It's Time to Talk about Race at Work: Every Leader's Guide to Making Progress on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Hardcover

by Kelly McDonald (Author)

It's time the business world got the actionable, impactful, no-cost strategies needed to increase diversity and inclusion in the workplace

Many white leaders want to create change but don't know how to do so appropriately and effectively. How do you know where the blind spots are that can create obstacles for people of color? Your intentions may be sincere and heartfelt, but intentions aren't enough.

In It's Time to Talk about Race at Work, acclaimed speaker and bestselling author Kelly McDonald delivers a much-needed roadmap for business people. This book will help you successfully create a fair and equitable workplace that recognizes diverse talent and fosters productive and constructive conversations in your organization. It's Time to Talk about Race at Work does not approach diversity from the standpoint of social activism or an HR perspective. Instead, this book shows you exactly what to do and how to do it so that you can make real progress on diversity and inclusion, regardless of the size of your organization. The author's clear, "real talk" style makes it easy to learn:

• The costs and risks you're incurring if your organization lacks diversity
• How people who don't consider themselves to be racist may still have diversity blind spots
• How to start the hard conversations you may not know how to approach
• The STARTING Method--an eight-step framework that shows you how to ensure your diversity and inclusion efforts are effective
• How to recognize the excuses people use to avoid taking action on diversity and inclusion
• How to address the issues and comments that come up when employees feel nervous, resentful, or uncomfortable as you make headway on diversity in your organization

Perfect for executives, managers, and leaders in organizations of all types and sizes, It's Time to Talk about Race at Work is also for employees who want to improve their organization by leading by example.

Front Jacket

Increasing diversity and inclusion in the modern workplace requires more than avoiding the most overt racism and sexism. It entails acknowledging the very real blind spots that are preventing your organization from reaping proven benefits of diversity: increased sales and profit, employee engagement and productivity, a competitive edge, and more.

In It's Time to Talk about Race at Work, diversity and business trends expert and bestselling author Kelly McDonald delivers an essential roadmap for businesspeople who want to create a fair and equitable workplace but struggle with where to start. This book is ideal for people who have good intentions and realize that good intentions aren't enough. It avoids racial theory and activism and approaches diversity from a practical perspective. Kelly McDonald tells you exactly what you need to do and how to do it in order to make actual progress in your organization.

You'll learn the STARTING Method, an eight-step framework that delivers diversity and inclusion results, and why even people who consider themselves non-racist may have diversity blind spots that need to be addressed. You'll learn what to say, what NOT to say (and why), how to avoid tokenism, and how to reach out to diverse communities and recruit effectively―and sincerely. Finally, you'll find out why failing to meet your diversity and inclusion benchmarks can be extremely costly and can lead to your company missing out on easy opportunities.

Perfect for leaders, managers, and executives in companies of all types and sizes, It's Time to Talk about Race at Work will also benefit any employee who wants to lead by example in their own organization and help achieve a more diverse and inclusive workplace.

Back Jacket

Praise for It's Time to Talk about Race at Work

"At Great Clips, Inc., we are very committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Kelly provides doable, actionable steps that move our business forward. She's forthright and connects to people in a way that builds bridges and creates great dialogue among team members. This book is a must-read."
―ROB GOGGINS, President, Great Clips, Inc.

"I brought Kelly in to address our leadership team at NASA. Her realistic tactics are straightforward and a breath of fresh air. She never makes you feel inadequate for what you don't know, and she alleviates the trepidation people have when it comes to talking about race."
―ANDREW TEZNA, Financial Policy and Compliance Director, NASA

"Zebra Technologies is a global company and our workforce―and customers―are all over the world. We know firsthand how important a diverse team is to our success. Kelly speaks and writes with a 'realness' that's hard to find. Her recommendations and methods are practical and effective. She tackles the complex emotions and questions around diversity that people are often reluctant to voice. This book is a 'how-to' that will work for anyone, in any organization of any size."
―JENNY KRUMMENACHER, Director of Channels, Central Region, Co-Lead of Zebra's Inclusion Network, Zebra Technologies

"At CertaPro Painters, diversity, equity and inclusion are embedded in our values. We are committed to making our organization the best place to work for all stakeholders. It starts with respecting the individual, which means we value all people, their ideas, and beliefs. In franchising, that means having an inclusive mindset. We have more than 400 franchises in North America and their teams are incredibly diverse―it's part of what makes them so effective. We've worked with Kelly for years and her gift is how she takes a complex and touchy subject and makes it accessible, relatable, and empowering. She shows us what we can do―and how to do it. Our franchise owners and staff get realistic, proven tactics from Kelly, and she's not afraid to talk about the areas of race and diversity that others tiptoe around."
―MICHAEL STONE, President and CEO, CertaPro Painters

Author Biography

KELLY MCDONALD is a professional speaker and expert on diversity in business. She's authored three bestselling books on marketing, the customer experience and leadership, all from the standpoint of working with people "not like you".