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Apr 16

STEM: Opening the Doors for Broader Participation

I was interviewed recently by a reporter with Today’s Engineer for a piece on the importance of STEM diversity. It is no secret that the preponderance of those engaged in the fields of science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) are white males. And, as the article points out, the latest edition of the National Science Foundation’s report Women, Minorities, and Persons With Disabilities in Science and Engineering points out, despite the increasing diversity of the U.S. population, this lopsided representation is not changing. This is just one example Read more

Apr 11

Are You Practicing Exclusion–Or Inclusion?

Inclusion is a concept that has fascinated and driven us for some time now. We’ve been leaders in the industry as we work with Fortune 500 companies to help them shift their cultures from (often unintentional) exclusion to cultures of inclusion.  Inclusion goes beyond simply hiring a diverse pool of employees. In fact, where many companies fail is in Read more

Apr 9

Innovation and Inclusion: A Crucial Connection

In today’s global economy, companies can’t afford to stand idle and rest on their laurels–regardless of how successful they’ve been in the past. There are simply too many examples of once successful companies that are now gone, or rapidly on their way out (remember Compaq? Kodak? Border’s? General Foods?). What happened to many of these companies is what can happen to you– Read more

Mar 28

Think Your Customers – Or Even Employees – Look Like You? Think Again!

Take a look at company photos from days gone by and you’re likely to be struck by the sameness of the individuals in these photos. In most cases, the white male majority dominated. This was, of course, the impetus for an eventual focus on the need for diversity—the recognition that organizations were hampered by their sameness, by the lack of females and people of color. That led Read more

Mar 26

Remember When Business Was Local? That Was Then…

In days gone by, people did business locally. They shopped at the corner store. They frequented the “mom and pop” restaurants. In the 1960s, if you asked 100 people from around the world where cars were made, they’d likely say “the United States.” We were a U.S.-centric economy.

But, as transportation and technology connected the world and made it, in many respects “smaller,” companies began to sell their goods and services to broader markets—even global markets. Back then, what they sold globally looked very much like Read more

Mar 20

Think You’re “Doing the Right Thing?” Get Over It — Inclusion is a Business Imperative!

Focusing on diversity alone has not worked. For years now, businesses have been focused on counting women and people of color to meet various regulatory requirements and, in some cases, through a sincere effort to “do the right thing.”

But “doing the right thing” misses the mark. Businesses care about the bottom line. HR leaders and Chief Diversity Officers can speak until they’re blue in the face about “doing the right thing,” but until they can Read more

Mar 14

Join the Inclusion Evolution

There has been an evolution taking place in America over the past several years. Like any evolution it was fueled, initially, by a few passionate voices – ours included. It has occurred in fits and starts and has sometimes lain dormant for a time as other priorities emerged and distracted organizations from a focus that might have yielded significant positive business results.

This evolution has been the evolution from a focus on diversity to a focus on inclusion, a cause we have been championing for more than 20 years now as a business imperative—the key to positive business growth. And, although, we have made some progress, we still have a long way to go. Read more

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