Since our associations have members
who are diverse and come from diverse
backgrounds, it is essential to practice
association management that embraces
diversity and inclusion. Doing so will
ensure we conduct meetings, seminars,
conventions and trade shows that appeal
to a diverse audience. Our society is
becoming much more diverse, and if associations are not keeping pace with these
demographic shifts, we will struggle to
provide compelling services to all of our
members.
There are many long and complex definitions of organization culture. I don’t
like those definitions because they tend
to be confusing. To me, culture simply
defines the proper way to think, act and
behave in an organization. The word
“proper” is key in this definition because
culture will tell us whether we are doing
things in either a proper or improper manner as defined within each association.
In short, culture describes how we do
things within our associations. Culture
also tells our employees and association
members what they need to do to not only
fit in, but also how to survive within their
organization and ultimately what employees need to do to become successful.
ing at their senior executives for clues as •
to what is really important within their
association.
For several years I worked with leaders at the Healthcare Information and
Management Systems Society regarding
their organizational culture. HIMSS, a
membership organization focused on
health care information technology and
management systems, consistently monitored its culture to ensure it was aligned
with the organization’s strategy. By having a healthy culture, HIMSS ensures
it is better able to meet the needs of its
diverse members.
When it comes to establishing a culture that promotes diversity, leaders have
to simply remember three things:
• First, leaders’ actions and behaviors
Lastly, members look at what their
leaders pay attention to and how they
allocate resources. If the leaders don’t
follow diversity metrics or don’t allocate
funds for diversity initiatives, members interpret this as a clear signal that
diversity must not be too important.
As association professionals, we have
to remember we lose our credibility —
and promote cynicism — if we talk about
the importance of diversity within a culture that doesn’t convey valuing diversity
is proper.
So before you rush off to roll out your
next diversity program, take a step back
and ask yourself if you are helping your
leaders create a culture that truly embraces
diversity. If such a culture doesn’t exist,
neither will your credibility.
There are many long and complex definitions of organization culture. I don’t
like those definitions because they tend
to be confusing. To me, culture simply
defines the proper way to think, act and
behave in an organization.
Shaping a Diverse
Culture
Understanding what culture is and the
role it plays is only half the battle. Where
I often see association executives fall
short is in helping their leaders shape a •
culture that supports diversity and makes
it clear that diversity and inclusion is
proper within their associations.
Successful association executives
work with their leaders when it comes to
shaping organizational culture. After all,
it is always the leaders of an association
who define what they consider to be
proper in the first place. Plus, employees
and association members are always look-
have to show they are committed to
diversity. Without their own leaders
driving it, employees and members
will quickly see that diversity really
isn’t that important.
Next, leaders have to look at the types
of individuals and behaviors they are
rewarding or punishing. Such actions
go a long way toward defining whether
or not diversity is really valued within
an association. If only white males
are being promoted, some might ques-
tion whether diversity is truly valued.
The same message is sent if a man-
ager who doesn’t support diversity is
never held accountable.
Robert Rodriguez, Ph.D., is assistant dean at Kaplan
University and is the director of the Kaplan Institute
for Corporate Learning. He serves on an association
board of directors and consults dozens of organizations and associations on diversity initiatives. He may
be reached at RRodriguez2@kaplan.edu.
Make plans now to attend the Forum’s
Diversity Summit on Thursday, May 7,
2009, at the American Bar Association
in Chicago! For more information, visit
www.associationforum.org/
calendar.asp or see ad on page 51.
