Innovating for Diversity

Book description

Discover what business visionaries on the frontiers of diverse and equitable hiring are doing to drive change in their organizations

In Innovating for Diversity: Lessons from Top Companies That are Disrupting Old Practices to Achieve Inclusivity, Equity and Business Success, renowned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and tech specialists Bertina Ceccarelli and Susanne Tedrick reframe the DEI discussion and move it beyond a human resources issue. While it's well established that diverse teams help to advance innovation, the authors explain how principles of innovation can be applied to building highly effective and sustainable diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices embraced by executives across an organization.

You'll be inspired by leaders at top companies who identified root causes of limited DEI progress and created smart, bold solutions for increasing representation, developing future talent, and advancing the careers of people often overlooked.

In the book, you'll also find:

  • Introductions to the people and companies who have innovated their approaches to diverse hiring, retention, and advancement, and enjoyed pronounced impact on their bottom lines
  • Profiles of committed leaders driving the change towards a more diverse and inclusive workforce
  • Strategies for breaking down the cultural and organizational barriers in companies that remain in place and prevent transformative change

A critical resource for senior-level business professionals, managers, and executives, Innovating for Diversity will also prove to be invaluable for people seeking to build their careers from the ground up.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Foreword
  4. Introduction: How the Concept of “Innovating for Diversity” Was Born
    1. Why We Wrote This Book
    2. How to Use This Book
  5. CHAPTER 1: Why Are We (Still) Here?
    1. A Brief History of Diversity in the U.S. Labor Workforce
    2. Why Haven't We Made More Progress?
    3. Why Diversity Matters
    4. What Got Us Here Won't Get Us There: The Diversity-Innovation Paradigm
    5. Conclusion
    6. Summary
    7. Notes
  6. CHAPTER 2: Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
    1. What Do Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Actually Mean?
    2. How Leaders Shortchange DEI
    3. Conclusion
    4. Summary
  7. CHAPTER 3: The Virtuous Cycle of Innovation and Diversity
    1. The Power of Innovation
    2. Why Companies Get Stuck
    3. Diversity Drives Innovation
    4. Innovation Principles
    5. Conclusion
    6. Summary
  8. CHAPTER 4: Innovating the Apprenticeship Model to Advance Diversity in Tech
    1. The Problem: Recruiting and retaining more tech talent from diverse and military backgrounds.
    2. Conclusion
    3. Summary
  9. CHAPTER 5: Creating High-Impact Mentoring Programs
    1. Coca-Cola's Journey to DEI Success
    2. Mentoring Innovation at Zendesk
    3. Conclusion
    4. Summary
    5. Notes
  10. CHAPTER 6: Looking Beyond Traditional Talent Sources for “Hard to Find” Roles
    1. Northrop Grumman and Tessco: Shifting Long-Standing Perceptions of Who Can Succeed
    2. Northrop Grumman: Focus on Novel Thinking and New Talent
    3. Tessco: Reinstalling the First Rung of a Career Ladder
    4. Conclusion
    5. Summary
  11. CHAPTER 7: Innovations for DEI in Small Business
    1. The Challenge for Small Businesses Implementing DEI Programs
    2. Setbacks and Progress: Online Optimism's DEI Journey
    3. From Concept to Realization: Creating DEI for Small Businesses
    4. Conclusion
    5. Summary
    6. Notes
  12. CHAPTER 8: Rethinking Retention Through the Lens of DEI
    1. Understanding Employee Retention and Turnover
    2. Promoting Diverse, Mid-Career Talent
    3. The Positive Impact of Remote Work for DEI
    4. Compensation: Innovate with Employee Benefits Programs
    5. Conclusion
    6. Summary
    7. Notes
  13. CHAPTER 9: The Inescapable, Undeniable Role of Executive Leaders
    1. Words and Actions: Do Behaviors Match the Script?
    2. A Focus on Systems Thinking
    3. National Hockey League: DEI as a Movement, Not a Moment
    4. World Wide Technology: The Power of Successfully Scaling Culture
    5. Conclusion
    6. Summary
  14. CHAPTER 10: Final Thoughts and Next Steps
    1. Lessons in Innovating for Diversity
    2. Revisiting the Virtuous Cycle of Innovation and Diversity
    3. Applying Innovation Principles in Your Organization
    4. Note
  15. Index
  16. Copyright
  17. Dedication
  18. About the Authors
  19. Acknowledgments
  20. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Innovating for Diversity
  • Author(s): Michael C. Bush, Bertina Ceccarelli, Susanne Tedrick
  • Release date: March 2023
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119909897