Post on 15-Aug-2020
Engaging White Men in the Diversity Journey
SIETAR
Dr. Louise C. Wilkinson
April 15, 2011
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Reactions to Expect
What were your reactions to the title of this course?
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Premises
• The world is shifting•White men often feel excluded from
diversity initiatives•White men can help change the culture by
being involved in key diversity initiatives •Engaging white men requires
understanding them and developing strategies based on that understanding
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
White Men
Who are white mainstream men?
What are your relationships with white men?
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Prerequisites
1. Suspending our Judgments- Examine our own assumptions, grievances,
and suspicions- Inquire into their perspectives and their journey
2. Distinguishing between white menand white male mainstream culture
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Challenges
What are some of the challenges of engaging white men in the diversity journey?
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Successes
What are the sources of some successes?
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Key Questions
Discuss in pairs, one of you taking the position of a diversity advocate and one trying to take the position of an unengaged white man.
1. How are white men diverse?2. What are the differences we should value?3. What is ‘fair’? When is ‘same’ not ‘fair’?4. When do intentions count, and when don’t they?5. Who has benefited from Affirmative Action? Who’s
left out?6. To what extent is bias still alive and well? Where?
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Discoveries• Many white men (and women) feel:• squeezed and scared by shifting demographics
− “We’re losing our culture and way of life.”• stereotyped when referred to as a group
− “That’s not true of me. Don’t label me. I’m an individual.”• targeted by those involved with diversity
− “I didn’t do it.”• skeptical about claims of discrimination
− “They are imagining it. They are just playing the race card.”• pressured by diversity initiatives and requirements
− “We’ve done enough. When are you going to stop?”• it’s not fair anymore
− “We don’t get the opportunities that women and people of color get. The tables have turned.”
• their individual differences should count for as much as differences in race and gender− “We’re completely different from each other.”
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Two Roads to Engagement
1. Transactional - business case2. Transformational – shifted
understanding
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Side-Step the Resistance
•Develop a clear vision/business case• World is changing rapidly−Demographics−Globalization− Technology−Complexity− Speed− Impact of environmental and political events
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Side-Step the Resistance
• Develop a clear vision/business case• Competitiveness depends on keeping up and
surpassing− Accessing top diverse talent− Market knowledge− Problem Solving− Innovation
− Leveraging all skills, perspectives and ideas− Fully engaging all employees− Using collaboration to leverage diversity
− Access to global customers/suppliers/technology
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Reframing
• Instead of talking about diversity and inclusion, and the need to develop cultural competence or capacities –−Talk about the skills and behaviors
necessary for success−People skills – build effective
relationships− Intellectual skills – openness, learning
agility
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Skills for Success
•People skills• Emotional intelligence• Recognize, value, develop and leverage
diverse talent• Build relationships; collaborate
effectively
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
Skills for Success
• Intellectual skills• Openness - evaluate and transcend own
thought processes• Complexity - engage and apply diverse
perspectives• Synthesis - make decisions in the midst
of complexity
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
•Visible leader commitment•Incentive systems•Success stories•Education and training•Projects and assignments•Coaching and support
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Visible Leader Commitment−Leaders embrace and speak about talent
and skills required for success−Leaders participate in teaching about talent
and skills required for success−Leaders insist that diversity, inclusion and
global mindset are taught in every leadership development course
−Leaders create clear expectations and incentive systems that reward skills required for success
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Incentive Systems−People who create powerful teams that
deliver, innovate and create value−People who discover and develop diverse
talent−People who create relationships and
networks−People who continuously learn
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Success Stories−Accomplishments of diverse teams−Contributions of diverse individuals− Power of an idea that came from another
culture− Learning gained from intercultural experience
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Training and Education−Make it a part of all leadership development− Start with the business case−Build emotional intelligence by creating
characters and scenarios− Pull out their reactions, how to self-manage− Pull out how they read others, what they imagine
others are feeling and thinking− Discuss how they can create an effective relationship
that leverages the talents of everyone−Build intellectual complexity by practicing
different perspectives applied to real business situations; give practical applications
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Diverse experiences – develop capacity to learn and engage with diversity and complexity−Cross-functional opportunities−Global assignments−Opportunities to manage change −Cross-cultural mentoring−Cross-cultural teams−Cross-generational teams
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Coaching and Support−Diversity consultants−Human Resources−Diversity Councils−Affinity Groups or Networks
− Inquire into issues with diversity− Suspend judgment−Give them voice; Listen carefully
−Address their diversity issues−Be specific−Be helpful
Transactional Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Build skills and openness transactionally
• Prepare people for transformation
• Determine when people are ready
Moving to Transformation
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
• Build relationships and partnerships−With white men−Between white men−Between white men and multicultural
groups
• Create experiential learning opportunities
Transformational Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
•Build personal relationships with white men• Build trust− Show respect− Show caring− Share stories
• Use relationships to expand understanding− Share personal experiences−Ask challenging questions that transform
diversity from a problem to an advantage−Create cross-mentoring relationship
Transformational Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
•Build relationships between white men • Create safe havens for their exploration−Can make mistakes−Can share frustrations−Can create partnerships to support each other
• Use these forums to further educate− Explore their own culture− Explore their relationships with their culture− Explore their reactions to other cultures− Support each other in expanding their
understanding
Transformational Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
•Build relationships between white men and multicultural groups• Invite them into these groups• Make them feel welcome• Show respect and interest in their reactions and
learning
Transformational Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
•Create experiential learning opportunities−Work in diverse communities− Explore experiences of marginalization−Use movies, books, art
Transformational Engagement Strategies
Copyright 2011 Louise C. Wilkinson
“Just when the caterpillar thought that the world was over, it became a butterfly.”