LEAD510 – Leadership in Context - Mindful Management



Diversity Transformational ProcessSummer D. LeiferLEAD510 – Leadership in ContextDecember 9, 2012Mr. Jim MorrisonSouthwestern College Professional StudiesAbstractOrganizations are increasingly engaged in global operations and likewise dependent on an increasingly diverse workforce. Leaders set the tone for an organization’s climate as it relates to diversity and have the responsibility to their stakeholders to promote a diversity-sensitive organization in pursuit of strategic goals. Janice L. Dreachslin, Ph.D. and author of Diversity Leadership and many scholarly journal articles on the topic of leadership’s role in managing diversity in the workforce developed a five-step process to assist leaders with transforming an organizational culture and climate so it may manage and leverage diversity as a strategic strength. Dreachslin leaders engage in discovery to understand the value of diversity and assessment to obtain a clear picture of diversity within their organization (1999). Furthermore, she advises leaders to use this commitment and value to develop exploration opportunities for their workforce (1999). Once the people are prepared and engaged, then the leader is ready to execute the transformation through changes to organizational policies, procedures, and practices (Dreachslin, 1999). Finally, the leader should anchor the change in place through revitalization efforts (Dreachslin, 1999). This five-step process provides leaders with guidance how to identify needed diversity changes, implement the changes and cement the changes within the organizational culture. Diversity Transformational ProcessAs organizations cope with increasingly diverse workforces, leaders have the responsibility for not just managing diversity—they should leverage diversity. Diversity provides a wide array of perspectives, strengths, talents and capabilities far exceeding individual contributions. Janice L. Dreachslin, Ph.D. and author of Diversity Leadership and many scholarly journal articles on the topic of leadership’s role in managing diversity in the workforce, prescribes a five-step process leaders may use to transform their organization into a diversity-sensitive organization. First, she encourages leaders to understand the strategic value of diversity through discovery (Dreachslin, 1999). Next, Dreachslin advises leaders to gain a clear picture of their organizational culture as it relates to diversity through conducting an assessmentCITATION Dre99 \n \t \l 1033 (1999). Once a leader has a commitment and understanding, she states the leader is then prepared to begin to involve his/her followers in exploration of diversity concepts through training and development opportunitiesCITATION Dre99 \t \l 1033 (Dreachslin, 1999). After the people are prepared to engage in changing an organization, then a leader may begin the transformation of products, policies and proceduresCITATION Dre99 \t \l 1033 (Dreachslin, 1999). Finally, a leader must solidify the organizational commitment to leverage diversity as a strategic asset through revitalization efforts anchoring the transofrmation within the organizational cultureCITATION Dre99 \t \l 1033 (Dreachslin, 1999). Transforming an organization so it becomes sensitive to diversity issues and values the strategic gains diversity affords and cementing that change in place takes a deep commitment leadership commitment and this is why discovery is so crucial to the entire process. DiscoveryAccording to Dreachslin, the first step organizational leaders must complete to foster an environment committed to diversity is discovery (1999). During the discovery phase, leaders recognize the strategic value and importance of diversity to an organization CITATION Dre99 \l 1033 (Dreachslin, 1999). Leadership commitment to diversity is the cornerstone of organizational transformation. Diversity will have an impact on an organization and leadership determines whether that impact will be positive or negative. In Practicing Leadership: Principles and Application, authors Arthur Shriberg, David Shriberg and Richa Kumari assert, “multicultural leadership, whether done well, not well, or not at all, significantly influences a number of aspects of an organization and its performance” (2005, p.42, para.3). Leadership’s recognition of the importance of and resulting commitment to a diverse workforce is the foundation of a diverse workforce. In a 2007 Journal of Healthcare Management article on workforce diversity, The Role of Leadership in Creating a Diversity-Sensitive Organization, Dreachslin relates the successful efforts of Sodexho, a food and facilities management service company, to create and maintain a diverse workforce (2007). Rohini Anand, Ph.D., Sodexho’s chief diversity officer, explains “no diversity initiative can succeed without executive buy-in” (Dreachslin, 2007, p.151, para.3). Once leadership has declared its commitment to sustaining a diverse organizational environment, it is prepared to take the next step. AssessmentFollowing the discovery phase, leaders should evaluate the current organizational climate. To assist leaders during the assessment phase, Dreachslin recommends evaluating an organization’s environment in regards to diversity against ten performance indicators (1999). Although the ten indicators Dreachslin presents are in the context of a medical or health services organization, they may be tailored to any organization. Her performance indicators include routinely gathering demographic information on the current and projected workforce and information comparing workforce demographics by level (executive, management, professional and service) CITATION Dre99 \l 1033 (Dreachslin, 1999). Dreachslin also considers how openly leaders speak about diversity and the need for training as an indicator of an organization’s diversity environment (1999). Furthermore, she states an organization’s strategic plan to recruit and retain a diverse workforce is indicative of its level of commitment to and acceptance of diversity (1999). Shriberg et al. also encourage leaders to assess their organization’s diversity environment (2005). Similar to Dreachslin’s performance indicators, Shriberg et al. argue that for a leader to develop a clear picture of organizational diversity, they must examine all factors to include internal, implicit and invisible cultural factors (2005). The authors further encourage leaders to ask, “What are the values, beliefs, and assumptions that this population holds that manifest themselves in the visible artifacts that I can observe? What is the political and religious history of this culture that shapes its world view?”(2005, p.44, para. 2). Once leaders have clarity on the organizational climate in regards to diversity and are aware of any gaps between diversity goals and realities, they are equipped to move into the next phase. ExplorationA comprehensive effort to sustain an effective diverse workforce motivated by strategic goals and a clear understanding and awareness of the organizational culture and climate allow a leader to develop tailored and appropriate organizational diversity training and awareness events and opportunities. These events provide the workforce exploration opportunities as they engage in thoughtful debates in discussions on diversity issues (Dreachslin, 1999). They also enhance multicultural literacy. Multicultural literacy is defined by Robert Rosen, author of Global Literacies, “as the skills insights, and attitudes that allow one to learn from diverse individuals and places on a continuous basis” (as cited by Shriberg et al., 2005, p.46, para. 1). The ability to recoginize the value of diversity through direct learning and experiences is crucial to transforming an organization’s culture. It is a leadership responsibility to ensure timely, effective and continuous training and learning opportunities occur. As individual’s begin to change and expand their mindset and views on workplace diversity, the organization as a whole begins to transform. TransformationWhen leaders have prepared and equipped individuals to change, then the leaders are set to transform the organizational culture as it relates to diversity. Through implementing concrete practices, processes and procedures within an organization, leaders begin to solidify their commitment to diversity (Dreachslin, 1999). Glenn Fosdick, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of The Nebraska Medical Center and leader of a successful diversity initiative as Hurley Medical Center CEO, Flint, Michigan, stated the successful development of a diverse organization requires senior leaders who “openly commit to the recruitment, retention, development, and support of candidates previously underrepresented” (as cited by Dreachslin, 2007, p.151., para. 2). This process of transformation will allow a leader and the organization to better address the needs of both a diverse workforce and a diverse customer base. However establishing changes to personnel, processes and procedures it not sufficient as true transformational change requires continued leadership commitment. RevitalizationTo ensure an organization not only manages diversity issues but also continues to leverage diversity as an asset, leaders must continue to monitor and renew the organization’s commitment to diversity. Leaders must reward change agents and celebrate successes achieved through diversity. Furthermore, if leaders do not commit to renewal of the diversity transformation process, those who opposed the efforts may begin to have a negative impact on the organizational climate and culture. Glenn Fosdick addressed this potential danger stating, “…the CEO should recognize that those resisting this process will wait for a decrease in attention and prioritization on this effort and hope to see it die a natural death. It is his or her responsibility to maintain the focus and make it easier to comply and participate than resist (as cited by Dreachslin, 2007, p.151, para.2). It is a leader’s responsibility to ensure steady commitment to diversity goals. ConclusionDue to globalization, information technology and increasing competition, and sociocultural shifts, organizations increasingly face more diversity issues. Leaders have the responsibility to lead their organizations through these changes effectively through facilitating the creation and maintenance of diversity-sensitive organizations. As the topic of diversity receives increasing attention, organizations are relying more on diversity experts to provide leadership and organizational guidance. Janice Dreachslin has provided a five-step organizational transformation process used by a wide range of organizations and institutions. Through discovery, leaders develop their own appreciation of diversity as a strategic strength within the organization (Dreachslin, 1999). They then engage in assessment to ascertain their organization’s current climate and identify any barriers to diversity efforts (Dreachslin, 1999). Once they are committed and are prepared with facts, leaders are then ready to train and educate their workforce through exploration training and development efforts (Dreachslin, 1999). It is important to prepare individuals so a leader then may move on to the actual transformation stage changing and implementing organizational policies and procedures (Dreachslin, 1999). Although this may seem like a lot of effort and that the leader’s job is done, he/she must continue to monitor the changes and the culture and make necessary adjustments or provided additional training through revitalization efforts so the transformation becomes anchored within the culture of the organization (Dreachslin, 1999). As diversity management pioneer and founder of the nation’s oldest diversity management consulting firms, Merlin Pope remarked, “diversity can be positive, it can be negative, but it is never neutral” (as cited by Shriberg, & et al., 2005). Therefore, it is the leaders’ responsibility to establish the foundation of diversity management within their organizations so the organization is prepared to manage and leverage diversity to achieve its strategic goals. References BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Dreachslin, J. L. (1999, Nov/Dec). Diversity leadership and organizational transformation: Performance indicators for health services organizations. Journal of Health Care Management, 44(6), 427-439. Retrieved from Dreachslin, J. L. (2007). The role of leadership in creating a diversity-sensitive organization. Journal of Healthcare Management, 52(3), 151-5. Retrieved from Shriberg, A., Shriberg, D. L., & Kumari, R. (2005). Practicing leadership; principles and application (3d ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ................
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