Thomas (2005) points out that individuals should become effective diversity respondents and should develop diversity maturity. With those ideas in mind, as an individual in an organization, how can you contribute to creating an inclusive workplace? What leadership skills would you need to make the changes?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

however key points from the text include: Although most diversity efforts in work organizations focus on management initiatives and on developing managerial diversity skills, Thomas (2005) points out that it is just as important to develop the awareness and skills of individual employees at all organizational levels. He advocates that individual employees learn how to become effective diversity respondents—people who act with confidence, wisdom, and effectiveness when interacting with others who may be significantly different from them. He further notes that individuals need to develop diversity maturity—that is, a combination of knowledge about diversity and a comfort with the dynamics of diversity relationships. In a recent Catalyst report, Prime and Salib (2015) emphasize the important role that psychological safety plays in creating an inclusive workplace. This study uses survey data from over 250 Australian professionals to understand how leaders successfully create workplace inclusion. In this study, inclusive leadership is characterized by four behaviors—empowerment, accountability, courage, and humility—referred to as “EACH” (Prime & Salib, 2015). Findings from this study indicate that EACH leadership behaviors create psychological safety among employees and this, in turn, creates an environment for successful inclusion initiatives (Prime & Salib, 2015).
Investing in the development of advanced diversity skills is important not only for organizations that will benefit from improved relations and better teamwork among their employees but also for individuals who will benefit from improved career trajectories. Thomas (2005) argues that “individuals also have a personal responsibility to manage diversity effectively. In fact, unless they do so, the organization as a whole cannot be effective with diversity” (p. 90). It is clearly in the best interest of organizations to elevate their employees’ diversity skills while at the same time creating an organizational environment that allows all qualified employees to perform at peak effectiveness (see Box 12.1).