Importance of Diversity? Global presence Global clients Competition Vs.

Collaboration Changing workforce composition

What is Diversity?
Diversity is no longer limited to understanding the difference between:

Black vs. White Male vs. Female Gay vs. Straight Educated vs. Uneducated

Diversity is about our relatedness, our connectedness, our interactions, where the lines cross. Diversity is many things - a bridge between organizational life and the reality of peoples lives, building corporate capability, the framework for interrelationships between people, a learning exchange, a strategic lens on the world
- In The Future of Diversity and the Work Ahead of us: Harris Sussman

Company Background:
Management Consulting Firm Harvard/Cambridge Roots Started in 1983 by Joe & Mike Fuller
HBS Faculty Global Company - 10 Countries in 10 years

Employees initiated diversity/gender sensitivity awareness from lack of happiness Companys diversity initiatives evolved through experience and reflection

Distinguishing Characteristics of Monitor Companys Culture

Positive Negative

Academic Rigor Bonus linked to feedback 4/350 Personal Reflection Aim to be Teachers/Guides No Up or Out Flat structure Few Titles Organizational Experience and history inform firm evolution

Mostly white males Macho-Stoic or Red Neck perception Increasingly young Sophomoric Behavior Organizational Experience and history inform firm evolution

The Culture Supports Diversity By:

Encouraging internal reflection to drive change Definition of Purpose
Fostering peoples identification of inconsistencies
Minorities & Harassment

Global expansion required diversity recruitment and tolerance training Creation of Advisor Network, Womens Seminar Group, Diversity Network

The Culture Obstructs Diversity By:

Organizational Experience and History Direct Evolution
Mostly white environment encourages diverse candidates to self-select out of process Women feel isolated and do not express gender harassment/insensitivity experiences Status Quo environment prevents people from asking for assistance when first provided
Advisor Network

Drivers for the Diversity Initiative

The Initiative was born out of a group think exercise which aimed to construct a definition of purpose for Monitor during Monitors 10th Anniversary celebration Diversity issues continued to recur and it was discovered that many Monitor employees were uncomfortable with the firms homogeneity

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Diversity Initiative

Strengths of the Diversity Initiative Brought out cases that would not have come to light without the program Prevented employees from leaving the firm by giving them an outlet for discussing concerns Evolving of Diversity Initiative into Advisor Network

Weaknesses/Hurdles of the Diversity Initiative Time management for team leaders in the Diversity Initiative Fuller not confident in his abilities Integrating different diversity definitions into cohesive strategy

Jonathan Rotenberg homosexual employee at Monitor; acceptance and commitment to diversity; came out in Fortune magazine; other employees began to confide in Rotenberg regarding diversity issues Diversity = education Nick Basden African American employee at Monitor; observed a lack of minorities, blacks in particular at the firm; not very optimistic about change. Diversity = More Minorities

Rajeev Singh-Molares Of Spanish & Indian Descent; had encouraged the firms efforts to recruit, hire, and develop minority consultants; sees existing lack of diversity as stumbling block to hiring minority candidates Diversity = recreat[ing] U.N
Liz Martineau Female higher-up at Monitor Has been harassed by clients Is a role model for other women at the firm Recognizes struggle of young women consultants Diversity = work to lessen gender-based hurdles

Caroline Firstbrook Female Global Account Manager Was one of the guys. Recalls people making dumb jokes once in a while. Diversity = recognizing things are not going to be perfect. David Kaplan Attorney and CFO of Monitor Interested in addressing sexual harassment issues at Monitor Wants to increase professional courtesy. Diversity = treating others the same regardless of differentiating qualities

Joe Fuller Founding Director Feels that his lifes experience has not equipped [him] to be a very good diversity mentor. He and both of his parents were on HBS faculty Feels there is an obligation to try and encourage [minority] people in business. Diversity = benefit to Monitor and their clients

The importance of assuming the onus of promoting diversity in your organization:

1. More than just the money 2. Client interaction 3. Sexual harassment 4. Finding the right balance between your work life and personal life

Some Statistics on Sexual Harassment :

31% of the female workers reported they had been harassed at work 7% of the male workers reported they had been harassed at work 62% of targets took no action 100% of women reported the harasser was a man 59% of men reported the harasser was a woman 41% of men reported the harasser was another man
Source: Louis Harris and Associates - (a survey of 782 workers - 2009)

Factors that facilitate the promotion of diversity:

1. Building awareness and a support structure 2. Communication - Understanding the meaning of diversity 3. Policies - Training and compliance 4. Net profit The bottom line

Barriers hindering the promotion of diversity:

1. 2. 3. 4. Personal prejudices Lack of communication Lack of initiative from employees Inadequate skill-set of Senior management