Let's look, for a moment, beyond the traditional thoughts about diversity programs.

Many think of diversity as simply a long list of things you can and cannot say, can and cannot do, with "minorities."

But what if diversity awareness were defined this way:

Diversity awareness is the art of creating environments in which people become exceptionally skilled at learning from one another's different backgrounds, and using those different backgrounds constructively towards a common goal.

Using that definition, the fact that we are all different, in thousands of ways large and small, is less important than learning to deal with those differences skillfully.

Let's be frank.

You can have a room full of white men and have diversity, because not all white men are alike.

Similarly, an organization composed entirely of women will still have "diversity" issues, because not all women are alike.

Finally, most people and most organizations do not intentionally go around discriminating against others.

For example, when an organization seems to be promoting people who have the same demographic profile, it is usually because it has a culture that is not terribly self-aware, and so tends not to be conscious of what it's doing. This kind of culture is dangerous, and likely to lead to high turnover, for a number of reasons, discrimination being one of them.

Perhaps its time to re-think diversity. While we must not and will not ever minimize the reality of gender bias, or race bias, or anti-Semitism, or heterosexism or other common and pernicious forms of discrimination, let's also understand that the solution to these issues lay in our willingness to:

That is S.M.A.R.T. diversity. It's the kind of initiative you address two issues at once - first, the culture and then, with those skills in hand, address "diversity issues" as a growth opportunity, not simply a list of do's and don'ts.

S.M.A.R.T. diversity, in this context, stands for

1. Strategic;
2. Measurable;
3. Articulate;
4. Relationship-oriented;
5. Trustworthy.

So what does that mean?

Strategic

It is preferable to understand how your diversity initiative fits into the overall business strategy of your organization. In other words, a diversity initiative must serve a strategic function in your overall plan for success, or else it'll be dropped at the first sign of economic difficulty. Not because senior personnel isn't committed to diversity in the workplace, but because there never was a clear indication of how the initiative fit into the overall strategy.

Measurable

It is also preferable to understand how you will measure the success of your diversity initiative. Are results best measured in enhanced productivity? Improved culture? Lower turnover? Lower safety incident counts? Higher morale? How will you know when your objective - the reason you started the diversity initiative - has been achieved?

Articulate

Next, it is extremely important to be able to articulate the diversity strategy. To be able to explain:

1. Why the initiative is occurring
2. What is the expected benefit
3. How will that benefit be measured
4. What is expected of the everyone before, during, after the initiative
5. How does the initiative fit into the existing team or organization's existing priorities?

It is vital that everyone in your organization understands and is able to articulate these answers in a clear, simple manner - just the way a business leader would with want with any team or business objective.

Relationship Oriented

It is crucial that the strategy be extremely relationship-focused.

Everything diversity theory and practice exists to explain and help is connected to the matter of relationships. This must be clear from the very beginning.

Whatever other objectives your initiative may have for your specific culture, it is strongly recommended that you include "improving our skill at forming and sustaining healthy, high-quality professional relationships", or something similar, as part of your objectives.

Trustworthy

Finally, everyone must be able to trust that this is not simply a fad, or a workshop conducted to check off on one's to -do list, or to avoid a lawsuit, etc. People must trust that the initiative is taking place because:

• This is a key business initiative;
• It will make your organization better, stronger, smarter, more competitive, more joyous, and more humane.

People must know that the effort to improve the culture through diversity is sincere.

Once that's in place, it is often startling how much enthusiasm people will give to a well-designed diversity / culture shifting initiative.

People deeply want the workplace to be a wonderful place to be, and are often willing to work conscientiously to make it happen.

Any cynicism encountered usually comes from a "please don't tease me; don't get my hopes up and then cancel the initiative " feeling.

So the initiative must be introduced with trust, and supported as if your credibility depended upon it. Because it does.

The pay-off?

• An incredible, creative, dedicated workplace that will be the envy of - and the benchmark for - your industry.
• A workforce so nimble and flexible that it can handle anything the marketplace throws at them.
• A team of people dedicated to success, and to one another.
• Fond memories for a lifetime.
• Pride in your organization, and yourself for helping create and sustain something that is very, very special.

If that's not S.M.A.R.T., what is?