Cultural Diversity Means Leadership Opportunity & Challenge

In recent interviews with Hawaiian business and community leaders, it's become apparent that leadership in a diverse environment presents both challenges and opportunities. The Islands are a melting pot of cultures, including but not limited to, native Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, Mainland (or "Haole"), Portugese and Hispanic. As the influence of television and online media become greater, those cultures are assimilating each other and "foreign" characteristics at a dizzying pace.

What this means for leaders is as confusing as ordering off the menu at your favorite "Hawaiian, Portugese, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese" restaurant. Here are a couple of "tips" to keep in mind when you're managing a diverse workforce.

Recognize that "culture" doesn't just mean the shape of a face or where someone's parents came from. Culture starts with beliefs, behaviors and family history.

Every workforce is "diverse". It's up to your leadership to identify how each invidivual and group work best together and across cultural lines.

Increase your sensitivity to cultural "hot buttons" and be prepared to apologize when you accidentally cross a boundary. A "pat on the back" may be welcomed by your COO from Pepper Pike Ohio, but viewed as an affront on personal space by the VP from Basil, Switzerland.

Here's the best quote I've heard in a long time on the pursuit of success. This is from Lauren Kessler's book "Broken Twig", a story of three generations of the Japanese-American Yasui family in the 20th century. One of the second generation "Nisei" sons was Min, and he wrote to a friend from a jail cell in 1943.

"Too many people go through life without ever having made an intense enough effort to be called a failure."

As Paul Harvey used to say, to hear "the rest of the story" check out the book!