Barbara B. Adams - Women, Minorities, and Other Extraordinary People: The New Path for Workforce Diversity

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other licensed professional services.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press

Austin, Texas

www.gbgpress.com

Copyright 2018 Barbara Adams

All rights reserved.

Thank you for purchasing an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright law. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the copyright holder.

Distributed by Greenleaf Book Group

For ordering information or special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Greenleaf Book Group at PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709, 512.891.6100.

Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group

Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group

Grateful acknowledgment is made to the following sources for permission to reproduce copyrighted material:

From The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking, Concepts and Tools, by Dr. Richard Paul and Dr. Linda Elder, 7th Edition. Copyright 2014 by the Foundation for Critical Thinking, www.criticalthinking.org. All rights reserved. Reproduced by permission of the Foundation for Critical Thinking.

For a continuation of credits, please see page Permissions Credits (continued) on page 240, which serves as an extension of the copyright page.

Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62634-506-5

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62634-508-9

Part of the Tree Neutral program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

18 19 20 21 22 23 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

DEDICATION

For Paul, my smart, patient, thoughtful, creative husband who never wavered in his belief about the importance of this book and my ability to deliver on it. Your support and encouragement are invaluable to me. I love you.

And

For my parents, who in the late 1960s, fulfilled my holiday wish for the first black Barbie dolls. You told me that other people might have unkind reactions to these toys and reminded me that skin color may be different among people, but we are all equal human beings.

Good job, Kath and Joe.

PRAISE

If you can read only one book on diversity and inclusion, it should be Women, Minorities, & Other Extraordinary People. Barbara Adams leaves no doubt about the destructiveness of discrimination and proposes creative, workable approaches to the difficult task of building and retaining a diverse, inclusive workforce. She compels readers to recognize and understand the urgency of dealing with hidden biases and corrects deep-rooted misconceptions that create impediments to a desirable work environment. This book offers a practical road map for reframing the thinking required to embrace the diversity and inclusion that make companies and organizations more successful. It is a must-read!

Ambassador Ruth A. Davis (Ret.), named to The Economists 2015 Global Diversity List as one of the Top 50 Diversity Figures in Public Life

For as much as we talk about diversity and inclusion in the workplace, it is so misunderstood. Whats distinct about this book is the depth of conversation and action it can inspire.

Br A. Williams, tech industry legal and operations executive, start-up advisor, former lead counsel for Facebook, creator of Facebooks Supplier Diversity Program

Dr. Adams compassionately cracks the code for how to achieve inclusion through diversity as both business and moral imperative. Her book is a must-read for anyone who wants to make a positive difference and move the needle in the right direction toward rebuilding organizations that are equitable and inclusive. Through her masterful storytelling and impeccable research, Dr. Adams helps you to understand why its important that everyone in your organization must be made to feel like they belong and belong uniquely.

Demetriouse Russell, founder at Venn Diagram Partners and former director at Harvard Business School Executive Education

This book is fantastic for practitioners; it is simple, concise, and focused on action. Barbara articulates the problem, explains the science, shows best practices, and provides solutions. She lays out the research in a way that is easy to follow in order to set the tone for evidence-based practice. Plus, she makes it easy to review the book for quick tips by including summary points and potential actions for each chapter. The key to making lasting, meaningful change in equity, diversity, and inclusion is to take a comprehensive, strategic approach to systemic change, and Barbaras book provides readers with the foundation to initiate their strategic plan.

Tie Wang-Jones, dual PhD in Clinical Psychology and Industrial-Organizational Psychology; Global Matrix Leader, Diversity & Inclusion at IKEA Group

A stellar resource for understanding workforce diversity in the 21st century and a practical guide on how to maximize the full creativity and innovation of people from all different backgrounds.

Joseph P. Gaspero, CEO and Co-Founder at Center for Healthcare Innovation

Progress on diversity and inclusiveness can only be made if we also take a systems approach to understanding organizational behavior. Dr. Adams has written a true practitioners handbook that clearly lays out the science that underpins diversity and inclusion best practices, while also addressing the emotions that drive the will to change. Women, Minorities, & Other Extraordinary People skillfully reframes the journey ahead through an organizational lens, highlighting the importance of cultural norms, challenging misconceptions, and providing research and practical tools. The business case for diversity is more critical than ever, but its not our only tool; as Dr. Adams establishes, if logic makes people think, emotions make people act. This is a book for every practitioners and leaders bookshelf.

Jennifer Brown, author of Inclusion: Diversity, the New Workplace, and the Will to Change

Dr. Adams challenges many long-held hiring myths; that diverse talent simply isnt available; that diversity and inclusion issues and gaps cant be remedied. This book helps confront bias, reframes thinking, and provides companies with the framework and tools to implement an inclusion strategy that benefits employees, leaders, and shareholders.