Making Diversity Work: Seven Steps for Defeating Bias in the Workplace
2nd Revised Edition
Sondra Thiederman, Ph.D.

Foreword
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Truth Be Told

Part One— The Basics of Bias

Chapter 1

Bias Busting: It Can Be Done
“It’s hopeless,” my friend Jim said, “There’s nothing we can do about bias except to wait for this generation to die off and a new one to come along.”

A Moment More in Time
Knowing What Questions to Ask
Team Colors
Too Good to Be True?

Chapter 2

“But Everybody Does It”
When the only white man at the conference was introduced to speak on diversity, a woman in the front row turned to her companion and said, “Men don’t know anything about diversity; what is he doing here anyway?”

Chapter 3

Bias Defined and Misdefined
None of her managers would tell Priscilla that she was doing poorly; they all wanted to be “nice” to the only black woman in the department. Were they guilty of bias?

A Bias Is an Inflexible Positive or Negative Belief about a Particular Category of People

Case 1: Flexible Versus Inflexible—Juan Is Innocent
Case 2: “Just Like Me”—Eva Is Innocent
Case 3: “All White People Look Alike”—Ayana Is Innocent
Case 4: A Reasonable Assumption—Harry Is Innocent
Case 5: In the Spirit—Mary Is Innocent
Case 6: A Positive Bias—Cameron Is Guilty
Case 7: Bias from Within—Miriam Is Guilty
Case 8: Ignorance Is Not Bliss—Len Is Innocent
Case 9: Guerilla Bias™ —Gerry Is Guilty
Ifs, Buts, and Maybes

Part Two— The Vision Renewal Process

Introduction to Part Two

Chapter 4

Step One: Become Mindful of Your Biases
When her hospital was sued by the Filipino nurse, Carrie, the manager, had no idea what she had done wrong. Now, too late, she has become aware of her bias against Filipinos and admits she treated them poorly.

Positive ID
Strategy I: Observe Your Thoughts
Strategy II: Examine Your Thoughts
Strategy III: Explore Your Attitudes toward Human Difference
Strategy IV: Observe Your Behavior
Conclusion: Looking toward the Next Step

Chapter 5

Step Two: Put Your Biases through Triage
When Linda’s bias caused her to lose a top sales professional to her main competition, she lost, along with a valuable employee, thousands of dollars in convention business.

Does Your Bias Compromise Your Ability to Hire the Best People?
Does Your Bias Interfere with Your Ability to Retain Quality Employees?
Does Your Bias Interfere with Corporate Productivity and Individual Success?
Does Your Bias Interfere with Your Ability to Sustain Harmonious Teams?
Does Your Bias Compromise the Success of Your Sales and Customer Service Efforts?
Does Your Bias Put Your Organization at Risk for Litigation?

Chapter 6

Step Three: Identify the Secondary Gains of Your Biases
Mark’s bias screams, “All fully-abled people look down on people with disabilities.” Because of this bias, Mark will never again be caught off guard by someone who treats him like a child because he uses a wheelchair. After all, he now knows what “those people” are like, and he’ll just stay out of their way.

Secondary Gain: The Power to Predict the Future—Bias as Magical Thinking
Secondary Gain: Protection from Diminished Status
Secondary Gain: Protection from Loss
Secondary Gain: Protection from Emotional Pain
Secondary Gain: An Excuse to Avoid Discomfort
Conclusion: A Cautionary Note

Chapter 7

Step Four: Dissect Your Biases
Hannah, a top executive, just couldn’t get rid of her bias that “all men are sexist.” That is until she realized that her belief grew out of only three bad experiences in her long career. Once she figured that out, she was able to see men as individuals, not as reflections of her painful past.

Question 1: Where Did You Learn Your Bias and under What Circumstances?
Question 2: How Many People Have You Actually Met Who Conform to Your Bias?
Question 3: Have You Ever Met a Member of Your Target Group Who Does Not Conform to Your Bias?

Chapter 8

Step Five: Identify Common Kinship Groups
Until they worked on a project together, Tom, who is white, and Mai, who is Asian, didn’t realize how much they had in common. It was then that they had a chance to talk and discovered that they both knew what it was like to feel out of place because of the color of their skin.

How Sharing a Kinship Group Reduces Bias
Strategy I: Keep What We Share Top-of-Mind
Strategy II: Practice Skills for Achieving Empathy
Strategy III: Seek Contact with Those Who Are Different from You
Strategy IV: Create Workplace Opportunities for Cross-group Contact
Strategy V: Create and Emphasize Shared Goals
Conclusion: Identify a Shared Humanity

Chapter 9

Step Six: Shove Your Biases Aside
Jill almost didn’t hire Lance because he was over 50, and she figured he couldn’t do the job. Luckily, she shoved her bias that” older people are uncreative” aside and hired one of the most innovative professionals her department had ever seen.

Chapter 10

Step Seven: Fake It Till You Make It
No matter how hard she tried, Bess’s bias that “people with accents are less intelligent” kept popping back up. Finally, she decided to treat everyone as if they knew what they were doing. The result? Improved performance and a bias that, this time around, went into permanent remission.

Fake Your Behaviors
Fake Your Language
Fake Your Thoughts

Part Three—Gateway Events™: Entering into Diversity Dialogue

Introduction to Part Three

Chapter 11

The Benefits of Diversity Dialogue
Jane was hurt when she heard a rumor that her boss had made a sexist comment about her. She was tempted to say nothing and just quit. Instead, Jane stayed and told him how she felt. Now, they are both glad she did; it was all a misunderstanding.

Benefit: Increased Knowledge and Understanding
Benefit: The Stifled Spread of Bias

Chapter 12

Getting Diversity Fit
When the man in the wheelchair accused her of bias against him, the woman froze. What could she do? She knew he was wrong, but she was too diversity unfit to know how to respond.

Chapter 13

Cognitive Skills for Diversity Dialogue
When the presenter was finished, a woman walked up and accused him of bias because he had used the word guys during his talk. What would you have done if you were the speaker?

Resist the Urge to Jump to Conclusions
Remember Past Experiences
Set Productive Goals
Recognize a Common Enemy
Recognize Mutual Contributions to the Problem
Practice the Pyramid Principle

Chapter 14

Verbal Skills for Diversity Dialogue
Certain she had lost the promotion because she was gay, Charmaine was ready to sue. She was certain, that is, until her boss showed his respect for her by really listening to what she had to say.

Modulate Your Voice and Your Words
Avoid Dogmatic and Dismissive Language
Use Creative Communication Strategies
Listen, Listen, Listen
Conclusion: Living Anywhere We Want

Conclusion: Moment of Truth
Afterword
Appendix A: Reader = s Guide
Appendix B: Training Activities
Endnotes
Index

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