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editor’s notebook
editors notebook
L
James R. Rector
PUBLISHER
Looking through this month’s issue, i was struck by how many
views and opinions there are regarding Diversity and inclusion. Cheri Morabito
EDITOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR
As i sorted through the many, many articles, i tried an experiment. What could Damian Johnson
MARKETING DIRECTOR
i glean from reading just the first and last paragraphs of each story? What themes
Laurel L. Fumic
would develop? What differences? similarities in thought? CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Alina Dunaeva
Experiment Observations: OVERSEAS CORRESPONDENT
many of our contributors use words like Courage, trust, and respect; all have Jason Bice
WEB MASTER
a deep commitment to what they try to accomplish on a daily basis.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
some say D&i is the “right thing to do”; others point to the business case for David Casey
diversity; most agree that, today, both views are critical to their programs; and Shirley A. Davis, Ph.D.
Melanie Harrington
diversity must have senior-level support and commitment to succeed and grow. Marie Philippe, Ph.D.
Craig Storti
recognizing and understanding cultural differences in a global marketplace
is a recurring theme. From employees to co-workers to the markets themselves;
embracing global diversity is critical to business success. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Commentaries or questions should be

And capitalizing on the diversity of a each team member’s individual addressed to: Profiles in Diversity Journal,
experiences and backgrounds will always generate better results than what can be P.O. Box 45605, Cleveland, OH 44145-0605.
achieved by a homogeneous group. this reminded me of one premise in James All correspondence should include author’s
full name, address, e-mail and phone number.
surowiecki’s The Wisdom of Crowds: Diversity of thought prevents the failure that
results from group-think. DISPLAY ADVERTISING
Profiles in Diversity Journal

WhAt DiD i LeArn from my experiment? Gemini Towers #1
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i learned that if you only skim the articles in the magazine, you’ll get the
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2 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

features
contents
table of contents
Volume 11 • Number 3
May / June 2009
19 On the Cover
C
elebrating Asian-Pacific American Celebrating
Heritage Month
Read how the cultural backgrounds and Asian-Pacific American
challenges these leaders have experienced in
their careers reveal a unique understanding about
Heritage Month
diversity and leadership.
19
28 Habits of Highly Effective
Diversity and Inclusion Communicators
e asked diversity communicators to share the
W
habits they have developed over the years. Habits ofHighly
Here are their strategies… Effective
D i ver si t y a nd Inc l usi o n Co mmunicators
ongoing series
29
38 Thought Leaders
ith travel to seminars and conventions being
W
curtailed, we recognize that you still may not be thoughtleaders
38
able to get to the seminars and conventions this
year. We bring 17 diversity thought leaders to you.
perspectives DEPARTMENTS
10 Culture Matters by Craig Storti 6 Momentum
Diversity Who, What,
12 From My Perspective by David Casey, WellPoint, Inc. Where and When
14 My Turn by Shirley A. Davis, PhD, SHRM 9 Catalyst

An Assessment of Talent
16 Viewpoint by Melanie Harrington, AIMD Management Systems
60 Last Word by Marie Philippe, PhD 58 MicroTriggers

More Triggers from
Janet Crenshaw Smith
Storti Casey Davis Harrington philippe

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committed to providing opportunities for leaders like you.
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© 2009 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 5
momentum
momentum who…what…where…when
O’Neale Named Campbell’s National Grid’s Inclusion & populations at nearly 200 locations in
Vice President, Diversity Manager, Finalist for 40 states and in five countries.
Chief Diversity Officer Top Award Jones brings more than three de-
CAMDEN, New Catherine Hamilton, Inclusion & cades of business, management and
Jersey—Rosalyn Diversity Manager, National Grid leadership experience to her new role.
Taylor O’Neale UK, was a finalist for the second Jones served as a faculty member
has been named annual ORC Worldwide Peter C. for University of Phoenix in its online
Campbell’s Robertson Award for Equality and and on-campus degree programs in
Vice President Diversity Champions. the Detroit area, and was selected as
of Diversity. The award is named for Robertson, one of several regional diversity cham-
Taylor O’Neale
O’Neale leads a pioneer in equality and diversity pions within Apollo Group whose
Campbell’s global diversity and inclu- work. ORC Worldwide established role was to train and educate other
sion efforts to become a more diverse the award to recognise exceptional in- employees in tolerance, inclusiveness
and inclusive culture. She is charged dividuals from ORC’s Global Equal- and diversity awareness within the
with partnering with business and ity, Diversity and Inclusion Networks company.
Human Resources leaders to evolve a who exhibit the qualities and accom-
diversity strategy around attraction, plishments that ORC and its member
retention, training, development, and companies strive to develop in their
LaVergne Joins New York Life
engagement. organizations and which serve as a as Vice President and
model for all employers. Chief Diversity Officer
O’Neale has more than 17 years of
NEW YORK CITY—New York
global diversity experience from the
Life Insurance
vantage points of corporate leader, Apollo Group Names Jones Company has
consultant, and author. Most recently,
Diversity Officer Vice President named Lance A.
she led a consulting practice special-
PHOENIX— LaVergne as Vice
izing in diversity and inclusion train-
Apollo Group, President and
ing, education, and executive coach-
Inc., has appointed Chief Diversity
ing. In addition to North America
Dr. Victoria Jones Officer.
and Europe, Rosalyn’s consulting
to the position of LaVergne As chief diver-
engagements have taken her to Africa,
Diversity Officer sity officer, LaVergne is responsible
Asia and Australia. Her experience
Vice President. In for overseeing all aspects of the com-
cuts across a range of industries and JOnes this role, Jones will pany’s diversity program, including
cultures.
develop strategic global recommenda- the implementation and execution
O’Neale started her career in tions and strategies to evolve existing of the company’s diversity strategy;
Human Resources with Digital diversity procedures and practices, coordination of diversity activities
Equipment Corporation, now part which continue to make Apollo and events, with particular emphasis
of Hewlett-Packard. She also served Group a leader in workplace diversity. on the areas of recruitment, train-
as Vice President, Diversity Initiatives
Apollo Group is the parent company ing, development and retention; and
for MTV Networks. She is the author
of University of Phoenix, Institute for communication on diversity, both
of 7 Keys 2 Success: Unlocking the Pas-
Professional Development, College internally and externally. In addition,
sion for Diversity, a practical road map
for Financial Planning, Western Inter- LaVergne will work closely with New
for those who seek to create highly ef-
national University, Meritus Universi- York Life’s department managers and
fective and inclusive organizations.
ty, Insight Schools and Apollo Global. employee network groups to ensure
Jones will oversee programs that that diversity initiatives are aligned
serve diverse student, faculty and staff with business strategies and goals.

LaVergne previously worked at Award-Winning Pérez-Feria public relations programs for national
Goldman Sachs, where he progressed Joins as Senior Vice President, and international companies in vari-
through a series of positions within Editorial & Entertainment ous industries, including corporate,
the company’s Diversity Management MIAMI— energy, travel and tourism, health
and Recruiting departments and most República has care, financial and agribusiness,
recently was global head of Campus & announced the among others.
Experienced Hire Diversity Recruiting. appointment of
Prior to that, he served in recruiting Richard Pérez-
roles at McKinsey & Company, Arthur Darden Restaurants
Feria as Senior Announces Upcoming
Anderson LLP, and Russell Reynolds Vice President,
Associates. LaVergne began his career Pérez-Feria
Retirement of Chief HR
Editorial and En-
in the brokerage industry in a variety Executive and Succession Plan
tertainment. In this role, Pérez-Feria
of investment positions for companies Orlando—
will focus on the firm’s myriad media
including Merrill Lynch, Chase Man- Darden Restau-
projects; entertainment, sports and
hattan Bank, and Shearson Lehman rants has an-
celebrity clients; licensing; special
Hutton Inc. nounced that Dan
events and ancillary business oppor-
Lyons, Senior
tunities.
República Vice President of
Pérez-Feria was formerly the Human Resources,
Plasencia, Chairman and CEO editor-in-chief of Time Inc’s People en Ng has elected to
of República, Inducted into Español. retire from the company effective
Hall of Fame December 31, 2009. He will be
MIAMI—Jorge A. Seasoned PR Professional
succeeded by Daisy Ng on June 1,
Plasencia, chair- Kolbjornsen Added as Vice 2009, and remain in a transition
man and CEO of President, Communications support role for the balance of the
República, one of Miami— calendar year.
the fastest growing República, a full-
service branding, In her new role, Ng will become a
Hispanic-owned
advertising, inter- member of Darden’s Executive Team,
branding, advertis-
active and com- reporting directly to Clarence Otis,
Plasencia ing, interactive and
munications agen- Darden’s Chairman and CEO. She
communications agencies in the U.S.,
cy, has announced joined the company in October 2005
has been inducted into Miami Dade
Kolbjornsen the appointment as Senior Vice President of Talent
College’s (MDC) Hall of Fame.
of Christina Kolbjornsen as Vice Management and has led a multi-year
With nearly two decades of strategy to design systems and tools
experience in the media, entertainment President of Communications. In this that better enable Darden to identify
and sports industries, Plasencia was role, Kolbjornsen leads the agency’s
burgeoning communications prac- and develop outstanding leaders and
recognized for his vast professional drive stronger employee engagement.
and civic accomplishments. tice, directing and managing strategic
communications programs, consumer Ng brings more than 25 years of
MDC’s Alumni Hall of Fame experience to her new role, having
events and promotions for the firm’s
honorees are among the nation’s held various senior executive positions
national and regional clients.
premier business leaders, journalists in a number of highly regarded global
and educators. Through their work With a diverse background in
companies in Asia Pacific, Canada
and dedication, these former students public relations and marketing that and the United States. Immediately
have become some of the most influen- spans more than 15 years, Kolbjorn- prior to joining Darden, she served as
tial of leaders and have had a positive sen has developed and directed strate-
Vice President, Workforce Develop-
impact in their fields, the College and gic marketing, communications and ment, of Hewlett-Packard.
the community.

momentum
momentum who…what…where…when
WellPoint’s Matthews Butts Named Executive Vice Previously Sharma served as

Recipient of Prestigious President of the Northern Senior Vice President of Marketing
Athena Award Division Of AXA Advisors, LLC for Sodexo’s Education Market. He
DENVER— DEERFIELD, chaired the Sodexo Culinary Council,
Caroline “Caz” Illinois—Tammy was a founding member and advisor
Matthews, Vice Butts has been of Sodexo’s Pan Asian Network Group
President of Social named an (PANG), and served on the Ally Advi-
Responsibility and Executive Vice sory Board of the People Respecting
President of the President of the Individuality, Diversity, and Equality
WellPoint Founda- Northern Division (PRIDE) Network Group. Sharma
Matthews tion (and a 2008 Butts of AXA Advisors, also represented Sodexo on the Board
PDJ Woman Worth Watching®), was LLC, and a of the Asian Pacific Islander American
recently recognized by the Colorado branch manager. Butts has overall Scholarship Fund (APIASF) as Co-
Women’s Chamber of Commerce management responsibility for the Chair of the Scholarship Committee.
with the prestigious Athena Award. company’s Deerfield office and its
Rolddy Leyva,
The Athena Award is presented to the 170 financial professionals.
Market Senior
Colorado woman whom the women’s In her new role, Butts will
chamber feels best exemplifies “excep- Director of
focus on recruiting, training and
tional professional achievement, devo- Diversity for
developing individuals who want
tion to community service and gener- Corporate and
to build careers as entrepreneurial
osity in actively assisting other women Government
financial professionals.
in their attainment of professional Services, recently
Butts has more than 20 years Leyva
excellence and leadership skills.” accepted
of experience in the financial services
Matthews has served on Mile High an expanded role to lead the
industry and joined the company
United Way’s board of trustees as well development & rollout of Sodexo’s
in 2001.
as numerous other nonprofit, civic global diversity & inclusion work
and business boards. She credits such in Latin America. In this expanded
work for many of the opportunities Sodexo’s Sharma and Leyva capacity, Rolddy will continue to
that later came her way, including her Promoted to Key Roles drive the growth of diversity in his
current board positions at Denver- Vijay Sharma was U.S.-based market segments, while
based Qwest Communications and recently promoted providing diversity oversight and
Dallas-based Perot Systems. to Chief Informa- leadership in the Latin American
Opportunities abound for tion Officer (CIO) region. He will be collaborating with
women because corporate and non- for the UK, Ire- Sodexo leadership and regional teams
profit boards realize they need them, land, and India. In to develop & lead the implementation
Matthews says. “Women are sought his new role, Shar- of highly customized, country-
Sharma specific diversity solutions for Latin
after actively to make their contri- ma is a member of
butions, to have their voices heard, the Executive Team for Sodexo UK America, contributing to the growth
as the wealth in this country has and Ireland. He is responsible for all & advancement of Sodexo’s global
shifted to a much higher percentage matters related to information man- diversity & inclusion initiative.
of women making the active finan- agement and information technology, pdj
cial decisions. There is clear data to as well as the alignment of technology

suggest that boards that have a nice initiatives with Sodexo’s Global IS&T
diversity mix as it relates to men and strategy.
women have a much higher perfor-
mance track record.”

www.catalyst.org
Cascading Gender Biases, Compounding Effects:

An Assessment of Talent Management Systems
C
By Catalyst
Chief executive officers rank their concern with managing tal- Overall, data revealed that the pervasive effect of senior leaders on
ent and tackling the shortage of executive talent above their concerns for the talent management process can yield new senior leaders who mirror
global competition and innovation.1 To effectively address this concern, the traits and biases of the senior leadership team that promoted them.
CEOs must thoroughly understand how poorly executed talent manage- While HR departments and talent managers across each organization are
ment systems can inadvertently contribute to talent shortages and gender responsible for many aspects of talent management, we found that gender
gaps in advancement rates. bias in tools and procedures can inhibit the establishment of inclusive and
When companies implement practices that unintentionally dilute effective talent management programs.
their talent pool, everyone pays a price—job satisfaction decreases, The data also uncovered gender biases and stereotypes in several
employee turnover increases, financial performance suffers, promotion components of talent management systems and acknowledged that talent
opportunities are missed, and, ultimately, businesses become less success- management experts and architects, like senior leaders, can contribute
ful.2 It is critical that companies recognize potential vulnerabilities in their to gender bias in talent management. When practices such as succession
talent management systems. planning and multi-rater feedback are only available to a limited few,
In its study, Cascading Gender Biases, Compounding Effects: An everyone loses—the talent pool becomes artificially diluted, valuable feed-
Assessment of Talent Management Systems, Catalyst investigated potential back is not solicited, and, ultimately, the business suffers. To mitigate the
vulnerabilities to gender bias in talent management and the resulting negative effects of gender bias at all levels of an organization, corporations
effects on gender gaps in senior leadership by: and firms must develop checks and balances that ensure more inclusive
1) Examining the talent management process as a whole and deter- talent management and more effective senior leadership involvement.
mining how the parts interact. While companies are becoming more dedicated to increasing gender
2) Identifying and assessing the presence of bias in the talent manage- diversity in senior leadership, the mechanisms by which gender bias enters
ment systems. talent management systems remain elusive. A failure to address the intro-
3) Exploring the opportunities for gaps to arise between the design of duction of bias at any point has a compounding effect as the process plays
a talent management process and its execution. out into a vicious cycle, making the effects of gender bias much more
Catalyst found that core components of talent management are linked profound, especially for women.
in ways that disadvantage women, creating a vicious cycle in which men Yet even organizations and industries with the most effective and in-
continually dominate executive positions: clusive talent management practices and programs must pay attention to
• The senior leadership effect. While all employees play a role in the the effects of bias on a process-wide level. Thus, all companies must iden-
effectiveness of talent management, senior leadership teams have a tify talent management practices that create gender gaps and then institute
significant effect on talent management programs and practices, as appropriate checks and balances to ensure the processes and procedures
well as leadership competencies and criteria. This ultimately affects match designed objectives and desired outcomes.
who gets promoted. Talent management experts provided the following recommendations
• Institutionalizing bias. Most participating organizations described for improvement:
their talent management system as formalized, customized, and cen- • Examine current forms for gender stereotypes and biases.
tralized. Still, analyses revealed that many companies and industries • Develop worldwide leadership competency models.
fell short when it came to implementing appropriate checks and • Review practices from other companies.
balances that minimize gender biases and level the playing field for • Continue to develop, recruit, and retain all employees.
women and men. • Foster and build trusting relationships between managers
• Compounding bias. Gaps between the design and execution of and employees.
talent management programs compound the disadvantages faced • Ensure that women and people of color thrive within the company.
by women, especially those seeking professional development and • Empower managers to run performance management processes.
advancement. • Address individual biases at all levels of the organization.
PDJ
1 Kevin S. Groves, “Integrating Leadership Development and Succession Planning Best

Practices,” Journal of Management Development, vol. 26, no. 3 (2007): p. 239-260; Steve Founded in 1962, Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization
Krupp and William A. Pasmore, “Talent at the Top: The CEO’s Focus,” Viewpoint: The
MMC Journal (2007), http://www.marshmac.com/knowledgecenter/viewpoint/Krupp2007. working globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive
php.
workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business. Visit www.
2 Kevin S. Groves, “Leader Emotional Expressivity, Visionary Leadership, and Organizational
Change,” Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 27, no. 7 (2006): p. catalyst.org to learn more about our work and download Catalyst reports. Visit
566-583; Groves (2007), p. 244; Karen S. Lyness and Madeline E. Heilman, “When Fit is www.catalyst.org/page/82/catalyst-e-newsletters to begin receiving Catalyst
Fundamental: Performance Evaluations and Promotions of Upper-Level Female and Male
Managers,” Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 91, no. 4 (2006): p. 777-785. C-News, our monthly e-newsletter.

culture matters
Your Face or Mine?

By Craig Storti
I
In this edition of Culture BILL: We did consider that, actually, but we think
Matters, we continue our this might work better.
tour of Indian-U.S. cultural SUMITRA: I see.
differences. With so many Bill probably feels Sumitra is basically OK with his idea, or
American and Indian com- at least doesn’t have any problems with it. And he thinks this
panies partnering across an because she hasn’t said anything critical about the “solution”
increasing range of business activities and operations—with he proposed “last week.” Bill is making the classic mistake we
more Americans and more Indians working together every all tend to make when dealing with someone from another
day—understanding basic cultural differences is key to culture: assuming their behavior means what it would mean
smooth working relations at all levels. if we did it. If one American proposes something to another
One of the most common—and most serious—complaints American, and the second American doesn’t say anything
I hear from Americans about their Indian colleagues goes critical, then that means the second person is OK with the
something like this: “When we propose something to Indians proposal. In fact, Sumitra is quite critical of the proposal—
and they don’t think it will work, or they know a better way, providing the very push-back Americans say Indians never
they never tell us. They just do what we propose.” (This same give—and tries to propose something better but gets nowhere
dynamic can be found across much of the Pacific Rim, not with Bill.
just vis-à-vis India.) The real issue here is that Americans often If you’re shaking your head at that last sentence, it means
feel Indians aren’t bringing all their expertise and knowledge you’re looking at this exchange through American eyes; your
to the table—the Americans aren’t getting what they paid idea of negative feedback is that the other person says some-
for—or, in the case of a joint venture, aren’t getting the added thing negative or critical, like “This won’t work” or “I’ve got
value they were looking for out of the partnership. a problem with that.” But India is what is commonly known
In many cases the explanation for this problem is cultural. as a face-saving culture where it is very important not to em-
It’s not the case that Indians aren’t pushing back or aren’t barrass or discredit other people, such as by suggesting they
telling Americans their idea won’t work; it’s the way Indians don’t know what they’re talking about—especially if the other
are telling Americans. Let’s back up and consider a typical person is your boss or the client you work for (like Bill in this
exchange: conversation). In face-saving cultures, you try very hard to not
cause other people to “lose” face and very hard to “save” your
BILL: So what did you think of that solution I
emailed you about last week? own face and that of others.
SUMITRA: Last week? This doesn’t mean that people in face-saving cultures
BILL: You know, my idea for how to redesign always agree with what other people say or never give
that platform? negative feedback, but it does mean they have worked out a
SUMITRA: Oh, yes. I remember. Yes, we got very different way of being critical; different, that is, from
that one. cultures like the U.S. where face is not really a concern.
BILL: And? And the way people do this in such cultures is not to say
SUMITRA: We had some good discussions. something negative but to very conspicuously not say anything
positive—and that equals negative feedback.
BILL: Great. So what do you think?
SUMITRA: Deepok actually had another idea. If you look at the Bill-Sumitra exchange in light of this
BILL: Great. I’d love to hear it. But what did you new information, the first thing you will now notice is that
think of my idea? nowhere does Sumitra actually say that she liked Bill’s pro-
SUMITRA: It would probably work, but we won- posal. In face-saving cultures, where you’d love to say what
dered if you’ve ever thought of trying…? allows the other person to look good, Sumitra is eager to heap
10 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

INDIAN ENGLISH
Indian English is closer to British than American
English, but it contains many home-grown words
that even the Brits don’t know, much less us
Yanks. Here is what these words mean in
praise on Bill’s solution. The fact that she does not is not absence Indian English:
of feedback, as Bill assumes; it’s negative feedback. • Clubbing: Combining
Indeed, Sumitra “told” Bill what she thought of his proposal, • Rubber: Eraser
specifically, that it would not work, before this conversation ever
began. After all, he sent her an email proposing a solution—and she • Prepone: Move forward, do sooner
never answered him. Once again, if she liked the proposal, Sumitra (opposite of postpone)
would be very keen to let Bill know; if she doesn’t say anything • Homely: Good houskeeper, cook
about the proposal—if she doesn’t even answer the email—that’s
• Tick off: Check off
not lack of a response; it’s a negative response. The same thing
happens again in the next exchange when Sumitra admits she got • Clean bowled: Failed
the email (“Yes, we got that one”) and then says nothing else. To (U.S. - “struck out”)
Indians, that silence is deafening.
• Bouncer: Something you did not understand
Not only does Sumitra repeatedly tell Bill his proposal won’t (U.S. - “went over my head”)
work (“We had some good discussions” is the third critical com-
ment), she also tells him what will work, putting forth that better • Excuse: Reason or explanation
way that Americans claim Indians never tell them. This also has • Intimate: Inform
to be done with some care in face-saving cultures, lest suggesting
a better way embarrass Bill by implying his way isn’t much good.
Sumitra “suggests” a better way in two places: where she points out
that “Deepok actually had another idea” and where she asks Bill if That’s fine, you’re saying, but sometimes what I really need to
he has “ever thought of trying…” Once again, because these aren’t know is not how Indians would do something or what their sug-
the methods Americans use to suggest a better way, Americans gestions are, but what they think of my idea or my strategy. This is
don’t recognize these methods when Indians use them. a bit tricky, of course, but you can even get Indians to weigh in on
Fine, you’re saying, but what do we do about all this? How your idea: just don’t call it your idea. Instead of saying “I was think-
can I get honest feedback from my Indian colleagues? First of all, ing we should…,” say “Last week I heard one team did this…” and
you are getting honest feedback; you just don’t recognize it. So the then ask Indians to comment. If it’s not your idea, then criticizing
question you should be asking is: How can I get better at recogniz- it isn’t attacking you.
ing negative feedback, Indian-style? Sound like splitting hairs? A client recently told
Here I would propose two strategies. The first is to listen for me that her quarterly strategy sessions with her Indian team used
what Indians aren’t telling you. When you don’t get positive feed- to last for 10 minutes; she would lay out her ideas and then ask
back, in other words, consider the possibility that this is actually the Indians to comment. And they said almost nothing. The last
negative feedback. The other, more realistic strategy is to avoid time she had a strategy session, she didn’t propose anything; she
the problem altogether by not asking for feedback in the first just asked her team what suggestions they had. And the meeting
place—since you probably won’t understand it anyway. What I lasted for two hours. PDJ
mean here is that instead of proposing something (Bill’s solution
for redesigning the platform) and asking Indians what they think
of it, just ask Indians how they would redesign the platform. Once Craig Storti, a consultant and trainer in the field of intercultural
you propose something and ask for feedback, you put Indians in communications, is the author of seven books. His latest, Speaking
an uncomfortable position: the possibility of causing you to lose of India, describes the common cultural flashpoints when Indians
face. So you sidestep the problem by asking Indians for their input work together with North Americans and western Europeans. He
rather than asking them for feedback on your input. can be contacted at: craig@craigstorti.com

from my perspective…
What Can We Learn from Star-Bellied Sneetches?

By David Casey
T
Chief Diversity Officer and Vice President, Workplace Culture
WellPoint, Inc.
The whole notion ferent from one another and expect a natural appreciation and
of appreciating differences effective utilization of all things different. If it was that natural
and leveraging similarities for us, we wouldn’t have a need for this journal or the profes-
lies at the crux of man- sional discipline of diversity management, of which many of us
aging “people diversity.” are practitioners.
There have been innumer- No matter the type of diversity (e.g., ethnic, gender, socioeco-
able studies done in both nomic, generational, disability, etc.), a sustainable strategy has to
academia and the corpo- be approached holistically:
rate world on the positive
gains that can be made by ensuring the right mix of people • Start with getting clarity about what type of diversity you
are at the table. We have also had close to 50 years of govern- believe you need and why. You might have to state this as a
ment regulations aimed at ensuring that everyone has a fair and cost of not having it.
level opportunity to get in the mix. So, why are we still hav- • Be clear about how much diversity you need.
ing this discussion in 2009? Because we far too often act like
• Break through the noise around differences and focus on
Star-Bellied Sneetches.
true requirements needed to be successful.
For those of you who are familiar with the literary works
• Be willing and able to address the tensions and com-
of Theodore Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss), you more than likely
plexities that will inevitably arise due to increased mixtures
know where I’m going with this. For those of you who are not,
of differences.
here’s the Cliff ’s Notes version. Sneetches are a group of bird-like
yellow creatures who live on a beach. Some of them have a green • Identify and mitigate policies, practices, procedures and be-
star on their bellies and use that as the basis of segregation and haviors that impede your ability to access talent throughout
discrimination against those that don’t. the organization.
Along comes a charlatan who has observed their behavior • Articulate, correlate and measure how diversity drives results
and offers the Sneetches without stars a chance to get them by for the organization. It can’t be seen as an initiative that is
going through his “Star-On” machine, for a nominal fee. This separate and apart.
makes them extremely happy, but upsets the ones who originally This approach is applicable to both bringing in external talent
had the stars as they now have no other basis for discriminating as well as understanding and optimizing the talent you already
(in an exclusionary way) between Sneetches. The original Star- have. It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement of “mixing
Bellied Sneetches are then offered the opportunity to go through up” the look and feel of an organization. It feels good to be able
a “Star-Off ” machine to regain their differentiation. As you to see tangible and visible change if that is in fact your goal. But
might imagine, this turns into a vicious cycle as these creatures that, in and of itself, is neither effective nor sustainable. That’s
obsessively fixate on maintaining some level of superiority or fully why there is still relatively low representation of women and eth-
assimilating into the group that has it. nic minorities in the C-suites of corporate America after nearly 50
Again, for those of you who know Dr. Seuss and the stratified years of mandates and regulations.
morality in his writings, you know that these are more than mere For those of you who have not read this particular book and
amusing children’s stories. This particular anecdote is an illustra- have no intention to, I will tell you that somehow the Sneetches
tive example of the “I can’t be a winner unless there is a loser” have a magical epiphany that their differences really do not matter
mentality that gets ingrained into most of our psyche at an early and should be celebrated. If only it were that easy! PDJ
age. Now, don’t get me wrong, I actually am a fan of keeping score
in pee wee soccer. What I’m referring to are the self-preserving
discriminatory behaviors we exhibit when we feel our slice of the
pie is or could be threatened by a group(s) dissimilar to us. David Casey is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, having
This has to be understood and incorporated into the way we graduated with honors from Indiana Wesleyan University with
think about, plan for, design and execute strategies for effectively a B.S. in Business Administration. He brings over 20 years of
managing people diversity in our various organizational contexts. experience in talent management and strategic diversity
It’s not enough to simply gather a group of people who are dif- management to his role at WellPoint.
Thanks to you,
Matthew is enjoying the benefits of coverage from a company that
supports him and his life partner.
At WellPoint, we are addressing tomorrow’s health care issues today. In providing

domestic partner benefits to our associates, we are strengthening our commitment
to bridge the gap between the insured and uninsured in the LGBT community.
In partnership with our LGBT Associate Resource Group, ANGLE (Associate

Network for Gay and Lesbian Equality), we are creating an inclusive work
environment that supports diversity of all kinds, including sexual orientation and
gender identity. Working to better people’s lives is not something you do every day.
But it can be – at WellPoint.
Better health care, thanks to you.

Visit us online at wellpoint.com/careers and wellpoint.com/diversity
Contact us at diversityrecruiting@wellpoint.com
EOE ® Registered Trademark, WellPoint, Inc. © 2009 WellPoint, Inc. All Rights Reserved
® Registered Trademark, DiversityInc Media LLC
my turn
SHRM’s International Diversity & Inclusion

Study Reveals Global Trends and Best Practices
By Shirley A. Davis, PhD
M
Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives
Society for Human Resource Management
More than ever, Inclusion, Government Inclusion, and Legal Framework).

businesses, governments, Key findings of the study revealed a growing realization
non-profits, and other or- among corporate executives that D&I is good for business. They
ganizations are finding it recognize that the ability to draw on a wide range of viewpoints,
necessary to adopt a global backgrounds, and skills is critical to their companies’ success.
mindset in order to remain viable and relevant in today’s global When we asked, “who are the main advocates for D&I initia-
marketplace. As organizations recognize the importance of de- tives in your organization,” leading the list at 60% were the
veloping greater cross-cultural competence, D&I practitioners CEO and top management. This is heartening because we all
are often at the forefront of this work. This makes sense, as agree that senior leadership commitment is critical to the success
these professionals have long been engaged in helping individu- of any D&I initiative. Next among advocates was the head of
als and organizations manage and leverage difference in ways HR at 42%; third were the employees at 21%, and fourth was
that allow people from all backgrounds to hear and be heard, the board of directors at 18%.
understand and be understood, and work together productively. Perhaps the most basic finding of the study—and a most
And some will suggest that one’s national culture is the most welcome one—is that more than half—55%—of the respon-
powerful differentiator there is, greater than ethnicity, gender, dents have policies in place that promote D&I either “strongly”
or language. And yet, D&I practitioners are often caught in the or “very strongly.” Another 31% have policies that support D&I
same conundrum as those they serve, because—like every other “moderately.” That makes a total of 86% with moderate to very
facet of business—the concepts of “Diversity” and “Inclusion” strong D&I programs.
themselves often mean very different things in different coun- And, who usually leads D&I programs? Not unexpectedly,
tries around the world. 59% of the respondents said HR takes the lead, while only 6%
In 2008, the Society for Human Resource Management named the Chief Diversity Officer. Another encouraging piece
(SHRM) commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), of data from the survey is that the point person for D&I reports
a subsidiary of the Economist Group, to conduct an in-depth directly to the CEO in 26% of the companies surveyed.
International Study on Diversity & Inclusion. The study was In our study, we also drilled deeper to see on a global scale
launched to provide a deeper understanding of D&I issues on a what specific business rationales companies use for pursuing
global scale, and to offer insight into D&I best practices world- D&I initiatives. According to our findings, the majority of
wide. Only 30% of the respondents were from North America. organizations worldwide—53% of them—are trying to increase
The rest were from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. efficiencies by tapping into a broader range of backgrounds and
This groundbreaking study surveyed over 500 CEOs and skill sets to help them compete. A second rationale at 47% of
other senior executives, and conducted in-depth interviews with the organizations surveyed is the perception that employees see
40 of them. We asked them what diversity meant in their regions; diversity as a matter of fairness. And, 43% of the organizations
what the challenges were; what their goals were; what drove their indicated they were pursuing diversity to increase sales by tap-
business case; and what target groups they were focusing on ping new sources of talent. These findings make sense in light of
in their diversity efforts. Additionally, this is the first study to another finding in our global survey: 65% of the organizations
release a tool called the Global Diversity Readiness Index. This surveyed reported that their customer base had become more
tool (scheduled for release later this summer), rates and ranks diverse in the past 10 years.
47 countries on their readiness to launch D&I efforts based on The study also identified four main tools organizations in
18 indicators (i.e., male/female population ratio, immigrants as all regions are using to promote and monitor D&I programs.
a percentage of total population, religious diversity, ethnic and continued on p. 56
racial diversity, women’s access to leadership, corporate ethics,
laws ensuring paid maternity leave, etc. ), and along five broad Shirley A. Davis, PhD, is Director of Diversity and Inclusion
Initiatives for the Society for Human Resource Management in
categories (e.g., National Diversity, Social Inclusion, Workplace
Alexandria, Virginia. She can be reached at shirley.davis@shrm.org.
7"
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viewpoint
More Work To Do:

Unfinished Diversity Work
By Melanie Harrington
President
American Institute for Managing Diversity, Inc.
A
An Associated Press For me the study raises significant concerns about the
article has been making its capability and/or willingness of decision-makers to make
way to local, national and critical hiring and promotion decisions based on “require-
online news organizations previewing the results of a Kellogg ments” (i.e., based on the mission, vision and strategy of
School of Management study examining the intersections the organization) rather than their personal conveniences,
between race and power. Although there are entire conferences traditions, and preferences. Granted, a prerequisite to a senior
that have explored these challenges before, it is an opportune leadership position in corporate America is an understanding
time in U.S. history to reexamine the issues and bring a new of and ability to navigate the corporate culture. Moreover, with
21st century perspective and approach. the help of mentors, usually emerging leaders are clued in to
In the upcoming September 2009 issue of Psychological the unwritten rules of the organization and learn to skillfully
Science, Professor Robert Livingston and graduate student disarm those who may be threatened by their presence or style.
Nicolas Pearce will report that they found that black CEOs of But who has time to navitage around an unnecessary obstacle,
Fortune 500 companies with a “babyface” appearance are more like a racial stereotype.
likely to lead companies with high revenues and prestige. For years in diversity work, consultants and educators have
The Kellogg study examined the role that facial character- attempted to explain to managers the unnecessary and perilous
istics play in the ascension to power of the highest positions tightrope that black men and other underrepresented groups
in corporate America. In the study, a group of 21 nonblack must walk to secure power positions in corporate America.
students were shown 40 photographs of past and current It is also troubling that, nine years into the 21st century, our
CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. The photos included 10 diversity management capability is so limited as to result in
white women, 10 randomly selected white male CEOs and 10 decisions easily influenced not by merit and capability but by
black CEOs. For every photo of a black CEO, the researchers uninformed and often biased first impressions.
also included a current or former white CEO from the same With globalization driving the need for more frequent
company. Participants rated on a scale of 1 to 4 the “babyface- innovations, more efficient productivity and stronger leader-
ness,” leadership competence, and personal warmth of the men ship, organizations with an ability to access the best talent—
and women in the pictures. The study indicates, according Dr. no matter how it comes packaged—will have this century’s
Livingston, that disarming characteristics, which have been competitive advantage. PDJ
shown to hinder white executives, can help black male lead-
ers. The study was repeated with a group of 106 students with
similar results.
Interestingly, the study did not show a link between the
babyface look and age. According to Dr. Livingston, the baby-
face look conveys a warmer, trustworthy and less threatening
person. However, the participants who rated the 10 black
CEOs as more babyfaced than their white counterparts also Melanie Harrington is president of the American Institute for Managing
rated black people, as a group, less warm than whites, as a Diversity, Inc. AIMD celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2009. The orga-
group. Another interesting fact that deserves further examina- nization is a 501(c)(3) public interest non-profit dedicated to advancing
diversity thought leadership through research, education, and public
tion is the finding that women CEOs were rated as having
outreach. AIMD works to strengthen our communities and institutions
more matured faces than white male and black male CEOs. through effective diversity management. For more information, please
visit www.aimd.org.

[ Bank of the West ]
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AT BANK OF THE WEST, WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE

WELL SERVED BY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WELL SERVED.
Different perspectives generate fresh ideas. That’s why at Bank of the West, we value diversity and
equal opportunity for all our employees. Year after year, we continue to grow stronger thanks to our
unique blend of people. After all, in today’s competitive banking environment, it is our employees with
innovative ideas that keep us a step ahead of the rest.
www.bankofthewest.com
Bank of the West and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers. M/F/D/V © 2007 Bank of the West. Member FDIC.
Diversity &Inclusion
drives innovation and success
Kodak’s commitment to diversity and inclusion touches customers,
consumers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, and more. While our
vision is global, we focus upon the distinctive cultures and communities
in which we live and work.
We champion diversity as a business imperative to help drive innovation.
Working together, we create technologies and services that unleash the
power of pictures and printing. Become part of our picture—and join us
on our journey to enrich people’s lives.
www.kodak.com/go/diversity
© Eastman Kodak Company, 2008

AXA AXA CATALYST SAIC
Celebrating
Asian-Pacific American
Heritage Month
May* is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month,
a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in
KPMG KPMG
the United States.
We wondered what unique challenges and

experiences diversity leaders of Asian-Pacific
Islander descent may have experienced in
their careers, and asked for their thoughts
and opinions about leadership, diversity,
INTERPUBLIC GROUP NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE
and mentoring. Many are first generation
immigrants, and, not surprisingly, their unique
cultural experiences gives them a personal
insight into the importance of having a diverse
and inclusive workforce.
PRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS IW GROUP, INC.
ITT ITT VANGUARD UNILEVER
* The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary
of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. (The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants).
Celebrating Asian-Pacific American Heritage
Patricia Louie, J.D. Vice President and Associate General Counsel
AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company,

a subsidiary of AXA Financial, Inc., which is part of the global AXA Group
Headquarters: New York City
Web site: www.axa-equitable.com
Primary Business: Life insurance, annuity, and investment products and services.
Employees: Approximately 11,000 employees and sales personnel.
In your opinion, what are the attributes of a great leader that you have employed in
your career?
Great leaders are excellent communicators, exhibit courage in difficult or adverse situations,
have a strong work ethic and are respectful of others, particularly when faced with contrary
Education: J.D., University of opinions or views.
Utah College of Law; B.S., Political
Science, Certificate in International
When giving advice or mentoring, what strategies and principles do you communicate?
Relations, University of Utah.
I believe being as specific as you can in giving advice yields the best results. Giving direct,
What I’m reading: Team of Rivals,
honest feedback that a person can immediately consider provides the most significant benefits, in
by Doris Kearns Goodwin
my opinion.
My philosophy:
Sharing with others. What is your most rewarding professional accomplishment?
Interests: Entertaining family and While there is no one singular accomplishment, I believe being able to succeed, survive and thrive
friends; exploring the wineries in for an extended period of time in an industry that is constantly evolving and subject to intense
the North Fork of Long Island;
regulatory scrutiny is a major accomplishment on its own.
attending baseball games, the
opera, and ballet.
What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?
Listen, listen, listen without coming to a conclusion until you have heard all the facts, and then,
don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Chang Baek Chun, ChFC, CLU Executive Vice President, Southern Division of AXA Advisors
AXA Advisors, LLC

an affiliate of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Co., which is part of the global AXA Group
Web site: www.axaonline.com
Primary Business: Life insurance, annuity, and investment products and services.
Employees: Approximately 11,000 employees and sales personnel. (Includes employee figures for AXA Equitable)
How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a
better leader?
When we see situations through the eyes of the perceiver, we can solve issues, maximize our true
potentials and lead from a real place.
Education: Bachelor’s in Business.
What I’m reading: The Bible, sales
books and industry publications. The more people you meet, the more people you can help. I also believe in integration of the whole
My philosophy:
person—knowledge, ethics, people skills, hard work and our hearts—in order to serve others in our
Be faithful. business. We take care of the whole lives of others so we must ourselves be whole.
Interests: Golf, music, reading. What is your most rewarding professional accomplishment?
There are three things:
1. The ability to help individuals and families build a healthy financial life.
2. Recruiting and developing over 100 people, helping them become successful.
3. My own individual growth from learning through the thousands of people I have met.
What obstacles have you overcome in your career to date, and how has this made you a
better leader?
To succeed in this business you need persistency and perseverance. This business is a marathon.
We need to be in the best physical and spiritual health to go the distance.
Deborah M. Soon Vice President, Marketing & Executive Leadership Initiatives
Catalyst
Web site: www.catalyst.org
Primary Business: The leading nonprofit membership organization working globally with businesses and the
professions to build inclusive workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business.
Employees: 70+
your career?
Great leaders don’t look for the flaws in people, but seek the best in people, seizing opportunities
to coach, facilitate, and develop them to be all that they can be. Great leaders don’t seek greatness;
they possess humility, a true sense of self, unquestionable integrity, and pride in the accomplishments Education: B.A., Mathematics,
of people they help. University of California,
San Diego; Special studies in Math,
How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a Cambridge University;
better leader? M.B.A., Harvard Business School.
Differing perspectives provide the basis for better decision-making and ultimately better solutions. What I’m reading: Twilight, by
In fact, Catalyst research shows that there is a direct correlation between diversity in leadership and Stephenie Meyer (so that I can talk
to my daughter!)
financial performance.
My philosophy:
What is the best advice you have ever received in your career? Have no regrets.
To make my influence felt. In my first job, I was passed over for a leadership role when I thought I Interests: Watching a first-run
had out-performed everyone else. I asked my manager why, and he told me I wasn’t on the radar and movie in a theater.
that I needed to “make my influence felt.” I was stunned. Being raised in a traditional Asian family,
I was taught to be “seen and not heard,” work hard, be excellent, don’t bring shame to your family,
don’t rock the boat. For me, making my influence felt means “quiet” leadership and the many ways
I choose to affect people in a positive way, whether directly or indirectly.
Clement Chen Senior Vice President and Group Director, Strategic Planning
Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Headquarters: San Diego, California
Web site: www.saic.com
Primary Business: National security, energy and the environment, critical infrastructure, and health.
Employees: 45,000
How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a better
leader?
It’s been said that none of us is as smart as all of us. Diverse perspectives and interdisciplinary insight
oftentimes produce richer ideas and better solutions than those born out of homogeneous or rigid
world views. As a leader, embracing diversity and inclusion opens the door to new possibilities that
would otherwise have been missed. Education: B.S., Applied Science,
U.S. Naval Academy;
M.B.A., College of William & Mary.
better leader? What I’m reading: Night, by Elie
Most of the obstacles I have confronted in my career were largely self-inflicted. The voyage of Wiesel; Fooled by Randomness,
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb;
maturity and self discovery is not always pretty when one’s weaknesses and limitations are learned A Meaningful World, by
experientially. The good news is that from these mistakes, personal growth and a greater awareness Benjamin Wiker and Jonathan Witt
and understanding of one’s surroundings arise. My philosophy:
Out of brokenness comes the
What is the best advice you have ever received in your career? possibility of redemption, joy,
In your career you must choose among three things—things that you are very good at, things that meaning and purpose.
you are most passionate about, and things that you can actually make a living doing and that sup- Interests: Family, guitar,
ports the quality of life you desire. Rarely will all three be the same thing. At best, you will likely most sports, theology, the beach,
only get two out of three…choose wisely. teaching, coaching.

Kevin CHOI, CLU Managing Partner, Los Angeles General Office
New York Life Insurance Company

Web site: www.newyorklife.com; www.losangeles.nyloffices.com
Primary Business: Insurance.
Employees: More than 8,600 (domestic)
How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a better leader?
I can relate to and understand multi-cultural differences and values. Appreciating similar and differ-
ent values allows me to assimilate and react to various situations.
Education: Finance and Business First and foremost, we need to be ourselves and be authentic. At the same time, never waver in our
Administration, University of
beliefs while learning, confronting realities and re-inventing ourselves to be the very best.
Southern California and California
State University, Long Beach.
What I’m reading: Motivator, better leader?
Teacher, Shrink, by Bob Teichart;
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by
Coming out of my comfort zone, where I can get complacent, as well as confronting an “am I good
Richard Carlson, Ph.D. enough or do I have what it takes to succeed” attitude and changing it to a “how can I help others
to bring out the hidden talents within them” demeanor. Whether I succeed or fail, I understand the
My philosophy: Don’t let the past
poison your future. true value of overcoming adversity within a tough and fast-paced environment.
Interests: Movies, traveling with What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?
my favorite girls (wife Serena and
daughter Claudia).
One of my mentors, Eric Campbell, Executive Vice President at New York Life, said, “when you feel
you are at the end of the rope, tie a knot in it and hold on!” In other words, we all face challenges
and when you feel overwhelmed, hold tight because you will get through it even though it seems
like it’s the end of the world.
Heidi Chiang Lew, Pharm.D. Vice President, Clinical Programs and Formulary Development
Prescription Solutions
Headquarters: Irvine, California
Web site: www.prescriptionsolutions.com
Primary Business: Pharmacy benefit manager.
Employees: 4,500
your career?
I feel the attributes that make a great leader include being a good listener and having an open mind
and the willingness to lead by example. A leader should be approachable and not afraid to roll up
his or her sleeves. If you lead this way, you’re more able to gain respect from your team members
Education: B.S., Psychobiology, and have their support.
University of California, Los Angeles;
B.S., Pharmacy, University of Utah; How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a
Hospital Pharmacy Residency, New
better leader?
England Medical Center; Pharm.D.,
State University of New York, Buffalo. Diversity brings so many new and innovative ideas for a team to build upon. It creates an enhanced
environment for teamwork and strengthens a group. Each team member has unique skills from his
What I’m reading: Twilight, by
Stephenie Meyer. I like to keep up or her area of expertise, which helps train and teach others.
with the books my daughter
is reading. When giving advice or mentoring, what strategies and principles do you communicate?
My philosophy: Life is a choice of
Knowing what it’s like to be a team member, I try to provide guidance and advice based on my
quality over quantity, so it’s key to experiences. I base my mentoring strategies from what I have observed, including feedback received
balance your personal and work life. from those that I have mentored.
Interests: I like to spend time with
my family, relaxing. I also enjoy
reading and baking. Never to make a decision that would compromise my personal integrity or values.

Helene Yan Vice President, Strategic Development
Interpublic Group
Web site: www.interpublic.com
Primary Business: Marketing and communications.
Employees: 43,000
your career?
Great leadership defies description—leaders have many different styles and attributes. The one com-
mon thread is that no one achieves anything significant alone. As Elie Wiesel puts it, we’re the “sum
total” of all the ideas and people in our past and present. That’s one of my guiding principles. And
I’m very fortunate to have always worked with and learned from amazing and talented people. Education: M.S., Economics, MIT;
B.A., Economics, University of
How has your understanding of diversity and inclusion helped you become a Maryland at College Park.
better leader? What I’m reading: The Poet of
Diversity and inclusion are words that may not have much meaning…until or unless you’ve lived Baghdad, by Jo Tatchell
in worlds that do not honor either. As a first generation immigrant growing up in many differ- My philosophy: “When you get
ent cultures, I’ve seen firsthand how individual contexts & cultural viewpoints influence thinking these jobs that you have been so
brilliantly trained for, just remember
and eventual outcomes. And we get the best outcomes and solutions when we give voice to, and
that your real job is that if you are
welcome, the richness of thought and experience around us. free, you need to free somebody
else. If you have some power, then
When giving advice or mentoring, what strategies and principles do you communicate? your job is to empower somebody
For me, it has always been about bringing out the best in someone… to recognize what is already else. This is not just a grab-bag
there, and help them see it and realize it themselves. candy game.”—Toni Morrison
Interests: Travel! 27 countries…
and counting.
Bill Imada Chairman and CEO
Imada Wong Communications Group (dba “IW Group Inc.”)

Headquarters: West Hollywood, California
Web site: www.iwgroupinc.com
Primary Business: Multicultural marketing, advertising and public relations
with an emphasis on the Asian/Pacific American market.
Employees: 75
better leader?
Diversity and inclusion can’t succeed without engagement. In order to fully appreciate diversity and
inclusion, you must be willing and able to engage others and yourself. Any agency, corporation or
nonprofit can talk about diversity and inclusion, but none of that really matters unless the people
at the table and in your organization are fully engaged in a thoughtful dialogue based on respect, Education: Bachelor’s degree
from California State University,
mutual interest, and a willingness to share. Northridge; AMBEP graduate, Tuck
School of Business; Asian-American
When giving advice or mentoring, what strategies and principles do you communicate? fellow, Coro Foundation.
I believe firmly in the adage: People support what they help create. Getting people involved in
What I’m reading: The Kite
decisions, in building their own career paths, and in finding solutions to the many challenges Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
they will face is essential to their growth, knowledge and well-being. I also believe that knowledge
My philosophy:
is power. The best use of power is to share it; hence, sharing my knowledge with others comes If your competition is weak,
naturally to me. so are you...
What/who has most influenced you in your career to date? Interests: Mountain biking,
hiking, foreign movies,
Jesse Aguirre, the former Executive Vice President of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. He and foreign travel.
his team provided me with an opportunity to jump-start my company. And he was a tough
teacher and mentor. But one key thing that he said to me was to always help others. Not long ago,
I made a promise to help at least 10,000 people in my life. I’ve still got a long way to go.

Shuping Lu, Vice President and Director, Human Resources
ITT China & India

Headquarters: Shanghai, China
Web site: www.itt.com
Primary Business: Manufacturing.
Employees: 40,000 employees worldwide.
My thoughts and interactions with people stem from my Asian experiences and perspectives. I once
had a meeting with one of my subordinates and a colleague. I opened the dialogue and spoke most
of the time, not giving my subordinate an opportunity to speak. The next day, he told me I treated
him like a child instead of an adult. I was shocked at his reaction, but realized that I was working
Education: Master of Business
with people from completely different cultural backgrounds, and I needed to better understand how
Administration, China Northeast
University; Certified Lean/ Six Sigma
they think and act.
Champion; Certified Black Belt. As I worked to understand differences surrounding diversity, I realized there was so much to
What I’m reading: Leading in a
learn and leverage from respecting, accepting, and being inclusive of the differences. Now I enjoy
Time of Change, by Peter F. Drucker working with a diversified team. Being inclusive gives me wisdom at work and in life in general.
and Peter Senge
My philosophies: What obstacles have you overcome in your career to date, and how has this made you a
Learn to give before you take. better leader?
Be a useful person to others and I do not like confrontation with others. I am always willing and eager to give positive feedback, but
to society. feel uncomfortable offering negative feedback. In a workshop designed for Effective Communication
Interests: Jogging, hiking for my team, I learned to provide constructive feedback in a positive way without hurting feelings.
and mountain climbing (if I have
a chance). What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?
The best advice I’ve ever received was from a leadership coach, Mr. Yin: Send “love” when somebody
hates you; defend those who are absent; and admit when you make a mistake.
Clayton Young Assistant Treasurer
itt Corporation
Headquarters: White Plains, New York
Web site: www.itt.com
Primary Business: Manufacturing
Employees: 40,000 employees worldwide.
Leadership is a form of service. You should never lose sight of those whom you serve, whether they
be customers, suppliers or employees, and those constituents should always be treated with respect.
You should be ever-vigilant of power and position and their ability to corrupt and subvert good
motives into bad.
Education: M.B.A., Management For your own self-development and for the good of the enterprise, you should always operate
and Finance, The Wharton School;
outside your comfort zone, stretch your abilities, re-invent yourself and take informed risks. There
B.A. cum laude, Art History,
University of Pennsylvania.
may be little downside to repetition, but there is no upside (or excitement) either.
What I’m reading: The Black Swan, Maintain a healthy balance between work and family. Work and play hard. Find a way to share
by Nassim Nicholas Taleb; Blink, by your success and abilities through charity and community service.
Malcolm Gladwell: Tolstoy’s Death
of Ivan Ilych and Master and Man What/who has most influenced you in your career to date?
Interests: My father came to this country with not much more than a steamship ticket and a semester’s college
Charitable work, music, travel. tuition. During a time much more challenging that what we are faced with today, with courage,
perseverance and sacrifice, he and my mother started their own accounting firm serving businesses
in New York’s Chinatown that were started by immigrant self-starters like them. My parents set a
high bar for me and I am humbled by their achievement.
At the same time, I am in awe and admiration of my two children, who, at their young ages,
recognize the historic challenges of our times and, forsaking capitalism and careerism, are answering
the call to address these problems.
Manolet Dayrit Advisory Partner
KPMG LLP
Web site: www.us.kpmg.com
Primary Business: KPMG LLP is the U.S. audit, tax, and
advisory member firm of KPMG international. *
Employees: 22,000 employees
My approach to mentoring includes listening to my mentees and understanding their goals, issues,
and concerns. I try to put myself in their shoes to appreciate their perspective. Open and honest
communication is key; saying what I mean and meaning what I say helps build trust. Frequent,
in-person meetings help me maintain regular communication with my mentees. Education: MBA in Finance,
Fordham University; B.S., Business
What is your most rewarding professional accomplishment? Management, the Ateneo de
Undoubtedly, one of my most rewarding accomplishments was my admission to KPMG’s part- Manila University (Philippines).
nership 10 years ago, but perhaps even more rewarding is when someone whom I’ve sponsored is What I’m reading: Come Be My
admitted to the partnership. Light, by Mother Theresa (about
her spiritual journey).
What obstacles have you overcome in your career to date, and how has this made you a My philosophy:
better leader? Do the right thing in the right way.
I was raised in a culture that believes in doing things in a reserved and low-key manner. Where I Interests:
grew up, people spoke up only if absolutely needed and if they had something valuable to say. In Travel, music, movies, art.
Western culture, you’re almost always expected to say something at gatherings and meetings, or you
may be viewed as a non-contributor. Because I’m reserved and low-key by nature, I had to learn to
adapt to my environment. I think we all need to be dynamic if we want to succeed and be relevant
in an ever-changing world.
Yasuko Metcalf Audit Partner
KPMG LLP
Web site: www.us.kpmg.com
Primary Business: KPMG LLP is the U.S. audit, tax, and
advisory member firm of KPMG international. *
Employees: 22,000 employees
better leader?
When you assemble a team with diverse backgrounds, it enables you to harvest and draw on a
variety of strengths and perspectives, and that makes the team much more dynamic and resilient.
Recognizing this has helped me to build stronger teams, better serve my clients, and overcome many
stressful and challenging situations. Education: B.A., International
Business and Accounting, University
of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minnesota).
Critically evaluate your own strengths and weaknesses. Obviously you should work on your weak- What I’m reading: The Soloist, by
nesses but it’s equally as important to foster your strengths. It’s much more enjoyable, too. Steve Lopez
Interests: I enjoy spending time
What is your most rewarding professional accomplishment? with my family—my husband
I’ve had several great experiences at KPMG, but I’d say my three-year rotational assignment in our Patrick, my sons Brandon (13) and
Spencer (11), and my daughter
Bangkok, Thailand office stands out in my mind. The experience was professionally challenging and
Claire (5). All three kids are violin
personally very rewarding. players, and I enjoy accompanying
them to their various concerts.
Focus on what’s most important, and never lose sight of it.
*KPMG international’s member firms have 123,000 professionals, including more than 7,100 partners in 145 countries.

JAMES WONG, Vice President, Business Development, Americas
Unilever
Headquarters: Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
Web site: www.unileverusa.com
Primary Business: Consumer products.
Employees: Nearly 12,000 in the United States and Puerto Rico.
As a first generation immigrant who’s built a career at a multinational company, I’ve led a
relatively peripatetic life. I’m grateful for the insights I’ve gained from having lived in 9 diverse
cities on 3 continents. I’ve lived in countries where I was part of the majority and also where I’ve
been in the minority. Having experienced both sides of that equation really gives perspective on
Education: B.S., Economics,
inclusion and a basis for empathy. In my experience, I’ve found a strong correlation between leader-
University of Pennsylvania; M.S.
Management, M.I.T. Sloan School
ship excellence and the ability to empathize with others.
of Management.
What/who has most influenced you in your career to date?
What I’m reading: Watchmen, by
Is it alright to say it’s me? I’ve always been a firm believer in an individual being ultimately
Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons; my
own unfinished novel that I started accountable for her or his own personal and career development. It’s important to take control
in college is always at my bedside, a and ownership, as no one will ever be a better advocate for you than yourself.
self-reminder of the path not taken,
as well as opportunity in the future. What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?
My philosophy: “No one is perfect, James. Don’t be afraid to expose others to one weakness or fault of yours.
Perhaps “Tit for Tat”—the simplest, If people can’t name one, they will make up two or three.”
most versatile and effective strategy,
according to game theorists.
Interests: For me, it’s about “Who”
rather than “What,” so any activity
with family and close friends.
Abha Kumar Principal, Information Technology
Vanguard
Headquarters: Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
Web site: www.vanguard.com
Primary Business: Investment management.
Employees: 12,500 in the United States.
your career?
Aristotle said, “What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing.” This philosophy has held true for
me throughout my career. In today’s environment, business management skills are not enough.
Leaders need the ability to deal with the pace of change, realities of continuing shifts in the
Education: Master’s in Management marketplace, and the demand for new innovations. The attributes of a great leader include the ability
from Tata Institute of Social Sciences,
to understand, accept, manage and, most importantly, lead change. My career has been all about
Mumbai, India.
embracing and leading change.
What I’m reading: I just finished
reading Outliers: The Story of When giving advice or mentoring, what strategies and principles do you communicate?
Success, by Malcolm Gladwell; I am
I encourage individuals to understand the whole picture, their part in that picture, and the
currently reading Know Your Power:
A Message to America’s Daughters, impact each of them can have. It’s important to understand the entire scope of a situation or
by Nancy Pelosi and Amy Hill Hearth problem before arriving at and implementing the best solution. It’s also important to look beyond
My philosophy:
the immediate problem—toward a vision—in order to derive a sustainable solution.
Work hard and always do your best.
What is your most rewarding professional accomplishment?
Interests:
It’s hard to point to a single professional accomplishment. One that comes to mind is the recent
Listening to music, reading.
opportunity I had to speak to high school girls about careers in technology. Following the event,
I was told that I opened many eyes and, in all likelihood, changed a few lives.

Hi g hly Eff e coft i v e
Habits Highly
Co mm uEffective
n i c at o r s
These are the people who disseminate all the diversity and inclusion-related
information to their employees, consumers, shareholders, suppliers, communities
and other groups. It’s an important role, and we know there are specific
strategies that diversity communicators must develop in order to share this
information effectively.
We’ve invited diversity leaders to share the habits they have developed over
the years. Here are their strategies…
questions answered. For example, one of our retail clients makes use
by Jim Weathersbee of their annual sales conferences for each of their lines of business to
Senior Consultant disseminate the latest diversity message and training to their various
sales groups in the company.
Ivy Planning Group, LLC Some organizations hold Diversity Dialogues, where mid-level
managers convene town-hall-type meetings to present the diver-
sity message, facilitate discussion about diversity and inclusion and
respond to questions. Diversity Dialogues can also be held through-
out the year and expanded to other topics that the organization’s
Diversity Council deems important. One of our large aerospace cli-
ents also tracks employee participation in these Diversity Dialogues
to help ensure employees are “getting the message.”
For organizations where employees are spread out in several
locations, the diversity message is sent out to all employees by let-
Organizations often struggle to find the best way to
ter or brochure, which is either mailed or emailed directly to them.
get their diversity and inclusion message out to all their employees.
This method is highly recommended compared to simply posting
The senior management team spends a lot of time and effort devel-
the message on the company website and instructing employees to
oping the vision and strategy and need to ensure everyone in the
search and read it. The direct technique will increase the chances
organization knows what it is and what their role will be. As
that employees will actually review the document, as well as boost
Marshall McLuhan said, ‘the medium is the message.’’ So what
accountability. Managers will often forward the message from the
are some of the best practices organizations use to get the top level
executive team to their employees along with their own appropriate
diversity messages out to everyone?
comments, reinforcing their support for diversity and inclusion.
Some organizations hold large, conference-style meetings for all
Best practice organizations often use a combination of these
employees, providing the CEO or other senior executive an oppor-
methods to ensure their message is received by everyone. Remember,
tunity to present the diversity message. Depending on the size of the
if the message is important, then the medium to communicate the
audience, questions can be entertained in that forum or the audience
message is just as important. PDJ
can be broken into smaller breakout groups facilitated by senior
managers; this allows additional information to be discussed and

Habits of Highly Effective Diversity and Inclusion Communicators
by Michael Collins by David Kassnoff

Managing Director, Manager, Community Affairs
Diversity Strategies and Communications;
American Airlines Global Diversity &
Community Affairs
Eastman Kodak Company
American Airlines views diversity communications as an Diversity communications—both internal and

evolving discussion that includes listening for differences, engaging external—must reflect the positive aspects of your program, and
people through their experiences and backgrounds, and then sharing evolve to focus on many constituencies to grow an inclusive
real and relevant stories to recognize and celebrate diversity. culture. It’s especially challenging when your organization is
undertaking a sweeping business transformation.
Listening From 2003 to 2007, Kodak did just that, acquiring busi-
Our Employee Resource Groups, Diversity Advisory Council, nesses and re-shaping its global footprint to emerge as a leader
Workplace Advocates, and key community organizations enhance in digital imaging and printing technologies and services.
American’s understanding of how employees experience the work- Throughout our transformation, Kodak maintained repre-
place and how we relate to our customers, suppliers and business sentation of women and people of color as a percentage of its
partners. These groups provide valuable insight into what we can global workforce. But, how would Kodak’s perceived commit-
do, and frankly, should stop doing, to build loyalty among our ment to diversity and inclusion fare? We re-thought some com-
employees, customers, suppliers and communities. American knows munications practices to speak to the changing environment:
effective listening yields tremendous opportunities. This means we
must create an environment that is encouraging, safe, welcoming, Leverage Leadership
and respectful of people from all cultures and backgrounds if we With leadership the essential ingredient of a diversity and
are to thrive as a company and provide great travel experiences for inclusion commitment, we showcased senior executives’
our customers. engagement in external diversity forums. Kodak Chairman and
CEO Antonio M. Perez chaired the CEO Leadership Initiative
Engaging Employees and Customers of Diversity Best Practices, participating in the group’s sum-
American makes it a point to find and share stories that con- mit and gala and conference calls with industry leaders. Philip
nect with employees’ humanity and desire to make American a great J. Faraci, Kodak’s President and Chief Operating Officer, also
place to work and the airline of choice for customers. American kicked off a DBP roundtable. Kodak Vice President Essie L.
values similarities and differences. Our greatest strength is the rich Calhoun, Chief Diversity and Community Affairs Officer,
diversity of our people and the energy and passion they have for our spoke at many diversity conferences, and participated in a seg-
customers and the communities we serve. ment on the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey radio program.
Bringing Diversity to Life Use Your Intranet

Real life stories transform diversity from an abstract concept Kodak’s restyled intranet home page, My Kodak World,
to an experience people embrace and act upon. As engagement increased its use of employee success stories featuring people
increases, leadership behaviors improve and creative thought from diverse cultures—including members of Kodak’s eight
leadership increases. An article highlighting the experiences of employee networks. Kodak’s external blog—1000words.kodak.
gay employees and their straight allies, for example, resonated com—also highlighted employee network members’ activities.
with many people. As a result of stories like this, employees and
customers become more connected and more loyal to their airline. Focus on Inclusion
At American, diversity is not just an aspirational goal; it’s the With Kodak’s Global Diversity & Community Affairs of-
way we do business. PDJ fice, the Employee Communications team re-cast a pre-existing
diversity award into a new CEO Global Inclusion Award.
To promote the focus on inclusion, finalists were chosen by
an employee vote. Coverage of this recognition showcased
the winner and all nominees—including a “President’s Honor
Roll”—as well as using laudatory quotes from the employees’
nomination forms. PDJ

by Kathleen Haley by Marvin B. Ross

Director, Diversity Officer
Multicultural Marketing New Jersey Department of
HP Environmental Protection
(DEP)
At Hewlett-Packard, three key strategies drive all communi- In order for diversity and inclusion practices to be
cations around our diversity, inclusion, and multicultural efforts. successful within the New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection (DEP), it has to be a commitment generated from the
It’s About Good Business level of senior management. If diversity weren’t a senior management
All communications, across disciplines from supplier diversity commitment, then EEO complaints would rise, minority employees’
to marketing, must align with corporate objectives, which include morale would decline, and nothing would be accomplished with
an emphasis on diversity. Our customers, suppliers, and employees regard to workforce development and diversity.
want us to reflect the diversity of their environments. But it’s much
more than ‘being a good citizen’: we must drive home the econom- Diversity Task Force
ic—as well as the intellectual and social—value of diversity. Sharing With that said, diversity is a commitment at the DEP and one
metrics helps demonstrate our commitment and effectiveness: of the most important habits of communicating that commitment
• In 2008, we estimate more than $10 billion in HP revenue is through our Diversity Task Force (TF). The TF is made up of
came from customers requiring HP to demonstrate supply all senior level managers, the directors of HR, EEO, the Diversity
chain diversity. Officer, and leaders from each of five Employee Resource Groups.
• In 2008, HP purchased goods and services worth more than The TF meets twice a year during one-day retreats to discuss all
$1B from woman-/minority-owned small businesses in the U.S. aspects of DEP’s Diversity process.
• 32.4% of new U.S. hires in 2008 were from minority groups.
• In 2008, 17.2% of our top executives were women. Communication
• Integrated marketing to ethnic segments outperforms general Another important habit is how we communicate our diversity
market programs: a targeted Hispanic program yielded a 75% and inclusion message to our employees. As part of our ongoing
uplift in sales on average across three retail stores. efforts to sustain and enhance a positive, inclusive and professional
work environment, we developed a Diversity Training Plan for
Smart Collaboration Amplifies Results DEP staff.
Pool and leverage resources to optimize communication im- DEP managers play a key role in advancing diversity in the
pact. For instance, the cross-functional design of the Multicultural workplace. As such, we train our staff with the same message that
Marketing team enables a sustainable presence in key ethnic markets we train our managers. The objectives help to encourage a climate
to drive loyalty and sales over time. Another example: social invest- of inclusion and involvement, build culture competence through
ment, talent attraction, and marketing groups team to support key effective communications, and improve supervisor-to-staff two-way
organizations in order to advance and hire diverse talent. communication.
Partner Strategically to Reinforce and Extend Communications Reach Diversity Employee Resource Groups
We work with leading organizations like the National Society of DEP Diversity Employee Resource Groups (DERGs) also play
Black Engineers and Management Leadership for Tomorrow across important roles in communicating information to employees. These
disciplines like recruiting and social investment. For supplier diver- employer-recognized groups are organized around shared sets of
sity, we partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration and are interests, experiences, and perspectives. Their activities are of profes-
a founding member of the National Minority Supplier Development sional benefit to the employees and further the mission of DEP.
Council, Supplier Diversity Europe and other top international The primary purpose of DERGs is to advance DEP’s goals,
groups. We also equip our employees to be brand ambassadors— including its diversity initiatives, through C.L.U.E:
that means approximately 321,000 worldwide ambassadors speaking Communication (Open Exchange of Ideas),
about HP with our customers and prospective employees. Learning (Developing Cultural Competence),
Innovation and invention are the by-products of diversity and at Understanding (Improving Diversity Awareness), and
the heart of HP’s long-term success. HP is committed to harnessing Enhancement (of DEP’s Goals). PDJ
the power of our differences to deliver the very best that technology
has to offer—to everyone. PDJ

by Jorge A. Plasencia by John Sequeira

Chairman and CEO Senior D&I Advisor
República Royal Dutch Shell
As a professional communicator and marketer for the A successful D&I implementation is reliant on such
past 20 years, my career has put me in charge of planning communi- elements as visible senior-level sponsorship, a clear business case,
cations strategies for companies and organizations spanning numer- and a commitment to embed D&I into the systems, processes and
ous industries. Understanding and embracing diversity through all culture of the organization. An effective communications strategy
communications channels is key to developing winning strategies can enhance and strengthen the implementation and fuel the fire of
that will share information effectively. change. We have found the following elements to be integral to an
As such, there are a few habits I’ve developed that have helped effective communications strategy.
me along the way:
Include Communications as a D&I Planning Element
Monitor Industry Press for Insights on the Competition Within Shell’s holistic planning framework, we have identified
One thing every executive I’ve ever admired has done is to be Talent, Leadership, and Competitiveness as the core areas on which
fully aware of what the competition is doing. Learning about the we strive to effect change on an ongoing basis. Communications is a
innovative ideas and strategies my peers are developing helps me key lever to sustain the change along with education, enhancements
stay aggressive and in the know. I encourage my staff to stay in- to recruitment and development processes and our ongoing efforts
formed of what the latest big idea is in the industry. It’s important to build an inclusive work environment.
to be part of the conversation, even if we’re just listening.
Have a Consistent Messaging Strategy
Community Involvement Having a strategy that can be used by leaders, D&I practitioners
Participating and volunteering in my community is something and communications professionals in your organization assures the
I’ve done my entire life. Naturally, I encourage my team to embrace D&I story is consistently told in presentations, town hall sessions
and give back to the community in which they live by dedicating and articles about D&I. You want leaders to think and talk about
and providing pro-bono work to local organizations, most of D&I in the same way as other key areas that impact business success
which focus on helping diverse communities. Through my (e.g., strategy, safety performance, sales).
company, República, I have the opportunity to give back in a
meaningful way. Develop Effective Relationships
Relationships with the communications professionals in your or-
Emphasis on Bilingual and Multicultural Staff ganization as well as with those involved in developing the business
While this isn’t completely a deal breaker, it’s extremely im- strategy and brand management activities assures key D&I messages
portant to employ staff that reflects our audience. Innovative ideas are included in leaders’ presentations, internal and external publica-
come to life when a diverse group of people continually collabo- tions, and brand campaigns.
rate. República is made up of diverse people who live in various
cultures—whether it’s a Hispanic account executive who’s passionate Utilize All Existing Communications Channels
about volunteering, or our Haitian art director who also happens This means incorporating success stories in online and paper
to be a terrific photographer. Providing various perspectives to news publications including the corporate annual report. This lends
our marketing approaches allows us to deliver high-level services credibility and commitment to those targets because it is in the best
to our clients. PDJ interest of the corporation to show progress year on year.
For many, D&I is linked to the core values and operating norms
of an organization. A key activity for practitioners is to modify
messages to incorporate how D&I is integral to making our way
through these difficult times and having a long term, viable, success-
ful company. PDJ

© 2008 Lockheed Martin Corporation
BETWEEN THE CHALLENGE AND THE SOLUTION,

T H E R E I S O N E I M P O R TA N T W O R D : H O W.
Diversity. It’s not a goal. It’s a necessity. When facing down the most important projects in the world, you need
fresh ideas. And unique perspectives. Delivering the most complete answers to solve complex problems is all a
question of how. And it is the how that makes all the difference.
lockheedmartin.com/how
by Jennifer Williamson by Susan Lee

Senior Director, Director, Diversity
Human Resources and Textron Systems
Diversity Communications Corporation
Sodexo
Take Advantage of All Existing Channels of Communication I believe that a key first step in effective communica-
It is critical to leverage all established communication vehicles, tions on diversity and inclusion is mitigating potential barriers.
teams, and individuals. Existing modes of communication have a Among them is the notion that these concepts are a “should
recognized audience and carry a high degree of validity. Using exist- have” or a “nice to have.” In today’s business world, a diverse
ing channels helps to position diversity and inclusion as part of the and inclusive workplace is imperative to competitiveness and
fabric of the company, not as a separate program. innovation, and communications must focus on the concrete
It is also important to build internal partnerships with teams ways this can be nurtured.
such as public relations, brand management, marketing, and internal Further, time is necessary to compose, deliver, receive and under-
communications. Network with them, keep them informed, and stand these messages; unfortunately, time is a precious and limited
provide them with the tools and resources necessary to easily com- commodity. Linked to these barriers are leaders’ and employees’
municate your message to their constituents. Given the opportunity, respective comfort levels and degrees of knowledge in transmitting
these teams will facilitate cascading your message. and receiving messages on these topics.
Last but not least, you must leverage the people who can really However, there are some methods that can be employed to bol-
tell your story, such as members of employee network groups, ster the effectiveness of communications on diversity and inclusion:
members of diversity councils, scholarship recipients, etc. Identifying • Determine key audiences and let their needs shape the
a reliable “army” of communicators on the ground will spread your message. A “one-size-fits-all” approach may not be effective.
story organically. The most effective way to do this, especially in a • Create communications touch points that are meaningful to
decentralized organization, it to have a consistent message that is specific audiences. Even a well composed message may miss the
supported by clearly defined and articulated talking points. mark if delivery and follow-up do not complement audience
requirements.
Embed Diversity and Inclusion into Everything You Do • Generate messages on diversity and inclusion from all over
At Sodexo, our goal is for diversity and inclusion to be integrated the organization. It is important to encourage involvement in
into everything we do. That means not only communicating it as a all areas and at all levels of the business.
stand-alone subject but also incorporating it into the fabric of
the organization. For example, if you are writing about employee At Textron Systems, these key messages are threefold.
benefits, relate it back to diversity and inclusion. If you are prepar- First, test and confront assumptions—instead of avoiding or
ing a presentation on talent development, relate it back to diversity tolerating, promote understanding and appreciation. The results will
and inclusion. This ensures that people will see the connection be- include more effective teamwork, a better outcome and a more in-
tween our diversity and inclusion efforts and their impact on novative product.
the success of our business. Second, diversity and inclusion relate to all of us. As individuals,
we have unique skill sets and perspectives that contribute valuably to
Leverage Relationships with Strategic Partners the company’s competitive advantage.
Partnerships and alliances with external organizations and non- Third, we all can be agents of change by showing leadership in
profits enable Sodexo to focus on programs that build awareness our own spheres of influence. In that sense, all employees share in
and educate diverse communities on the vast opportunities available the responsibility of communicating and promoting diversity and
within Sodexo. They also provide an excellent opportunity to share inclusion. PDJ
our message and establish brand recognition, interest, and loyalty
within diverse communities. PDJ

Bring It Monica, Verizon Telecom
At Verizon, we want you to bring your diverse talents,
experiences, backgrounds, and viewpoints to work. It’s
your smarter, bolder, and faster ideas that will move our
business forward at the speed of FiOS! Bring it in and
bring it on – bring your diversity to work at Verizon.
At Verizon, we’re changing the way the world lives, works

and plays. We open doors to opportunities and rewards that
rival your ambition. From having the most reliable network,
to the outstanding service we provide our customers, to our
unparalleled FiOS technology, we’re dedicated to being the best
at what we do. Whether your interests lie in sales, marketing,
ﬁnance, IT, HR, customer service, engineering, or operations,
we oﬀer careers as ready as you are.
Careers For Everything You Are

www.verizon.com/telecomjobs
Verizon is an equal opportunity employer, m/f/d/v.
by Donald Fan by Linda Jimenez

Senior Director, Staff Vice President, Inclusion &
Office of Diversity Workforce Mobilization
Walmart Stores, U.S. WellPoint, INC.
Wherever your company is in its D&I journey, At WellPoint we have identified three keys to effective di-
reaching your destination depends on how well you can deliver versity and inclusion communication strategies:
well-crafted, impactful D&I messages to your employees and exter-
nal stakeholders. I’d like to share some of my learning with you. Obtain Commitment at the Top Levels and
Develop a 3-D Leadership Shadow
Diversity Communication Strategy At WellPoint, focusing on diversity helps us to better under-
A well-developed communication strategy will guide you through stand and meet the health care needs of the unique communities
focused initiatives and efforts, and help you get results. Before initiat- we serve—while actually becoming part of their cultural fabric.
ing the strategy, ask yourself: how will I align the D&I mission with WellPoint’s mission is to improve the lives of the people we serve
my corporate purpose; how can our D&I efforts help achieve overall and the health of our communities—one person, one family, and
business goals; and how can we convey the messages to the targeted one community at a time.
audience. We apply a filter system to ensure we’re always on the right Indeed, the diversity of our workforce enables us to develop
track: visibility (enhance positive image), credibility (add value and a 3-D Leadership Shadow—from the top-down, side-to-side and
help build trust); and integrity (fact-based and truthful). from the bottom-up—so that we better connect with, under-
stand, and serve our customers and the different communities
Diversity Brand
where we all live and work.
A diversity brand should be based on the corporate culture
and aligned with the corporate brand. It focuses on human value, Build the Necessary Programs and Activities and
rather than material value. It demonstrates what you stand for
Maximize Associate Engagement
and who you are—your identity. I recommend taking a broad
We incorporate numerous vehicles for educating employ-
approach—enhancing the brand awareness through internal business
ees about the benefits of diversity and inclusion—WellPoint’s
meetings, Employee Resource Groups, community outreach activi-
Diversity Annual Report, The WellPoint Associate Calendar,
ties, company publications, etc. That practice aims to raise the level
of morale, make employees proud of their company, and increase our internal WorkNet site, and media branding partnerships
their engagement. such as Profiles in Diversity Journal, DiversityInc magazine,
Diversity MBA Magazine, Diversity Edge Magazine, just to name
Take Full Advantage of Multiple Communication Vehicles a few. And, if associates are evaluated and rewarded in part
Repeat consistent messages and tell success stories time and on the basis of diversity objectives, they then have a shared
again through various channels. We work with diverse media outlets responsibility for ensuring the success of diversity initiatives.
to penetrate our messages to the targeted communities; we use
our corporate Web site to outline the D&I commitment, initiatives Design and Integrate a Strategic Diversity
and programs; we utilize intranet to provide the training and tools Communications and Marketing Plan
for associates; and we develop a D&I annual report to showcase Our strategic diversity communications and marketing plan
our accomplishments. is based on four pillars: Information: we educate and inform our
Associates and external stakeholders about our D&I strategies,
Manage Diversity Reputation initiatives and progress. Reputation: we seek to leverage internally
Include reputation management as an integral part of your and externally the recognition and respect WellPoint has earned
D&I communications strategy. An established reputation as a for its leadership example under strategic diversity management.
national leader in the D&I arena attracts top diverse talent, boosts Leadership: our strategy is to demonstrate our commitment to
internal morale, gains brand loyalty, and eventually accelerates improving health care awareness, insurance accessibility, and
business growth. quality of life for our members. Empowerment: our communica-
At the end of the day, the results of successful diversity tion and marketing plan seeks to sustain a culture of distinction
communications will enhance brand loyalty from customers, which fosters inclusion and an environment that naturally en-
trust from employees, confidence from investors, and fairness in ables customers, providers, vendors, and communities to freely
media coverage. PDJ contribute in making a difference in the lives of others. PDJ

YoUr inDiViDUAlitY
> YoU know
UnleAsH YoUr iDeAs, AnD MAke YoUr MArk.
At UnitedHealth Group, diversity isn’t just a corporate buzzword. It’s the way we work, and it
comes through in everything we do. From the high-performing people we hire, to the health
care services we provide, we advocate the possibilities of unique thinking.
We’ve become a Fortune 25 company by creating an inclusive environment fueled by

innovative ideas. Our employees have diverse cultural backgrounds, beliefs, perspectives,
and lifestyles. But they all have one thing in common – their ability to excel.
Right now, we’re working to build the health care system of tomorrow. One that will work
better for more people in more ways than ever.
A goal with this kind of magnitude requires the brightest, most forward-thinking minds
around. We have them here. And they’re making a difference.
Make your mark of distinction at unitedhealthgroup.com/careers
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: equal opportunity employer M/F/D/V.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment. © 2009 UnitedHealth Group. All rights reserved.
thought thProfiles in Diversity Journal
continues to bring you the
thoughtleaders
leaders d
ideas, opinions, and profiles of leaders in the field of Diversity & Inclusion in our ongoing series,
thoughtleaders. We once again invited prominent diversity thought leaders to share the latest
thinking regarding the workforce diversity and inclusion topics with which they are most active.
We believe that, as more travel budgets are being cut, conference attendance will be down
substantially. Consider this our way of bringing the conferences to you, even if you are confined to
your cubicle for the near future.
houghtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders
Understanding Privilege
By Eric C. Peterson
Manager, Diversity & Inclusion Initiatives
A
Society for Human Resource Management
As a Diversity & Thanks to many coaches and mentors I’ve met throughout
Inclusion practitioner, I’m my career, I’ve been able to use this experience to gain a greater
paid to discuss the un- understanding of the skin privilege and gender privilege I benefit
discussable. Whether it’s from every day. While I can’t change the way my skin color and
politics, religion, or why a gender work to my advantage in society, I can – at the very least
transgender woman should – try my best not to take it for granted. It’s a small step, but a
be allowed to enter the ladies’ room, it’s my job to speak freely, yet crucial one.
calmly—without hesitation, but not too enthusiastically. I need And yet, it’s difficult for me to share this learning with those
to role-model comfort and ease when broaching these difficult around me, particularly those who look like me. To do so would
issues, even if my insides are squirming. And I’m good at it. call attention to the elephant in the room – that whites and males
But still, there’s one word I’m often unable to say: in our society benefit from a system that allows us to believe that
“Privilege.” we’re normal, and that only women and people of color are “dif-
For if I do, I cease to be a calm, reasoned professional. No ferent.” To do so would cause whites and males to feel defensive,
matter how serene I appear, at the mere mention of privilege—or as though we caused every injustice ever perpetrated against those
oppression, or power, or inequality—I morph from a bridge- not like us.
builder into a bomb-thrower. And yet, privilege is always there. And so—either out of misplaced politeness, or because we
As an openly gay white man, I have a unique understanding believe that the few white men who actively work with us will
of privilege. I see clearly how being gay works against me, at work abandon us should we offend them—we remain silent on the
and at home. I’m assumed to be straight by almost every stranger issue of privilege. We assume that those who benefit from privi-
I meet, and the choice to correct this assumption is one I make lege do so knowingly. And with every good intention, we isolate
almost every day. I know nearly everything about straight cul- white men even more.
ture: the code words, the customs, the habits, and the concerns If we hope to move Diversity & Inclusion to the next level,
of straight folks—and am keenly aware that most heterosexuals we cannot be afraid to share what we know, to teach those with
know nothing about my worldview. Because most straight people privilege about themselves. For what greater barrier to trust can
think of themselves not as “straight,” but as “normal,” it’s easy there be but a secret we refuse to share? PDJ
for them to minimize how different we are in this regard—and in
essence, to minimize me. Follow Eric on Twitter at http://twitter.com/EPetersonSHRM

hought o
diversity f
thought
What’s Important
What Works
diversity
(and What Doesn’t)
What’s Going On
thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders
A Global Company,
Embracing Global Diversity
By Denise Lynn
Vice President, Diversity and Leadership Strategies
A
American Airlines
As an airline that serves a quarter of a million cus- level Diversity Committee

tomers daily from around the world, we take great pride in the provides oversight, guidance,
role American Airlines plays in bringing people together from and accountability.
many different cultures and communities. At American, we rec- From hiring the indus-
ognize that we are more than an airline; we are also an economic try’s first African-American
engine that represents opportunity to people and communities flight attendant in 1963, and
across the globe. American creates and facilitates these opportu- the first female pilot in 1973, to being the first airline to offer
nities through our own network and through our participation benefits to same-sex domestic partners, American has a long
as a founding member of the oneworld® Alliance, which marks history of leadership in diversity and inclusion. Our experience
its 10th anniversary this year and whose members serve nearly at American has shown us that diversity is a core strength with
700 destinations in more than 140 countries and territories. far-reaching positive impact, internally and externally. Women
In today’s rapidly changing environment, where access to make up approximately 40 percent of our workforce, and 32
global markets is essential, it is imperative that we embrace the percent of U.S. based employees are minorities. American has
ever-increasing diversity of our own workforce and the world 16 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), representing various
around us. Thus, we work hard to create an environment where cultures and affinities, which are a source of invaluable insight
employees feel empowered to contribute their unique talents, on employee, customer and community perspectives. And our
perspectives and ideas to the business every day so American can Diversity Advisory Council, comprised of representatives of all
provide the best travel experience possible for our customers. of our ERGs, is engaged in supporting key business initiatives.
Diversity leadership engenders the thought leadership, inno- As a company that bears the name “American,” much is
vation and loyalty that are the foundation of successful compa- expected of us and we hold ourselves to a high standard. While
nies. American’s comprehensive approach includes diversity and we are proud of our record, we realize there is always more
inclusion training initiatives that touch employees in every part progress to make. So, we will continue to work to ensure a
of our airline, steady progress in the representation of women safe, welcoming and respectful environment for all of our
and minorities at the highest levels of the company, a mature employees and customers, in the U.S. and abroad. At
supplier diversity program, and a holistic approach to build- American Airlines, diversity is not an aspirational goal; it’s the
ing loyalty within diverse customer segments. Our executive way we do business. PDJ
leadership is actively committed to these efforts, and our board-

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleader
Can Women Save the Economy?
Yes They Can!
By L iz Haesler, Vice President, Home Life & Trend; and
Mary Stoddart, Vice President & General Manager, Territory 6
T
Best Buy
The economy is partners, stores and communities to help Best Buy build strong
struggling, unemployment women leaders and capture a greater share of the female con-
rates are soaring, and retail sumer electronics market.
Haesler sales are down nationwide. There are many different ways for both men and women
People are feeling the im- to participate. To date, more than 10 percent of our worldwide
pact in their paychecks staff is involved with the program, including nearly 300 teams
and their pocketbooks. At working to create opportunities for women around the world.
Best Buy, we’re putting re- There are quarterly volunteer events, network partners who also
sources behind the women reach women around the country, and an annual conference
who work and shop at our that draws partners from across the globe to discuss ways to
stores—because we believe engage and mentor female employees.
that women have a power-
ful role to play in chang- But our efforts don’t stop with our employees. Over the past
two years, WOLF at Best Buy has also connected with more
ing the direction of our
than 3,000 female customers as Omega Wolves, in U.S. and
economy.
U.K. cities, to help us find better ways to meet the needs of
Women are the guard- other female consumers. And within our famous Geek Squad,
Stoddart ians of the family check- DIVAS (Dynamic Intelligent Vivacious Agents with Solutions)
book. They are often the are bringing a woman’s perspective to helping customers with
ones making the decisions about where to invest household fi- technology services.
nances. Yet, you don’t have to look hard to see media coverage or
We’re in the stores, on the streets, in Facebook and Twitter,
hear stories of how women are being impacted by the economic
downturn, and are in dire need of professional development and and in our communities. WOLF at Best Buy is a network that
growth opportunities. benefits every employee in every sector, reporting directly to our
CEO in collaboration across the organization.
Creating a space for women—employees and consumers—is
not a recent program here. Best Buy is dedicated to changing We know if we want to be a great place for women to shop,
the way women perceive technology, and helping them do that we have to be a great place for women to work. Our economic
through education and support. It’s also about changing the way future depends on it. PDJ
we relate to one another, and becoming better leaders through
helping others succeed.
One example of how we’re doing this is through our WOLF
at Best Buy network. Short for Women’s Leadership Forum,
WOLF at Best Buy was formed in 2004 to give a voice to the
unheard, to develop leaders through networking, to give back
to the community and to drive real business results through em-
ployee commitment. It is a network of thousands of employees,
consumers and volunteers who work with individuals, brands,
Follow us both at www.twitter.com/shebestbuy.

thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders thoughtleaders
Corporate Diversity Leaders:
Providing Value Beyond the Numbers
By Melissa Donaldson
Senior Manager, Inclusion Practices
M
CDW Corporation
Many corporate diversity and inclusion leaders may find company’s short and long
themselves in an interesting quagmire as the profession continues term growth fabric. There
to explode and expand globally. They wonder what types of ques- is unmistakable evidence of
tions they should be asking and which ones obtain the answers the company’s commitment
that help accentuate the importance of diversity programming. to diversity and inclusion in
Questions like: every operational component. No longer can we as practitioners
• Just where should I focus my energies in a way that serves my solely serve as the resident demographer keeping track of how
company best? many associates of what kind are located where in the organization
• Should my energies be spent on leading my company’s fight and at what level of leadership.
for recruiting the best and brightest diverse talent? The singular focus on solely valuing diversity is certainly
where our work gained a foothold in corporate America in the
• How about manning all of my company’s doors to make 1980s with the recognition that quality talent was becoming less
sure good talent doesn’t leave unnecessarily or involuntarily? homogeneous. But because the world is flat, to borrow Thomas
• Should I focus on ensuring that a strong and formidable Friedman’s ideology, many unforeseen global challenges and op-
leadership pipeline of current and future leaders is portunities have revealed new talent and new markets which in-
chock-full of women and professionals of color? tensify the competitive frenzy among corporations, leading them
How about our business partners? to increase interest in not only who’s where, but what’s the result
• Is there an adequate enough representation of business- of them being there, how have customers reacted to them and how
owners who are women, minorities, veterans, disabled, etc.? can they compete to win?
To increase the strategic effectiveness and credibility of our
• Has our company’s “front porch” been sufficiently extended
ever-morphing and often-maligned role, we must be able to do
into the communities where we operate?
these five things:
• Are we doing our best to identify and penetrate emerging 1. Think globally and act locally.
markets heavily populated with new and plentiful spenders
2. Speak the language of our respective businesses.
from diverse populations?
3. Understand our customer base and be clear on our
The answer is our energies need to be directed towards all
company’s growth strategy.
of the above—not as an all-around expert or executor in each
area, but as a knowledgeable administrator-consultant to leaders 4. Insist on integration by becoming trusted advisors to
and non-leaders alike. Many of us do not have primary respon- business unit leaders.
sibility for recruiting, talent management, supplier diversity or 5. Offer inclusive approaches to real business challenges
community relations. It is imperative, however, that our influence where we see them lacking.
be present across the board if our role is to be viewed as a strategic
business resource. If we get it right, no longer will we hear the skeptic-laden choir
In the most progressive of circumstances, the role of the corpo- singing, “That doesn’t work!” Instead, the refrain will undoubtedly
rate diversity leader is that of a corporate textiler trying to weave turn to, “Give us more!” PDJ
threads of diversity and fringes of inclusion into all aspects of a

The Aging Workforce:
Preventing the Knowledge Gap
By Andy Goodman
Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources
T
CA, Inc.
The U.S. workforce has our pilot Short Work Week program allows each CA mainframe
been consistently aging since employee, who has a total of twenty years of mainframe experi-
2007, with about 76 million ence (the last ten of which have been with CA), to reduce their
baby boomers approaching schedule by up to ten hours per week and still remain a full-time
retirement. According to the employee, eligible for a full benefits package.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the In addition to creating flexible work options for the existing
proportion of workers over the age of 55 is expected to increase workforce, we have also developed programs targeted to recruit
steadily from 12 percent in 2000 to 20 percent by 20251. and train the next generation of CA’s mainframe specialists. For
While the aging workforce represents a major economic example, through our recently-introduced university recruit-
challenge for many industries, the information technology field ment initiative—the Mainframe Associate Software Engineer
can be especially affected by the knowledge gap this issue may Program—we are identifying the highest caliber candidates
cause. CA, Inc., the world’s leading independent IT manage- who are interested in pursuing the mainframe career path. CA
ment software company, has recently released The Mainframe currently partners with eight universities nationwide, includ-
Conundrum: Escalating Workloads, Shrinking Staff survey results. ing University of North Texas, Marist College, University
The survey findings show that enterprise IT organizations are of Pittsburgh, College of New Jersey, University of Indiana,
losing their experienced mainframe personnel to retirement just Temple University, Illinois State University and Northern
as the mainframe market is moving into a growth phase. The Illinois University. As a part of this program, CA’s recruiting
study, which surveyed senior IT executives from Fortune 2000 teams, led by regional senior mainframe management and local
companies around the world, found that 80 percent of respon- HR representatives, visit these universities to participate in
dents will have mainframe staff eligible for retirement within career fairs, host information sessions, conduct interviews and
two years. Yet at the same time, all of them have applications recruit the most qualified candidates to join CA.
that are running and will continue to run on the mainframe. A The new hires in the Mainframe Associate Software Engineer
total of 50 percent of respondents said their mainframe spend- Program attend 40 full days of training at a CA regional of-
ing was higher two years ago than it is today, while 63 percent fice, where they learn important mainframe skills and have the
said it would be higher two years from now. As mainframe opportunity to meet people within the company. CA developed
continues to be the computing core platform for the global this training course based on a curriculum successfully used
enterprise—running the world’s most critical applications and in the company’s Mainframe Center of Excellence in Prague,
hosting the world’s most important data—the loss of qualified Czech Republic since 2005.
personnel may have a serious effect on the whole industry.
Recognizing that its people are its most important asset,
It is critical that IT organizations start thinking about ad- CA is working hard now to minimize the impact of a potential
dressing this issue sooner rather than later. Today, CA is one of knowledge gap in the IT industry, retain its highly qualified and
very few companies (only 37 percent of employers adopted strat- experienced mainframe specialists and help shape a successful
egies to encourage older workers to stay past their traditional re- future. PDJ
tirement age2) that has developed programs specifically aimed at
retaining the current workforce. Introduced in February 2009,
1 United States Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, “Aging Baby Boomers in a New Workforce Development System,” April 3, 2004.
http://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/other_docs/Aging_Baby_Boomers.doc.
2 Schweitzer, Tamara, “Report: Retiring Baby Boomers Expected to Hurt U.S. Companies,” Inc. Magazine, March 23, 2007. http://www.inc.com/news/articles/200703/boomers.html.

The Courage to Lead
By Alfred J. Torres
C
Executive Director, Talent Acquisition & Diversity
Verizon
“Cowards.” That was the one word the news media age to confront the uncom-
focused on after Attorney General Eric Holder’s remarks about fortable, and to discuss with
how Americans deal with race. Ironically, one of the key points candor issues we may normally
he made was that we are uncomfortable having candid discus- shy away from.
sions about race, and the response was to ignore the larger issue
We continue to be faced
and rail against the use of that one word.
with opportunities to display such courage. To fully realize the
In hope of avoiding the same fate, I would like to share some benefits of diversity, we need to create a culture that not only
thoughts on courage, in particular as it relates to those of us who allows us to develop a deeper understanding of one another, but
are diversity practitioners. We have made great strides when demands it. We must not settle for tolerance, but lead the dis-
it comes to diversity in corporate America. We congratulate course that will foster understanding. Where we have had suc-
ourselves for the good work cesses, we need to set the
that has been accomplished, bar higher. For groups to
“
but we should also use our whom we haven’t given
successes to point out that we When we proudly note that we closely our full attention, we
still have a long way to go. mirror the available labor pool, do we have the need to work with greater
intensity. Failing to have
When we proudly note
courage to point out where the gaps still exist candid discussions about
”
that we closely mirror the
available labor pool, do we with equal vigor and frequency?
race, gender, sexual ori-
entation, gender identity,
have the courage to point out
religion, age or any other
where the gaps still exist with
dimension of diversity
equal vigor and frequency?
does not resolve the un-
How often do we go deeper, to find out not only what the
derlying misunderstandings and stereotypes, it just allows them
numbers are, but also how included the people behind those
to be ignored. This, in turn, allows micro-inequities and other
numbers feel? Are we creating a culture where people of all
subtle forms of discrimination to manifest.
backgrounds not only treat each other with respect, but also
understand one another’s perspectives and history? Here’s a thought from the Attorney General that didn’t get
much attention: Diversity has the potential to be America’s
As we celebrate our successes, we must remember that they
greatest strength, but only if we fully understand and discuss all
were not easily achieved. We stand on the sacrifice, the integrity,
of our dimensions of diversity. If not, it will serve to separate
and yes, the courage of those that have come before us. Our
us, making it impossible to have any meaningful interaction, re-
predecessors engaged in candid dialogue about race and gender
gardless of how polite we are on the surface. Our job as diversity
issues in the workplace. They had the uncomfortable conversa-
practitioners is to lead those conversations and drive a deeper
tions that it would have been easier to avoid. More often than
understanding of each other.
not, our successes now are incremental gains building on the
legacy of those that have come before us. To see breakthrough This is our challenge. The question is whether or not we have
change, to create our own legacy, we will need to have the cour- the courage to meet it. PDJ

Buy-In at the Grassroots
By David Williams
I
Chief Executive Officer
Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP
In 2009 there are probably our diversity. I saw the light dawn for the other managers, some of
very few places in which a whom had gotten staffers from my original team, as they saw for
young African-American will the first time that diversity was not just about skin color or gender,
walk into his new workplace— and that inclusion wasn’t just about “doing the right thing.” It’s
as I did 25 years ago—and about different ways of looking at a problem, different styles of devel-
be the only African-American oping a solution. It’s about harnessing the best that the organization
staffer in the office. As a whole, has, in order to deliver a superior product to its clients.
American business has made some good strides on the diversity front. And—bottom line—that’s what inclusion has always been about
But as challenging as it was to get where we are today, sometimes it to me. It’s the notion that a diverse group of people, working col-
seems to me that achieving diversity was the easy part. What’s the next lectively, will always find a better answer than a homogeneous team.
challenge? Building relationships with, rewarding, and retaining all Even if you don’t personally support diversity, if you believe in serving
that diverse talent. In a word, inclusion. your clients with distinction, you have to recognize that inclusiveness
Commitment from the C-suite is essential to creating an inclusive is vital.
culture, but an organization must also have buy-in at the grassroots. Things will be different for the next generation of leaders. The
Leadership positions may be filled by the CEO, but engagement Millennials have already had more diverse experiences in their 20-odd
teams are chosen by managers. And if up-and-coming professionals years than most of the rest of us have had in a lifetime. I had a con-
don’t get relevant experience on engagements, they’ll never be in line versation recently with a 28-year-old man who works in my practice.
to lead. In five minutes, we had a wide-ranging conversation about his native
Although I was the only African-American in an entry-level posi- country (Argentina), sports (soccer and cricket) and business (the
tion when I began my career, I was extraordinarily fortunate to have financial crisis). When I was 28, I would have been too intimidated
role models close at hand. The firm I joined actually had five African- to say much to a partner beyond, “Hello, sir.” I think that things we
American partners (a huge number in 1984), two of whom worked struggled to accomplish may come easily to the next generation.
in my office. But in the meantime, how can leaders generate a grassroots
Still, partners have better things to worry about than the career demand for inclusiveness throughout our firms? One way I do it is
of an entry-level accountant. It didn’t take me very long to learn the by making sure that diverse candidates are “seeded” throughout the
real difference between diversity and inclusion. My presence may have business—in much the same way that I seeded other teams with di-
made the office more diverse, but it didn’t require my colleagues to versity back when I was a senior manager (only now I’m responsible
include me on their teams—especially if they assumed I was there just for more than 1400 people).
because of the color of my skin. Inclusion began to happen when peo- I divide my senior managers and partners into groups: the top
ple started to see me in action and we began building relationships. 20%, the bottom 10% and two groups in the middle—people with
I really saw the power of relationships a few years later. I was a se- tremendous potential whom I think I can influence, and people who
nior manager, leading a team of about 15. The engagement on which are underperforming relative to their potential. I particularly focus on
we were working expanded significantly and the firm assigned nine the diverse professionals in these groups. For instance, I am fortunate
additional teams to the project. The nine other senior managers and to have a lot of high-performing women partners. I work with them
I received a list of about 150-200 people from which to choose our to broaden their experience so they can progress to the next level. And
teams. It was a pretty diverse list, but somehow the other managers if there’s an underperformer, I’ll try to figure out why: Is it an issue of
managed to staff-up without choosing a single woman or person-of- the person’s inherent talent or is it a barrier that the organization has
color. I already had a diverse team, and we were working well together. (consciously or unconsciously) placed in the person’s way?
But I assembled a new team from the professionals the others hadn’t The more we can spread diverse talent throughout our organiza-
chosen and—after explaining my reasons—I sent my original team off tions, the better our people will get at demanding diversity—because
to work with other managers. they will see the tangible benefits it brings. That’s inclusiveness at the
My new team ended up performing the best. It didn’t have much grassroots, and that’s a powerful thing for any business. PDJ
to do with me personally, but I think it had everything to do with

Advancing Women in the
Engineering and Construction Industry
By Jacqueline C. Rast, P.E.
F
President and Group Chief Executive
Center for Project Excellence
For centuries, the engineering and construction industry In response to these

has been male-dominated. CH2M HILL was founded in 1946 by changing workforce de-
four male engineers. Although they lived in an era of traditional mographics, CH2M HILL
gender roles, these founders had the foresight to establish a culture created programs geared to
different than others of its day for an engineering and construction building more diversity in
firm—a culture of diversity, inclusion, and innovation that would its workforce. The Women’s
lay the groundwork for CH2M HILL’s Women’s Leadership Leadership Initiative, launched in 2003, was the first of these
Initiative. This initiative serves to attract, develop, retain, and programs. Elements of the initiative include a steering committee
promote women into leadership positions, and targets a cross- which provides guidance and support at the executive level; annual
section of women in all professions that support the company— women’s leadership summits to connect junior- and senior-level
not just women engineers. In January 2009, our initiative became women and provide mentoring and leadership development; local
the first in our industry to win the Catalyst Award, a prestigious office chapters, which hold regular networking events; outreach to
international award which recognizes innovative organizational external professional organizations; and visible leadership in the
approaches that advance women in the workplace. engineering and construction industry.
Measurable success
“
CH2M HILL has achieved results that far exceed
If anyone in the engineering business doesn’t think having women any U.S.-based engineering and construction com-
in their management is important, then they are ignoring a whole pany of comparable size—especially at the organiza-
tion’s most senior levels. Women now make up 31%
pool of talent. How could you possibly expand and continue to do of our Board of Directors and 25% of our executive
your work otherwise? It’s not a choice to be thoughtful, understanding, management team. From the launch of the Women’s
Leadership Initiative in 2003 to 2008, women’s rep-
and supportive of bringing women in and retaining them—it’s
”
resentation in senior leadership positions increased
a business imperative. from 2.9% to 18%, and the number of women project
Lee A. McIntire, CH2M HILL President & CEO
managers grew from 20.5% to 30.3%. These numbers
are hard evidence of the impact made by the Women’s
Leadership Initiative within CH2M HILL, and dem-
Women under-represented in the industry
onstrate that women are “at the table” to help shape our business
Through tracking changes in the engineering and construction
strategy for the future. PDJ
industry workforce, CH2M HILL’s leaders recognized women as a
critical part of our talent pool, and therefore strategic to our long-
term success. Although the number of women in our industry is CH2M HILL is one of the top-ranked engineering and construction firms
growing (an increase of 18 percent between 1995 and 2002, ac- headquartered in the United States, with US$6 billion in revenue in 2008
cording to the National Association of Women in Construction), and more than 25,000 employees worldwide. The firm’s work is concentrated
women accounted for less than 10 percent of the 9.6 million total in the areas of energy, water, transportation, environmental, nuclear, and
U.S. workers employed in the industry in 2002. In 2007, women industrial facilities. CH2M HILL works on the most challenging projects on
the planet, including the historic expansion of the Panama Canal; the London
still made up less than 10 percent of the industry (1.1 million out 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games; and Masdar City, the world’s first
of a total of 11.9 million), according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor carbon-neutral “sustainable city” in Abu Dhabi. The company’s values and its
Statistics’ Current Population Survey. Furthermore, while there people have created a culture in which diversity, inclusion, and innovation are
are now as many women as men in the U.S. obtaining bachelor’s natural and an integral part of how CH2M HILL does business. In 2009 the
degrees in the overall science and engineering category, fewer firm was recognized for a fourth time on FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best
Companies to Work For”. CH2M HILL is 100 percent employee-owned, the
people overall—male or female—are applying to U.S. university
only large engineering-construction firm to have this ownership structure. Its
engineering and construction programs. corporate headquarters are near Denver, Colorado.

Keeping Diversity Relevant
By Fred Keeton
Vice President of External Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer
W
Harrah’s Entertainment
What does Harrah’s Finally, we focus on hard problems, ensuring the end goal is
Entertainment do to understood. The team works within a defined timeline and with
continually improve through minimal administrative guidelines. While there is a singular de-
the use of diversity and fined goal, how the team applies its diverse cognitive tools to solve
inclusion? the problem is left to them. Diverse by Design teams practicing
Diversity conversations in the United States, historically, focus inclusion ultimately manifest enhanced value in their outcomes.
on the protected classes of race, gender, sexual orientation, age,
It has become trendy for companies to state that diversity en-
and disability. Motivation for diversity mostly centers on legal
hances business results, only using corporate culture enrichment
compliance and ethical mandates. Diversity efforts have also been
and equality arguments to make their case. Even diversity-focused
remedial—to “fix” people who can’t include and value colleagues.
marketing efforts are solely targeted toward reaching under-served
protected-class market seg-
“
But, how do we make the
conversation DIRECTLY rel- ments. These arguments, while
I want Harrah’s to be known as a place important, do not present a
evant to EVERY facet of our
business? where our colleagues legitimately feel compelling, defined value
proposition for the universal
First, understanding and that they have made themselves in some business application of diversity
catalyzing diverse “cognitive
way personally better through their very and inclusion.
”
toolboxes” is key. The number
At Harrah’s, we view fo-
and relevance of diverse tools association with the company. cusing cognitive abilities and
available to focus on a problem
determines functional potential Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman predispositions based on
in individuals and teams. individual backgrounds, ex-
periences, and genetic wiring,
Second, we take on hard problems. Any group, diverse or not, as critical to generating desired business outcomes. As a company
can solve easy problems. Diverse groups, practicing inclusion, with 80,000 global employees, we must identify, mine, and chan-
manifest advantages by increasing numbers of approaches available nel these diverse, untapped cognitive resources toward specific
to solve the problem, and therefore are able to take on difficult results. Only then can we transform perceptions of, and our ap-
problems more effectively. proach to diversity and inclusion.
Third, we recognize that good ideas can come from anywhere: Chairman and CEO Gary Loveman sees diversity and inclu-
whether line-level employees or the executive offices. sion as critical to maximizing performance: “A high performing
Fourth, our structure both harnesses cognitive diversity and organization is the product of a diverse group of talented em-
focuses it toward driving specific business outcomes. ployees, working in an inclusive environment where various back-
Our approach at Harrah’s is to first identify a defined grounds and experiences are respected and valued, and where each
business goal. What are we trying to accomplish? What is our individual has the opportunity to do his or her best work. I want
immediate issue? Harrah’s to be known as a place where our colleagues legitimately
feel that they have made themselves in some way personally better
Next, we create a Diverse by Design work team: a smart, through their very association with the company.”
cognitively diverse group that also brings other relevant dimen-
sions of diversity to the issue. We use the Herrmann Brain Finally, our formula for Success is simple: Diversify, Include,
Dominance Instrument (HBDI) as our method of determining Engage, Innovate and Profit. PDJ
cognitive predispositions.

Adapting to a Changing Marketplace
through Diversity and Inclusion
By Tammie L. McNaughton
Director, Corporate Diversity & Work Life
T
Highmark Inc.
The challenges facing businesses and health care Our initial groups are
companies in today’s economic climate are widespread. One of “BRAG” (Black Resources
the greatest hurdles we have is the evolution of the health care Achieving Great business
industry. With each passing day, it is clear to us that our work- results) and “hiPRIDE”
force and customer demographics are changing and we need to (Highmark People Respecting
find ways to anticipate and fulfill customer needs to compete in Individuality and Diversity in
a multicultural marketplace. Everyone) to leverage “LGBTA” (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual,
Transgender and Allies) employees.
At Highmark, we believe a diverse, inclusive, and talented
workforce is a key competitive advantage. Companies that We lead “Discussing Diversity” sessions that create open
embrace diversity and inclusion can go from good to great. We dialogue about individual differences and build the business
know that we have great peo- case for diversity to engage
“
ple who can help us thrive. employees at all levels. And,
The synergy of our employ- With each passing day, it is clear to us that reverse mentoring in our in-
ees’ skills, talents, potential our workforce and customer demographics formation technology area al-
and backgrounds allows us to lows exempt level employees
be innovative and carry out are changing and we need to find ways to mentor senior staff and
our mission to provide access
to anticipate and fulfill customer needs to explore differences in work
”
to affordable, quality health experience based on gender,
care, enabling individuals to compete in a multicultural marketplace. race/ethnicity, generation and
live longer, healthier lives. sexual orientation.
We work endlessly to as- Our best-in-class disability
sure that our employees, products and services are a reflection employment and corporate accessibility strategies are designed to
of the communities we live in and serve. This could not be ac- provide comparable access to job opportunities and information
complished without the support of our CEO, who also considers by our employees and customers alike. Committed to building
himself Highmark’s Chief Diversity Officer, and has positioned a culture of inclusion, we educate our workforce on the compe-
the company to further our goal of cultural competency. tencies of credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie to
build trust, boost engagement and impact productivity.
Highmark’s Diversity Council was launched in 2007 to
expand diversity and inclusion as a company-wide initiative We have taken steps to invest in the company’s future by
and provide opportunities for diversity champions to emerge. participating in the National Health Plan Collaborative, which
The Diversity Council is a 17-member group of diverse leaders works to reduce health care disparities and enhance health eq-
from business units including IT, Sales, Operations, Finance and uity. The impact on our employees, customers and communities
Supplier Diversity, among others. is far reaching.
We also established Business Resource Groups (BRGs) to We know that business success at Highmark is built on recog-
promote inclusion and achievement as strategic business objec- nizing and respecting all people. We are committed to building
tives and empower employees, further tapping into their innova- a unified, diverse and inclusive workforce, which will ultimately
tion and creativity. allow us to provide the best possible care to our members and
the community. PDJ

Valuing Diverse Customers
By Jane Conti
Vice President
C
New York Life Insurance Company
Companies that are Marketing to these consumers—Brand awareness is impor-

successful proactively strat- tant to reaching these consumers. Cultural marketing and brand-
egize on how best to serve ing that demonstrate an understanding of the culture and shows
diverse clients. The changing consistent commitment is important. Participating in community
United States demograph- activities shows support and gives back. It is important to have
ics substantiate this opinion. plans that consist of activities that demonstrate one’s commitment
Today, minorities represent roughly one-third of the U.S. popula- to these markets and involve active participation of agents and
tion, and are expected to become the majority in 2042, according managers at the local level. Advertising should be incorporated
to the U.S. Census Bureau. into marketing plans as a way to heighten brand awareness in each
At New York Life, our goal is to be the Company of the cultural market, but most efforts should be aimed at educating
Community and to do so means we need to mirror the commu- the consumer.
nities in which we live and work. As our Cultural Market efforts In-language and/or culturally relevant materials—
become a greater percentage of the total, we recognize the impor- Educational pieces and marketing packages that appeal to
tance of ensuring that we have the proper support in place to best the community help one to better serve clients where language
serve our growing and diverse clientele. As a result, we engage all can be a challenge, and it illustrates one’s commitment to the
areas of the Company to anticipate and respond to unique needs respective market.
of this consumer base. We consistently seek input from agents In-language and/or cultural training—In-language training
working in these communities and from our diverse consumers forums should be developed to compliment existing training pro-
directly to see what additional support or changes to our existing grams. These programs help agents to address cultural concerns.
programs may be needed. For example, when designing a series of
product marketing materials it is important to take into consider- Underwriting support—Having underwriters who can
ation cultural preferences and nuances. communicate with consumers in their native languages when
necessary helps clients understand the process and what infor-
One’s process in helping individuals, families and businesses is mation is required. In addition, translating underwriting guide-
the same for all clients and prospects. This process starts with the lines and materials improves efficiency when communicating to
fact-finder, which helps the agent determine the need relevant to these individuals.
the resources and allows us to better understand their hopes, de-
sires and dreams. All of this information is collected to determine On-going servicing—To maintain a diverse client base,
unique solutions for the respective client. This process is the same companies should constantly seek bilingual employees for service
for all, but for some clients there may be additional needs, such as centers, and when needed have a vendor who can assist in the
in-language materials to better explain the products and/or con- servicing process.
cepts. Additional needs may also arise on the underwriting and/or Recognizing that our Cultural Markets now represent a third
servicing side, where having representatives who are fluent in the of our new business and are growing rapidly, we have worked to
respective language and/or a vendor to assist is crucial. create infrastructure and processes which help us attract and bet-
Keys to successfully servicing a diverse clientele can be sum- ter serve diverse consumers, such as in-language concept materials
marized as follows: and language capabilities at our underwriting and service centers.
It starts with distribution—A diverse group of Agents who The key to serving diverse markets is understanding and ap-
mirror the community, understand the cultural nuances, and, preciating the differences, increasing the number of people serving
when needed, are proficient in the respective language(s), is crucial these markets and proactively building and/or adjusting support
to building and maintaining a diverse consumer base. mechanisms to address unique needs. PDJ

What Globalization Means for
Diversity and Inclusion Efforts
By Susan Johnson
Vice President, Strategic Talent Management and Diversity Leadership
A
Pitney Bowes Inc.
A new era of diversity management is upon us. Globalization shared mission and common
has transformed society, economics and politics, greatly influ- set of values, diverse teams can
encing demographics within the workplace. Not only are today’s develop better, more robust
employees more diverse, with minorities constituting 40% of ideas and processes based on
the U.S. workforce in 2009, the heads of state—Barack Obama, a variety of viewpoints. And,
Angela Merkel, Nicolas Sarkozy, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf—reflect a with increased levels of innovation and an ability to attract top-
sea change in perceptions of leadership. A multi-cultural, global level talent, global diversity is a competitive edge.
workforce symbolizes a new way of thinking about diversity and
In fact, diversity programs have had a positive impact on
inclusion efforts.
employee motivation and customer satisfaction for more than
Even the term “diversity” needs to be redefined. Whether it half of the companies that have implemented them, with a noted
is linked with race and civil rights in the U.S., languages and improvement in brand image for 69% of companies studied by
cultural sub-groups in European countries, or other cultural the European Commission. In addition, Fortune 500 companies
nuances in Asian and Latin with three or more women on
“
American countries, “diversity” their board of directors had
must encompass the innumerable
…the definition of global diversity better financial performances
differences found in the global should encompass an understanding of than those with two or fewer,
workforce. according to a 2007 study
the differences between countries and from Catalyst.
”
For many organizations, the
definition of global diversity should the internal diversity of each country. Clearly, a global perspec-
encompass an understanding of tive in diversity and inclusion
the differences between countries management is an economic
as well as the internal diversity imperative. With the U.N. re-
of each country. The scope must be global, and knowledge porting that restricted job opportunities for women cost the Asia
about the country’s customers, employees and suppliers is and Pacific countries between US$42 billion and US$46 billion
essential. Support from top management and clearly communi- in GDP growth annually, business impact is a reality.
cating the business case for diversity and inclusion practices are
So, what can a global organization do with diversity dynam-
also important.
ics changing so rapidly? Here are some suggestions. To avoid any
A diverse workforce alone does not equate to a successful business consequences of an improperly managed diverse work-
global diversity management program. Inclusion programs force, focus on inclusive efforts within an organization. In order
and initiatives that bring a heightened sense of awareness to transform a business environment, inclusion practices must
and sensitivity to differences often provide employees with be imbedded into an organization’s bottom line and throughout
tools to overcome the potential challenges associated with its culture. Agree on a common definition of diversity that reso-
diverse, global teams. nates within and outside a country’s cultural frame of reference.
Once the culture of an organization shifts from a narrowly-
These challenges can exist from country-to-country or in
defined identity to one of cultural inclusiveness, a sustainable
cultural sub-groups of one country, but with the right mix of
and successful model of global diversity is achieved. PDJ
diversity and inclusion practices, successful teams often avoid
the “group think” that can plague homogeneous ones. With a

Management Implications of the
Multi-Generational Workforce
By Linda Jimenez
Staff Vice President, Inclusion & Workforce Mobilization
A
WellPoint, Inc.
As Tom Brokaw com- These generations are mixing more than ever before at
mented during a recent in- work—older workers are staying longer on the job and corporate
terview with Time Magazine, hierarchies have flattened over the past two decades. The challenge
“Within every generation of managing a multigenerational workforce is still fairly new on
there is greatness.” For the company radar screens, and most workplaces have no mechanism
first time in our history we to address the issue. Members of each generation bring distinct
are seeing an unprecedented phenomenon with four generations sets of values, attitudes and behaviors to the workplace. The four
with distinct character traits and approaches to work coming to- generations in the workforce today come to work with different
gether in the workforce. According to Claire Raines, co-author of expectations, assumptions, priorities, and approaches to work and
the book, Generations at Work, these four generations are: communication. If these differences are ignored, they can grow
• The World War II generation, born before about 1940, into a source of misunderstanding and conflict. However, when
who account for approximately 5 percent of the workforce. appropriately managed, they create opportunities for collaboration
Characteristics of this generation include dedication, sacri- and synergy among the different generations of workers, giving the
fice, and respect for authority. This generation established the organization a competitive edge.
authority system and our present day workplace ethic. Proper communication is critical—the better each genera-
• The Baby Boomer generation, born from about 1940 to tion understands the other, the better they’ll all work together.
1960, who account for approximately 45 percent of the Employee manuals that customarily include traditional topics such
workforce and still hold the lion’s share of leadership posi- as responsibilities and duties, compensation and benefits, disci-
tions in most organizations. Characteristics of this generation plinary guidelines, holidays and paid time off are being expanded
include optimism, team orientation, and personal gratifica- to include specifics on incentives, professionalism, dress, tattoos,
tion. This generation rebelled against the authority system. hair color and cuts, and body piercings. All these generations in
Remember the Vietnam War protests, the hippie movement, one workplace force us to rethink how we hire, train, manage, and
drugs, the feminist movement and music—from Elvis’s pelvic retain employees.
gyrations to the Beatles? A new term called “generational competence” describes the be-
• Generation X, born from about 1960 to 1980, who ac- haviors that organizations must make in order to meet the diverse
count for approximately 40 percent of the workforce. needs of the four generations in today’s workforce—behaviors and
Characteristics of this generation include diversity, informal- approaches around effective communication tools to minimize
ity, and self-reliance. This generation ignored the authority conflict, progressive HR and work-life strategies to attract and
system. They grew up with fast paced educational and inter- retain key talent, and management practices to enhance productiv-
active television and computer games, their attention span is ity and personal and professional development. It is imperative for
shorter and they expect immediate awards. By 2040 they will employers to develop a clear, appropriate and deliverable employer
outnumber the Baby Boomers. “brand;” adopt demographic and generational marketing, learning
and teaching practices; and align key HR programs focused on
• The Millennial generation, born after 1980, who account recruitment and retention.
for about 10 percent of the workforce. Characteristics of this
generation include sociability, civic duty, and morality. This Over the next 20 years each of today’s generations will enter
generation thinks they are the authority system. They gener- its next phase of life. In doing so, each will transform that phase
ally believe that what they want they should get—NOW! in ways that echo through our history. This is how history repeats
and society progresses. Each new young generation fills a role
being vacated by an older generation. PDJ

A PIPE-line to Effective Recruiting
By Ouraphone Siri-Outhay
W
Director of Diversity Recruiting
UnitedHealth Group
With the economy in flux, there is no such thing as personalized to their interests
business as usual anymore—and that goes double for the busi- and needs. We can send news
ness of diversity recruiting. updates and industry infor-
mation, provide details about
At UnitedHealth Group, we know that building a diverse
events that we’re attending, or
team of high-performing employees is key to achieving our mis-
offer post-event information
sion of helping people live healthier lives. As our customer base
via e-mail. These personalized communications provide a valu-
and businesses evolve, our recruiting strategies and tools evolve
able touch point.
right along with them, combining tried-and-true methods with
new technology that gives us a competitive edge. Through the The PIPE also centralizes information on leads and pros-
changes, we keep three truths top of mind: pects, and sends our recruiters reminders to reach out to them
periodically. The system plays a critical role in keeping our re-
1. To build a diverse team, we first have to build a diverse
cruiters updated on a candidate’s status. Because it is integrated
talent pool. We have ongoing relationships with well-established
with our applicant-tracking system, our recruiters can receive
organizations like the National Black MBA Association, the
a daily report that shows where candidates are in the hiring
National Society of Hispanic MBAs, the National Association of
process. This ensures efficient, streamlined communications.
Hispanic Nurses and INROADS, which have all been sources of
Candidates are not being contacted multiple times by different
great employees for us.
functional areas, and each recruiter can see what his or her peers
But we’re expanding our reach. For example, we’re develop- are doing who may be located across the nation.
ing initiatives to recruit, develop and retain employees over age
3. We want the best candidates, not just the best health-
50, because we know that they’ll bring valuable perspectives to
care candidates. When we talk about diversity at UnitedHealth
our work to serve our customers in the same age range. Tools
Group, we’re talking about differences that reach far beyond
to help us reach this group and other diverse populations are
gender and ethnicity. Teams that reflect a wide range of back-
integrated into the comprehensive employee-sourcing strate-
grounds, experiences, perspectives and beliefs are best equipped
gies created by each of our functional recruiting teams (e.g.,
to produce the innovations that drive our business, so we are
Information Technology, Finance, Healthcare Operations).
always on the lookout for people whose résumés reflect accom-
Technology is part of the mix, too. Our candidate- plishments beyond the parameters of the health-care industry.
management system, the PIPE (People Interested in Potential One of the features of the PIPE is a home-page news feed
Employment), ties each résumé to a list of searchable keywords that provides a steady stream of competitive intelligence. For
we can use to identify and begin developing relationships instance, recruiters can see information on topics like national
with passive candidates whose experience would enhance our and local developments at our competitors’ locations, layoff an-
team’s diversity. nouncements from major employers, mergers and acquisitions,
2. Good relationships will always be our most effective and executive job changes. Our recruiters get the scoop immedi-
recruiting tool. The PIPE also gives us a high-tech way to make ately and can get in touch with potential candidates quickly.
sure our recruiting process is high-touch and personal. The We know we will find talented, creative people in every kind
customized system is based on customer relationship manage- of business, educational and nonprofit environment. They are
ment software. Since there’s such fierce competition for talented the people we want to recruit for our team. As we reach out
people, we use the PIPE to help build UnitedHealth Group’s to potential employees—whether it is face-to-face or via our
employment brand among candidates who are thinking about high-tech tools—our message is consistent: at UnitedHealth
making a career change. Group, your ideas can come to life in ways that touch the lives
The PIPE helps keep us connected with the candidates and of millions. PDJ
lets us share information about UnitedHealth Group that’s

Cultural Competency =
Market Intelligence
By Tisa Jackson
Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion
A
Union Bank, N.A.
Are diversity and 100 Black Men of the Bay Area. We also sponsor events such as
inclusion initiatives in cor- a symposium in March that brought together affluent African
porate America about doing American customers and other guests at Sony Pictures Studios
the right thing, or about im- in Los Angeles to honor world-renown pediatric neurosur-
proving business results? geon Dr. Ben Carson, who inspired a recent TNT film, Gifted
The answer is both. In addition to offering quality products, Hands: The Ben Carson Story. Dr. Carson participated in a panel
businesses often grow because of the experiences they provide their discussion, and the bank made a donation to the Carson Scholars
customers through relationships, branding and service. Since these Fund to help youth who demonstrate academic excellence. This
experiences are typically an extension of a company’s internal cul- event gave our affluent African American customers an opportu-
ture, it makes good sense to simultaneously address the needs of nity to meet a well-respected role model in the community, and
both employees and customers. provided the bank an opportunity to foster relationships with
those who attended.
When you look at the collective buying power of traditionally
under-served populations, such as African American, Hispanic Companies that have been successful in engaging and lever-
and Asian communities in recent years, it’s clear from a business aging a multi-dimensional workforce are uniquely positioned to
perspective that multicultural markets pose lucrative business increase customer diversity. Many of Union Bank’s branch em-
opportunities. According to U.S. Census data, buying power is ployees are bilingual—they speak Spanish, Japanese, Vietnamese,
expected to reach $1.1 trillion annually for African Americans Korean, and Farsi, among other languages—and provide customer
by 2012, $1 trillion for Hispanics by 2010 and $579 million for service that reflects an awareness of and respect for the nuances of
Asians by 2010. other cultures. We also offer special services designed to meet the
financial needs of various markets.
Companies that effectively serve a diverse customer base have
done their homework to develop cultural competency—under- Serving multicultural markets is as intrinsic to our corporate
standing the values, norms, behaviors and expectations of diverse culture as employee diversity—not just because it makes good
consumer markets. This is simply basic market intelligence. business sense, but because it’s the right thing to do. PDJ
To increase market share, companies must develop an un-

derstanding of other market dimensions, including generational
differences—the ages of today’s consumers span more than four
generations—and diverse communities such as the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) market. In addition to having Tisa Jackson, vice president of diversity and inclusion for Union Bank,
considerable buying power ($712 billion in 2008), this commu- N.A., has more than 13 years of experience in this field, as well as
nity has extraordinary brand loyalty to companies that genuinely strategic human resources management, community development and
accept and support it. organizational development. She is founder of the Professional &
Technical Diversity Network (PTDN) of Greater Los Angeles, a
African American consumers are particularly responsive to
diversity consortium comprised of companies committed to diversity
companies that are involved in the community. Union Bank
and inclusion. Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service commercial bank
reaches out to this group by supporting a number of business, pro-
providing an array of financial services to individuals, small businesses,
fessional development and neighborhood organizations, including middle-market companies, and major corporations. Union Bank is
the Greater Los Angeles African American Chamber of Commerce California’s fifth-largest bank by deposits and has 335 banking offices in
(GLAAACC), Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC), and California, Oregon, and Washington and two international offices.
Visit www.unionbank.com for more information.

Inspiring Trust
By Robert T. Spencer, Jr.
T
Director, Talent Management and Inclusion
Entergy Services, Inc.
To be effective, a Chief Diversity Officer must have a Many companies are turn-
broad range of skills and competencies. A critical skill for success ing to internal leaders with
is the ability to inspire trust. The board and CEO must trust little or no diversity experi-
that you will work within the system to bring about positive ence to run their diversity
change. They may have this confidence because you have already office. These are most often
done it internally on other subject areas. Or, as an external hire, very capable, highly respected leaders who have been with the
there is a direct connection between reputation and trust. If you organization for ten-plus years and have the internal network
have done it before in another company, many decision makers and the trust of the CEO that allows them to be successful
will trust that you know what you’re doing. leading a major change initiative. So, mission accomplished?
“
Not quite.
The CDO must also inspire trust
with the larger employee base, and In order to have credibility with Ultimately, as with most hir-
any external stakeholders. This means
“front-line” employees, they have to ing decisions, this one is likely to
being empathetic to the point of view come down to best fit and the
of a large number of constituents believe that you are willing to speak
”
comfort level the decision maker
and, like all executives, understand- has with the candidate. In other
truth to power.
ing the business impact of your role. words, who does the decision
In order to have credibility with maker trust?
“front-line” employees, they have to believe that you are will-
In the end, inspiring trust takes time. It takes consistent
ing to speak truth to power. The CDO role can’t be relegated
behavior viewed positively by the person with whom we are
to a public relations/marketing role: working to position the
trying to build trust. A colleague of mine expresses a sentiment
company in the most favorable light internally and externally
that I think applies to the Chief Diversity Officer: “I don’t feel
through communication and window dressing but not sub-
I’m doing my job well unless I’m about to lose it.” Her point
stantively moving the company toward the creation of a more
was that some roles require you to push the envelope, and the
inclusive environment.
CDO is certainly one of those roles. Part of a CDO’s role is
As an example of the importance instilling trust plays in the to inspire trust with all employees throughout the company:
skill set of a CDO, let’s consider the process of hiring someone male and female, minority and majority, etc. If the CDO is so
for that position. Few organizations have large diversity staffs, close to the upper level decision makers that he or she will not
which allow them to promote from within, and rarer still “rock the boat,” meaningful change is not likely. In the right
would be the external diversity practitioner who has in-depth environment, however, the CDO becomes an agent of positive
knowledge of the organization, and the key internal relation- change because of the trust he or she has built throughout the
ships needed to successfully create change. Because interviews organization—trust that inspires the organization to become
have the constraint of time (even when conducted over multiple truly inclusive. PDJ
meetings), a decision maker will have difficulty assessing the
candidate’s ability to inspire trust on issues as sensitive as diver-
sity and inclusion. Add to this the discomfort most executives
already have with their own D&I journey and you see the uphill
battle an external candidate will have.

Innovative Workplace Accomodation
By April Taggart
Senior Vice President, Talent Management & Diversity
W
BMO Financial Group
Workplace accom- the manager. Therefore, it was concluded that the current accom-
modation is key in address- modation model would not meet the demands over the next three
ing workplace barriers faced years to support the increased hiring of people with disabilities. In
by people with disabilities response, we took this opportunity for our company to enhance
in the Canadian workforce. our existing model by looking at innovative ways to provide better
In 2006, approximately support for managers and employees in assessing and delivering
4.4 million people in Canada had disabilities, representing workplace accommodations.
14.3 percent of Canada’s population.1 Further, 49.5 percent of Building on our existing Diversity & WorkPlace Equity
working age adults with disabilities are either unemployed or not (DWPE) team, we centralized our workplace accommodation
in the labour force, compared to 24.5 percent of working age expertise to improve turnover time for implementing workplace
adults without disabilities.2 Organizations may ask how they can accommodation to increase productivity and work effective-
work to create a work environment and culture that will ness across the business. This change means managers are no
help attract and sustain a workforce that includes people longer responsible for implementing workplace accommoda-
with disabilities. tions; rather, the DWPE team is accountable for the assessment,
BMO Financial Group’s commitment to establishing and coordination and fulfillment of accommodations for employees
sustaining a diverse workforce and an equitable, supportive and with disabilities. As part of this improvement, the role of a
inclusive workplace was first articulated in our 1989 Corporate Workplace Accommodation Advisor was created. The Workplace
Strategic Plan. It gained strength and focus with the establishment Accommodation Advisor works with both employee and manager
of four Task Forces from 1991-1995 that identified the barriers to ensure the successful implementation of workplace accom-
faced by designated groups, and articulated action plans. A major modation needs. This includes recommending and arranging for
goal of the Task Force on Employment of People with Disabilities workplace assessment through a specialist; reviewing the results
was workplace accessibility. The report recommended that BMO of the assessment; evaluating the workplace accommodation with
provide workplace modifications, alternative work tools and the employee and manager; identifying, sourcing, ordering and ar-
individual assistance to create an inclusive work environment, ranging the accommodation needs; documentation; and follow-up
which would remove barriers and improve employees’ ability to to ensure all accommodation needs are being met.
contribute equitably and effectively to the business. A signifi- The improvements to our Workplace Accommodation Policy
cant outcome of their recommendations was the creation of our reinforce our commitment to provide workplace accommodation
Workplace Accommodation Policy that made the provision that to our employees with disabilities and potential employees during
workplace accommodations were to be centrally funded to sup- the recruitment process by relieving managers from feeling that
port people with disabilities. This meant that all workplace accom- they need to be the expert, and employees are freed from having to
modations were now funded at the group level with no impact to know exactly what accommodations their new work environment
the unit manager’s budget, leaving the manager to focus on a wider will require. Further, we believe this review and update will result
talent pool without the concern of costs. in decreased work-related stress and increased overall job satisfac-
Although we have advanced over the last decade in creating tion and performance. PDJ
an equitable, supportive workplace, we continue to measure our
success and look for ways of improving an inclusive work environ-
ment. It was through a review of this policy that it became clear
that, although our funding model was successful, the decentralized
1 Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey (PALS) 2006, released
management was inefficient and ineffective. Adequate support was December 3, 2007, Table 1.1-1.
not being provided to either the employee with the disability or to 2 Statistics Canada, Participation and Activity Limitation Survey 2006: Tables (Part III).
Catalogue no. 89-628-X - No. 008.

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advertiser’s index
Bank of the West . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 17 Ivy Planning Group. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 59 Vanguard HR. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 5
www.bankofthewest.com www.ivygroupllc.com www.vanguard.com
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC . .. .. .. .. ..55 Lockheed Martin . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Verizon. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..35

www.bcbsnc.com www.lockheedmartin.com www.verizon.com
Chevron . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..15 National Grid. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 31 Wal-Mart. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Back Cover

www.chevron.com www.nationalgridus.com www.walmart.com
Eastman Kodak Company. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..18 Shell Oil . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..57 Waste Management. .. .. .. .. .. Inside Back
www.kodak.com www.shell.com www.wm.com
Ford Motor Company . .. .. .. . Inside Front, Sodexo. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 3 WellPoint . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 13

www.ford.com. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. pg 1 www.sodexousa.com www.wellpoint.com
ITT. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..27 UnitedHealth Group. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..37

www.itt.com www.unitedhealthgroup.com
my turn
continued from p. 14
The two most used were: 1) revising employee policies to improve Revise business processes to support diversity. Particularly
work/life balance and 2) widening recruitment pools—both in Europe, companies stress the importance of taking a close look
of which are used by 46% of the organizations in our sur- at business processes to ensure that diverse candidates have a fair
vey. Further, 40% of the organizations surveyed are providing chance at hiring and promotion.
employee training to enhance respect for diverse cultures and Set clear diversity targets. Successful diversity programs set
36% are providing channels for confidentially handling equal qualitative and quantitative targets that are attainable and tied to
opportunity complaints. the organization’s business objectives.
The following are the 13 D&I best practices used worldwide Establish metrics and track progress. A corollary of setting
and are generally useful in all regions. These are practical strategies targets is measuring progress toward that target.
we should all strive to adopt: Offer appropriate management incentives. Successful com-
Lead the effort from the top. In many regions—especially in panies encourage managers to contribute individually to the
Western Europe—CEOs are the main advocates of D&I. results. Often, there is a direct quantitative link between manag-
Make diversity a core value. To get managers and employees ers’ compensation and their diversity recruitment and promotion
on board, make diversity a core piece of the organization’s value results.
system. Make diversity training a way of life. To be successful, train-
Build an infrastructure to support diversity. This consists of ing to encourage diversity must be ongoing. Emphasize mentoring
both the existing hierarchy and permanent dedicated groups such and coaching.
as employee networks with top-level backing. Focus on the business case for diversity. Successful diversity
Focus on diversity in the entire talent pipeline. Large com- programs are often built on the persuasion of middle managers.
panies that want to ensure a supply of qualified, diverse candidates The decisive selling point usually is the business case for diversity.
for senior-level jobs must start at the bottom of the pyramid by Cast a wide recruiting net. Partner with outside organizations
grooming promising employees. to broaden recruitment efforts. Use employee networks to support
Network intensively with business unit managers. Business external outreach.
unit managers must be involved if diversity efforts are to succeed. The study also differentiates how companies approach D&I in
Leave room for national variation in implementation. different regions of the world (e.g., North America, Europe, and
National cultural differences play a major role in determining Asia, etc.). For more study results, or for more information, visit
whether diversity programs take hold, and the programs must be www.shrm.org or email me at shirley.davis@shrm.org. PDJ
tailored with those differences in mind.

We Must Reach Out…
We are very proud of our record on diversity and inclusion.
After all, the more different perspectives we have on board, the
more great ideas we can generate. When we reach out to shape
the future, we ensure a responsible energy future for all.
www.shell.com/us
If We Want to Shape the Future.

stories
microtrigger stories
editors notebook
Have You Experienced

These Kinds of Triggers?
By Janet Crenshaw Smith
Meeting Mishap Newbie Nightmare

MicroTriggers are those subtle
“ When I have meetings
scheduled with a Latina behaviors, phrases and inequities
“
I began working for a
new company last year. After
colleague, she typically arrives being there for about 6-8
20 minutes late, without notice that trigger an instantaneous weeks, people in the office
or remorse. This happens more still did not know who I
negative response. Here are some was, nor did they take the
often than I would like and it
upsets me. When I’ve discussed samples for you to consider. time to find out. No one
it with others, they remind made an effort to introduce
me of the cultural difference. themselves and I thought I
I understand and appreciate was in an office full of rude
differences, but scheduling meetings and not honoring and unprofessional people. As opposed to feeling like
times can be disruptive to my work day.” a total outsider, I took it upon myself to speak to as
-S. Barry, CMP many people as I could. This did not make me the
most popular person in the office, but it definitely
helped change the dynamics of many relationships I
Platter Pet Peeve
had with my new co-workers.”
“ I was at a restaurant with some colleagues after
work one evening. After everyone ordered and the
-J. Davis
food arrived, a couple of my co-workers became

enamored with the presentation of my meal. Soon Double Trouble
they began asking me if they could try some of my
food, and by the time my plate went around the “
I work in an office in which there is one
other minority of my ethnicity. She and I are
table it was a less than desirable portion. I do not like constantly mistaken for each other. Though we try
sharing my meals at restaurants, let alone having my not to take it seriously, it is hard not to take offense.
meal become the sample platter of the table. Everyone We are individuals and it would be nice to be treated
reviews the same menu…I don’t understand why this as such.”
has to be the case.” -Anonymous
-D. Vilmenay, J.D.
PDJ
Janet Crenshaw Smith is president of Ivy Planning Group, LLC, a consulting and
training firm that specializes in diversity strategy and leadership. Her book is titled,
MicroTriggers: 58 Little Things That Have a BIG Impact. Have a MicroTrigger story to
share? Send it to: JSmith@ivygroupllc.com.

ivy planning group Todo
SERVICES list
Ivy understands that as organizations establish
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last word
Communicating Effectively
in a World of Differences
By Marie Y. Philippe, PhD
Corporate Vice President, Culture and Organizational Effectiveness
N
The Lifetime Healthcare Companies
Nothing should 3. Checking for understanding is the most effective

be simpler between indi- mechanism for alignment in intent and interpretation. To
viduals than an exchange alleviate the communication disconnect between intent and im-
of thoughts, information or pact in our diverse world, a check-point methodology is highly
messages. Nothing, however, recommended. Although many still hesitate to check for under-
is further from the truth. standing when communicating within the workplace, the ap-
Communication methodologies have been dissected based on proach proven to most effectively promote mutual respect and
gender, producing tons of valuable insight into the barriers collaboration is the clarification of intent. These simple words
between the sexes. Many more tons of studies documented the “Please correct me otherwise, but what I believe I heard you say
huge gaps in cross-culture communication, and voluminous was…” can make a world of difference between gaining a sup-
writings offer thousands of solutions. portive partner or frustrating and disengaging a co-worker.
Within the workplace, whether the exchange is between two Checking for the understanding of the intended meaning
or more, regardless of the differentiating dimensions—gender, tends to lead to more effective communication due to an in-
age, geography, or language, to name a few—four principles creased alignment with the interpretation. However, that is not
hold true because of their universality. Let’s dwell a moment on always the case if there is no alignment between the words and
each of these four points. the behavioral cues.
1. The lesser the demonstrable/visible cues, the higher 4. Without congruency between verbal and non-verbal
the probability of miscommunication. Randomly ask anyone cues, there cannot be effective communication. Incongruence
at your workplace if any of their electronic communications was between the verbal and body language inevitably leads to con-
ever misinterpreted. Chances are that honest responses will indi- fusion and miscommunication. Try smiling while reprimand-
cate a 50%+ occurrence rate. Not a surprise. In the total absence ing someone about something. Invariably, those who try this
of visible cues, the probability of miscommunication skyrockets. exercise for fun generate a perplexing facial expression from the
Therefore, if one wishes for clarity, avoid communicating solely other party or a lack of acceptance about the seriousness of the
through e-mail. matter, no matter how serious the nature of the reprimand. A
2. Suspending assumption and judgment while listening caveat is needed on this point. Cultural differences should be
and talking is a requisite for an effective exchange. One of taken into consideration when interpreting communication
the most challenging tasks for any human being is to temporar- cues such as eye contact, touching, tone of voice, bodily expres-
ily suspend all assumptions. Making assumptions about our sions, etc.
environment is innate. This attribute has allowed us to survive Significant challenges exist in transferring one’s thoughts
as human beings, by assessing potential harm and reacting to it. into words that are expected to be understood exactly as they
Suspending assumption in communication requires a conscious were meant to be. In a world of such great diversity, becoming
filtering of one’s own thoughts. a more effective communicator demands that we try giving and
Further, suspending judgment as our brain interprets vari- receiving visible cues, suspending assumptions and judgment
ous inputs, in nanoseconds, during an exchange is even harder. when talking and listening, and pausing periodically to check
Every society is based on value systems which foster judgment. for mutual understanding as well as aligning verbal and body
Everyone in the human race has the propensity to judge, con- languages. Only by faithfully trying to live by these guidelines
sciously or not. In this world filled with differences, great clarity can one hope to achieve true communication. PDJ
is rare because very few have mastered the temporary suspension
of judgment and assumptions for the duration of a communica- Marie Y. Philippe, PhD is well known for her leadership
tive interplay. contribution in corporate culture transformation through
strategic diversity initiatives and organizational change
management.
She can be reached at marie.philippe@lifethc.com.

Also Featuring …Perspectives from Storti, Casey, Davis, Harrington, Philippe • Catalyst • MicroTriggers
Volume 11, Number 3 MAY / JUNE 2009

12.95 U.S.
$
Celebrating
Asian-Pacific American
PROFILES IN DIVERSITY JOURNAL

Heritage
Month
MAY / JUNE 2009 • VOLUME 11 NUMBER 3

AXA AXA
Business wins when everyone matters.

KPMG KPMG INTERPUBLIC GROUP IW GROUP, INC.
Diversity and inclusion are enduring values embedded into our
www.diversityjournal.com
culture. These values are fundamental to both our business and
our mission, to save people money so they can live better.
At Wal-Mart, we continue to look for ways to diversify our business

and team of associates to better serve our customers. We are
NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE CATALYST ITT ITT
proud of the strides we have made, but our journey is not over.
With the help of our associates, customers, suppliers, and the

communities we serve, we look forward to continuing our journey
in being a true leader in all aspects of diversity and inclusion by
offering programs that truly matter.
PRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS SAIC VANGUARD UNILEVER
thoughtleaders
Expert Thoughts on Diversity
Habits of Highly Effective

The “Spark” Design ( ), Walmart and Save Money. Live Better. are marks and/or registered marks of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. ©2009 Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Bentonville, AR.

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Over 700 city miles on one tank of gas.

Commentaries or questions should be

Cheri Morabito SUBMISSIONS

2 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

14 My Turn by Shirley A. Davis, PhD, SHRM 9 Catalyst 

60 Last Word by Marie Philippe, PhD 58 MicroTriggers

Storti Casey Davis Harrington philippe

4 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

That’s why we need the right assets.

At Vanguard, we invest for the long term—in the markets and in

our talented employees, whose unique contributions energize our

work. That is why we continue to be strong, and why we’re

committed to providing opportunities for leaders like you.

Connect with Vanguard > www.vanguard.com/careers

Vanguard is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

6 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 7

WellPoint’s Matthews Butts Named Executive Vice Previously Sharma served as

cial decisions. There is clear data to as well as the alignment of technology

8 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

Cascading Gender Biases, Compounding Effects:

1 Kevin S. Groves, “Integrating Leadership Development and Succession Planning Best

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 9

Your Face or Mine?

10 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 11

What Can We Learn from Star-Bellied Sneetches?

At WellPoint, we are addressing tomorrow’s health care issues today. In providing

In partnership with our LGBT Associate Resource Group, ANGLE (Associate

Better health care, thanks to you.

SHRM’s International Diversity & Inclusion

More than ever, Inclusion, Government Inclusion, and Legal Framework).

When we’re all equals,

The power of equality and partnership is the power

More Work To Do:

16 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

WANT TO WORK FOR A

AT BANK OF THE WEST, WE BELIEVE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE

© Eastman Kodak Company, 2008

We wondered what unique challenges and

PRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS IW GROUP, INC.

ITT ITT VANGUARD UNILEVER

AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company,

AXA Advisors, LLC

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 21

New York Life Insurance Company

22 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

Bill Imada Chairman and CEO

Imada Wong Communications Group (dba “IW Group Inc.”)

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 23

ITT China & India

Clayton Young Assistant Treasurer

Yasuko Metcalf Audit Partner

Prof iles in Div er s it y Jou r na l M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9 25

Abha Kumar Principal, Information Technology

26 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

28 Pro f i les i n Di ve rsit y Journal M ay / J u n e 2 0 0 9

by Michael Collins by David Kassnoff

American Airlines views diversity communications as an Diversity communications—both internal and

Bringing Diversity to Life Use Your Intranet

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14 My Turn by Shirley A. Davis, PhD, SHRM 9 Catalyst

1 Kevin S. Groves, “Integrating Leadership Development and Succession Planning Best