The longer you work in D&I, the more difficult it gets to innovate. It may feel as if you have already considered everything. That’s why it took us 3+ years to revamp our entire approach to D&I. The result offers you innovative, international, intelligence-based D&I.
Editorial
128 article(s)
Start-ups: Blindflug als Geschäftsprinzip
Für neu gegründete Unternehmen, vor allem mit digitalem Geschäftsmodell, galten etliche Jahre lang überschwänglich positive Vorannahmen: Chancengerecht, multikulturell, innovativ, flexibel. Nun zeigen sich andere Realitäten.
Latest examples: Fighting Nationalism with Comedy or Science
Many current Nationalist movements base their ideas on ethnic, religious, geographic or linguistic commonalities. Simple considerations can debunk many of them. However, in the discussion each party has become more and more creative in defending their ideas. Here are two intriguing ways to put Nationalism on the spot: comedy and science.
Die Themen unserer Zeit
Die Diversity-Konferenz von Tagessspiegel und Charta der Vielfalt gehört mittlerweile zu den Pflichtterminen deutscher Diversity-PraktikerInnen. Die VeranstalterInnen verstehen dies durchaus als Auftrag, nicht nur aktuelle Themen zu präsentieren, sondern auch einen ansprechenden Methodenmix und eine thematische Breite zu bieten. Mit Erfolg.
Google Memo Discussion misses the point
A google employee was fired for spreading harmful stereotypes about women – ten pages long. The following discussion revolved around freedom of speech and existing (gender) gaps in the tech industry. Surprisingly, there was little refection about how D&I did not reach large, mainstream audiences over the past years.
Vereinbarung und Unternehmenskultur: Von großen Worten zu starken Taten?
Kein Event und keine Broschüre zum Thema Work/Life, bei denen nicht die Unternehmenkultur als Schlüsselbereich beschwört wird; ebenso die Vorbildfunktion der Führungskräfte. Die konkrete Gestaltung dieser Elemente bleibt jedoch weitgehend unklar und damit unerfüllt. Unterschätzte und unerwartete Barrieren behindern die wirksame Umsetzung.
Seven Changes that make your Gender Equality work impactful, accepted and valuable
Hundreds of leading women at the World Women Leadership Congress in Mumbai filled the large ballroom with stunning expertise and vibrant engagement. The only panel of that day, 17 February, discussed a delicate question: The invisible dynamics of gender bias. The only man on the panel, Michael Stuber, shares his top recommendations from 20 years of experience in advancing Gender Diversity on the occasion of International Women’s Day (8 March).
How D&I leaders should be D&I role models and work more with the mainstream majority
For twenty years, D&I was demanding inclusive behaviour and high ethical standards from dominant groups while running programmes for women and minorities. The analysis shows that this has to be reversed: D&I leaders should role model their ideals and work a lot more with the mainstream majority.
D&I must step out of its own comfort zone
D&I is stuck in routine, generic strategies and a copy-and-paste mentality. This analysis shows how a lack of relevance to the business and too much regulation is limiting the scope and impact of Diversity. A new business focus can bring back the change into D&I and unleash intrinsic energy. Continue reading
D&I could be a powerful alternative to Nationalism – if pitched effectively
It felt as if overnight many achievements of 20 years of D&I work were ruined when nationalistic and post-truth campaigns received support and were partially successful. A root cause analysis shows how badly managed globalisation and virtualisation led to fragile communities. D&I has the power to offer an alternative – but for that, it needs to be re-framed.
Post-truth dynamics in the D&I field and what we should do about it
While the Internet jokes about seemingly silly populist media statements, the successes of simplistic, fact-free campaigns continue to horrify experts, including D&I stakeholders. However, the impact of accelerating post-truth dynamics on D&I is largely underestimated as is the responsibility of Media and ourselves.
Deutschland braucht ein Einwanderungsgesetz – vor allem für das eigene Selbstverständnis
Die BMW Stiftung Herbert Quandt lädt ein und sie kommen: Der Bayerische Innenminister Herrmann und SPD Bundestagsabgeordneter Oppermann. Vor ausgewählten Gästen tauschten sie am 26. Oktober 2016 in der BMW Welt in München Positionen zu einem etwaigen Einwanderungsgesetz aus. Eine Nachlese von Michael Stuber
Sexismus: Ausgerottet, harmlos oder ein Fall für die Gerichte?
Spricht man Sexismus an, trifft dies auf nahezu gegensätzliche gefühlte Wahrheiten: Einerseits gelten schon kleine sprachliche Schieflagen – vor allem am Arbeitsplatz – als unangemessen, andererseits zeigt sich im Internet, im Sport oder in der Werbung unverhohlene Frauenfeindlichkeit. Alles „nur Einzelfälle“ oder Anzeichen eines gesellschaftlichen Problems?
Kulturelle Vielfalt: Kontext ist alles
Welche Dynamik sich zwischen zwei Kulturen entfaltet hängt nicht nur von den jeweiligen (vermeintlichen!) Besonderheiten ab, sondern wesentlich von örtlichen und zeitlichen Gegebenheiten. Dieser sogenannte Kontext ist entscheidend für das Verständnis inter-kultureller Prozesse. Dies gilt umso mehr, als dass sich Werte, Grundannahmen, Normen oder Maßstäbe mit dem jeweiligen Kontext verändern – bis hin zu willkürlichen Festlegungen. Kontext-Kompetenz wird damit zum Erfolgsfaktor im Umgang mit kultureller Vielfalt.
Gender-Krampf: Selbst „Spitzen-Väter“ polarisieren
Zum 11. Mal verlieh die Lifestyle Bakery Mestermacher ihren Preis „Spitzenvater des Jahres“ – diesmal an zwei engagierte Männer. Kanzlerin Merkel betonte in ihrem Grußwort, dass sie eine „Entscheidende Rolle“ in der Gleichstellung spielten. Trotz – oder wegen – des medialen und politischen Lobs: Die Preisverleihung ist heftig umstritten.
Cultural Diversity – From normative models to exploring existing realities
Learning about differences can be tricky as it may well lead to putting (groups of) people in boxes. ‘Men are from Mars’ is one example for the stereotyping risk, and many traditional cultural models fostered categorisation – even in categories that did not exist before. Exploring the realities of cultures as they exist is an intriguingly easy alternative.
The 20th year of Diversity – how much news can we still expect?
What else can we possibly do to advance D&I further? Not an easy question when you have already implemented various strategies for 5 or 10 years. Or, in our case, 19.
„Wir sehen den Kern des Problems nicht!“ (Pressemitteilung)
Kölner Diversity-Papst über Sexismus und Rassismus im deutschen Alltag. Zur den aktuellen Diskussionen über sexualisierte Gewalt und Flüchtlinge erklärt der Diversity-Forscher, -Publizist und -Berater Michael Stuber: „Stereotype lenken von den tieferen Ursachen ab: Stimmungsmache gegen Flüchtlinge und die Normalität von Sexismus in Deutschland.“
MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF D&I: Effect – Progress – Added value concepts and methods at a glance
In an economic environment it seems obvious to measure the success of initiatives – after all, resources flow into the respective activities. Meanwhile, how success should show itself remains controversial. In the context of the women’s quota, the fulfilment of these goals is already regarded by some as the achievement of goals and thus as a success. Others insist that Diversity & Inclusion – like other initiatives – must deliver measurable added value, i.e. ROI. Programme managers and project managers regard themselves as successful when their measures have had the desired effect. It seems as if incompatible different points of view collide – they merely represent different perspectives and elements of a comprehensive measurement of the success of diversity management.
New evidence about Unconscious Bias shows this concept is not the silver bullet
Current research into Unconscious Bias shows that the awareness for and concern about expressing bias does actually help to accept feedback about bias and to take bias-reducing actions. The study conducted by Perry, Murphy and Dovidio (in press) found that white participants with high scores on a newly developed Bias Awareness Scale were likely to accept the (fictive) results of a bias measure indicating their preference for white individuals over black individuals. Participants with a lower Bias Awareness tended to reject such feedback. Moreover, the personal acceptance of bias feedback turned out to be the crucial tie between Bias Awareness and bias-reducing activities when participants were told to be biased. These findings confirm that Unconscious Bias training alone will not turn the totality of subtle and blatant discrimination, imbalance and inequalities into a fair and inclusive culture.