DIVERSITY IS MANAGING COMPLEXITY

‘Broad and inclusive’ – experts nowadays agree that the concept of Diversity embraces many if not numerous or even all kinds of differences. But when it comes to concrete implementation and active promotion of distinct dimensions, more or less rigorous choices are being made. A couple of years ago, those choices were made regarding what to include in a Diversity framework; today the question is what gets concretely addressed. The bottom line can look quite the same in either case: A few issues (or only one?) will be prioritised, analysed, represented, strategized, funded, measured, celebrated and reported. Some more topics might be tackled in special projects or with task forces, and a few others will get merciful permission to self-organised programmes for which small budgets will be granted case by case. We have gotten used to this mechanism as it is directly related to the way the business is being run. But in addition to sound business reasoning, political pressure and personal preferences are factored in when creating the portfolio of activities. But do we, at times, review this portfolio to check if it’s also still in line with the proclaimed ambition of Diversity to be inclusive? If priorities result in drawing all too harsh lines between ‘in focus’ and ‘out of focus’, cynicism can arise easily – just as it happened in the early years of Diversity when conceptual inclusion was discussed. In the meantime, many have come to accept that there has to be some form of ranking or hierarchyin order to be able to cope. And the competition that is created can be healthy as well, as it may stir innovation. But Diversity Management must role model itself and has to be able to do both: prioritise and be inclusive, to be business focused and have a social consciousness, to deliver short-term and have long-term vision, and – neither last nor finally– be able (and willing!) to integrate very different topics, groups and people. This increases complexity but it also exemplifies the nature of Diversity and therefore cannot or should not be reduced or eliminated. Of course, complexity won’t make our lives easier but it is our test case for Diversity. The good news is: if we all learn to get our heads and arms around the complexity of a truly broad Diversity concept, implementation will be much smoother – and more efficient. For the fundamental dynamics of biases are similar in many of the areas. The question how to start seems to bring us back to square one. Why not remember the six core dimensions, which are also consistently regulated across the EU and factor in group size and business case? Many of our Diversity programmes would look different…