everyone has to modify like we used to do, where you
come in and check your brain at the door. Those days are
gone, but we want to manage differences in a way that
allows us to be more effective in how we do business.
Acquiring institutional knowledge of culture means to
take a position on training managers and employees on
cultural differences. That’s an investment of time, bring-
ing on extra consultants to train. People say they don’t
see color, but everyone sees color, race and gender. What
we want is to not judge by those differences. How can I
leverage those differences? Leverage my differences and
everybody else’s.
There is a serious talent war. In order to obtain that new
creative and energetic talent, we need to make sure that
we have an organization and an environment where
people want to come and work. The name alone doesn’t
do it anymore; it’s having the right environment, being
able to tap into the innovation and creativity people from
different backgrounds bring.
Building cultural competence is about talent—obtaining
talent, retaining talent. It’s about the changing demo-
Fanee Harrison
graphics, turnover, creativity, innovation, and establish-
Director of Diversity and Inclusion
ing an environment of inclusion, where people feel their
The Boeing Company
ideas are valued and sought, and they feel engaged in
We all say we value diversity, but what are really doing?
the work environment.
Are our actions aligned with our words? Of course we
have affi rmative action programs, and areas of under-uti-
lization—those areas have been underutilized year after
year after year. We say we value diversity, but are we re-
In a decade, one in every three Americans will
ally going out to tap diverse people and bring them into
come from a diverse background. Hispanics will
the enterprise?
be the largest non-white group in America. And
by 2050, fi fty percent of our population will come
Shahla mentioned everyone has a culture. One thing
from diverse backgrounds.
we do know: people from different backgrounds have
different experiences and perspectives on approaching
problem solving—how you would attack one situation
over another. That allows us to tap into creativity and
synergies. Are you seeking diversity? Are you tapping
Building cultural competence is about tal-
into diverse perspectives?
ent—obtaining talent, retaining talent. It’s
When it comes to having an organizational self-assess-
ment, it really is opening yourself up and asking ‘Where
about the changing demographics, turn-
are we now and do we really want to change?’ Are you
over, creativity, innovation, and establishing
willing to open up your selves up and say ‘The emperor
has no clothes’ or ‘We have areas we have to address’.
an environment of inclusion, where people
Doing that self-assessment is a big risk.
feel their ideas are valued and sought, and
Managing the dynamics of differences is understanding
they feel engaged in the work environment.
that people are different and then leveraging those differ-
ences. I am not saying everyone has to be the same; that
www.womenofcolor.net WOMENOFCOLOR | FALL 2009 67
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