The 10 Lenses. . - Bookshelf - book review

HR Magazine, April, 2002

By Mark A. Williams

Capital Books, 2001

160 pages

List Price: $14.95

ISBN: 1-892123-59-2

Photographers carry a variety of lenses and filters that help them create unique visual effects. Mark Williams says employees from different backgrounds carry another kind of filter: A cultural lens shades the way they view race, nationality and ethnicity, as well as programs aimed at encouraging workplace diversity.

In The 10 Lenses, Williams, founder and CEO of The Diversity Channel, a consulting firm in Bethesda, Md., says it's critical to recognize the existence of these filters. "As employees and managers learn to better understand their own lenses and the lenses of others, they increase the possibility of building bridges, managing conflict and finding common ground in cross-cultural situations," he writes.

For example, the assimilationist lens emphasizes the melting pot ideal, encouraging individuals to sacrifice their cultural beliefs in favor of a common identity, which can help unify a diverse workplace. But it is not without risks: It can discourage creative thinking and decrease leadership diversity.

Each of The 10 Lenses has such strengths and weaknesses, Williams writes. For example, the integrationist approach emphasizes merging diverse cultures, allowing companies to enact policies that foster both competency and diversity. But some employees may question the organization s motives: Is HR trying to improve the quality of work, or merely justifying its existence by creating another management initiative?

The colorblind approach tries to overlook cultural differences entirely, emphasizing rewards for individual competence and achievement. However, by not acknowledging the different cultures represented in its workforce, an organization may fail to see patterns of bias.

By contrast, the multiculturalist approach recognizes and celebrates the diverse cultures in an organization. Companies adopting this approach often have many cultures represented on their leadership team and understand how ethnic differences can be leveraged to a competitive advantage. But there may be a tendency toward tokenism, which could lead to charges of reverse discrimination.

Ultimately, The 10 Lenses demonstrates that several filters are needed to create an effective workplace diversity initiative. Questionnaires help identify lenses, and the book suggests strategies for effectively implementing each.