FPRA Annual Conference: Breakout 2A, Diversity Speak… Messages of Inclusion – Ken Kinzie and Beverly Alter
My first breakout session of the afternoon is Diversity “Speak” … Messages of Inclusion led by Ken Kinzie, MSW, LCSW, President & CEO, Kinzie Counseling & Consultation and Beverly Alter, President & CEO, Alter & Associates, LLC and The Alter Group. This interactive session explored the subtlety and importance of language—written, electronic, visual and spoken communication. Diversity is an issue everywhere, and as pr professionals we should be aware and on the forefront of change. Here are my notes from this session.
• Inclusion (a better word instead of diversity)—We should be discussing how we are the same rather than how we are different.
• Everyone has diversity bias!
• Relearning and combining traditional media (newspapers, etc.) with new media (blogging, Web site, etc.) to communicate your message and consider the message based on all your publics.
• Determine and understand both your internal and external publics (cultural background, race, gender, income level, interests, beliefs, needs, how each consumes information, off-shoring, language, etc.).
• You are/should be responsible for what you say and how you say it. Example of a big mistakes:
• “We’re ashamed the President of the US is from Texas,” said Natalie of the Dixie Chicks. Due to this comment, their careers were impacted.
• “The black jelly beans always fall to the bottom of the bag,” said Texaco, Inc. The Treasurer was recorded making this comment because he did not want to recognize holidays for all employees, and a $176 million settlement was made.
• Internal Audiences—One problem common in the work place now is having three to four generations working together in the work place. Examples of this are older adults reporting to younger adults or older adults learning new media.
• Interesting Statistic—
• The largest group, 78 million people, in the workforce is the Baby Boomers representing those born between 1946 and 1964.
• 2.6 years is the average length of employment;
• There are more single, grandparents, unmarried adults and same sex couples
• More people want to move south (in the U.S.)
• 32 percent of business owners are 55 and older
• Demographic trends:
- Aging population
- Generational issues
- Growth in Hispanic
- Religious diversity
- Increase in disabilities
- Changing family structures
- Some Hot Tips:
- Reevaluate changing trends in marketplace
- Identify cultural/lifestyles differences
- Recognize
- Bias
- “Learn and relearn your audiences when using words to create the best impact,” said Alter.
As pr professionals, we should take steps to learn more about others and evaluate your own diversity “blind spots.” What are you doing in your jobs to be more receptive to diversity?
