The diverse workforce is not only the future; it is here and now. And, with the help of The Diversity Toolkit, managers of all levels can learn easily to adapt and be sensitive to the new workforce realities. The "diversity toolkit" features easy-to-use tips for improving communications skills, practical guidance for perfecting team relationships, and helpful suggestions for attaining leadership skills. This practical guide will ensure that readers will achieve tangible results effectively and efficiently.

As a small business owner and a democrat it's natural that I would be confused by this book. I've always been taught that all people regardless of their skill, race, face, gender, etc. are completely equal!!! So it's always been my practice to hire the second person that applied for the job. I would hire the first person, but my heart has always gone out to the runners up in the world. One day, while interviewing for an open position I interviewed first an African-American gentleman, and then some white dude. And as is my practice I dismissed the African-American gentleman and hired whitey. A democrat employee of mine saw this and was alarmed. He told me what I had done was "racist, noninclusive, and a crime!!!" I headed down to the police office and turned myself in. The police officer told me I had another chance if I read this book. This book goes against everything I believe in though! It says that everyone is different so I should hire one of everything! I began to count up all the possibilities...one hindu, one black, one woman, one atheist, one gay, one Muslim, one white, one Christian, one straight, one Buddhist, one native American, one Japanese, one Chinese, one Catholic, one protestant and on and on and on! I began to panic when I considered the fact that I may have to also hire combinations of all these groups. One Phillipino Hare Krishna, one white/black mix Shinto, one Japanese Rastafarian. My mind is spinning. "I can't afford all these employees!" I screamed. The policeman told me I had to or go to jail. He then made things even harder when he told me there were over 30 languages spoken in India alone and I had better have an employee that spoke each one of them. If there is anybody out there that can help me out, please let me know what I can do! This book ruined my life.

Sonnensschein has written something very useful, with concise definitions and practical advice. He spends the reader's time judiciously by getting to the practical aspects of diversity in a hurry, and then by articulating the practices that can best be employed to capitalize on the reality of an increasingly diverse world. He makes good distinctions about what matters...for example, focusing on significance rather than mere style issues. This is a well-written primer on an important subject.