Speak Up: Speak out is intended to empower employees to speak up about disrespect at work. I make the case in Road to Respect that disrespect is a non-issue when workplace leaders make a strategic decision to build a values based culture where respect is a core value, where respect simply becomes “the way it is around here”. However, I also know that it is going to take a long, long time for respectful behavior to become a norm in most workplaces. In the meantime, I want to do what I can to empower employees, to ensure they realize that they have power, that they can make a choice to speak up rather than put up and shut up about disrespect at work. I challenge them at the end of the session to speak up, to take action to create a more respectful workplace for themselves and those they work with.

One of the factors that stops us from speaking up is fear. We are afraid of what might happen if we say something; things might get worse, we could have a confrontation, we might even jeopardize our job. These are realistic fears. The question is should we allow those fears to rule our behavior, to determine our choices? Should we allow fear to justify giving up our power, a decision which inevitably leads down the path to victimization?

Roman philosopher Seneca said “Courage is not lack of fear, but rather it is taking action in the face of, and despite, fear.” This concept has taken on a whole new meaning for me since reading two books by Ayaan Hirsli Ali, Infidel and The Caged Virgin.

Ms. Ali is a Somali born Muslim woman, who fled to the Netherlands to escape an arranged marriage. Her experiences there caused her to start questioning some of the cultural practices she had grown up with: female genital mutilation, the wearing of the hajib and abaya (cloak), the cult of virginity, the justification of gender inequity within some Muslim communities. She started to speak up, to express herself. She became involved in Dutch politics and made a film called Submission part 1 with Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh.

One day in 2004 while riding his bicycle to work, Theo Van Gogh was murdered. A note, addressed to Ms. Ali, was found stabbed into his chest. It warned Ms. Ali that she would be next. Death was promised for those who dared to speak up about the issues that Ms. Ali focuses on.

The consequences of Ms. Ali continuing to speak up are much graver than any faced by my audience members in Speak Up Speak Out. Ms. Ali’s decision to continue to speak up has meant she had to give up her seat as a Dutch politician, and relocate from Europe to the US. She continues to receive death threats.

In spite of all this she continues to speak up, to speak out. In 2007 she founded the AHA Foundation to help protect and defend the rights of women in the West against militant Islam.

After reading Ms. Ali’s books, I felt overwhelmed and engulfed with despair and a sense of hopelessness. As an individual passionate about promoting respect and dignity for all, I was stunned to learn about the realities faced by millions of women on a daily basis. I was saddened and depressed by her stories of bigotry, hatred, abuse of power and suffering. It seemed almost pointless to continue to speak up to promote my vision of respect in light of this reality.

Then it occurred to me that while I only read about Ms. Ali’s experiences, she has lived through them, and yet she still feels hopeful. She makes a choice each day, in spite of what she knows, in spite of the fear she must feel, to continue to speak up, to speak out. In doing so she demonstrates true self respect, while working to promote respect for others.

Ms. Ali truly is a courageous woman and an inspirational figure. She embodies the idea of a hero as expressed by Lisa Hand. “That’s what it takes to be a hero, a little gem of innocence inside you that makes you want to believe that there still exists a right and wrong that decency will somehow triumph in the end”.

If human rights, gender equality and respect are subjects that interest you, I urge you to read Ms. Ali’s books. We must believe that decency will somehow triumph in the end, and work proactively to ensure that happens.

Erica Pinsky, B.A., M.Sc, CHRP, is an engaging and inspirational speaker, author and consultant working with organizations to build respectful and inclusive workplace cultures that attract and retain quality employees. Creative, dynamic and results oriented, Erica is passionate about promoting workplace cultures where employees feel engaged, comfortable and focused on their jobs in an environment free from discrimination, harassment, bullying and destructive conflict. Erica’s book, Road to Respect, Path to Profit gives companies a road map to success in today’s challenging business climate.

If you are a guest at a business lunch, be sure to arrive on time or perhaps a few minutes early. Later than 10 minutes is not a good idea and should be preceded by an apologetic phone call. If you have any dietary restrictions, let your host know well in advance. Be sure your clothes are clean, freshly pressed and with polished shoes. Be sure to check in the rest room, if necessary for last minute grooming.

It is likely that you will know why you are invited to the lunch. Your host will have an agenda. You may want to review the following two important questions and formulate answers before your arrival. First of all, what are your host’s intentions towards you? Be sure you are attentive to all questions and comments directed to you and answer them clearly.

Eating can make some people anxious. To avoid this feeling, brush up on your table manners. Be sure to greet your host with a firm hand shake and a warm smile. When you sit down, do so from the right side of the chair. Place your napkin on your lap when your host does, following his lead throughout the meal.

Remember that your host is in charge of the table. If you require something from the service staff, it is usually best to direct your request to the host, rather than summoning the wait staff yourself. If you must excuse yourself from the table, do so quietly, placing your napkin on the seat of the chair. Do not speak with food in your mouth. Pace your eating speed trying to keep time with your host. In other words, don’t gobble down your meal or neglect your food.

The second question you must ask yourself is, “what’s in it for me?” You want to have your own objectives for this meeting. Meals in general are not appropriate times to bring up unpleasant subjects however and this is true of business lunches. Keep the conversation on topic and constructive. Business cards should not be exchanged during the meal, but afterwards on your way out of the restaurant. Be sure to thank your host. Follow your verbal thank you with a note, preferably hand written.

Business lunches are opportunities to show off your best attributes including personality, sense of humor, and self esteem. This is one reason why you are invited to the lunch in the first place. The mutual respect established between host and guest at a business lunch can lay a firm foundation for building strong business relationships. Following these few rules of business etiquette will likely prove very beneficial.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

For example, if a host invites a potential employee to lunch, he will keep a close eye on how that person will reflect the corporate image of the company. After all, eating is a ritual which we perform several times every day. If this relatively simple act is handled awkwardly, the host might well imagine that there are other equally simple skills lacking in this individual.

Essentially there are just a few persons of interest at every business lunch, namely the host and his/her guest or guests. There are a set of host duties which, if followed through, will make the lunch far less stressful all around.

As host, it is your responsibility to select the restaurant, make the reservation, and even make a request for a specific table if desired. When choosing a restaurant, keep in mind the sort of food your guests might enjoy. You will be paying the bill, so be mindful of your budget. You may want to pre-order, especially if the party is a large one. Make arrangements to pay the bill after your guests have departed. Ask the server not to bring the bill to the table. Ordering off the menu takes longer and the time available can have an impact on your ability to conduct business.

In many public restaurants and most private clubs, business papers are not allowed on the dining table. Be sure your agenda can be covered without papers. You will want to inform your guests about any rules regarding cell phones as their use is also discouraged during meals and should be turned to vibrate or off. The interruption of a ring tone is annoying and disrespectful to anyone speaking.

As host, be sure to go over all of the arrangements with the manager the morning before the lunch. Do not leave any detail to his or her discretion. Managers are not mind readers and they appreciate knowing exactly what you as a customer want so they can make your entire experience as enjoyable as possible. Be sure to arrive at least 20 minutes before your reservation to make a final inspection and answer any questions which the management may have or which may have occurred to you. If you are using place cards, set them on the table before your guests arrive. If you are not using cards, be sure to have a seating plan in your mind. People like some direction when it comes to seating.

Next week find out what to do as the guest of a business lunch.

Jay Remer is certified by the Protocol School of Washington as a consultant for corporate etiquette and international protocol. He lives in St. Andrews, NB, Canada. E-mail your etiquette questions to jay@etiquetteguy.com and visit his website at www.etiquetteguy.com.

It’s a similar story to Kevin’s, whose own story begins with working for a “hellish boss” early in his career. As a young employee, I had my own share of working woes.

I began my career in Washington, DC working as an educator in a small museum. I was only in my position for 7 months, when I was suddenly laid off due to budget cuts. To pay my bills, while I looked for a new position, I worked as a temp in a variety of office settings, mostly in the non-profit sector.

During that time, 9/11 hit not only the nation but literally the nation’s capital. After that my job search slowed as the country mourned. I ended up temping for a much longer time than I had anticipated. It was during that time that I learned about respect in the workplace.

As a temporary staff member I was often treated very poorly, probably largely due to the bad reputation that temps have as being irresponsible. But unlike the stereotypical temporary worker, I arrived on time, took orders from senior staff, and did my work promptly every day. Despite that I still endured some of the most disrespectful treatment of my working career.

I remember a time working as a receptionist for an international women’s health organization. I had been there almost a month and was somewhat friendly with the other staff members. One afternoon, a shipment of office supplies was delivered and I heard the male office manager, who was receiving it, exclaim to the delivery person, “I’d like to do that!” referring to me!

Another time as an executive assistant for a female VP of a large government agency, I was often left alone all day in the office with no work. The VP was often out of the office, but never bothered to let me know, so I would wait half the day for her to arrive and give me an assignment. When she did arrive, she usually sent me to retrieve obscure files on various companies. One time, I confused one of the names she mentioned and brought the wrong file. She and her staff ended up laughing at me instead of simply correcting me.

When I finally found a full-time position in my chosen field, the first thing I swore to do was to treat everyone I came into contact with respect. Why? Because for the entire year that I was a temp, I saw what it was like to be disrespected, and I vowed never to treat anyone like that.

Sadly, I had to be disrespected in order to learn the importance of respect in the workplace. Looking back, it was a tough lesson to learn, but I am glad I did.  So similar to Kevin Kennemer’s question:

How have you learned about respect in the workplace?

Admit it. You’ve got one in your office. Perhaps you’ve been accused of being one. The back stabber is someone no one wants to know and unless you’re educated in the ways of tackling one of these energy-suckers, you’re in for a long and painful battle in the tough world of office politics.

According to Dr. Mitchell Kusy, management consultant and co-author of Toxic Workplace! Managing Toxic Personalities and their Systems of Power, both male and female workers practice backbiting behavior with equal intensity. In a research that Kusy conducted with over 400 respondents, the backstabbing worker exhibited certain distinctive character traits. “If you notice that those above think ‘she’ is wonderful in spite of repeated accounts from those below her of backstabbing, team meddling, and manipulation, you are probably dealing with the chameleon,” Kusy says.

Then there are the connivers who gain respect for attacking the efforts of other workers and distrusting colleagues. While it may be hard to believe that any company leader would tolerate such unethical behavior, Kusy points out that “many superiors are easily duped into believing that these negative employees are ‘indispensable’ largely because these passive-aggressive workers are masters at convincing everyone of their inflated sense of importance and productivity.”

First thing that any aggrieved employee needs to do is assess the situation to make sure that there is no misunderstanding. If you can free yourself of any blame, then check to see if other workers are also sharing the same frustration. Having allies in the workplace can be powerful weapons in dealing with hostile co-workers so do your best to keep your office buddies close.

Secondly, watch out for some clues to the tactics of the typical job saboteur and if any of these thought come to your mind, you’re probably being targeted by a co-worker frenemy.

He gossips about me

She stole my idea!

Getting singled out for blame

He thinks he’s the boss of me

I’m being sabotaged

Ji Hyun Lee is a journalist with more than seven years of experience contributing for online and print publications. Her work has appeared in Forbes.com, Small Business Review, SC Magazine and DiversityPlus.

If you dread going into work, have anxieties and fears about your workday, it’s probably because you’ve got a bad boss making your workday a living hell. Unfortunately you’re not alone—80 percent of employees leave their jobs because of their bosses. For many people the behaviors of bad bosses begin to affect their mental and physical health, notwithstanding his/her ability to do the job well.

“Simply uttering the word, ’boss’ drives an emotional response,” says Andrew O’Keeffe, a human resources executive of 25 years and author of the book appropriately entitled, The Boss. “It’s gotten so bad that even the mention of our supervisors can tie our stomachs into knots.” O’Keeffe, who has been observing bosses for many years recognizes the symptoms of a frustrated subordinate— feeling trapped, helpless and being plagued by self-doubt are all consequences of cruel managers. The affected employee must choose to stay in the job and be demeaned, or complain and get fired: It’s constant struggle to maintain one’s self-esteem.

“It becomes an either-or situation. In a bad economy, it’s more difficult to find a new job so managers find that their power-base is increased,” O’Keeffe says.

If you’re an employee in this frustrating situation, first thing to do is to recognize the type of bad boss you’re dealing with. For some bosses, it’s possible to reason with them because some simply “don’t know what they don’t know,” as Dave Schoof, a LinkedIn professional points out. So providing that you approach sticky management issues with diplomacy and courtesy, it’s possible to turn a bad boss into a not so bad one. But be advised that there are some bosses who are just insane, impossible and incapable of changing.

Here are some common characteristics of a bad manager and if you recognize any of them in your boss, buckle up because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

• The thieving boss
• The friendly boss
• The micro-managing boss
• The bullying boss
• The two-faced boss

Ji Hyun Lee is a journalist with more than seven years of experience contributing for online and print publications. Her work has appeared in Forbes.com, Small Business Review, SC Magazine and DiversityPlus.

It’s hard enough competing in a job market where there are more qualified candidates than there are open positions but what do you do when your biggest nemesis is another woman abusing you to get to the top?

According to the Workplace Bullying Institute – Zogby survey, women single out other women 71 percent of the time. Women bullies also liked to enlist others to help target and harass other women. Fifty-three percent of the women being targeted suffered serious mental and physical harm as opposed to the 36 percent of the men who were bullied.

A question was posted on LinkedIn Discussion forums asking why women were tougher on other women and 85 percent of responses I received point to women as being more competitive, insecure and more aggressive with other women than they are with men. Others responded to me in a private email, discussing their own experiences with female bosses and coworkers— one man even responded saying, “I don’t know why but I have found it to be absolutely true.”

While not all female workers fall into the bullying category and some LinkedIn responders even shared some stories of positive relationships with their women bosses, many still acknowledged that women-on-women harassment is a prevailing issue in the workplace.

“My experience with women bosses has been awful,” says Margaret P, a print production professional. “It is shameful that some women do not have the skill set to become mentors to other women. I have been considered a threat way too many times in my career. Funny, I’ve never had a man feel that way.”

So it begs the question, why can’t we all just get along?

The female double standard

Women are often easy targets

Women are naturally competitive with one another

Resolving women-on-women conflicts

Standing up for yourself, the right way

Ji Hyun Lee is a journalist with more than seven years of experience contributing for online and print publications. Her work has appeared in Forbes.com, Small Business Review, SC Magazine and DiversityPlus.

I’d like to explore another angle to this phenomenon…the power of vested self-interest. Upton Sinclair, the American author who wrote The Jungle (an expose on the meat packing industry) back in 1906, once commented that,“It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his job depends on not understanding it”. Over a century later, a cursory inspection of some of the mutually beneficial relationships between government officials and various businesses (only a few of which make the news) shows just how true this is. Fortunately, Congress and state legislatures have taken at least some steps to dissuade either side from too egregiously abusing these relationships.

But there’s another kind of self-interest that is protected perhaps even more than financial. Unfortunately, it’s also one that is far more difficult to moderate. It’s our moral code; the very foundation upon which most of us make our decisions and run our lives. For most people, myself included, there is a very strong propensity to look at the filters and lenses through which we view the world as being the most informed, the fairest, and, for the most part, the best for society at large. To support this opinion, I look at cumulative results of a national survey we are conducting (through one of our affiliate web sites) on employee perceptions of respect in the workplace. It should come as no surprise to anyone that the vast majority of respondents rate their own behaviors as being more respectful towards others than they do those of either their leaders or their peers.

Unlike financial self-interest (typically the basis of “conflict of interest”), which most people would agree needs to be moderated, there is relatively little in place to protect various groups from the pursuit of moral self-interest. In fact, many people organize and band together to not only promote their version of what’s “right”, but, in many cases, to codify it and attempt to make it the standard of behavior for everyone else. We engage in these activities through our religious institutions, a plethora of non-profit organizations, special “interest” groups, and even our political affiliations. These associations, in fact, add legitimacy to our efforts and allow us to further wrap ourselves in the “correctness” of our beliefs. When that doesn’t work, some even rationalize their own amoral behaviors by linking them back to moral ends that are more broadly accepted.

The end result is always the same. Hostility. Sometimes it’s overt, but more often than not, it’s subversive, cloaked and “dressed up” to make it more presentable. It takes the form of character attacks, gossip and innuendo, demonization, “jokes”, or other disparaging comments aimed at specific individuals or groups, selective denial of freedoms, and/or selective access to resources and privileges. Even if legal, all of these activities are uncivil, socially damaging, and cause real harm, physical and/or emotional, to real people.

The question we should ask ourselves each morning is this: “Can I live my life in a manner that is consistent with my own truths and still leave room for everyone else to do the same?” This concept seems to be simple on the surface, but is so challenging to embrace in practice. Why? Because it turns out that many of our truths, mine included, contain “baggage” that allows (or even requires) us to impose our moral code on others. Over the entire span of recorded human history, the assumption of moral superiority has never led to anything except pain and suffering. Today, in a global community made up of cultures that are getting squished closer together every day, this is baggage we can no longer afford to carry.

At the end of the day, the pursuit of those things which we deem to be best for ourselves (and those for whom we’re responsible) is as old as our species itself. But what separates human beings from other animals is our ability to reason, reflect and, albeit with some difficulty, to change behaviors based upon what’s good for society at large. Our challenge today is to cast that social net as broadly and inclusively as possible. If not, as Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, “The end of the human race will be that it will eventually die of civilization.”

For those in pursuit of increased organizational effectiveness, there’s a new game in town. Respect. And given the demographic shifts impacting the North American workplace, it makes perfect sense. Over the past several years, there have been dozens of articles written that suggest organizations can achieve higher levels of productivity, raise morale and, subsequently, retain more of their best employees when they have cultures anchored in respect. When you’re able to consistently attract and retain the best employees, you become a learning organization. This, in turn, fosters adaptability. But it’s pretty hard to intelligently process and adapt to business environment changes when your best employees don’t feel valued and are shopping their resumes.

There’s also a connection between personal success and how we treat and are treated by others. When a person works in an organization where respectful behaviors are the norm, a couple things happen. First, it reduces the inherent stress that comes from working with people who have different backgrounds, lifestyles, beliefs and opinions. Reduced stress tends to increase individual productivity and, just as importantly, creativity. When we’re more productive and more creative, we gradually increase our value to the organizations for which we work. Not only does that enhance our job security, it also leads to a more enjoyable work experience overall. How much is that worth these days?

There’s also the advantage of increased support from others. As we pursue success – whatever that happens to be for us – we’ll never be able to leverage all the assistance that’s available to us from other people if we don’t leave a trail of respectful behaviors behind us. Whether it’s emotional assistance, intellectual assistance or, in some cases, financial assistance, people tend to help those who treat them with respect, dignity and appreciation. The reputations that we create with our behaviors and our treatment of others travel very far and are extraordinarily long-lasting.

If we’re being honest with ourselves, I’m sure most of us believe that we’re more respectful than our behaviors would sometimes indicate. I’d like to offer some suggestions for consistently treating others with respect.

For starters, we have to work through a natural bias that almost all people have – an insatiable need to be “right”. Most of us wake up every morning with predominant beliefs about the way the world is, the way other people are, and the way we are. The number one thing we try to do all day long is protect and validate those beliefs. We read the newspaper, watch television and interact with others, but we’re always on the lookout for evidence that supports what we already believe to be true. That’s where the problem lies. If I’m always trying to protect and defend what I already believe, that makes it very difficult for me, or anyone else, to take in new information and improve the quality of my decisions and actions. It also makes it nearly impossible for me to interact in a truly respectful manner with others who may happen to see the world differently than I do. Controlling the need to be right isn’t easy, but it’s essential for treating others with respect.

So how do we do it? We start by forcing ourselves to delineate between those parts of our “truth and reality” that are based on knowledge and those parts that are based on beliefs. We must to learn to treat the two areas differently! Most people go through the day with their knowledge and beliefs in one big bucket and act as though they were the same thing… but they’re not.

Knowledge is fact-based information that can be supported by hard evidence or proof. Beliefs, by their very definition, are different. As strongly as they tend to be held, they can neither be proved nor disproved. This means that my beliefs are no more valid for someone else than their beliefs are for me. If we treat people poorly or defensively simply because they don’t share the same beliefs that we do, we’re acting both disrespectfully and ignorantly. Our behaviors toward others ought to communicate that we offer the same deference and respect for their beliefs as we do for our own. You don’t have to share someone else’s beliefs to respect them.

Here’s a suggestion: Before every interaction with someone else, ask yourself, “If I act in accordance with my beliefs, will that hinder this person’s ability to do the same?” If the answer is yes, you may want to consider a different course of action.

Allowing others to think and live as they choose is not only the hallmark of respect, it’s a source of wisdom. By making room for other people’s “truths” to co-exist with our own, we expand our awareness. Over time, this allows us to make smarter decisions and take wiser actions.

When you ask people what defines diversity in a business setting, the things that often come to mind are race, religion, gender and age. While an obvious mix of these characteristics in your personnel pool is the most observable measure to claim diversity in your workforce, these descriptors just barely scratch the surface of what truly makes an organization diverse. More importantly, they do not address the critical topics of how diversity is managed and how it impacts business. The trend toward increased diversity in the American workforce isn’t good or bad, it’s just the way it is and the way it will be in the future. What will allow organizations to engage their diverse workforces and thrive amidst this demographic shift is simple. RESPECT.

Any discussion of respect, at least within the context of diversity, must start with a simple understanding of the term. Respect is an ongoing behavior pattern that promotes increased awareness and acceptance of differences in individuals’ beliefs, styles and backgrounds, as well as their physical, ancestral, geographic or socio-economic makeup.  While you may think that a roomful of 50-year-old white males is not particularly diverse, once you look below the surface into political beliefs, favorite sports, educational backgrounds, sexual orientation, and (the big one in Northeast Ohio) East side vs. West side, you’ll find literally hundreds of characteristics that make many of them completely unique. Respect is the process and vehicle that allows unique people to engage and work with other unique people in a manner that benefits all.

How do we define a respectful work environment?

Contrary to what many believe, a respectful workplace is not color blind, A respectful organization recognizes, embraces and celebrates differences. It actively seeks diversity, not just tolerates it.  More importantly, it promotes equity, encourages dialogue and absolutely insists upon fairness and civility for all of its employees.

Why should you care?

Other than the obvious legal and social reasons to create and promote a respectful workplace  (i.e. litigation avoidance, community alignment and political correctness) there is a litany of good business reasons too. Perhaps the single most compelling reason lies in the fact that attracting the workforce of tomorrow will require it. As the population ages and baby-boomers retire, competition to attract and retain talented, educated workers will make the movie Gladiator look like a walk in the park. The U.S. Department of Labor recently estimated that by 2010, there will be 10 million more skilled job openings in the U.S. than qualified people to fill those jobs. Compounding that challenge is the fact that tomorrow’s star leaders and performers will likely not look, think or act like today’s stars. Employers must prepare now to give themselves a competitive edge. Workplace culture will be that edge and one of the key cultural variables will be respect.

One local company is leveraging this better than most. Key Corporation’s leadership was recently recognized by DiversityInc, an online portal and national magazine, as number 18 on its list of the country’s top 50 companies for diversity. Key CEO and Chairman Henry L. Meyer, III on Key’s website states that, “Inclusiveness is a bridge between our workplace and our marketplace. It helps our businesses grow.”

Any doubt about the value of inclusiveness was dispelled when DiversityInc’s co-founder Luke Visconti pointed out in a recent CNN interview that “the 2005 Top 50 companies for diversity earned 12.8 percent more than the Standard & Poor’s 500 over the last 10 years.”  He added, “If you want to work for a progressive company that’s more likely to do well for its shareholders, take a look at the list.” Key is in good company on the list with Altria (parent company of Philip Morris and Kraft Foods), Turner Broadcasting and Citigroup at numbers one through three respectively.

How do you create a respectful workplace?

It starts with leadership. Leaders in respectful organizations encourage employees to intentionally engage those who are different; to institutionalize the curiosity to explore differences and to refrain from damaging, judgmental and exclusive behaviors. Fostering respect is not a program or project. It is a way of life that must be clearly defined, communicated and modeled from the top down.

Here’s a quick primer on how to get started:

1.  The CEO and senior leadership must define “respect” and articulate the types of behaviors that their organization embraces (as well as those it will not tolerate).

2.  Respect, as a cultural variable, should be front and center during any discussion on workforce planning and hiring/retention strategies.

3.  Assign a senior-level point person—a companywide culture champion. This person must have the implicit support of the CEO and board of directors. He or she must also have the clout to set agendas and the budget to get things done.

4.  Create measurable, respect-related objectives. These might be recruitment and retention numbers, results of employee climate surveys or training/education targets.  While population characteristics can be misleading, the “mix” within the organization should roughly mirror the populations in the markets and customers served.

5.  Hold people accountable. Add behavioral metrics to everyone’s performance appraisal… and make them count for something. If there is no tangible reason for managers and associates to change behaviors, most will not.

As with any other change, a shift in organizational values and behavior patterns takes skill, determination and clear communication. Creating a culture of respect must start with a plan. If you don’t know how to begin, hire a consultant to help you formulate strategy and deliverables. Assign timelines and resources. Include tracking and measurement tools.

What are the chances of success?

The creation of a workforce that encourages respectful behaviors toward people who are different is not merely a project, initiative or program de jour — it is a long-term shift in organizational values and behaviors. And while respect as a concept is simple, institutionalizing it typically takes a long time and is not accomplished solely through slogans on coffee cups and banners or employee contests. It can, however, be achieved through commitment, stamina, crystal-clear communication policies and leaders who walk their talk. This much is clear: Given what we know about the increasing diversity and size of tomorrow’s labor pool, choosing to do nothing would likely be the riskiest decision of all.

This article may be reprinted with permission from the author.
Contact www.paulmeshanko.com.

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