Richard D. Bucher, from Howard University, currently at Baltimore Community College
Franklin D. Raines, Chairman and CEO of Fannie Mae

Published September, 1999 by Prentice Hall Career & Technology

Copyright 2000, 233 pp.
Paper
ISBN 0-13-080338-3

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For undergraduate courses in Success/Orientation, Race and Ethic Relations, Cultural Diversity in the Workplace (Business Management), Interpersonal Human Relations, and Allied Health/Human Services; also for teacher-training education courses, and staff/professional development workshops. This empowering study on human diversity helps students develop the ability to understand, respect, and value diversity—i.e., raise their “diversity consciousness”—and demonstrates how opening one's mind to the views of other peoples and cultures is central for a quality education and successful career. Personalizing the learning experience by weaving a wide variety of real-life student experiences and perspectives throughout the book, it discusses topics in a style that promotes self-reflection and dialogue, and uses an approach to diversity that is balanced, comprehensive, well-integrated, and relevant to students' goals in life. Complete with self-reflective journal questions and interactive exercises, it offers thorough and current discussions on diversity and workplace issues—what they are, their significance, and their relevance to the reader; discusses concepts such as teamwork, conflict management, leadership, racism, prejudice, and communication in a clear and concise fashion; and zeroes in on the relationship between an employee's success in the workplace and his/her ability to develop flexibility in their thinking so that he/she can positively and effectively deal with a variety of diversity issues.




“Diversity Consciousness.”

• Helps students develop a flexible, inclusive kind of thinking/awareness of the interconnectedness of our world's different people and cultures, and shows them the value—in their personal life, education, and career—of developing such an awareness.

A focus on personal growth and empowerment—Emphasizes the importance of educating oneself in the area of diversity, and views diversity education as an on-going process rather than an event.

• Shows students how the process of developing diversity consciousness requires a great deal of self-reflection, evaluation, patience and commitment—and can pay off regardless of who you are or where you come from.

Student perspectives—Infuses each chapter with genuine anecdotes and perspectives from a very diverse population of students who share their everyday struggles, stories, and achievements.

• Provides a sounding board for a large number of college students from a wide variety of educational, social, and ethnic backgrounds, providing insight and letting them learn from the experiences of their peers.

Success-oriented.

• Helps students understand how the development of their diversity awareness and skills can lead to success in their jobs by fostering greater teamwork, creativity, productivity, and profit.

Grounded in research—Moves beyond anecdotal evidence by citing many research studies derived from real companies and real people.

• Highlights for students the positive impact of education/training in the area of diversity, i.e., how their exposure to diversity issues is more apt to make them culturally sensitive and more creative and productive on the job.

Wide audience appeal—Provides a rich, in-depth and realistic approach to diversity that all students will relate to, regardless of their background, and explores a broad range of traditional and emerging diversity issues in a sensitive, readable fashion.

• Treats students in a friendly, direct, and non-condescending manner.

Real-world applications—now and in the future—Explores the relevance of communication, teamwork, conflict management, and flexible thinking in the workplace.

• Helps students understand the connections among “diversity skills” and the world of work, and its increasing relevance in the future years.

Journal questions—Integrated throughout each chapter, these thought-provoking questions encourage students to write and record entries in their own personal journal; easily identifiable with its own graphic icon.

• Reinforces students' learning, provides them with a record of their thoughts, promotes self-reflection and encourages group discussions.

Engaging end-of-chapter exercises—Includes Internet exercises.

• Gives students an interactive opportunity to utilize different learning styles, and helps them synthesize and build upon their newly acquired knowledge.

Includes a forward by Franklin Raines—CEO of Fannie Mae, and the first African-American to head a Fortune 50 Company.

1. Diversity—An Overview.
2. Diversity Skills and Success.
3. Personal and Social Barriers to Success.
4. Developing Diversity Consciousness.
5. Communicating in a Diverse World.
6. Teamwork.
7. Conclusion.

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