Building a House for Diversity

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"What could an elephant and a giraffe teach people about working together? Some very important lessons, it seems, about the complex--and critically important--issues of dealing with diversity in the workforce.Building a House for Diversity begins with a short fable about how a friendship between the two animals is threatened when the house built for a tall, skinny giraffe cannot accommodate his invited guest, a broad, bulky elephant. Using this story as a vivid metaphor for the difficult issues inherent in diversity, the book goes on to demonstrate how managing diversity can be seen as a set of skills that anyone can learn and use.In a way that makes diversity management ""up close and personal,"" Building a House for Diversity offers compelling, real-life stories of individual experiences at work. It includes:* The perspective of both ""insiders"" (usually white males) and ""outsiders"" (usually minorities or women)* Insightful commentary illuminating what these experiences tell us about the challenges and opportunities of diversity* A particularly interesting segment on Phil Jackson, legendary Chicago Bulls coach, and how he dealt with diversity issues in his relationships to Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippin, and others* Hands-on guidance to help readers become ""diversity mature"" and take personal responsibility for their attitudes and actions.Throughout, the book reflects the seminal thinking of R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr., a pioneer in articulating the concepts of managing diversity. In this book, he has produced his most creative and practical approach to this continuing challenge."