Diversity Awareness and Global Perspectives
Horacio Guzman Hernandez
School of Business and Professional Studies, UMass Global
OLCU 425: Leadership in Diverse and Multicultural Organizations
Dr. Oluwakemi Adeyem
February 26, 2023
Diversity Awareness and Global Perspectives
In a globalized business environment, organizations seek diverse workforces and leaders who can guide and help them achieve success. Embracing diversity and leveraging it benefits is no longer an isolated goal but a necessity for companies competing globally to recruit and retain the best workforce and leaders, as well as to appeal to multicultural customer bases and partners (Delong & Brookshire, 2007). Leaders in such organizations must pursue a high understanding of diversity dynamics to include reaching diversity consciousness, being effective cross-cultural communicators, and developing their cultural intelligence. With these attributes, leaders can attain better global perspectives and be prepared to lead diverse organizations and workplaces.
Discussion
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As an example of this effort, the vast majority of Fortune 50 companies have created the position of chief diversity officer (Park, 2008). This shows that successful companies are committed to having diverse workforces and cultures, including leaders at all levels who understand and value diversity. Another reason for being a diverse-conscious leader is that to successfully lead an ever-increasing diverse workforce and followers, leaders must be able to consider and leverage the perspectives of followers with different beliefs, backgrounds, and skills from those of the leaders themselves or to what they are accustomed (Eagly & Chin, 2010). Diversity-consciousness is a necessity for today’s effective leaders and an advantage for the organizations that have them in their