The increased globalization of the business world has caused organizations to become more aware of the need to ensure diverse, level playing fields in their workplaces. While organizations frequently create diversity plans that sound good in theory, they often fail in execution. The bigger question is “why so many companies fail in their attempts to embrace diversity in the workplace?”

I think the main issue is unconscious beliefs; individuals spend a lifetime developing theories about themselves and others and then bring these notions into the workplace. This affects how they treat those they view as different, creating an unfair work environment.

I also believe that organizations must create and establish the necessary tools to create a fair and truly diverse environment, the execution of which requires deliberate thought and practice. The more tools available to the organization, the better its chances of success and the better its team members are able to comprehend unconscious behavior. Having the right tools at its disposal will help companies avoid the numerous difficulties inherent in a diverse environment. If fewer tools are available, managers will have greater difficulty in maintaining a high degree of sophistication, which in turn is necessary to stabilize a diverse environment. Without this stability, difficulties can arise within the organization, and its members will have trouble pursuing the serious advancement of their careers.

The success of corporate diversity depends not only on the institution’s available tools, but on the individual members as well. Each manager is responsible for supervising a specific section. The total of the sections make up the organization; and if any section is not run in a fair and equal manner, the organization cannot achieve a truly successful and diverse environment. Managers need to understand the underlying dynamics of their sections by learning the behaviors of the members they supervise. This will enable them to level the playing field for everyone. They will understand who is being heard, as well as those who are commanding attention by being outspoken. The subordinates must also take steps to level the field by learning what behaviors they need to alter. For example, quiet individuals must learn to speak up and ask for what they want or the outspoken individuals will receive the bulk of the rewards. Every member of an organization brings a unique set of tools to the workplace, some of which are more beneficial than others, but the sum of these tools will greatly benefit the organization as long as everybody is heard.