Category Archives: About Us

About the American Diversity Report

The Marine Corps’ purpose as stated on its webpage is to, “Defend the people of the United States at home and abroad. To do that, we make Marines who win our Nation’s battles and return as quality citizens.” To the casual reader, the first half of the purpose, which is to defend the United States, is stated in simple terms and easily understood. However, it is the latter half of the purpose that bears some investigating and begs the question, “What does make a better citizen mean?” To answer this question, I want to take you on a journey through the process of becoming a Marine, the transformation that occurs and the life-changing impact of being immersed into a sea of diversity creates.

Citizens from every walk of life you can imagine arrive by bus to one of three locations. Young men and women who have signed an enlistment contract arrive at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina or Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. Officer candidates receive their initial training at the Officer Candidate School located in Quantico, Virginia. For the purposes of this journey, we will focus on the experience of the recruits who matriculate through one of the training Depots.

Continue reading Experiencing Diversity Through the Marine Corps Training Process – Reginald Hairston →

Authors A-H, Teams & Leaders

Breaking Down the Walls to Disability in the C-suite – by Louise Duffield

September 9, 2019 Louise Duffield 1 Comment

Overcoming obstacles to the integration of disabled people in the C-Suite should be at the top of every board agenda. Often, I hear about diversity, but diversity efforts alone do not deal with the challenges facing disabled senior executives or aspiring leaders. These challenges can be addressed, and leaders have a responsibility to turn around the stigma surrounding disability in the C-suite.

Authors I-Q

The Words of Our Mouths – by Judith Nembhard

September 9, 2019 Judith Nembhard 1 Comment

Language is one of the greatest gifts that we humans possess. It sets us apart from every other creature on earth. Scientists, experimenting with animals to determine the extent of their language efficacy, report that animals do communicate among themselves, as various studies in Nature and other scientific journals attest, but so far nothing has been found to equal humans’ ability to express themselves in free-flowing complex and comprehensible language. Words, the vehicle of language, are a capital asset, and even in this age of twitter and text messages, real words still matter and are influential.

Our thoughts and emotions can be couched in words and phrases laden with the potential for extensive good, yet words are inherently fleeting, and it is precisely because of their evanescence that we ought to be careful to use words that leave no harmful residue of negativity. As children we were told to choose our words carefully because, once spoken, words can’t be pulled back in like a kite. This caution also holds true for us in adulthood. We, too, need to be careful how we use the gift of words. But when we observe how words are being used in the current national atmosphere, we have to conclude that some grownups, especially those in high places, tend to forget to mind the words of their mouths.

Continue reading The Words of Our Mouths – by Judith Nembhard →

Authors I-Q, Education

Parents and Teachers as Possible Partners – by Dr. Beth Lynne

September 3, 2019 Dr. Beth Lynne

I worked as an educator for twenty-five years in NJ until I retired a couple years ago. The entire district in was a low socio-economic community. One of the major complaints teachers made was that parents didn’t care about their kids. Once I became a school disciplinarian, I found that parents felt the same about teachers—they were just there for the paycheck. Imagine that! If one would believe both parents and teachers, then who did care about the kids and why was there this disconnect between parents and teachers?

One thing I could piece together was that the parents were fierce about their children. If their kid didn’t have the correct gear or the child’s cell phone was taken or someone was picking on their child, they were at the school demanding action. So it was not accurate that they didn’t care. They cared; it was just that education was not their number one concern. It was the perceived role of the school in the health, welfare, and rights of their child that was paramount.

Continue reading Parents and Teachers as Possible Partners – by Dr. Beth Lynne →

Authors R-Z, USA Culture

An American Discovers Small Talk – by Jacquelyn Reeves

August 30, 2019 Jacqueline Reeves

Small talk delights and confounds us, and it is worth asking why. In this short humorous piece I will confine myself to American small talk, as there appear to be different variations on this tune, as Mark Twain might also have pointed out if he had written more about American English and less about the German language.

On the one hand, it can feel overly factual and too easy, (are they making fun of me?) on the other hand, it is full of ambiguity and hidden meaning. But do you KNOW what that meaning is? It is also a way of getting to know you quickly, whatever the circumstances, sharing information, getting the real information fast or just having some fun in a bored moment.

Hence I share with you a “Small Talk Vignette” from one of my trips in the US. Although I am American, I have felt like a foreigner in the US at various times, and this was one of them:

Continue reading An American Discovers Small Talk – by Jacquelyn Reeves →

Authors A-H, Culture

Diversity and Speech Part 5: Interculturalism – by Carlos E. Cortés

August 29, 2019 Dr. Carlos E. Cortés

The diversity movement has raised myriad issues regarding language and the exercise of speech. Indeed, some critics of diversity efforts have accused its advocates of undermining the U.S. tradition of free speech. Yet that argument is ill-founded, for two reasons. First, because totally “free” speech does not exist in the United States. Second, because establishing selective legal limits on speech is as historically American as apple pie.

This is the fifth in a series of columns based on my research as a past fellow of the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. In earlier columns I argued that diversity advocates should not be drawn into the position of opposing free speech, because it does not really exist. Rather they should clarify and reframe the issue.

Continue reading Diversity and Speech Part 5: Interculturalism – by Carlos E. Cortés →

Authors R-Z, Inclusion

INTENT versus IMPACT – by Mauricio Velásquez

August 23, 2019 Mauricio Velásquez

Introduction

This fundamental concept is one of the core principles of my work and integral to DTG’s approach to dealing with diversity issues in the workplace and marketplace. Diversity issues or employee relation issues (among people who are different) typically involve two people. The perpetrator or the initiator of the behavior is one party and the target or the receiver of the behavior is the second party.

The diversity issue or incident (sometimes it is one “moment of truth”) is defined as a behavior, an action, or a series of behaviors (a pathology or trend) that one party (the target) feels or concludes based on the behavior(s) was wrong, inappropriate, disrespectful, discriminatory or illegal.

First – We Don’t Know the Intentions of Others

We all mean well. I never question the intent of any person’s actions. We actually don’t know the intentions of the other person but we assume their intentions based on the behavior we see, how we react (our feelings) or the kind of relationship we have with the perpetrator. This is the first mistake. We should look at the behavior(s) in question and only the behavior(s). Looking just at the face value of the behavior is a good start.

I tend to focus on the actual behavior and how that behavior might affect or influence other people. In other words, I focus on the impact said behavior(s) has on other people. The consequences of any action, how the behavior might be received or perceived or experienced is what I tend to scrutinize.

Second – “I didn’t Mean It”

I find too many people will get defensive when the target confronts the perpetrator about the behavior(s). The perpetrator typically responds with, “I didn’t mean it the way you took it.” Often, in my travels, people don’t want to be held accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, this does not take the “sting” out of the behavior(s). What matters is what you said, not what you meant.

What Is Appropriate

Don’t take it personally – apologize for your comment. Don’t try to avoid your responsibility – step up to the plate. Don’t focus on your intentions – no one knows your intentions. Try to put yourself in the target’s shoes and understand their feelings. Put your feelings aside. This is not about you – the perpetrator – this is about the target. Try to empathize with the target. Apologize and ask the target to always come and share with this person their feelings whenever they feel wronged. You want to be perceived as humble, approachable and “bigger” than any one incident. What you don’t want to do is seem defensive, stubborn, or stubborn. Reach out! This is a wake up call that you need to improve this relationship. Misunderstandings are more likely to arise among strangers or people who have strained or weak relationships.

Most Common Mistakes

“You people! What do your people think? You are so articulate for a (blank); I don’t see you as a (blank). Men/women, you can’t….” These are some of the most common mistakes people make. Stay away from these behaviors. Never see people as members of a group but rather focus on the person, the individual. If you do go here, apologize immediately and reach out and ask for help and coaching from the other person.

Authors R-Z, Teams & Leaders

Effect Change in One Brief Conversation – by Keith Weedman

August 3, 2019 Keith Weedman

Unexpected Introduction

When I provided an introductory session for highly skilled Toastmaster Ant Blair, my goal was to earn the privilege of providing him a program that blends training on how to effect change in one, brief conversation with coaching. Ant was quite engaged during his training. I was feeling optimistic about the outcome. Then at the end of his session, something totally unexpected happened. Ant was the one to effect change in one, brief conversation.

ADR