In today’s modern workplace, where the primary resource is knowledge, collective knowledge building is a key strategic task. The Business Case for Transformative Training

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Diversity, Knowledge and Human Potential: The Business Case for
Transformative Training
In today’smodernworkplace,where the primaryresource isknowledge,collective knowledge buildingis
a keystrategictask. Productionmachineryremainspresent,butunlike physical production,knowledge-
sharingand teamworkrelyonstronginterpersonalrelations. Further,tothe extent thatknowledge,and
otherintangible assets,becomesthe indispensable ingredientforvalue-addedwork,the nature of the
workand the social identityof the workerare changing.
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Knowledge intensive work has changed the nature of organizations and how
work gets done.
Supervising “knowledge workers” requires advanced social and interpersonal
skills
Diverse teams perform better than homogenous teams
• Peer-to-peer collaboration
• Teamwork
• Intrinsic motivation
• Communication skills
• Flexibility/Networks/Projects
• Creativity
• Integration of Technology
Because knowledge worktendstobe modular andnon-linear,the workisperformedinteams. Itiswell
documentedthatdiverse teamsoutperformhomogeneousteams.
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Diversity and Performance

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Leaders are trained on strategy and production but unlike production work – knowledge is a resource
that can’t be forced out of people. Therefore, to create a climate in which employees contribute their
creativityandexpertise,leadersneedtodevelopcommunication,team building and conflict resolution
skills. Decision-makingmustbe fairandethical andmustbe made withinlegallyappropriate guidelines.
Trust and commitment must be instilled within the organization to avoid hoarding of ideas and feet
dragging. Since knowledgeworkers,muchlike volunteers,are intrinsically motivated from core values,
the hard work of supervision and leadership at all levels is to nurture an open environment where
information is freely shared and expectations for performance are transparent. The measure of the
leader’s success is how well they inspire employees to not only to perform their best, but also to
perform at the highest level of trust, sharing and cooperation.
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Succeeding in
today’s workplace is
about maximizing
human potential
Succeeding today is also about developing
social awareness, communication skills and
cultural knowledge and sensitivity.
Most diversity training efforts at American companies are ineffective and even counterproductive in
increasingthe number of women and minorities in managerial positions, according to an analysis that
turns decades of conventional wisdom, government policy and court rulings on their head.
A comprehensive reviewof 31 yearsof data from830 mid-sizetolarge U.S.workplacesfoundthatthe
kindof diversitytrainingexercisesofferedatmostfirmswere followedbya 7.5 percentdrop inthe
numberof womeninmanagement.The numberof AfricanAmericansandfemale managersfellby10
percent,andthe numberof black menintop positionsfell by12 percent.Similareffectswereseenfor
Latinosand Asians.The analysisdidnotfindthatall diversitytrainingisuseless.Rather,itshowedthat
mandatoryprograms - oftenundertakentoavoidliabilityindiscriminationlawsuits - were the problem.
Whendiversitytrainingisvoluntaryandundertakentoadvance a company'sbusinessgoals,itwas
associatedwith increaseddiversityinmanagement.

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Diversity is also viewed as an exercise
in political correctness, a form of
identity politics, or as forced inclusion
However,toenhance maximumperformance inadiverse team, employees still needtoknow what
conduct isunacceptable in the workplace (whetherornottheymightdescribe suchconductas
harassment),andmanagersandsupervisorsneedeffective toolstorespondtoobservationorreportsof
behaviorthatimpedesperformance orthatunderminesteamwork. Butregardlessof the levelof
knowledge inaworkplace, researchdemonstrates thatorganizational cultureisone of the keydriversof
successor failure.
Workplace CivilityTraining
Employershave offeredworkplace civilitytrainingas ameansof reducing conflictinthe workplace.
Thus, unlike standardcompliance training, suchtrainingdoesnotfocusoneliminatingunwelcome
behaviorbasedoncharacteristicsprotectedunderemploymentnon-discriminationlaws,butratheron
promotingrespectandcivilityinthe workplacegenerally.
Accordingto researchers,incivilityisoftenanantecedentto conflict,stress,unproductive behavior,
evenworkplace harassment,asitcreatesa climate of "general derisionand disrespect"inwhich
counterproductivebehaviors are tolerated.Researchersalsohave foundthatuncivilbehaviorscanoften
"spiral"intobullyingbehaviors.
Workplace civilitytraining focusesonestablishingexpectationsof civilityandrespectinthe workplace,
and on providingmanagementandemployeesthe toolstheyneedtomeetsuchexpectations.The
trainingusuallyincludesanexplorationof workplace norms,includingadiscussionof what constitutes
appropriate andinappropriate behaviorsinthe workplace.The trainingalsoincludesaheavilyskills-
basedcomponent;includinginterpersonal skillstraining,conflictresolutiontraining,andtrainingon
effectivesupervisorytechniques.

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Maximizing Human Potential
It is based on information-sharing, continuous
feedback.
Employees are viewed as individuals with each
employee deserving of respect and dignity.
Bystander InterventionTraining
Bystanderinterventiontraininghaslongbeenusedasaconflict prevention andresolution strategy. The
traininghasbeenshowntochange social norms andempowerindividuals tointervene withpeersto
preventdestructivebehaviorfromoccurring.Mostbystanderinterventiontrainingsemployatleastfour
strategies:
 Create awareness - enable bystanderstorecognize potentiallyproblematicbehaviors.
 Create a sense of collective responsibility - motivatebystanderstostepinandtake actionwhen
theyobserve problematicbehaviors.
 Create a sense of empowerment - conductskills-buildingexercisestoprovide bystanderswith
the skillsandconfidence tointerveneasappropriate.
 Provide resources - provide bystanderswithresourcestheycancall uponandthat supporttheir
intervention
ConditionsthatGive Rise toConflict
Substantive Emotional
Departmental Goals Mistrust
Allocationof Resources Anger
Distributionof Resources Fear/Resentment
Policies/Procedures Personality
Why conflictescalates:

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1. Latent Tensions – resulting from frustrated needs, poor communication skills, and weak
relationships.
2. OvertConflict– resultingfromdisputedrights,unequalpower,conflictinginterests, and injured
relationships.
3. Power Struggle – No limitation, no attention, no protection.
4. Litigation – No viable alternatives.
Third Side Training
The Third Side offers a promising way to look at the conflicts in the workplace. The Third Side is the
entire work community -- in action protecting the most precious interests in safety and well-being. It
suggests10 practical rolesall employeescan playon a dailybasisto stop destructive behaviors at work.
Like BystanderInterventionTraining,The ThirdSide possessesthe powerof peerpressure and the force
of publicopinion.Itusesthe powerof persuasion andinfluencesthe partiesprimarilythroughanappeal
to their interests and to community norms.
The Goal of Organizational Transformation
Thisholistictrainingwouldbe highlyinteractiveandcase drivenandwill utilize primarilyliveinstruction
and practice,andvideofeedbacktechnology,tothe extentthatitisavailable.The contentwouldbe
interdisciplinaryinnature andwouldsynthesizethe fieldsof humanresource management,
organizational psychology,law andethics.Participantswill gaininsightinto knowledgeasa human

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resource andhow theycan work more productivelywithindiverseworkteams. The trainingislife-
affirmingandempowering.Participantswill:
 Evaluate theirstrengthsandweaknessesasleadersandteammates,
 Improve existingcommunicationandinterpersonal skills,
 How to thinkandact like ahighlymotivatedperson basedonethicsandtransparency,
 Tap intoco-workers’goodwill andtomaximize theircooperation,
 Understandthe difference betweendisciplineandcooperation,
 Leverage core valuestomaintainperformance andengagement,
 Motivate employeesbybeingauthenticandgenuine,
 Empoweremployeestomake positive changes,
 Maintaincivil andrespectful personhood ,
 Be a constructive thirdwayprecipitant
 Protectthe organizationlegallyfrommisdeeds,
 Evaluate lifestyleand careerchoicesconsistentwithnurturingandexpandingself-respectand
dignity
John J. Sarno, MA, JD
Employers Association of New Jersey