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T. T.
Mitchell
Consulting
Liverpool,
NY
13090
(315)
622-5922
(419)
730-3638
FAX
Email: Diversity |
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Diversity/Harassment Training:
Most
organizations
never deal with the inherent difficulties of bringing people from
different
backgrounds together. Problems are compounded when you have to mix your
customer
base into the equation. There are many news stories about not only the
lack of tolerance for those of different backgrounds, but lawsuits that
result in large monetary awards.
Talking about diversity issues is scary for many
organizations. Most of them feel that if they talk about it,
something bad is going to happen. Actually, the reverse is
true. Companies that address problems and issues concerning
diversity (discrimination,
harassment, advancement, inequality, etc)
not only have less problems on the back end, but protect themselves
from claims if they can document the initiatives they've taken towards
eliminating such problems in their organization.
These
are some
of
the
major benefits to organizations of diversity training:
- Better employee
relations
- Reduction of
harassment incidences
- Teamwork towards
company goals
- Better
interactions with your
customer base
- Improves
corporate culture
- Improves client
relations
- Protection
against lawsuits
- Keeps diversity
insurance rates
down
What do we know about this issue? Have you seen Mitch's picture on the
biography page? He am an anomaly in the business world, even
today. The first time he was promoted to a leadership position, he
was the only minority in the department; there were few
minorities in the entire organization of over 1,000 employees. In his
next leadership position, a national company, he was the only minority
employee outside of NYC until he hired two others after his first year with the
organization. At his next stop, he was once again the only minority
employee for awhile, and by the time he left there had been four other
minority employees at the organization, but only one remained, and only
for four months after he was gone. Except for one stop, this was the
roller coaster of his life. This is the reality of business. In the professional organization he was president of for
four years, quite often he was the only minority in the room, and even
now, he is the lone minority participant remaining in the local chapter.
On the other hand, he has mainly worked with women as direct employees. He not only had to learn the nuances of
working with women, but he also learned the issues that women face in the corporate world. He worked with many of them, helping
them in learning leadership skills so they would be able to lead others, and to progress long after he wasn't a part of their lives
anymore. He also made sure he represented their issues when it came to unfair
treatment by others, and has always understood that women, though by actual numbers the majority in this country, are not allotted
the same opportunities in most vocations, and are not always treated with the
same respect as their male counterparts. But their male counterparts aren't totally to blame, as many were
brought up with certain thoughts perpetuated about women in the workplace that all have had to work hard to overcome.
This is an ever changing world. The face of America will look much different in 30 to
40 years; it already looks much different than it did even 10 years ago. Companies that don’t face the realities of
today’s world will be pushed aside by those companies that are already
embracing this fact. Are you willing to be a follower, or do you want to be a leader? Are
you going to keep ignoring the facts, hoping they go
away, or embrace the reality and be on the forefront of change?
T. T. Mitchell
Consulting, Inc offers diversity
training,
in every aspect one might think of, or what they may not have thought
of. Our courses are geared towards changing attitudes and perceptions
to unlimited growth. The unique experiences of T. T. Mitchell
himself lend an extra credence to the discussion; who could be more
expert in the field than someone who's lives the life on a daily basis,
and has not only succeeded, but helped many other succeed?
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