Diversity in Leadership

Christopher Rodden
HRCU-425
Brandman University

Leadership in Diverse and Multicultural Organizations

Diversity Leadership and Diversity Consciousness
Definitions
Diversity leadership "manages ways in which individuals and gatherings identify with
each other and how administration [leadership] choices are made amidst the differences,
likenesses and strains among groups"(Lim, Cho, and Curry, 2008). The methodology has clearly
reverberated in this second definition: (Diversity administration [leadership] is an apparatus for
catching the differing qualities profit. Assorted qualities administration concentrates on dealing
with the distinctions within an organization's workforce, gaining the advantages of differences
and minimizing work environment challenges"(DiversityWorking.com, 2010).
As indicated by these meanings of assorted qualities, the Services have held onto
differences as a reaction to demographic reality as well as because they see it as an approach to
upgrade mission ability (Military Leadership Diversity Commission, 2009, 2010c). Research
demonstrates that a connection amongst diverse qualities and expanded capacity is not
programmed; rather, it requires diverse qualities conscious authority. Truant such administration
assorted qualities, whether characterized in conventional demographic terms or all the more
extensively regarding "contrast" can lessen capacity, most of the time through diminished
correspondence, expanded clash, or both. Consequently, initiative practices are the connection
between diversity arrangements and their acknowledgment.
Diversity Consciousness
Diversity consciousness is the acknowledgment that workplaces and societies are
becoming more different

Advantages of Diversity Consciousness

When individuals are encompassed by various societies and figure out how to value
the distinctions and additionally discover the likenesses, it develops sympathy and
highlights empathy

With period of differing qualities: individuals with more beneficial experience can
impart their insight to more youthful generations

It builds innovativeness, advancement, and critical thinking

Exposure to various philosophies and culture ingrain a more open-mentality

It widens our viewpoint and challenges our viewpoints.

The advantages of the working environment, as indicated by the diary, mechanical

relations, include increment profitability, ascend in benefit, and "data sharing."

With instructive differences: those with advanced education can share bits of
knowledge and learning to the individuals who have less learning

Negative effects of Diversity Consciousness

Associates with changed social settings convey unmistakable bits of knowledge and
encounters to the counter in crowds and working gatherings. Combining the varying learning and
aptitudes of socially unmistakable masters mutually can profit associations by bracing
gatherings' production and sensitivity to developing circumstances (Daly, 1998). However, being
aware of diversity likewise accompanies its disservices and all together for a business to be
effective at differences awareness they must be capable and arranged to deal with and to resolve
these problems.

Innumerable lodgings

Problems of communication

Employing manager power

assimilation issues

Workplace associations

Compulsory training

Action plan to increase the Diversity Consciousness:

The growing diversity of the population of the United States, along with globalization,
has made diversity consciousness increasingly important at work, in school, and in our personal
lives. Bucher (2015) defines diversity consciousness as understanding, awareness, and skills in
the area of diversity (p. 32). My understanding of diversity is that it is the state of having people
with different cultures and of different races in an organization. I have learnt that my definition is
narrow because diversity is wider in terms of having more areas which are contributing to lack of
diversity.
One of the major diversity skill I adopt is listening. Listening personally helps me in
gaining the trust of an employee or school mate and even motivating them to tell me more. It
also enables the employee to be more productive in the workplace. Employees always want to
be listened to as they air their grievances, and this even creates a healthy environment for
communication.
The other diversity skill that I apply is teamwork. In school I engage in group discussions
with students of different ethnicities and other ideologies. It has played a vital role in expanding
my knowledge of various disciplines by getting a wider, easier and deeper dimensions of
understanding. At the workplace, I have been able to group cross-functional teams comprising

people with different ideologies, ethnicities, etc. again. Doing this has helped greatly to improve
the productivity of the organization due to new skills and attitudes in the organization.
The other diversity skill that I apply is understanding. Understanding is the act of trying
to view the world from other peoples point of view. Understanding can be very hard at times due
to people always wanting to rely on their judgment (Otten et al., 2014). Through understanding I
am able to view situations the way my classmates and workmates do. This act has helped me to
be able to solve problems easily.
Some of the social and personal barriers that I face are for example discrimination. This
is where some employees in that organization I work are discriminated due to differences. The
other barrier I face is peer pressure in school. This is where I find myself being influenced by my
colleagues to not portray acts of diversity. This is because it is carried personally by certain
individuals. I have been able to control these barriers by conducting trainings to my employees,
encouraging my colleagues at schools and attending lessons on diversity to become better and
overcome my weaknesses.
To increase my diversity consciousness one action, I will take is to come up with a
personal strategy to study and be more competent in diversity. This way will include studying
more material, doing research and using the findings positively to better my skills in variety. The
other way I will ensure my consciousness is by teaching others about cultural difference and
diversity so that they can become better. This way will include mentoring individuals to be more
competent.
Concluding, Diversity is the key to most of the problems our organizations face and to be
able to fight problems coming from lack of diversity, everyone has to take an individual
initiative. Diversity consciousness is more important now than ever for people to find success in

school, at work, and in their personal lives. Tolerance of diversity is not enough; to be able to
benefit from all the ways that people are different takes commitment to understanding ourselves
and the people around us.

References
Bucher, R. (2015). Diversity Consciousness (4th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Burri, M. Cultural Diversity. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1298909
Daly, A. (1998). Workplace diversity. Washington, D.C.: NASW Press.
Diversity Assessment and Action Plan. (2016). Issuu. Retrieved 8 September 2016, from
https://issuu.com/trenttyler/docs/tyler_diversityactionplan
Meeussen, L., Otten, S., & Phalet, K. (2014). Managing diversity: How leaders multiculturalism
and colorblindness affect work group functioning. Group Processes & Intergroup
Relations, 17(5), 629-644.