Diversity Executive - November 2008 - (Page 66)

STRATEGIES | R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. Coming Full Circle Effective diversity management integrates with talent management More than 20 years ago, I raised the question of whether corporations were prepared to recruit, select, develop and utilize a diverse talent pool. I also asked whether managing a human resources pool comprised of racial, gender and ethnic diversity called for a different capability than that needed to manage a relatively homogeneous group of people. I believed that it did and contended that two different sets of processes were called for. I labeled the ﬁrst “managing diversity”. The goal of this process was full utilization of human resources in pursuit of competitive advantage and productivity gains. This desired end was to be attained through empowerment management. Essentially, I argued empowerment management would reach its full potential only if it were integrated with managing diversity. A manager cannot successfully empower a diverse workforce without taking its diversity into account. Diversity and empowerment management gained signiﬁcant popularity, but unfortunately, they never attained a comparable status in practice. praisals are not enough. The candidate needs a sponsor. This is where women and people of color do not fare well.” • A company had a high-potential program for employees with substantial managerial promise. To be considered high potential, candidates had to pass the high-potential committee review. Committee members frequently had positive comments about candidates of color, but had never approved any person of color as high potential. They were astonished when confronted with this reality. Integration of the current embodiments of diversity and empowerment management requires that organizational processes be examined thoroughly to determine if they are working well for all employees — and modiﬁed quickly if they are not. That is, the concepts, principles and skills to manage diversity must be integrated with those of empowerment management to assure progress. Diversity executives must ensure managing diversity is integrated into all people processes in their organizations. I rarely see this degree of integration. If anything, managing diversity is integrated with recruitment and hiring, but the other people processes are seldom designed with an explicit, built-in diversity management capability that can assure all individuals’ engagement. Diversity executives also must work to enhance the development and credibility of the ﬁeld both within their organizations and in the broader societal context if they are to convince their organizations this integration is essential. Unfortunately, progress with numbers and best-practice awards does not necessarily translate into credibility beyond the boundaries of the ﬁeld. Diversity executives will have to pay more attention to developing managing diversity concepts, principles and skills, and their intersections with other managerial disciplines. The stakes are high. If diversity management considerations are not present in efforts to achieve competitive advantage through talent development, any gains in racial, gender and ethnic diversity will be difﬁcult to sustain. This would be a blow to both diversity executives and the organizations they serve. « Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. is CEO of Roosevelt Thomas Consulting & Training, founder of the American Institute for Managing Diversity and author of six books including Redefining Diversity. He can be reached at editor@diversity-executive.com. Is developing a talent pool characterized by racial, gender and ethnic diversity different than developing a homogenous one? However, their evolution has continued. Empowerment management, for example, is part and parcel of what is now called talent management. In his recent book, Talent: Making People Your Competitive Advantage, Edward Lawler III argues that competitive realities are forcing many companies to pursue talent as a potential source of competitive advantage. He argues further that such companies must align their people processes “toward the creation of working relationships that attract talented individuals and enable them to work together in an effective manner.” Managing diversity is embodied in the craft of strategic diversity management, a framework for making quality decisions in the midst of differences, similarities and related tensions and complexities. As with empowerment management and managing diversity, strategic diversity management needs to be integrated with talent management. The question becomes, is developing a talent pool characterized by racial, gender and ethnic diversity different than developing a relatively homogenous body of human capital? Yes, there are signiﬁcant differences. I offer two illustrations: • A chief operating ofﬁcer describes his company’s promotional process: “Up to a certain level, the candidate for promotion who has the best-written performance appraisals will receive the promotion. Above a certain level, good performance ap- 66 Diversity Executive | www.diversity-executive.com | November/December 2008 http://www.diversity-executive.com

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

Diversity Executive - November 2008 Editor’s Letter Contents Leadership Connections Guest Editorial Diversity Executive Online Middle Management Roadblock ‘Hidden Winds’ Hinder Progress The Domino Effect Supplier Partnerships Unlock Economic Opportunities Measuring Diversity Special Section: Who’s Who in Diversity and Inclusion Dimensions of Difference Overcoming Language Diff erences Business Intelligence: Combating Subtle Discrimination Case Study: Shifting Diversity Into Overdrive Advertisers’ Index Editorial Resources Strategies

Diversity Executive - November 2008

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