Speak Out!

To answer the basic question about requiring diversity training, I would say yes. I also believe that EVERYONE could benefit (if the training is AUTHENTIC). However, we are faced with an interesting hypothesis as of late. Does the environment as of late still indicate the need for it (with Mr. Obama showing signs of success)? My answer is yes.

I have worked in higher education for the past nine years. Approximately four years ago, the African American faculty at the institution where I was employed met with one of the administrators at our campus seeking to discuss concerns regarding treatment of minority students, faculty and staff at the campus. During this meeting we were promised diversity training (needless to say four years later it still has not happened).

Two years ago, I filed an internal complaint (because of unequal treatment at the campus) less than a year later; I was no longer working at the institution. I had a meeting with a couple of administrators at the college (including the EEOC officer at the time and the second in command at the college), who admitted that “yes we have problems here at the college and we all could benefit from training.” I should state that all I asked for in my complaint was that the administrator honor her promise of diversity training from four years earlier.

I should disclose I am an Obama supporter. I should also disclose I may be a bit more PISSED about the current state of affairs as a former citizen of New Orleans still displaced in a suburb of the city. I read various magazines, newspapers, online bloggers and watch various network news organizations. Many of these outlets speak about how “well” Mr. Obama is doing and how he is transcending race. My wish is that we are truly judged by Dr. King’s standards of character and content; but with the rising documentation of EEOC claims, I am just not so sure that we are being honest enough to admit that yes a problem does exist and is it important enough or affects its money enough for American businesses and its employees to mandate and embrace the framework of diversity training.

When we achieve educational and financial success as African Americans I think we falsely believe that we transcend as well, but sometimes we are always shown we really are not being judged by what we are doing but by who we are. When Mr. Obama is elected (maybe I too have the audacity to believe in HOPE) will everyone else still see the need for a continued conversation on race? We will see…

Diversity training involves more than just color. It involves gender as well. Any business or owner of a business should be allowed to hire whomever they please. For either the Black or White business owner in this day and age to simply hire one race and describe themselves as a global player will limit customers ability to identify with that company's profile.

Remember you are looking to make money, maybe expand and grow the business. Sorry, this country is not entirely white. If it were, then I see your argument. In the past (recent) years, companies have hired IT services from India; manufacturers have employed Chinese workers to build products and certain computers; or computer components sold in America are again manufactured from overseas - this all points to diversity and in particular different races.

Here's another example: if you build a plant in an economic depressed area in America, and it meant jobs for people, then it is important to have diversity training, especially if that business is a global company. I am in favor of American workers building, manufacturing and selling to Americans (Black, White, Asians, Latinos etc.,) i.e. Americans. Do we only come together when our nation is attacked?

Diversity and sensitivity training. The various definitions may not be what we expect it to be. We are now talking about a global workforce and not a national workforce. As we grow into the global workforce, it is an even bet that we continue and will continue to work with people from different parts of the world.

I think that the fact that a company or companies offer this training is ok; it is an EEOC requirement. So most people are looking at it as if it were just another check mark designed to meet minimum requirements of the EEOC. The only way to expand this program would be to offer it in module formats. What an idea, right? However, if during the training session you were to re-title it as Race and Gender relationship, you would see facial expressions change. Forcing people to address some issues that people are not comfortable with even in this day and age. This is more stimulating than the training that takes place in the business community. I find older people are likely to display a little anger, when you address race or gender issues. It's more apparent that some will gravitate to other nationalities before they will embrace nationalistic cultures (African-Americans and Non-white Latinos).

Yes. Not only should diversity training be required but mandatory. As you say Tavis, we need to hold ourselves and others accountable for our actions or lack thereof. We have a tendency of using the excuse, “I didn’t know” too often. Not because we really didn’t know, but as a way to avoid apologizing and/or admitting fault. If we are trained to take into consideration respect, and understand the differences that make us who we are, we will take more care in what and how we speak and treat each other.

I worked for J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., in New York, where diversity training was mandatory (every year) for staff and managers. I must tell you, in a matter of months after training I began to see the impact of what and how things were said to each other from the executive to administrative level. The other key to making diversity training effective is strictly through enforcement.

First of all, this is a great article. For so long, companies have been given a "pass" with regard to diversity because they instituted programs like diversity training. In reality, diversity training does not lead to an increase in diversity. Diversity training is not even a federally mandated program. For the employee, the purpose of diversity training is to help them deal with their own bias with regard racism and sexism. For the company, the purpose of diversity training is to prevent (and settle) lawsuits arising from racial and gender discrimination. Unfortunately, diversity training does not hold individual employees and companies accountable for recruiting/hiring/promoting minorities and women. The lack of accountability is problematic.

Tavis, my father (with gun cocked) taught sensitivity training to Caucasian and German soldiers overseas back in the late sixties, and of course it was needed then and I think it is just as much needed now. By the way, my father is a very dark-skinned man, so imagine him in front of a class full of whites teaching them about racial sensitivity. I'm proud of him.