Making Diversity Work offers fresh and fascinating ideas for reducing bias--one person at a time. "Bias lies in every heart and mind--it is also where the answers lie," writes diversity expert Sondra Thiederman. By focusing on the individual, rather than the organization, she defines a powerful focus for bias busting in the workplace. Racial and sexual bias costs big bucks warns Thiederman, citing litigation, lowered sales, and loss of employees and customers. Using case studies, politically incorrect questions, and insightful strategies, she guides readers through "the discomfort of self discovery."

After detailing how biases are learned, Thiederman introduces seven steps to prevent bias from blocking and distorting your work relationships. The book's centerpiece is a brilliant discussion of how to manage "gateway events,"(for example, hearing an inappropriate comment or being treated with a biased behavior) and start a conversation about sticky diversity issues. This brave and groundbreaking analysis should define the direction of diversity training for decades to come. --Barbara Mackoff

Litigation. Costly turnover. Lost business. Discrimination. These are the penalties workplace bias exacts from American business-penalties that companies cannot afford to pay. Calling on her 25 years of experience in the field, diversity expert Dr. Sondra Thiederman has found a way to prevent these losses by providing executives and managers with a step-by-step strategy for minimizing bias and maximizing the ability to manage diversity effectively. To that end-and ignoring the stifling rules of political correctness-Dr. Thiederman dissects the problems surrounding diversity in the workplace and offers specific, doable strategies focused on creating individual change. Using real-life examples, practical tips, and exercises, she guides readers on a journeyof self-discovery, intellectual awareness, and healing. The workplace and personal anecdotes in Making Diversity Work have been obtained from a research survey conducted by the author. Making Diversity Work outlines: *How to see people more accurately and, therefore, to function more effectively and feel more comfortable in a diverse workplace *Seven steps to defeat biases *How to accurately identify biased attitudes *Tools to help confront the fears that underlie biases *Skills to communicate effectively when faced with diversity-related conflict Women or men, black or white, gay or straight, immigrant or native-born-everyone has prejudices. Making Diversity Work shifts the dialogue from blame to emphasis on the responsibility everyone shares to rid the workplace of bias. Dr. Thiederman delivers the prescription to defeat bias in the workplace in this definitive book for executives, managers, human resources professionals, and diversity practitioners.

I used this book to educate myself more fully before meeting with some folks about diversity and found the book well-written, easy to understand because of great examples, and the information was "real" and up-to-date.

Some books are written simply to impart knowledge to others. Other books are written to fulfill a strong personal interest by the author. It is the rare book that is written because there is a deeply genuine need for it. Making Diversity WORK is that rare book that was written for all the reasons above. Author Sondra Thiederman attempts to strip off the "veneer" of diversity that exists in the modern workplace to examine the real reasons why diversity is hard to talk about and even harder to achieve! This book may make you uncomfortable, but maybe that is exactly what we all need to feel in order to achieve a level of diversity that respects and honors all people for what they can contribute.

Early on in this work Sondra Thiederman candidly discusses her own cultural background and how she recognized her own personal biases. The purpose is to show that if we honestly examine ourselves and become mindful of our biases, we can dissect and set those biases aside. After spending 25 years providing practical results to some of the largest international organizations in their quest for diversity, Thiederman is a leading expert on this subject and it is prominently reflected in this book. She also received a doctorate in cross-cultural studies from UCLA.

Making Diversity WORK has three major parts which are embedded in thirteen interesting chapters. Each chapter ends with a conclusion and summary to reinforce their major points. Part one examines the basics of bias including the correct and incorrect definitions of bias, and how it is learned and taught to all of us. It is in this part that you will learn the term Guerilla Bias™ and how it can affect us in subtle ways. The second part of the book is the largest and deals with self-discovery, how our biases can hurt us and how we can strive to overcome them. The third part of the book is about creating healthy dialogue which the author calls gateway events. What are these events? Our workplaces are filled with opportunities to engage in conversations about bias. Typically there is discord in the work environment between people who are different from each other. These incidents are capable of bringing about productive dialogue and serve as gateways to create greater understanding and reduce bias. This final part also outlines some cognitive and verbal skills to generate diversity dialogue.

Diversity isn't just a good thing to do; morally it is the right thing to do. Our modern workplace is more diverse than ever before in recorded human history. Diversity means a greater talent pool, larger markets, and the unfortunate potential for discord in the workplace. Making Diversity WORK is a frank and powerful book that dares to challenge us and prods us to live up to the democratic ideals of fairness, equity and accountability. If you desire to read just one powerful book on this important subject, Making Diversity WORK should be it!

In her wise and insightful new book, Making Diversity Work, Dr. Sondra Thiederman examines the roots of diversity-related dilemmas to reveal how our own biases get in the way of our relationships with people we perceive as different from ourselves. Dr. Thiederman's thought-provoking thesis breaks new ground and elevates diversity discussions by rejecting finger-pointing as a strategy and replacing it with personal responsibility instead. No one is free of bias, but Dr. Thiederman gives us the cognitive and verbal tools to help us move forward to a place where we can respect each other and value our differences. Making Diversity Work is a must-have reference for anyone who wants to improve their personal and professional relationships.

Dr. Thiederman shows that companies pay a big price for allowing bias to flourish in our workplaces, from litigation and costly turnover to diminished profits and lowered standards. She shifts the dialogue from blame and finger pointing to the responsibility we all share in successfully ridding the workplace of discrimination, inequity, and tension. One frequnetly unrecognized aspect of bias she brings to light is what she calls "Guerilla Bias" (nice actions that are really biased but remain hidden from the target as well as perpetrator), and she also rejects the current brand of political correctness.

Finally, she lays out an effective way to recognize and then combat our own personal biases by giving a 7-step process to follow which she calls a "Vision Renewal Process". Very informative, with real life examples of bias that a reader might find familiar but never have recognized before.