Building on the Promise of Diversity: How We Can Move to the Next Lever in Our Workplaces, Our Communities, and Our Society

AORN Journal, July, 2007 by Phyllis A. Hamilton

Building on the Promise of Diversity: How We Can Move to the Next Lever in Our Workplaces, Our Communities, and Our Society R. Roosevelt Thomas, dr. 2006, 256 pages $27.95 hardcover

This is a very well-written, thorough book about dealing with differences and similarities by using a formalized process of diversity management. Most people do not have a natural ability for diversity management, which is both an art and a skill. The author is a leading thinker on this topic and believes that Americans are headed for complacency. He wants to equip current and future generations with the tools and skills they need to define and understand common goals and requirements on which to base quality decision-making processes.

The author shows readers clear, practical strategies and inspires the leader in them to take action. The author's desire is for people to successfully understand diversity and deal with the natural tensions that occur when a group of people work together. His process for managing diversity, which he calls strategic diversity management, helps managers and team members focus on their common, work-related goals and gain a better understanding of the thought processes each team member brings to the workplace. Optimally, the process provides an action plan that makes the best use of the talents and abilities of the available individuals to achieve success. Managing diversity can promote positively changed behavior in the home, workplace, and community by encouraging this change in behavior.

The author explores personal, community, and organizational progress with diversity as it relates to America as a diversity experiment, the Civil Rights Movement, and affirmative action. He gives readers insight into learning the skills of diversity management, which entail becoming aware of how the craft of strategic diversity management works, using methods for practice and skill building, and recognizing personal stakes that make personal change worthwhile. He offers an example scenario and takes readers through a step-by-step process to arrive at a good decision. He discusses the infamous Archie Bunker television character, who the author describes as being "diversity challenged," and gives readers six lessons learned from Archie.

The book also includes a testing tool to help clarify readers' understanding of the strategic diversity management craft. The tool is not intended to test readers' knowledge but to help them gain a better working knowledge and deeper awareness of the concepts and how to apply them. The strategic diversity management tool is intended to be a coach.

This is a must-read book to help leaders develop their diversity maturity using wisdom, judgment, and experience to effectively make appropriate decisions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how to maximize organizational and individual potential to build a successful team and workplace environment. It is a timely resource and I welcome it into my personnel management library.

This book is available from AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019.

LT COL PHYLLIS A. HAMILTON

RN, MSA, CNOR, USAF, NC

FLIGHT COMMANDER, SURGICAL SERVICES

WRIGHT-PATTERSON MEDICAL CENTER

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OH