Culpepper: Here are my top five tips:
1) Leaders set the tone. Associations
must be open to change. The leaders
must ignite the cultural change of their
organization with a level of seriousness
and sustainability.
2) One business case does not fit all.
You need a purpose greater than “it’s the
right thing to do.”
3) Know what you want your outcome
to be. It’s important to know what
expected outcome you desire for your
organization.
4) Diversity and inclusion is a journey; it
should not be rushed but appropriately
accelerated.
5) Inclusion must be inclusive of all.
Organizations must appreciate and
embrace diversity of thoughts and
experiences.
FORUM: What do you think corporations
can learn from associations?
Culpepper: Patience. Corporations
can learn that behavioral and cultural
changes take time and sometimes for-profit corporations want to see positive
or visual results while the change is in
progress. Associations understand that
benefits may come as part of long-range
initiatives. Associations also understand
the dynamics of social change (you may
have to go backward before progressing
forward), while corporations at times
don’t view this kind of change as
social.
Jennifer D. Jackson is administrative coordinator at
the American College of Prosthodontists. She may
be reached at jjackson@prosthodontics.org.
Are you wondering what you can do to bring
diversity to association management? The
Forum’s diversity initiatives are a good place to
start. The Association Forum Diversity Workforce
Partnership is committed to doubling the
number of diverse management personnel
employed by Chicagoland associations by 2012.
So far, 57 organizations have signed on to the
partnership. In addition, the Forum offers six
Workforce Diversity Scholarships for professionals in the development stages of their careers.
For information about the Diversity Workforce
Partnership or the Workforce Diversity Scholarships, please contact Jetaun Mallett at (312)
924-7040 or mallett@associationforum.org.
