In his book, “The Audacity of Hope,” Barack Obama says, “What has been lost in the process, and has yet to be replaced, are those shared assumptions – that quality of trust and fellow feeling – that bring us together…” Even though he is talking about politics, we also see the lack of trust and respect for each other lacking in corporate America. In my opinion, the caring and compassion for others, including trusting others has been lost in organizations due to years of restructuring and re-engineering.

America, founded by immigrants, is a nation of many cultures. Many immigrants today face the same obstacles as their predecessors. The important issue today for management is how to maximize and capitalize on workplace diversity. Diversity in the workplace is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating each person’s uniqueness. I look at diversity as peeling an onion. The outer layer can be multiple colors, shapes, sizes, but inside, most are the same…just like people. The goal to managing diversity is to develop and expand our capacity to accept, acknowledge, incorporate value, empower, and celebrate the different human talents among people whether they work in a large corporation or a small business because people are still the most important asset in a successful business.