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How
is diversity training different from multicultural, cross-cultural,
and race relations training?
Multicultural training focuses on
educating people to understand and appreciate cultural differences.
Diversity training, from the DTUI perspective, focuses on
building community rather than pointing out how people are
different. Appreciation of differences is important, but
it is not considered the highest priority competency. The
abilities to make others comfortable and included are most
important, no matter how much you know about their culture.
Cross-cultural training focuses on
educating people to manage themselves in other countries
or as a minority in another cultural group. DTUI provides
knowledge and skills to manage cultural differences that
exist in one's own country and in others. Diversity also
includes gender, sexual preference, religion, and other
types of diversity that are not central in cross-cultural
training.
Race relations training focuses on educating people
to understand and appreciate racial differences, and helping
different races get along. Race refers to skin color differences
in the United States while Europeans tend to include nationality
in their definition. American race relations trainers often
assume that White American privilege is a central problem
in addressing racism. Diversity training includes race relations
while addresses the general problem of dealing with people
who are different. Institutional barriers are considered
without placing blame on individuals.
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What
does the diversity trainer do for the typical client?
The diversity trainer focuses on where the client needs
them the most. Progressive organizations, such as the technology
giant, Qualcomm, the FCC, and the city of San Diego, value
employee differences. Diversity training is extensive in
such organizations. The City of San Diego has its own diversity
office from which expert diversity trainers. Even the city's
police officers receive extensive training in preparation
for working in the diverse community. Committed organizations
require intensive training, ranging from a minimum 3-day
workshop to 1-week with follow-up sessions. These companies
are increasing as evidence by the increased number of management
level diversity courses offered.
Companies competing in the international marketplace are
most likely to require sojourner training for employees
relocating to a foreign country. It became apparent early
in global marketing that sending employees with diversity
training to manage foreign companies increases their effectiveness.
Adjustment problems were also evident in the employee's
spouse and children. Diversity trainers can provide training
and counseling before employees travel and to help them
readjust upon return.
Other organizations offer training because one or more
of its insightful leaders persuade the others to commit
to addressing diversity issues. These organizations tend
to offer half-day to full-day workshops to employees.
Oftentimes, a client brings in a diversity trainer to manage
a crisis. An employee may have filed a harassment complaint
against another employee or an affirmative action lawsuit
against the company is sought. Occasionally, diversity training
is required to meet the terms of a lawsuit settlement. These
present the most challenges training situations for diversity
trainers.
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Does
diversity training really work?
Diversity training can be a pleasurable profession when
one has the skills needed to do the work competently. Diversity
training can cause more harm than good to an organization,
individual employees, and to the diversity profession when
the trainers are ill-prepared. Many well-intentioned diversity
trainers have left participants with an angry and bitter
taste for such training. Effective diversity trainers offer
participants tools for managing diversity according to specific
behaviors that make trouble for them in everyday interactions.
DTUI provides the knowledge and skills needed to help people
help themselves in sticky intercultural interactions.
Why
is there an increase in the use of diversity trainers?
Diversity trainers are becoming popular for several reasons:
- Changing demographics in the United States has led to
increased workplace diversity. Employers can no longer
afford to hire people of their same race, gender, and
nationality. Diversity trainers help them make good employee
selection decisions, promote productive team work, and
develop effective intercultural communication.
- Increased diversity in organizations is creating interpersonal
challenges. Diversity means that people will have different
points of view about how to solve problems and complete
tasks. The differences can lead to misunderstanding as
a result. Diversity trainers often serve as conflict resolution
facilitators.
- Organizations wishing to have presence in the growing
global community use diversity training in the strategic
plan. Sometimes this involves having a person who is competent
in the area as an administrator and primary facilitator.
- Affirmative action directors, equal employment officers,
and employee relations officers are becoming a central
part of organizational life. They assist in activities
ranging from managing employee diversity to protecting
their company from lawsuits.
- Having diversity specialists makes good business sense
in today's world. The high functioning and advanced organizations
of today value its diversity. It seeks to promote employee
diversity to stay at the forefront of innovation.
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Why
would individuals or companies without diversity-related
problems need diversity trainer expertise?
Americans are not socialized adequately to live and work
in multicultural settings. Where there is employee diversity,
diversity-related problems are either waiting to happen
or they exist under the surface. The increased numbers of
harassment and discrimination multimillion dollar lawsuits
settlements attest to this. Many managers are not prepared
to deal with the reality of workplace diversity. They do
not act on employee diversity-related complaints because
they are ill-prepared.
What
is DTUI's diversity training philosophy?
The DTUI philosophy is based on a critical thinking teaching
strategy and a three-component training model. The oldest
and still most powerful teaching approach is Socratic teaching.
In Socratic teaching, the focus is on asking the student
insightful questions to ponder, rather seeking particular
answers.
Diversity training competence fits nicely with the method
because skillful diversity work requires critical thinking
in formulating solutions to intercultural challenges. The
student is the questioner and inquistive learner who is
given considerable freedom in learning under expert guidance.
DTUI trains three competencies: (a) attitudes/awareness,
(b) knowledge, and (c) skills. We assume that trainers need
the competencies to provide high performance diversity training
and consultation. Attitude/awareness refers to insights
into personal biases, moral positions, and how differences
affect us. Knowledge refers to the concepts, skill requirements,
and ethics associated with diversity training. Skills refer
to the ability to effectively train and evaluate performance.
Practicing what one is trying to learn in the act of learning
is central to the DTUI training philosophy. However, novice
trainers have an ethical responsibility to conduct diversity
work under the supervision of an expert. DTUI assumes that
diversity training and consulting competency requires rigorous
training. Trainees complete the written thesis, oral examinations,
and the postgraduate internship to insure they achieve the
competencies.
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Who
hires a diversity trainer and why?
Managers, supervisors, social workers, psychotherapists,
lawyers, doctors, salespersons, accountants, CEOs, trainers,
business consultants, and a host of others hire diversity
trainers. Diversity trainers are being hired today as a
personal coach by individuals seeking to:
- Manage a personal intercultural conflict,
- Manage a conflict between supervisors,
- Develop intercultural competencies.
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- Diversity trainers are often hired by an organization
to:
- resolve an intercultural conflict,
- prepare employees for foreign country work & repatriation,
- assist in preparation for increased employee diversity,
- provide diversity training for managers and/or employees.
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What
happens when a diversity trainer is hired?
A diversity trainer does what most trainers and consultants
do. They consult to management or offered courses/workshops.
In addition, diversity trainers are sought as coaches
to assist individuals in the development of intercultural
skills.
Diversity trainers offer their skills in a variety of
ways. Often, an organization will ask for a proposal to
conduct a course or workshop. Sometimes the proposal will
address general intercultural awareness/attitude training.
Often an organization has a particular intercultural conflict
that needs to be addressed. The consultant/trainer interviews
the manager and anyone else with relevant knowledge to
assess the needs.
Sometimes the organization requires evaluation of the
workshop or course, but trainers need to be prepared to
provide their own evaluation form. Providing your own
is considered necessary to evaluate your performance and
seek areas needing improvement.
Can
a diversity trainer create more problems that solutions?
Yes, if the trainer is not competent. Most diversity
trainers do not have credentials other than a couple of
workshops they attended and a strong desire to earn a
living in the area. A major source of incompetence results
from the trainer's inability to understand how their own
biases create obstacles for effective training. Usually,
major problems are absent in the profession, even when
people are incompetent. However, some people exposed to
diversity training experience adjustment difficulties
or heightened prejudice from poor training outcomes. These
problems occur when the trainer fails to offer opportunities
for participants to state their beliefs and values honestly
or treat honestly with disrespect. DTUI trains the competencies
needed to overcome these problems and helps trainers experience
a sense of accomplishment in their work.
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How
long must an individual or company commit to working with
a diversity trainer?
No strict guidelines exist that specify how much commitment
an individual or organization should request or expect
from a diversity trainer. However, some expert diversity
trainers will not work with an organization who will not
commit to a workshop or course that lasts a minimum of
four days. Too many organizations are not willing to pay
for more than 2-3 hours for diversity training. A few
are committed to the extent that they develop an in-hour
diversity training group to service the entire company.
What
does it cost to hire a diversity trainer?
The cost of hiring a diversity trainer depends on the
client's needs. A diversity trainer hired toconduct a
workshop can charge by the hour or provide a total workshop
package price. Those serving as consultants can charge
by the hour or larger periods, such as day and half-day
fees. The diversity trainer serving as an executive coach
may charge by the hour or offer package prices (e.g.,
in 8-hour blocks).
Diversity trainer fees are also determined by credentials.
Inexperienced diversity trainers receive low fees compared
to those with a reputation. Professionals with less that
an undergraduate education are not common in the profession.
A certified diversity trainer with a Ph.D. will undoubtedly
charge much higher fees than an uncertified trainer with
a bachelors degree. Certification and excellent training
make the bigger difference, no matter the degree level.
Too many clients do not know what to ask for when seeking
diversity expertise. They assume that skin color or commitment
to diversity is sufficient. DTUI offers a credential that
specifies diversity trainer expertise that potential clients
cannot ignore.
GO TO:
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Q&A:
What is Diversity Training?
Q&A:
A Historical View of Diversity Training?
Q&A:
How Strong is the Demand for Diversity Trainers?
Q&A:
The Diversity Trainer Profession
Q&A:
The DTUI Training Program
