by Tim Daly
The Access Group, Inc.
410-715-1241
What is DIVERSITY and should we be concerned? This management concept has been around in corporate America for over 30 years. The idea is strictly that the workforce in America is made up of people of diverse racial, ethnic and gender backgrounds. Moreover, the differences each brings must be recognized and utilized. People should be seen not for their differences (bias and stereotyping) but rather for the improvement of performance and efficiency that they can bring. That efficiency and improvement can also result by including people with disabilities (PWD) rather than excluding them based on their differences (is this bias/stereotyping any different?). Diversity embodies the "Alchemy of We" (Art of Possibility, by Asarmend Zander) and forces us to focus on the endless possibilities that exist in an individual by looking beyond differences. Basic marketing and sales principles teach us that "uniqueness and differences are what sell". Books have been written, classes are taught and careers are made by telling us about how to differentiate products and services. Yet, we are often overlooking a huge population segment that is inherently diverse and embodies uniqueness and offers a huge economic potential. ( Make Lemonade out of Lemons - See the glass as half full, NOT as half empty!). According to the U.S.Census Bureau in 1992, people with disabilities had a disposable income of $188 Billion per year - now we sit after 9 years of inflation, what do you think that number is? FORTUNE Magazine says the disposable annual income of PWD is over $260 BILLION per year - the article then goes on to say "that's a lot of toothpaste".
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, despite a hot economy and an official unemployment rate of 3.9 percent for the population as a whole and unemployment rate for other minorities (except people with disabilities) of 9.8 percent, the unemployment rate for the working-age disability community has remained chronically high - President Clinton reported it is 72%.
Those who have disabilities represent a substantial part of our society (note the attached, figure 1). Moreover, we largely and regularly negate the economic value that PWD who are, by far, the largest minority (again: figure 1), can bring to us. Many people with disabilities, not all, have often learned early on to deal with adversity in a positive way. They have, many times, learned to control their responses, find positive workarounds and overcome obstacles in the face of huge odds, inherently and as a matter of self-survival. In landmark studies by such noted authorities as Martin Seiglman, PhD ("Learned Optimism") and Paul Stoltz, PhD ("The Adversity Quotient") we have seen in concrete business examples what huge factors that prevailing in the face of obstacles/barriers, can do/can be. Who would say that Bill Gates has not been successful? Who would say that the adversity of dropping out of school (as he did to pursue his entrepreneurial dream), held him back? Our society needs to understand what huge economic and intellectual potential lies dormant in people with disabilities.
How can we harness that potential? How can we integrate a workforce with the inclusion of people with disabilities? Simply by training existing employees and letting them see, first hand, that people with disabilities (PWD) are basically no different than they are! Learn disability etiquette! Learn, so individuals can be comfortable with PWD. People without disabilities need to see that PWD have the same fears, concerns, they wear similar clothes, etc. as anyone else! People without disabilities must learn to see the person first, then see the disability - looking beyond differences is a concept that is not new in diversity circles! Yes, PWD have some limitations or differences, but they still can contribute and offer a unique perspective! Often having to work much harder to do the basics that others without disabilities so often take for granted - a situation that often makes PWD even more tenacious! Moreover, as proven and stated, their's is a difference that America often seeks!
In a NOD/Harris Survey, 58% of Americans admitted that they are uneasy around PWD's and 47% admitted feeling actual fear. Uneasy about what? Fear of what? Fear of doing or saying the wrong thing! So we must alleviate that uneasiness and fear, by using a commonsense-based approach that uncovers the unknown (so our reactions are based on understanding, and not pity).
What do most of us feel when we encounter a PWD? How do our preconceived ideas of a PWD effect our interactions and our behavior? Perhaps we need to, in fact, learn that PWD's can be an asset in employee relationships and a valuable profit source in customer service.
