Diversity in the Workplace

Ted Childs, vice president for workplace diversity at IBM, is known as one of the most effective diversity executives in the country. Assistant to former NAACP Director Benjamin Hooks, and more recently, an adviser to the White House Working Group on Child Care, Childs gives this talk as part of the "Explorations in Black Leadership" series.

Category:

Education

[generationalist]

Almost 5 stars, it lacked tolerance for the non-believer (~15% of the US). While there was a reference to religious tolerance, non-belief holds no religious view. Speaking openly remains a serious social taboo. When neighbors and family members tell you that you are equal to a pedophile because you do NOT believe and will NOT teach your children about a creator; that is how I identify a serious social issue. If it impacts your ability to feed your family that is a problem. Don't ask don't tell?

[dlfppa]

Racism is simply an ugly form of collectivism.

The mind set that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals.

By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality,

The advocates of so called “Diversity” actually perpetuate racism.

Their obsession with racial group identity is inherently racist.

We should understand that racism will endure until we stop thinking in terms of groups and start thinking in terms of individual liberty.

[WhiteyMcWhiteJr]

White man hires jew. Jew hires more Jews, steers business to Jew companies. Jews overrepresented in powerful positions of business/industry/politics. Meanwhile, White men busy filling quotas for blacks, browns, yellows, reds, jews, muslims, homosexuals, etc. in their employ, over their own White people-- all in the name of diversity. Jews keep each other in power while White man is busy hiring and promoting negroes. What is the end result? Where are your grandkids going to be, White man?

[pdnamightyriver1]

This is very important! Diversity in the workplace is very important! Thanks for sharing!

[guyNbluejeans]

My experience with this diversity stuff happened when a proud black lady came into work one day wearing this big sheet over herself that she'd beautified with colored dry markers and some weird stuff taped on.

And so there she was wearing high heels ... and the boss comes over to me to tell me to move boxes for her so she wouldn't trip. I wanted to ask him if the shoes she was wearing were really part of her culture, but I just sucked it up and did her work instead (without her thanking me).

[Hzqi]

@nidodson

Management can only steer the vessel. Some people are ALL passion. It's kind of like the line from Million Dollar Baby: "You show me a fighter who's all heart, I'll show you a man fit for a beating". Passion gives thrust, management gives direction, but if the passion is only propelling irrational or inflammatory concepts, then have fun in the office. Hate to invoke Godwin, but Hitler had passion, too. Some genius is utterly apathetic to itself. Mr Miyagi knows the truth R.E. passion

[nidodson]

@Hzqi

If there is a problem with passionate people no matter the position, then it is because of mismanagement. Otherwise you can take advantage of their passions to exceed what is seemingly humanly possible. I have seen a single person program in a week that it took one of the best development teams in the world 6 months.

The biggest drawback is the personal lives of those individuals, because they typically become so obsessed with their passion. That is where a good management comes in.

[Hzqi]

@nidodson

Gah! Passionate about what? Passion can be a precise reason to NOT employ some people. If you need people in positions of creative initiative, sure. Be prepared to juggle emotional dramatism. For attending to menial tasks it's better to put a priority on principal.

Don't get me wrong about the value of passion. But tell you what, you put 10 passionate people in a room, deprive it of principal, then throw a disagreement in the mix and run.

[pirbird14]

If you read "IBM and the Holocaust", you'll see that IBM made its fortune during the 30s by providing "business solutions" to the fascist governments of Europe.

[nidodson]

The important thing is ignore all of the details and ask these questions. Can they get the job done, get it done right, and do so passionately?

I would never hire someone who is not passionate. I also wont hire someone who I don't think will be able to get along with my current staff, if my current staff is fully effeceint. Competence is a huge thing... people pull the diversity card too much in many directions. I can't hire someone who cant do the job, no matter who they are.

[Support4Muslims]

I haven't watched the entire thing yet but if what you say is true, I would have the same difficulties because I don't believe in any religion at this point.