Airlines Inc., actually demonstrates the magazine’s mission perfectly — because today’s deﬁnition of diversity goes far beyond traditional thinking around gender, sexual orientation or religion. conversations have had little impact on business because the resulting initiatives focused on soft topics — touchy-feely issues raised to assuage guilt and meet compliance standards. Fortunately, things have changed. Diversity leaders still are required to meet compliance standards that promote fair and equitable hiring practices, but their activities have evolved past celebrating the presence of a certain look or politically correct speech, to doing the right thing to promote business success. It’s not enough to pat oneself on the back for embracing difference. Lip service doesn’t bring in new contracts, ﬁnd the best talent in a shrinking labor pool or create innovative products to appeal to consumers with more buying options than ever before. Diversity is not a new topic. The conversation no longer is solely a historical, socioeconomically motivated one. Now, savvy business leaders have embraced diversity and inclusion for the tangible beneﬁts they bring to the business. Race and gender still are signiﬁcant, but this new deﬁnition includes diversity of thought and experience, expanding beyond traditional topics to how organizations leverage differences to positively impact the bottom line. By actively soliciting and implementing suggestions from its diverse workforce, American Airlines has saved millions of dollars, pulled itself from the brink of bankruptcy and remained a relevant player in an uber-competitive industry hit hard by economic change. And many of the solutions that enabled the organization’s continued success were right there all along, waiting to be tapped. Diversity leaders are instrumental in bringing these solutions to light. They must be politically savvy and possess a deep knowledge of the talent models and methodologies that will promote business success. They must act as stewards, expert communicators and inventors, continuously discovering new and better ways to manage existing resources for organizational gain. Diversity leaders also must be smart businesspeople, with a strong knowledge of ﬁnance and metrics that will validate and position their activities at the top of the senior management agenda. And all that must be done while remaining conscious of people’s differences and how these can be integrated into a productive and inclusive work environment. Diversity is not a new topic. It has been a visible piece of the business landscape for more than 20 years. Some say diversity Organizations must take a strategic view of diversity and inclusion. This means voluntarily accommodating employees with disabilities and not expecting them to make all the sacriﬁces in order to join the workforce. It means actively recruiting and grooming diverse leaders for senior management roles because an organization’s internal makeup can impact how it serves its external customer base. It means embracing the new and the potentially uncomfortable and not clinging to outdated business models and leadership development programs that expect women to behave like men rather than using those differences to effect change. Globalization also has made diversity an imperative. Modern business has no boundaries, and organizations of all kinds are struggling to integrate domestic and international operations in a cohesive fashion. Diversity Executive will remain true to this deﬁnition of diversity and inclusion, focusing on how diversity leaders can drive change and create bottom-line impact by leveraging the very differences that divide individuals to strengthen us as a group. Diversity and inclusion likely will continue to inspire passion and even some angst as we work through our historical baggage and uncover new challenges in the global arena. But now we can redirect that passion onto a platform all can agree on — business — and how best to make it work. Kellye Whitney kwhitney@diversity-executive.com 4 Diversity Executive | www.diversity-executive.com | September/October 2008 http://www.diversity-executive.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Diversity Executive - September 2008

Diversity Executive - September 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Leadership Connections Guest Editorial Diversity Executive Online 2042: A New Business Era Begins The Rules of Attraction Where to Look for Diverse Talent Like Minds Think Great Culture Teams Target Business Opportunities at Luxottica Retail Special Section Rebalancing Gender At ING Americas, the Color of Diversity Is Orange Profile Business Intelligence Case Study Strategies Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources

Diversity Executive - September 2008

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