Barry Cross is President and CEO of Elsie Y. Cross Associates, Inc., and publisher of The Diversity Factor.

Thirty years ago the field of diversity looked quite different compared with today. Back then there were just as many different kinds of people represented in America, but how we saw them or not, talked or thought about them was different. Depending on our exposure and experience, for the most part we only saw (or interacted with) people from our own groups.¹ America was just emerging from segregation and the feminist movement was gaining traction.

In terms of segregation, most organizations' employees were White and there were very few women in the workforce except in administrative positions. Often women and Blacks were the "first" in their positions or even their company. Integration was the buzz word of the time. Some employees were Asian, but not many, and only a few were Latinos. Back then, America thought about race in terms of Black and White.

As a country we were moving toward accepting difference, but we were not comfortable seeing / accepting / interacting / working with people who were different. This phenomenon emerged in the workplace in the form of discrimination. These circumstances were the driving force behind the diversity movement 30 years ago.

I see diversity as a broad collection of human beings and issues that have changed over time. I allow myself to engage in and experience that change. Diversity, for me, is a living, breathing organism that changes with our demographics and with our awareness. As I engage in these challenges and differences, and work in various parts of the country, I have come to believe that diversity is alive! It is dynamic and continually changing. The more I experience different groups of people the more diversity becomes visible to me; the more conscious I become of my choices and biases.

Because diversity is alive and continually changing, I have to constantly explore and expand my own self awareness and reduce my blind spots. Because diversity practitioners are more aware of human differences than they were 30 years ago, the work of diversity — self awareness, skill building and developing more inclusive behaviors and workplaces — is ongoing and should also be just as dynamic as diversity itself.

In this article, I will describe the progression of moving from awareness to skill building for new inclusion skills and behaviors in order to be more effective in this ever changing, diverse work environment.

Then and Now
In the early days of the diversity training movement practitioners focused on the intent of majority group members (Whites and men) and the belief that these majority group members were biased and intended to discriminate and / or oppress others. As a man, I often heard "that I was a recovering sexist and Whites were recovering racists." Some White men felt they could never "get it right," whereas others understood the concept of ongoing change and development.

Thirty years later, I believe as a nation our attitudes toward difference have changed some, but not as much as I would like. Although racist and sexist people are still in the workplace, racism and sexism are not as prevalent. Today, because of the legacy of "isms" in the United States most people still struggle when working with people who are different. Many believe that if they pretend not to notice or acknowledge differences their struggles will go away. This is driven by a desire to be politically correct and a "don't ask, don't tell" way of coping. This strategy only delays the inevitable, causing micro-inequities and keeping others from engaging with each other.

Today, organizations have become more inclusive of different racial and ethnic groups and the definition of diversity has grown to include more social identity groups, such as groups of varying sexual orientations, abilities and disabilities, ages, religions and classes. If we are not sensitive to the differences among these groups we can cause micro-inequities — small events that pass quickly and are hard-to-prove. These are covert events that are often unintentional and frequently unrecognized by the perpetrator. Micro-inequities occur whenever people are perceived to be different by social identity. Over time, micro-inequities can turn into discrimination.

White people often say to me, "I don't see you as Black. You are not like them. You're too smart, articulate, educated." Interestingly, these are all adjectives we heard used when Barack Obama began his run for the White House (if you haven't read his recent race speech, it is published in this issue of The Diversity Factor). I think the unsaid is, "You are not like those other Blacks. I see you as my equal."

While I see this type of interaction as insensitivity, I turn it into a learning experience for people. I acknowledge that their intent was not to offend and then discuss how the outcome shows insensitivity. In the end, I do feel a sense of sadness because I'm very much like many other Blacks. I wonder if they know any Black people or if they are relying on stereotypes as their point of reference.

In terms of gender, we have moved from the blatant bias and discrimination of 30 years ago when the workplace was thought of as "a man's world" to more subtle micro-inequities that shore up the glass ceiling. In the 1970s, men were comfortable saying "this is a man's job." Women felt they weren't welcome in the workplace because sexual harassment was rampant and many organizations chose not to see or confront it. After many landmark law suits, organizations became more welcoming and raised the glass ceiling. Now the current and persistent news story for women is equal pay for equal work. Another concern regarding gender is although women constitute the majority in most corporations, their numbers don't match up in the upper echelons of management and in board rooms. This adds to the perception of women not being seen as equal or qualified.

As time moved on, in the mid-1980s we began to add sexual orientation to our consciousness and our diversity work. When we first addressed issues pertaining to gays and lesbians in the workplace we spoke of "sexual preference." As we read and understood the research and what our colleagues were saying, we began to embrace the concepts of sexual orientation and then gender identity. Today, at the societal level, our political system and organizations struggle with the concept of same-sex marriage. Discussing the public policy of same-sex marriage just 20 years ago would have been unthinkable. Now, four states recognize same-sex civil unions, most major companies offer domestic partner benefits and 19 states have anti-discrimination laws that apply to sexual orientation.

While we have much more awareness of diversity and inclusion today, we still don't have the sensitivity and skills we need to deal effectively with differences and stay in relationships when it's uncomfortable. While we are more aware today, we are still afraid to engage each other, to make a mistake, to offend each other. Silence is often chosen as the best alternative, but fear and silence make it almost impossible for people to collaborate at work.

Diversity is Alive!
When I say diversity is dynamic and alive, I mean the way we think and talk about people continues to change. To begin with let's explore how the names we use to describe groups over time have changed. American Indians became Native Americans; Negroes and Colored People became Blacks and then African Americans; Chicanos became Latinos or Hispanics; and Asians are no longer Orientals.

On the race and ethnicity front, it is best to learn who people are and where people come from whenever possible rather than lump them together by color, language or continent of origin. For example, Africans want to differentiate themselves from U.S.-born African Americans because their socialization and experience is different. Blacks from the Caribbean also want to claim their ethnicity and don't want to be lumped into the larger African American social identity group. People from Africa and the Caribbean were not socialized to see themselves as oppressed like most African Americans do, as descendants of slaves. The African and Black-Caribbean experience in the U.S. is different from the African American experience, and in fact sometimes African-Americans do not always treat foreign-born Blacks in a positive way.

Hispanics and Asians are also shifting away from wanting to be seen as members of a broad group or categorization. Most prefer to acknowledge their specific nationality and culture — as Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc. Likewise, Native Americans often prefer their tribal identity as opposed to the broader Native American categorization. So, the skill I impart here is to ask about a person's ethnic background so you can address them as they wish to be addressed.

Another important group that is underrepresented in the workforce is people with disabilities, usually an invisible group in organizations and in society. The definition of disability has broadened thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act. In the past we did not see people with mental illness as disabled. We blamed chronic illness on those individuals rather than trying to understand their plight as a group. We teach our children at an early age not to stare at other children who are physically challenged rather than engage and play with them. It starts out as politeness and as we grow older it turns into fear and denial. Fear of making a mistake or offending someone, fear of not being politically correct.

More recently, religion in the workplace has been identified as a concern for some organizations. Because Christianity is the dominant religion in our society we are often blind to the impact of being a non-Christian. We don't realize that our work week and holidays are based on a Christian calendar and values. Yet, as watchdog groups try to separate the tangled web of church and state, many Christians feel their faith is under attack. I often hear Christians describe a sense of loss when they are asked to be more tolerant of other religions or are asked that their public prayers be nondenominational. Some don't realize the difference that in "Jesus' name we pray" is Christian and in "God's name we pray" is nondenominational. This is an example of the majority group's unconscious privilege being invisible to them, and when asked to be inclusive they feel like they are losing something. When we allow our privilege to remain invisible we draw boundaries at every intersection. An unconscious boundary can be as simple as demanding to wish every customer "Merry Christmas!"

Thirty years ago generational differences were not on the radar screens of diversity practitioners. Now there are four generations in the workforce. As some baby-boomers reach the age of retirement, they have become much more territorial instead of transitioning out gracefully. Many can't afford to retire. Baby-boomers often don't approve of the younger generation's work style and appearance, and feel that they don't have a good work ethic. The younger generations are much more tech savvy and seem to always be multi-tasking, which is distracting for many older workers. Younger workers are told they will hold an average of 7 to 10 jobs throughout their life time. They have learned to accept this reality and move from job to job. The older generation interprets this behavior as lacking in loyalty, while not acknowledging that the way U.S. corporations operate has changed their loyalty to employees.

Another change that is both racial and generational is the increasing number of mixed race people in the work force. Thirty years ago, I didn't notice many mixed race people. I began to notice more mixed raced families in 1980s, when I was in the Navy living in San Francisco. In fact, looking at the numbers the change is striking. According to the 2005 Cultural Communications Fact Sheet, the number of children living in mixed race families in 1970 was 460,000, in 1980 it was 996,070 and by 1990 the number grew to 1,937,496. In 1990, one in 33 children was of mixed race and in 2000 the numbers changed to 1 in 20. Census 2000 data show that, of the 281.4 million people in the U.S., 7.3 million or 2.6 percent reported being of more than one race. As diversity practitioners, we have to acknowledge the whole person and understand mixed race identity. Acknowledging their difference means not asking them to choose one part of their ancestry over another, we have to honor and accept how they self identify.

These changes are much more complex than these few paragraphs can express. There is much more depth of separation under each of these social group identities and we are often unwilling to see the boundaries we build around ourselves as members of different groups.

Making the Invisible Visible
Perhaps the most basic diversity skill is to learn how to notice and acknowledge our differences. This sounds so utterly simple, but it's not as easy as it seems. As the workforce demographics change, so have the issues and concerns. People of color², women, GLBTs, people with disabilities, Jews, Muslims, and so on, do not want to be invisible. They want their presence recognized, valued and respected, and their accomplishments acknowledged. Most importantly, as the demographics change, all people want the same opportunity to contribute, be developed and promoted. People of color and women want the same opportunities as white men. Gays and lesbians want the same opportunities as heterosexuals. Jews and Muslims want the same opportunities as Christians. Older workers want the same opportunities as younger workers and visa-versa. This is the foundation and the great promise that the United States was built on. This is why generations of people continue to immigrate to our country.

If we are going to become more inclusive, the first skill we have to learn is to differentiate, see and acknowledge our differences. This needs to occur before we can find common ground. While recently working with a group of 150 employees of a non-profit, I asked them to stand in 20 different social identity groups, for example, region of birth, parental status, marriage status, race, gender, social class at birth, age, education, languages spoken, etc. Participants were amazed to realize that after they moved past the race of a coworker they had so much more in common. But first they had to see past the other person's race or social class or education. In our politically correct society it isn't easy to acknowledge that we are different, and it is even more difficult to acknowledge that we are equal. I often hear that "he is not qualified..., she doesn't have enough experience...," etc.

To make difference visible within organizations it must begin with self awareness. Individuals have to begin to question their own biases and judgments about other groups. We first have to acknowledge that we all have bias. People have to ask themselves questions about their own beliefs and attitudes, such as, "Why do I believe that about a whole group? Where did I learn that? Who taught me that? Is it still valid or is it old or wrong information?" These are ongoing questions that we have to ask ourselves about each social group identity. Organization-wide diversity training gives employees the chance to begin this process.

The next skill individuals have to develop is noticing difference and understanding the concept of group membership based on U.S. social group identities. By noticing our differences, we make diversity visible. First, we need to acknowledge that difference doesn't have to be negative. We have to notice our differences in order to be inclusive because then we can begin to engage each other and find common ground. We have to shift away from stereotyping and judgment — what we assume about others and justifying the negative treatment they receive — and notice how people are "really" treated by observing their experiences. If we can see diversity, discuss and understand it, then we can change our behavior to be more inclusive. This step seems so simple and it often gets minimized, yet it is a very important skill. It is the opposite of what we learn in our politically correct society.

Across our differences and social identities we have built a boundary of "us and them." If we are in the "majority" group — the privileged group, the dominant group, the group that makes the rules — then we don't always see the others; they become less important, not like us. They are "minorities," whom we sometimes subordinate unconsciously and they become invisible to us. Then we say they are not as qualified, don't have the same experience or the right background. If we can connect this back to not seeing difference in the first place, we can see how invisibility occurs and why we rely on stereotypes for (incorrect) data.

We also don't see the patterns of group membership and, therefore, operate from a narrow sphere of our own unconscious understanding. Those with majority group status based on race, gender, religion and / or sexual orientation have a limited understanding of those with minority group status. Most people do not see how much harder people with minority group status have to work in order to prove they are equal or belong.

Another dynamic of social group identity in the U.S. is the reality that we belong to many different groups, and that sometimes we are in the majority and other times we are in the minority. Once we have more awareness of our own different social group identities and the multiple realities these present, then we can be more open to exploring our blind spots.

I describe myself as a Black, able, heterosexual, Christian, man with children. Paying attention to which social identity group informs my way of being isn't always easy. In this country I am in the majority in every group membership except race. However, my racial group — Black or African American — is also in the majority when it comes to the larger group called People of Color. This is changing as Hispanics begin to out number Blacks in terms of demographics. When I operate out of my unconscious, and don't notice my majority status, I can offend people. I cannot afford to only attend to my minority status as an African American. If I do not realize that sometimes I am in the majority then I don't see or understand other group's experiences and thereby make them invisible. Then I too am operating out of my unconscious bias.

As you can see, this is very complex. We have multiple group identities, with each informing us about how we see the world and work with others. I have to remember that I also have multiple or different realities and perspectives in terms of my majority and minority group status and need to understand how these perspectives may impact others. There are times that my perspectives will show up as biases to others who are different.

The skill to develop when dealing with these realities is to stay engaged or in relationship and work through any conflict or misunderstandings that may occur. Be open to learning something new about yourself and others.

Another dynamic of social identity group membership, some people might not always see you as you see yourself. For example, I am a light-skinned Black man and people don't always know what racial or ethnic group I belong to. While I am not of Middle Eastern descent, lately I have been profiled as an Arab. I receive extra security searches at airports and was recently told by a TSA agent that I look like Saddam Hussein. This took on a life of its own as other passengers began to agree with the TSA agent. I now carry my U.S. passport so security personnel know that I am a U.S. citizen. I am always conscious that I am often confused to be other than Black and don't always know what treatment that may bring. I was once told as I entered a restaurant that they didn't serve Mexicans. Not being Mexican, I didn't understand what was happening at first. To others I represent many different group identities and I am never sure which racial or ethnic background people are responding to. In some respects because of my chosen career in the field of diversity, being a chameleon has been a gift. Since I do not hold on so tightly to how I see myself, I have been able to "walk a mile in others shoes" and a new understanding of group identity has emerged for me.

Lately when people say, "I don't see you as Black, (or a woman, a gay man or a disabled person, etc.), I see you just like me," I explore this further and venture into what's not said. I imagine what's behind this expression is, "I see you as the same as my group because that's not how I see your group." If I can see you as the same, then I can see you as an equal. If I acknowledge our difference, I'm not so sure that I would experience you as my equal."

This is how we make our differences invisible. We push them away into our unconscious for fear of making a mistake. The intent is benign, the outcome is malignant. Each time we miss this opportunity, it feels like another micro-inequity for someone who is different, another small event that passed very quickly. If nothing changes then these small events add up over time and if they remain invisible or hard to prove it speeds up the revolving door for young and diverse employees. If I let it remain invisible, I don't have to be accountable for my behavior.

What has helped me over the years is engaging people who are different and learning as much as I can about their life experience, which helps me to unlearn my stereotypes. I have learned to pay attention to my own judgments about other groups and not get defensive when I make a mistake. I have learned to not frame diversity as binary: right or wrong; either or; positive or negative. I try to look at diversity as a "both and" or "adding to," rather than taking away. Now I am able to deal with the multiple shades of complexity within human difference. I try to hear and understand what another person who is different is saying or asking for.

In Conclusion
As I said earlier, diversity is not stagnant. It is very dynamic and therefore more complex than it was 30 years ago. The speed of change will only accelerate. If we continue to make diversity invisible and don't intervene to change the people's consciousness and behavior then we continue to cause individual micro-inequities, which leads to macro-inequities (discrimination) toward groups and "isms" at the societal level. The hurt and frustration leads to poor performance, low morale, job dissatisfaction and ultimately the revolving talent door in organizations. If diversity remains invisible, we as a society will close the door on the opportunities that make this country great.

Making difference visible is the key component of diversity and inclusion. If we can't see diversity, acknowledge diversity, accept diversity, talk about and track diversity, then we will never include people who are different. We will never accept that their experience may be different and as valid as our own. We will never understand why a company's diversity strategy is important and why we are still conducting diversity training. We will continue to think that times have changed and we don't need affirmative action programs. Micro-inequities will continue to become discrimination and turn into bias suits. In other words, nothing will change.

In conclusion, keep it simple! Remain open to learning something new everyday because learning about diversity is ongoing. Develop self awareness, acknowledge difference, understand group membership, be aware of acting from majority or minority group status, track the experience of other group members, avoid making pre-judgments and using stereotypes as data points, don't become defensive when you make a mistake, and above all, hold yourself accountable.

Endnotes
1. The use of the term "groups" refers to groups of which a person is a member. Group membership or social group identity is the broad collection of differences among us which encompasses many elements, such as race, ethnic origin, nationality, skin color, gender, sexual orientation / identity, mental and physical ability, age, religion, socio-economic status, first language, appearance and more.
2. We use the term People of Color to describe people who are not White. However, I've seen situations where Blacks / African Americans use the term even when members of other groups, such as Asians, Hispanics, Arabs or Native Americans, are not represented. "People of Color" is an inclusive term suggesting more than the Black experience is represented in the group.