Archives for January 2017

Leslie Stauffer – Inside Sales Associate

• Please provide brief responses to the following questions:
  • Where are you located geographically?

I live 696 feet above sea level at river base; 1,223 feet above sea level at highest point known as Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• Where are you in your life professionally?

I work for Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. as an Inside Sales Representative. I enjoy what I do and the people I work with but my current position is just a job and not a career.

• What are your long-term goals?

I would love to work for a consulting firm helping businesses transition from the “old way” of doing business. Which I believe is less leadership and more micromanagement. Being able to travel would be an added plus while working as a consultant.

• What is your current or prior leadership experience?

In my youth, I was the captain of my soccer team and many of the players looked up to me for advice and guidance. High school, I became an assistant kitchen manager on the weekends at the local mediterranean restaurant. After high school, I was employed as an assistant manager at a women’s clothing store. I learned that there is a substantial difference between being a manager and being a leader.

• Do you have a favorite leadership quote? If so, provide a brief comment about why this quote has special meaning for you.

“No one will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it” – Carnegie

 

Has anyone found this class to be parallel to many of the issues going on in the world today? Culture was an underlined issues during the 2016 Presidential Election, I do not believe anyone knew to the extent until now. President Donald Trump has been in office for a little over a week and has already signed an executive order to build a wall between the United States and Mexico. Yes, believe it or not, this wall is something he was elected on and with further research on the “Presidential Memorandum Regarding the Mexico City Policy,” it entails the department of homeland security to commence immediate construction of a 1,900-mile long wall along the southern border with Mexico using existing federal funds to get it started. The directive also signaled beefing up the border with an additional 5,000 border protection officers.”

 

How does this executive order have to do with culture? Well after searching the internet for definitions and examples of culture, this is what I found “the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also – the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization – the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic. Changing the culture of materialism will take time … — Peggy O’Mara

 

President Trump has used individuals living in Mexico as a scapegoat, creating a generalization about their culture by saying “they are taking all our jobs”, we must stop them from entering our country, he has taken a whole culture and is placing blame for the weaknesses of Americans. Why has culture become such a negative word? Culture use to be described as a person’s “full range of learned human behavior patterns.” Now culture has been seen as something you should not be proud of or talk about in public. Why all of a sudden are “we” ashamed of our languages, traditions and beliefs?

 

I am making a bold statement here and hopefully will have my foot in my mouth sooner than later but I am ashamed to be an American in this current time in our nation’s history. What type of culture are we showing to our children? Boys freely being able to touch girls, healthcare is for the elite only and anyone who is different than “us” there should be a wall built? Culture use to be a term you could brag and flaunt around, now you hide and never show it to the public. This for me is a sad time in history.  

 

Reference

 

Bauer, F. (n.d.). Trump Opponents, Shore up Cultural Norms — Don’t Blow them up . Retrieved

January 22, 2017, from http://www.nationalreview.com/

 

Culture . (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2017, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/

 

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., 7 Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.).

New York, NY: Routledge.

 

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context -Culture, Inclusion.

OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State

University. Retrieved: January 22, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654081

 

Rothman, J. (2014, December 26). The Meaning of Culture . The New Yorker .

 

Is being Diverse worth it in 2017?

 

This week I would like to continue our discussion on diversity, specifically the ideas of deep-versus surface level diversity. Then with the executive order just signed by President Trump closing our borders and not allowing certain refuges into the country if you are associate yourself with “religious beliefs, cultural values, political affiliation, and general ways of thinking” in which you fall into a category. I will give a brief description of diversity and explain why the United States shouldn’t exclude certain individuals from entering our country.

Diversity is the foundation of what makes that world so unique. If everyone looked the same, dressed, acted and sounded the same life, would be boring and monotonous. Diversity “generally refers to the ways that people in organizations differ which include race, gender, ethic group, age, personality, cognitive style, tenure, organizational function, and more” (p.2) Culture for many people defy who they are as human being but learning about the differences between individuals we can begin to see what makes people unique. Within lesson three called Diversity, here are two types of general definitions in which I will discuss the similarities, differences, provide examples for the reader to better understand the definitions.

Surface level diversity is what most people think about when talking about the term diversity. It addresses physical differences given to use by genetics. You are born with these specific attributes such as your eye color, hair, sex and skin tone. Basically these are the characteristics that you and others see when you look into the mirror. Just as the specific level states, it is what is on the surface which is why they call this the surface level of Diversity.

The second term associated with diversity is deep-level diversity. “Deep level of diversity refers to the differences that a person acquired through learning.” This level of diversity is fundament in managing cultural differences because you will be faced with many different backgrounds as you go throughout your life. Just because an individual is associated with a particular religion, culture or has a different background than you does not mean one is better than the other. “Global people are already active in the fields of politics, business, academics, healthcare in other profession and walks of life. Indeed, millions-yes millions- of individuals already live and work in countries other than their own. But today, it is increasingly important that every person develop a global attitude as well. We can no longer leave this to government or business leaders (p. 9)

Earlier this week, Penn State students received an email from President J. Baron. “President Trump signed an executive order Friday that, among other impacts, suspended entry of all refuges to the United States for 120 days, and blocked entry to the U.S. for at least 90 days for citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Reports suggest that enforcement of the executive order is already stranding students and affecting U.S. institutions of higher education.”

President Trump does not understand diversity on either level, whether it be surface or deep level diversity. He is making a generalization about individuals from these locations and believing they are involved in terrorism. This is the definition of racism and “Diversity is about the differences between people” but yet President Trump does not want to support the differences of others. “The best part of Penn State is our people – no matter what country they may call home. We support all of you.”

 

References

 

Barron, E. J. (2017, January 29). Message on recent immigration executive order [E-mail].

Collinson, S. (2017, January 30). Donald Trump’s travel ban fundamentally changes American history. Retrieved: January 30, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/politics/donald-trump-immigration-ban/index.html

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., 7 Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context -Diversity, Inclusion. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved: January 29, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654097

 

 

The discussion of diversity and inclusion is the salient topic of the day. There is much work for humans to do in understanding xenophobia, cultural diversity, and gender rights. For instance, Donald Trump’s recent travel ban on passport holders of Libya, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen indicate a xenophobic American stance against Islam and the outside world that could have diplomatic repercussions for decades to come (Collinson, 2017).

Notwithstanding, diversity describes the differences within and between. For example, “Diversity is about the differences between people whereas inclusion is the process of incorporating all of those differences” (Penn State, 2017). For instance, Indian people prefer to build relationships prior to discussing negotiations, have formal protocols, and a centralized decision-making system (Dana, 1996; Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014).

Although we have come a long way to understand each other’s talents and preferences, we have not quite afforded equal pay, for equal work to women. Equal pay rights for women are unfair and unjust. Thus, culture guides values, norms, and behaviors for men and women of each unique culture (Moran, Abramson, & Moran, 2014). Building diverse and inclusive business environments are built on diverse and inclusive communities.

One community that has a problem with building diversity and inclusion within its business organizations is South Bend, Indiana. It is not because the city does not have tremendous capabilities to glean talent from its vast array of citizenry. According to the US Census Bureau (2016) the racial statistics of the 101,516 residents of the city are: African-American: 26.6%, American-Indians: 0.5, Asian: 1.3%, Caucasian: 60.5%, Hispanic: 13.0%, Pacific Islanders: .1% and Two or more races: 4.2%. As a result, there is little infrastructure in the way of ethnic support to include grocery stores, entertainment outlets, and community structures such as: self-care shops, nightlife, and restaurants. Further, out of the 7,115 firms in South Bend only 5.1% of them are minority (US Census Bureau, 2016).

The general situation leading to a lack of diversity and inclusion are the historical realities of America (Takaki, 1993). The lack of diversity in communities such as South Bend, Indiana in prior years creates communities that are challenged to meet the needs of new ethnic groups that transplant to American cities (Diller, 1999). The problem is extensive according to citizens of South Bend, Indiana (Collinson, 2017). Multicultural persons of South Bend admit they have felt alienated and isolated (Collinson, 2017).  The significance of the problem is that a lack of a diverse workforce as a result of discrimination leads businesses to be less productive, not more. Incorporating diversity into the workplace increases performance and productivity which helps with retention when persons feel their workplace organizations encourage respect for differences (Gokcen, 20112). Further, Ely and Thomas (1996) indicated that a more diverse workforce increases organizational effectiveness. Diversity lifts morale and enhances productivity, thus a benefit for business (Diller, 1999; Ely and Thomas, 1996; Gokcen, 2012; ).

References

Collinson, S. (2017, January 30). Donald Trump’s travel ban fundamentally changes American history. Retrieved: January 30, 2017, from http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/30/politics/donald-trump-immigration-ban/index.html

Dana, D. (1996). Managing differences: How to build better relationships at work and home. Overland Park, KS: MTI Publications.

Diller, J. (1999). Cultural diversity: A primer for the human services. New York, NY: Wadsworth Publishing.

Domina, C. (2011). Our strength is in our diversity: fact or fancy? Journal of Diversity Management. First Quarter, Vol. 6, number 1.

Ely, R. and Thomas, T. (1996). Making differences matter: A new paradigm for managing diversity. Harvard Business Review. September-October 1996.

Gokcen, A. (2012). Diversity in diversity management. International Journal of Business and Social Science. Vol. 3, number 19.

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., 7 Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context -Diversity, Inclusion. OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved: January 29, 2017, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654097

Takaki, R. (1993). A different mirror: A history of multicultural America. New York, NY: Bay Back Books.

US Census Bureau. (2016) State and county quick facts: South Bend, Indiana. Retrieved: http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/PST045215/1871000

Diversity and Inclusion (D+I) in global organizations, require dedicated resources to cultivating the desired environment including but not limited to; people dedicated to the topic, training programs, recruiting practices and so on. While D+I may very well be an idealistic outcome, in business there is always a finite amount of resources which might define the difference between success and failure. Since resources in business are finite, what factors can cause diversity & inclusion to be factored as among the most core and critical pillars in any organization?

First, consider the argument (Moran, Abramson, Moran, 2014); “a strong business imperative can be made that companies who do not address the needs of their women employees (as well as employees of minority cultures) in terms of recruiting, promotion, and career development will suffer the following long-term consequences:

• Not being viewed as an employer of choice.

• Undervaluing top performers; therefore, not using employees’ full potential.

• Losing a competitive edge.”

 

In business terms, these are significant risks with accompanying financial ramifications. Whether right, wrong or indifferent, this is a fact and will often if not always compel an organization to take action. If you are not “viewed as the employer of choice” than you are recruiting at a second tier talent level which could impede growth and prosperity. When you “undervalue top performers” you are likely to have a higher rate of turnover than companies who focus on retention resulting in lost credibility in the market and likely, lost business.

Another way to view “losing a competitive edge” that garners the attention of an organization is by saying we are “gaining a competitive edge.” “Losing” can denote a defensive, risk management mentality whereas “gaining” can denote a more opportunistic and entrepreneurial mentality. If a company can gain a competitive advantage in the market place it usually translate into revenue gains along with other intangible benefits. In one example from Managing Across Borders, (Bartlett and Ghoshal, 1989) stated; “The ability to link and leverage knowledge is increasingly the factor that differentiates the winners from the losers,”.

Companies inherently want to win and see competitive advantage as the key differentiator. An example of linking knowledge and increasing diversity of thinking might be something as simple as an investment in technology which allows me to collaborate via video conferencing with colleagues in Asia, Spain and Mexico simultaneously. Bartlett and Ghoshal did however go onto state that; “It was not enough that minority perspectives existed on a management team because these perspectives could be excluded from the decision-making process by an organization’s dominant perspectives, and the rule of the majority.”

Great global leaders will commit the necessary resources and energy to implement programs aimed at enhancing the organizational culture and also view this as a core pillar of strategy. Ken Blanchard, one of the foremost authors on business and leadership once said: “effective leaders help ordinary people achieve extraordinary results” (Ken Blanchard, 2001). Strong leaders learn and develop the insights and competencies required to drive diversity and inclusion into the organizational DNA. Ironically, according to Sheryl Sandberg in her book, Lean In, “of the 195 independent countries in the world, only 17 are led by women and of the Fortune 500 CEOs, only 21 are women.” indicating that the speed at which we realize diversity and inclusion as the norm in global organizations, may be in direct proportion to the percentage of diversity of leadership. Chicken and Egg?

Diversity and Inclusion does not simply nor generally occur organically. It has to be worked on constantly and consciously which points back to my opening statement that organizations who believe diversity and inclusion are essential to their long term success; require dedicated resources to cultivate the desired environment. I’m fortunate to work in a global organization where we actually have a Chief Diversity Officer along with programs such as; D+I Ambassadors, Diversity Recruiting, Employee Groups, Mentoring and even Supplier Diversity and it is our leadership who makes the difference in the culture of our organization and in large part determines D+I success. The differences I have seen in our cultural evolution is not that I simply see more colleagues who “look” different, rather I work with a greater percentage of colleagues who also “think” different.

People whose life experiences and perspectives are different from my own, are vital to solving challenges and capturing opportunities across the globe and I believe that feeling is mutual.

 

Bartlett, C. A., and S. Ghoshal. Managing Across Borders: The Transnational Solution. Harvard Business School Press, 1989.

Blanchard, K., 2001, Situational Leadership II

Moran, R. T., Abramson, N. R., & Moran, S. V. (2014). Managing cultural differences. London: Routledge.

“Sandberg, S. Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. New York: Knopf Publishing Group, 2013.”

Being a kid of color but not really knowing it until later in my youth was an eye opening experience to say the least. I have random memories sometimes, which are a collage of pictures and videos that are jumbled in my mind. I remember some childhood friends. I remember some shenanigans I got into here and there while growing up, but ask me who my 5^th grade teacher was, or how my 13^th birthday was and I have no idea. I say all this to say that as we begin to delve into our studies and read our lesson commentary, I try to relate to what we learn through an unbiased eye, through an open minded perspective of the world around me. But I have come to realize that instead of pushing my biased aside I must acknowledge it, think about how it affects my thoughts and decisions and then act accordingly. So, as I go back in my youth trying to think about how I was treated as a kid and what I come up with is that I don’t remember much. What I do remember and thinking about it now as an adult, is that all the way up until around middle school I didn’t really know what the significance of being a minority was. I didn’t realize there was an internal secret war going on between societies, groups, and intra-groups etc.

There was an article in the New York Times written by Maria Russo interviewing a couple of Latina friends, R.J Palacio and Meg Medina. They were from the “Bronx” and were childhood friends who went to school together. They were separated at the age of 11 with one of them moving resulting in them losing touch. They both ended up being adult children book writers and later in life meet up with one another. Ms. Russo somehow ended up interviewing them. The main theme taken from this interview was that the environment proved to be a huge catalyst in the way these two approached their writing of children’s books. They both had respectively earned a good living in their profession and genuinely cared about the youth but because they ultimately grew up in different environments they handled ethnic issues differently and identified to their culture differently as well. They were similar on the surface but at a deep level of diversity they were very different. Palacio was quoted saying “I very much consider myself Latin American but I have never identified as a Latina, if that makes sense.” (M. Russo NYTimes 2017)

It wasn’t until middle school that I started feeling my Mexican(ism). We didn’t have a middle school per say in our community so we were bussed a few miles down the road and this is where I started to experience things outside my community. Clicks started to form. Rich White kids were part of the demographic. This was about the time I started to see and hear racial slurs and racist rhetoric. Gangs were a big thing during my time where I grew up. I remember right around this time I started to become introverted and rebellious. I don’t remember if there was one particular reason but I know that I started physically and emotionally building walls and protecting myself from all the hate and meanness around me. I became more aware and in tune with my culture. I started to hang out with people that looked like me.

I read our lesson and came across Surface Level Diversity, which are the characteristics we can notice about each other that distinguish us and Deep Level Diversity, which are the differences in beliefs, values and attitudes etc., that affect much more directly how a person behaves, (PSU WC L3 2017). I started to think about this subject as it related to me and how I felt growing up. According to our lesson deep level diversity can change sometimes based on surface level experience, (PSU WC LS 2017). I know deep down inside this was my case but did others see it this way? Did others just see another Mexican kid running around in a “gang” acting the way a poor Mexican does? Getting together with his kind and causing havoc. Or did they see me as a product of my environment. I am glad that this is a part of my past but it is scary to think that if I didn’t learn later on in life that things aren’t always what they seem and we can evolve, what could have been my path in life.

References:

PSU (2016) Lesson 1 Introduction to global context. Retrieved August 25, 2016 from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1802572/modules/items/2117904

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/20/books/review/rj-palacio-and-meg-medina-talk-diversity-and-childrens-books

 

Discussing diversity in a positive light is pretty exciting because it feels like a door is finally being opened after it’s been boarded up for decades, even centuries. People tend to naturally gravitate towards those who are like-minded, “People tend to be more attracted to working with others who share similar values and attributes, and tend to be less attracted to those they regard as outsiders, that is, different from themselves in important ways.” (Moran and Moran, 2011) Unfortunately when we do this, we miss out on the opportunity to gain a whole new perspective on someone. In the workplace, I feel that it is beyond crucial to create an environment that is welcoming of diversity, whether it be surface level, “the characteristics that we can notice about each other that distinguish us. Demographic differences such as hair color, sex, skin color, height, weight, age, and so on” (PSU, 2017) but especially deep-level diversity, “differences in beliefs, values, attitudes, etc., that do affect much more directly how a person behaves.” (PSU, 2017) The importance of establishing deeper-level diversity within businesses is being realized on a global scale as businesses stay competitive by increasing investments overseas. (Moran and Moran, 2011)

In Chapter 6 of Managing Cultural Differences, the management adage, “Differentiation + Integration = Performance, (D + I = P)” (Moran and Moran, 2011), is introduced. Essentially, this equation shows that great performance comes not just from diversity but from well blended, integrated diversity. Also in Chapter 6 of Managing Cultural Differences, research is noted as showing that the positive effects of deeper-level diversity (attitudes, beliefs and values) in the workplace are demonstrated as people begin to open lines of communication that are geared toward learning about the other person. Sharing conversations between one another, allowing minds to open to new ideas and perspectives. The group members researched, were found to have experienced less negative effects of surface-level diversity (age, sex, ethnicity,) as they spent more and more time with each other. Another result of deeper-level diversity as noted in the research, “produced a more profound mutual understanding and greater satisfaction among members.” (Moran and Moran, 2011) As people develop meaningful relationships within the workplace, they become more accessible to each other as well as to their clientele thus creating an environment ripe for success.

Ensuring that businesses remain as well-oiled machines via (D + I = P), is a hurtle that managers often run into. Within any group of people, conflict is inevitable, this is simply common sense. The question is, how does the leader of a group, help everyone to operate as a unit again? “There is no simple model for effective cross-cultural and diversity training. However, it should address the specific needs of the organization’s employees.” (Bassi and Russ-Eft, 1997) Additionally, Moran and Moran state that “when in conflict with each other, it is difficult for individuals to perform to their potential.” If left unaddressed, the situation escalates and before long, you have a divided staff which is never a positive direction for company morale or for productivity within. For this reason, it is vital that leaders do everything they can to resolve conflicts as soon as they arise in order to avoid any negative repercussions. “Human beings are the most important asset of any organization. They are the only sustainable competitive advantage for the future.” (Bassi and Russ-Eft, 1997)

 

 

 

References:

• Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences(9th ed.). Chapter 6. London: Routledge.
• Pennsylvania State University (2017). Leadership in a Global Context-OLEAD 410. Online course lesson. Penn State World Campus. The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 29, 2017 from

https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1826457/modules/items/21654094

• Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences(9th ed.). Chapter 1. London: Routledge.
• Bassi, L. J. and Russ-Eft, D. (eds) (1997) What Works: Assessment, Development, and Measurement. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development.

Below originally written for Lesson 2 and incorrectly posted to a comment page;

Diverse enough?

I work on a team of 6 people; 5 women and myself; a middle aged white male. Is this diverse enough? My boss is a woman, my protégé is a young Indian woman working on a student visa, my other direct report is a German National on delegation and my two other colleagues are millennia’s. Is this diverse enough? My bosses boss is Egyptian who recently transferred back to the U.S. from Shanghai and our division President is a woman. Is this diverse enough? My workplace has a transparent diversity goal of 30% in the workplace which has been achieved. Is this diverse enough? One might argue that these metrics are benign when the reality of the business environment is measured by winning (aka, profitability), and is far more dependent on competency than diversity. According to economist Milton Friedman, “the main purpose of a business is to maximize profits for its owners.” (Boundless 2016).

If Greenberg’s premise (Greenberg, 2003) that; Global leadership is “an extraordinary capacity to unify a global workforce around a single purposeful vision, through demonstration of personal mastery, thinking globally, anticipating opportunity and using shared leadership networks”, does this not speak directly to a person’s competency to bring people together in a common cause regardless of diversity? You know what all of the people I work with have in common? We are all highly qualified and skilled in our roles and know how to get the job done. We deliver results. So I ask; is diversity a prerequisite for success or an enhancement to success based on individual competency and contribution?

News reports and popular opinion seem to suggest that the negative effects and lack of diversity in the workplace is nearly epidemic however; there is hope for job seekers. Diversity Inc. conducts an annual survey to rank diversity in the workplace. The survey; “tracks human capital outcomes and connects them with best practices utilized to promote the advancement of underrepresented groups in the workplace. And results are highly regarded by media, corporations, government agencies, academia and the public at large thanks to the exhaustive vetting of data tracking real diversity on the ground”. To be eligible for the list, participants must:

• Have at least 1,000 U.S. employees
• Submit a notarized form signed by either the CEO, the chief human resources officer (CHRO) or a corporate officer affirming that all data submitted is accurate. All data considered for DiversityInc Top 50 rankings is U.S.-based (except the Top Companies for Global Diversity list).
• Complete NOD’s Disability Employment Tracker

Furthermore; according to David A. Kravitz, professor of management at George Mason’s School of Business; “diversity in the workplace is far more complex than applying good and bad labels and often has both positive and negative effects. A potential benefit is an increase in creativity but potential challenges include an increase in conflicts and a breakdown in communication.”

I fully comprehend diversity is a significant issue in society and realize many workplaces face challenges in this area; however, I propose not only does diversity exists in the workplace, it is thriving.

• Exhibit A: My boss, top of her class at Villanova, multiple positions in the company, subject matter expert in my field.
• Exhibit B; My protégé, a Masters from Columbia, wicked smart and simply an awesome person.
• Exhibit C; My millennials, highly educated, incredibly competent in their area of expertise and never treat me different, nor do I of them.

In my role, I predominately interface with; Women, Asian, Black, etc. counterparts who are in leadership positions with Top 500 Fortune companies. These people are highly skilled and competent. Most have global experience having been in roles within their organizations over time.

In my opinion, competency is the operative term to associate with diversity. Both must exist in balance in order for success in business. Should not merit and contribution be equally considered when considering ethnicity and gender? How do you solve the dilemma of cultivating the contribution without simultaneously cultivating diversity?

Ah, the predicament of reality.

I argue that diversity is alive and well in the workplace and is vital to long term success and sustainability although; while it may be that diversity gets you in the door, competency is what keeps you there.

 

Anzaldi, J., The School of Business at George Mason University, (2014), The Good and Bad of Workplace Diversity, http://business.gmu.edu/news/862-the-good-and-bad-of-workplace-diversity/

Boundless. “The Goals of a Business.” Boundless Business Boundless, 26 May. 2016. Retrieved 28 Jan. 2017 from https://www.boundless.com/business/textbooks/boundless-business-textbook/introduction-to-business-1/what-is-a-business-22/the-goals-of-a-business-129-10246/

DiversityInc. (2017), DiversityInc’s 2017 Top 50 Announcement Dinner & Learning Sessions, http://www.diversityinc.com/diversityinc-top-50-methodology/

Goldsmith, M., Greenberg, C.L., Robertson, A., & Hu-Chan, M. (2003). Global leadership: The NEXT GENERATION. New York: Prentice Hall.

Traditionally, the glass ceiling was a concept applied to women and some minorities. It was very hard, if not impossible, often times for women to reach upper management positions. No matter how qualified or experienced, they simply were not given opportunities to further advance their careers. Today, there are many more women and minorities in powerful positions. However, the glass ceiling is still very real. “There is an unwritten but additional perquisite for becoming a leader: Even today despite the achievements of exceptional women leaders, some people still question the ability of women to serve in leadership positions” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 117.) Both women and men face invisible barriers when it comes to moving to the top floor. Two predominant theories attempt to explain the differences in treatment between white men, women and minorities in the workplace. “The glass ceiling” asserts that there is a limit to how high women and minorities can be promoted (Aulette & Wittner; pg. 187). “The glass escalator” theory suggests that in female- or minority-predominant fields, white men are promoted more quickly and with greater ease (Williams; pg. 256). Women struggle and pound their heads against the fated “glass ceiling” while men face an ironic position of riding the “glass escalator” (Williams; pg. 256) to success, most often unwanted and unsolicited. When it comes to women in traditionally male jobs or men in traditionally female-dominated roles professionally, there’s all kinds of talk about how we have made so much progress and we are still improving. In many ways, this is true. The workplace paradigm is in the visible process of shifting from men conquering the world and women taking care of the men, to women and men taking care of each other and the world.

If you think about the origins of gender discrimination in the workplace, and the advent of women taking “traditional” jobs outside the home, you will begin to see a pattern. Gender discrimination is not born simply of a belief that women are less intelligent or capable than men, but that they are inherently better at different things than men are. The stereotype that women are inherently communicative, nurturing, and compassionate and thus better able to carry out jobs of service, is directly related to the careers that are predominantly female. “Negative perceptions can make it difficult for women to assume and succeed in leadership. If their behavior is similar to that of male leaders, they are perceived as unfeminine. If they act ‘like a lady,’ they are viewed as weak or ineffective” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 117). On the flip side, the stereotype that men are inherently strong leaders, more aggressive, protective, organizational, analytical, mathematically minded, spatial, and rational, is directly related to the careers we see men dominating:  The expectation that sex alone is an indicator of certain traits and abilities is still prevalent, however much we believe in a post-sexist society, because even as we are evolving these misguided beliefs about gender roles and allowing careers for men and women to overlap, deep-seated understandings of femininity and masculinity continue to penetrate our attitudes and actions. “Culture provides guidance and some cultures have rigid rules for expected females and male roles, and as such, provide value and the subsequent expected behavioral norms for men and women within each culture” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 143). The perfect example of this is the “glass ceiling” for women and the “glass escalator” for men. Despite women’s advancement in business, “stereotypical and negative expectations still persist” (Engleberg & Wynn; pg. 118) and can exist on the opposite end of the spectrum. “Stereotypes can hinder the advancement of women” (Moran, Remington Abramson & Moran; pg. 149) whereas culturally influenced gender role expectations can inhibit male advancement.

With all this said, what happens if the coin is flipped? Men finding themselves is women-dominated professions, like nursing or teaching, would they face the same stereotypical negative behavior? While women encounter a glass ceiling in their career advancement (invisible barriers that constrain their promotion due to the gender biased attitudes of men in the higher positions) men seem to struggle against a glass escalator. Sociologist Christine Williams first coined the term and in her research found that often men are subtly pushed to move up in their professions and as if on a moving escalator, they must work to stay in place. Because of these expectations, men starting in pink-collar fields can face negative stereotypes and gender-based discrimination from the public. On the other hand, men might also receive benefits because of their under representation in these fields. Surprisingly no.  Instead of men comforting the same issues as women, it’s been discovered that the exact opposite occurs. “Men find themselves welcome and given preferential treatment with this token status” (Aulette & Wittner; pg. 187). Due to the lax of men in certain women-dominate professions, men experience positive reinforcement in and often times “are effectively being kicked upstairs” (Williams; pg. 256), in essence being given a first glass ticket to the glass escalator to management. Nice huh? “Often the pressures keeping men out of certain specialties were subtle. Some men described being tracked into practice areas within their professions which were considered more legitimate for men. Those specialties considered more legitimate practice areas for men also tend to be the most prestigious, better paying ones.” (Williams; pg. 256).

The point is both men and women are struggling to make ends meet after the 2007 recession. Both men and women should feel comfortable to follow their passions in any career, despite outside pressures in an environment of increased equity and equality between the sexes.  It is encouraging that societal pressures are easing towards men entering nontraditional occupations, but we must keep in mind that simultaneously, women are struggling to earn equal wages, fighting gender-based stereotypes and attempting to meet basic economic security for themselves and their families. For whatever the reason, we may come into contact with that infamous glass ceiling or escalator they key to point out is you have a choice. You can accept your situation and be happy with looking up and not being able to touch what you see, or you can smash the glass with purpose and determination. Inevitably with our changing society, growing numbers will bridge the gender gap in many careers, but I firmly believe that equal treatment within those careers will only come with the dissolution of stereotypes about masculinity and femininity, both within ourselves and about others.

 

 

References

Aulette, J. R., & Wittner, J. G. (2015). Gendered Worlds (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.

Engleberg, I. N., & Wynn, D. (2013). Working in Groups: communication principles and strategies (6th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Martin, L. (1991). A Report on the Glass Ceiling Imitative. Washington, DC: Department of Labor.

Moran, R. T., Ph. D., Remington Abramson, N., Ph. D., & Moran, S. V., MA. (2011). Managing Cultural Differences (9th ed.). London: Routledge.

Williams, C. L. (1992). The Glass Escalator: Hidden Advantages for Men in the “Female” Professions. Social Problems,39(3), 253-267.