How To Attract a Diverse Group of Leaders

1. How To Attract a Diverse Group of Leaders Andrew F. Ortiz, J.D., M.P.A. Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC.

2. About Andrew Ortiz • 3-Time Arizona State Graduate • Former Legislative Assistant to Arizona House Minority Leader • Former Association Executive • Former Project Manager for Capacity Building – ASU Center for Nonprofit Leadership & Management • ASAE Diversity Committee Member • President & CEO, Ortiz Leadership Systems, LLC.

3. Diversity in the Workforce • Diversity includes, but is not limited to, attributes such as age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, race, national origin, cultural heritage, and ethnic background. Recognizing diversity is a key component of excellence in the workplace that allows individuals to reach their full potential. 

4. Making The Case… • For instance, as reported by Leading Futurists, LLC, Washington, D.C., in From Scan to Plan: Integrating Trends Into the Strategy-Making Process (2003, ASAE Foundation), the combined Hispanic/Latino and Asian share of the U.S. population is projected to increase to 19 percent by 2020. As a result, many U.S regions will become primarily Spanish-speaking. In addition, according to the 2000 census, 1 out of 10 U.S. inhabitants at the millennium's start had been born in another country; during the next 10 years, new immigrants will represent half of the total U.S. population growth.

5. Making The Case… • Diversity leaders forecast a dim future for businesses that do not respond to these sweeping demographic and social changes, which bring new languages, cultures, values, and attitudes into both the workplace and the marketplace. • "Organizations without diversity initiatives risk missed business opportunities, a diminished customer base, loss of market share, and a decreased ability to attract talented job applicants," says Larry Alexander, President & CEO of the Detroit Metro CVB.

6. Making The Case… • In addition, organizations that fail to develop diversity initiatives are likely to see their leadership rolls shrivel. Kim Canavan-Jones, CAE, President of Jones International, Silver Spring, Maryland, predicts that these organizations "will have an aging volunteer leadership that does not renew itself, because there is no inclusiveness and a lack of partnership opportunities with other organizations.“ • To steer clear of these consequences, you'll need a plan-- a formal program that doesn't treat diversity as a separate issue but addresses it at every level of the organization.

7. Diversity That Is Only Skin Deep • There is no question that the topic of diversity within the workplace has become one of the leading issues today. With the growing world economy and the need to expand markets, the dramatic increase of third-world immigration into western countries, and the pressure on managers to boost productivity, quality and customer service, all while reducing costs, makes this issue very relevant.

8. Diversity That Is Only Skin Deep • In order to confront these issues, leaders must create positive work environments where people feel valued and appreciated. Here is where a diversity-focused leader is supposed to find the ‘holy grail’ that will solve all problems. Unfortunately, most organizational diversity programs miss the mark for they focus on characteristics that are only skin-deep.

9. Diversity That Is Only Skin Deep • In fact, a review of diversity literature and a Google search will support the notion that diversity issues in Corporate America are only skin deep. It is believed that merely adding a mix of races, genders, cultures, creeds and physical handicaps will automatically produce a vibrant, productive, quality-oriented, world-class organization. But something is missing from the mix, for looking only skin-deep might meet artificial ‘standards’ for openness, but it does not ensure excellence in the marketplace. What is necessary to take an organization to the pinnacle of success is to infuse itself with workers of diverse knowledge and experiences.

10. Diversity That Is Only Skin Deep • Engaging diverse thinkers should be the goal of every organization for in doing so, it releases the organization to seek solutions that rise above the norm without cultural or social limitations. Organizations need to dig deeper by focusing on knowledge diversity for this is the cauldron in which creativity and success are brewed or fostered.

11. Diversity That Is Only Skin Deep • Of course, people with diverse knowledge and experiences come from varying races, cultures, creeds and physical conditions, and this is a good place to start, but, organizations should not be satisfied with stopping there. From among these diverse groups, leaders must cultivate diverse thinkers. It is a given that if your organization does not have workers from differing cultures, races or genders, you do not have the foundation upon which diverse thinkers can be fostered.

12. Social, Informational and Value Diversity • Different kinds of diversity exist; social (differences in gender, ethnicity or nationality), informational (unique knowledge base), and value (differences in what individuals find important). Social diversity has been categorized as superficial, while informational and value diversity are ‘deep-level.’ Superficial diversity is often that which receives the most attention in diversity discussions. It is easy to identify and categorize individuals according to these superficial characteristics and it is easy to meet hiring quotas because one can clearly see the results.

13. Social, Informational and Value Diversity • On the other hand, deeper-level diversity must deal with people of differing knowledge (they might know something that others don’t), experiences (different experiences foster different responses) and values (personal, as to how they view the world as compared to corporate values). It is important to note that there must be congruence between a worker’s personal values and that of their organization, for it is through these shared values and norms that an organization’s goals are met.

14. Social, Informational and Value Diversity • Diversity of core values within an organization, however, is counter-productive. Studies have shown that for a team to be effective, members should have high information diversity and low value diversity. For a team to be efficient, members should have low value diversity. For a team to have high morale, or to perceive itself as effective, it should be composed of participants with low value diversity.

15. Social, Informational and Value Diversity • What these studies show is that certain types of similarity are dramatically more important than others even when it is believed that people generally strive for similarity among those with whom they interact. Regardless, increasing amounts of interaction between individuals reduces the importance of superficial diversity and increases the importance of deep-level diversity.

16. Finding Diverse Thinkers and Experience • So how does an organization find diverse thinkers? First and foremost, it needs to look internally. Leaders need to get to know the uniqueness of thinking and experiences brought to the workplace by their employees. These same individuals may be sources of referrals if they know what the leader is seeking. Additionally, leaders must foster an open environment that encourages input from employees based upon their vast knowledge and experiences.

17. Finding Diverse Thinkers and Experience • But, before this happens in any organization, there must be a sincere commitment from the leadership that employee input is valued. Employees of all types want to be valued within their organizations. They want to be able to use their skills and gifts to move the organization forward; to know that their efforts have resulted in the betterment of individuals and society as a whole. True leadership commitment will be noticed by workers, for it is something that cannot be faked.

18. Diversity as a Strong Business Proposition • Reflect Your Public. • Create an inclusive community. • Geographic Diversity (Rural & Urban) (Private & Public Schools) • Build Diverse Membership • Sustainabilty • New Programs (Revenue Sources) • No “one size fits all” approach • Understand Funding, Time, Caseload, Recognition of Benefits

19. Diversity is a Process, Not Just an Event • Explore the true scope of what diversity entails. • What diversity does NACAC deal with? Institution Type and Gender, Geographic Diversity, Public/Private Education, Social Diversity, Community Colleges, Professionals of Color, Rural/Urban, Cultural, Tribal, etc. • Membership Committee Chair Outreach • Human Relations Committee (MI) • Share Information on Successful Efforts Across the Country • Work with the NASSP, NSBA, NAICU, College Board, etc.

20. The Leadership Void • Baby Boomers Retiring • Generational Differences • Identifying and Encouraging Emerging Leaders • How To Recruit and Retain New Leaders • Who is competing with you for talent? • Recruiting Volunteer Leaders • Diverse Boards (State/Regional Affiliates)

21. 10 Step Process • Build Leadership Team Diversity Knowledge Base. • Relate Diversity Management to Organization’s Mission/Stakeholder Priorities & Expectations. • Define Organization’s Diversity Aspiration/Vision. • Assess Current Reality vs. Vision.

22. 10 Step Process • Develop Diversity Management Strategic Framework. • Prioritize Strategic Elements. • Develop/Modify Organizational Infrastructure • Develop/Execute Action Plans & Programmatic Activities. • Measure Results

23. How To Incorporate Diversity into Your Organization • Diversity is an issue that should be a part of every aspect of association/nonprofit management. Too often organizations relegate the issue to a Diversity Committee to address. Ownership of diversity is delegated to that committee and all other departments abdicate any responsibility to address the issue.

24. How To Incorporate Diversity into Your Organization • Yet aspects of diversity touch almost every area of association/nonprofit management – from recruiting volunteers and leaders to recruiting and retaining valued employees, from creating meetings accessible to all to marketing your organization’s programs to a diverse audience.

25. Governance and Volunteer Service • Selling the business case for diversity to current leaders and staff. • Institutionalizing diversity throughout the organizational planning process. • Selecting and grooming diverse members for leadership roles. • Changing leadership culture to embrace diversity, including training for leadership and key staff • Creating an welcoming atmosphere in the volunteer leadership structure.

26. Governance and Volunteer Service • Understanding that diverse volunteers will think differently and be open to new and innovative ideas and approaches. • Classifying and setting diversity goals for membership that complement volunteer leadership diversity goals. • Measuring and accounting for progress against goals. • Mentoring newcomers in leadership positions. • Benchmarking against other organizations with successful diversity programs.

27. Governance and Volunteer Service • Publicize commitment to diversity as an organization, in all activities. • Establishing organizational bodies to support and lead the diversity effort. • Consulting with outside diverse communities for strategic direction.

28. Executive Management • Articulating, leading, and setting the stage for a diversity orientation among volunteer leaders, members, and staff. • Acting as a role model for diversity in professional and personal lives.

29. Look For Talent Everywhere It Can Be Found… • Don’t just pick the low hanging fruit. • Diversity is something that relatively few organizations address, and even less address it competently. • Diversity is rarely dealt with because it is hard to do well. • Competent diversity efforts require a sustained commitment within the culture of the organization.

30. Ways To Attract Diverse Talent • Demonstrate the commitment of the organization’s chief executive to diversity. • Go where the talent is. • Focus on ways to keep minorities on the job. • Urge trustees to make diversity a priority. • Adopt the “Executive Search Model” to keep strong, diverse leadership in the pipeline at all times.

31. Human Resources • Hiring, promoting and keeping diverse employees, so that staff reflects diversity of membership and the community. • Using alternative media to recruit employees, reaching out to diverse communities. • Training staff to appreciate diversity and create an environment where all employees are welcome and integrated into the mainstream. • Establishing training, mentoring, and management development programs to ensure success among diverse employees.

32. Human Resources • Setting examples and modeling by staff leadership of successful work teams and relationships that include diverse staff. • Supporting, measuring and recognizing diversity successes by leadership. • Including diversity goals in employee performance expectations and evaluations. • Setting staff diversity goals by hierarchical level. • Training about and complying with all statutes related to a diverse workforce.

33. Human Resources • Engaging in a pro-active diverse employee recruitment and promotion from within. • Providing employee benefits that are conducive to attracting and keeping diverse employees. • Evaluating supervisory performance in the area of hiring and developing diverse staff.

34. Communications/Publications • Going “public” with diversity statement and inclusiveness policies in all appropriate communications with all audiences. • Reinforcing organizational diversity in publications and other media through print, graphic, and audio/visual representations, and translations, while avoiding tokenism. • Including diversity topics as appropriate in industry or professional publications for members’ use. • Using alternative media that attract diverse audiences. • Building image around diversity.

35. Marketing • Integrating diversity into the marketing process. • Adding diversity considerations to market segmentation strategies. • Making product, price, place and promotion decisions to reflect inclusiveness. • Designing products and services to appeal to diverse audiences. • Establishing price structures to maximize access to offerings across all audiences.

36. Marketing • Considering delivery channels that reach diverse audiences. • Targeting promotions to diverse audiences, with copy, graphics, and media placement tailored to reach and interest underrepresented audiences. • Creating an organizational brand identity that reflects diversity.

37. Membership • Surveying for and finding demographic information about your members and prospects. • Setting demographic goals for recruitment and retention and measuring results. • Segmenting your prospect universe. • Broadening the definition of diversity to reflect all possible groups.

38. Membership • Broadening membership benefits and services to include the needs of diverse audiences and balancing those needs against those of more traditional members. • Conducting campaigns to attract diverse audiences. • Tailoring membership promotions to diverse audiences, using targeted media. • Partnering with similar industry or professional organizations that represent a diverse segment of your membership eligible universe.

39. Engaging Generational Groups Today, involving four to five generations who co-exist at work is challenging. They have differences in values, communication styles, experiences, goals, visions and work expectations. • The GI generation or traditionalists (also known as Matures) (1920-40) are in their mid 60’s and older. Traditionalists are described as rule-based, have high values, like clear directions, policies and procedures. This group also prefers strong and decisive leadership, contact with top management and clear lines of authority. Many are not comfortable with advanced technology, abrupt change and developing new skills.

40. Engaging Generational Groups • Baby Boomers, were born between 1940 and 1960, are concerned with political correctness, receiving feedback and recognition for job performance. Baby Boomers are willing to work a 60 hour week without complaining. This group is the best educated and wealthiest of prior groups and future generations. This generation is known as the transitional generation because they represent significant changes in technology, automation, societal norms and the overall workplace.

41. Engaging Generational Groups • Generation X (1960-80) are folks in their late 20s to mid-40s and they are action-oriented, concerned with getting things done quickly. Unlike the GI and Baby Boomers, Generation X’ers leave the office on time because they are concerned about meeting their personal needs. They are also likely to ask “why” of job assignments made by management. This group does not believe playing by the rules results in promotions and upward mobility.

42. Engaging Generational Groups • Millennials (1980-2000) are people born between 1981 and 1999 and are viewed as multi-taskers who appreciate lots of activities. • Generation Y (born after 2000) are those in their 20’s and younger who grew up with computers, automation and cell phones.

43. Generation X He who hesitates is lost! OUT

44. Baby Boomer POLICY METHODS STANDARDS PROCESSES PROCEDURES RULES Do it once, Do it right! IN OUT

45. There is always a better way!! Random thoughts Millennial (1981-) I’ll do this, or that... or do the other thing Must do Should do 1. Write ltr 2. Hire new 3. Fire Bob 4. Sell stuff 5. Call home 6. Pay staff 1. Swell stuf 2. Mail ltr 3. Awards 4. Telecon 5. Meeting 6. Conflict RECENT IDEAS IN OUT OLD IDEAS VERY OLD IDEAS IDEA FRAGMENTS POSSIBLE IDEAS

46. The different groups in your organization can be engaged with the following considerations: • Power/influence. Most often generation X’ers and traditionalists and have a higher need for power and control and are more likely to seek promotions more aggressively than other groups. They enjoy making and or being involved when making decisions about policies and resources. • Affiliation. Female baby boomers and traditionalists are more likely to fit this category than other groupsThis means seeking nourishing relationships with others and putting others above personal feelings and needs.

47. The different groups in your organization can be engaged with the following considerations: • Autonomy. Generation X’ers and younger generations prefer working with fewer directions, they have fewer clear operational values and speak and write in a language unique to that group. They are generally seeking to be independent, self-directed and think of following certain rules and regulations as irritants and outdated. • Security. This represents people who want to know the future and avoid being exposed to risk. These individuals take the safest path and will stay in a dead end safe and stable job rather than risk an unstable higher paying position. Historically, a sense of security has been more important to people born before 1965 than others.

48. Meetings and Education • Selecting venues that are accessible, attractive, and hospitable to diverse groups. • Planning program or agenda to interest and be sensitive to the needs of diverse participants. • Screening and preparing presenters to appeal to diverse audiences. • Planning educational activities that represent all levels of experience and diverse viewpoints.

49. Meetings and Education • Using a variety of presenters that diverse audiences can identify with. • Including accessibility, accommodation, and language options in registration materials. • Facilitating positive experiences among diverse audiences through orientation programs, mentoring activities, etc. • Including diversity elements in certification programs. • Examining certification criteria standards to eliminate any biases that may exist.

50. Planning • Including diversity in organizational mission, goals, objectives and action plans. • Setting up measurement and evaluation systems for diversity action plans. • Including diversity initiatives appropriately in mainstream budget, not only funded by special grants. • Articulating a business case for diversity, and applying it throughout the organization. • Anticipating short-and long-term population trends, segments in your industry/profession and with your constituents.