Top-down-vs-bottom-up

Top-downvsbottom-upsuccessfullyimplementingdiversityinitiativesByMaryFrancesWintersandLinkageInc(bypermission)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1.IntroductionMostdiversityinitiativesstartfromthetopwiththeleadershipcommitment.Ahigh-levelstrategyisdeveloped,completewithvision,missionandgoals.Butbythetimeitgetstothebottom(ifitevermakesit!),itisofteninterpretedverydifferently.Theintentoftop-downapproachesisnoble,butwithoutanequallyeffectivebottom-upstrategy,diversityinitiativesinvariablygetstuckinthemiddle.Inmostcases,whenacompanydecidestofocusondiversity,theCEOandothertop-levelexecutiveswillincorporateaphilosophicalmessageinavarietyofcompanypublicationsandinpresentationsandreportsgivenbothinternallyandexternally.Thesewell-wordedcommunicationsusuallyspeakto憊aluingandrespectingdiversity?憈hedesiretohaveanorganisationthatisrepresentativeofthelabourforceandcustomerbase?憇ocialresponsibility,andcompliantwiththelawandanti-discriminationpolicies?Awidevarietyofprocesses,policies,andstrategiesarethendevelopedtopromoteawarenessandappreciationofdifferences,ensurefairtreatment,increaserepresentation,andcreateacultureofinclusion.2.BasicelementsofthetopdownapproachSomebasicelementsofthetop-downapproachincludeleadershipdevelopment,training,equalemploymentandzerotolerancepolicies,socialresponsibilityinitiatives,recruitmentandretentionprogrammes,linkingdiversitytobusinessgoals,andculture-changeinitiatives.Whilethisapproachisagoodwayforupper-levelleaderstovisualizeandarticulatethecreationofaninclusiveenvironmentwithintheorganisation,theactualimplementationoftheseconceptsthroughoutanorganisationishardworkandrequirestheabilitytoseetheworkplacefromthebottomup.Top-downapproachesareoftenbasedonprogrammeswhereasbottom-upstrategiesaremoreprocessfocused.Thevisionwillnotberealizediftheplandoesn'tensurethateveryoneisinvolved.Top-downonlythinkingcancauseadiversityinitiativetobestoppedinitstracks,orbeforeitevenstarts.Startstowork,thatis.Bythetimetheflowofinformationreachesthelowerlevelsofthecompany,themessagemayhavechanged,theissuesmaybemisunderstood,andwhatoncewasacomprehensivestreamofgoalsandstrategiesmaynowonlybeaseaofrandomthought.Or,itmaynevergettothebottomatall.Andifthathappens,theorganisationwillbecycledbacktothebeginningstagesofplanningitsdiversitymodel,whichwillbebothcostlyandtime-consumingforeveryoneinvolved.Herearesomeexamplesofhowtop-downmessagesareinterpretedfromthebottomup:#Top-DownMessage:Ourworkforcemustrepresentthelabourforceandcustomerbase.Bottom-UpTranslation:Preferentialtreatment(quotas)forsomegroups.#Top-DownMessage:WeneedtocreateacultureofinclusivenessBottom-UpTranslation:Includingothersmeanssomeofuswhousedtobeincludedwillnowbeexcluded.#Top-DownMessage:Diversityisgoodforbusiness.Bottom-UpTranslation:Diversitydivertsourattentionfromourmainbusiness.#Top-DownMessage:Eachofusmustexamineourbiasesandstereotypesandworktowardsvaluingandrespectingothers.Bottom-UpTranslation:ThereissomethingwrongwithmeandIbeingaskedtochangemycorevalues,whoIam.#Top-DownMessage:Wemustbeasociallyresponsibleorganisation.Bottom-UpTranslation:Thecompanyisgoingtowastemoneyonprogrammesthatwilltakeawayfromprofitsandmyraise.Theresistanceonthepathfromthetoptothebottomcanbesostrongthatthereisliterallyaperiodwhereeverythingstops,formaybeevenseveralyearsandthensomethinghappens(usuallyaproblem)andwearecalledbackagaintore-energizetheeffort.Duringtheperiodsofinactivity,employeesusuallyseeitasyetanotherprogrammeofthemonthgonebythewayside!Usingabottom-upapproachinadditiontothetop-downstrategyfromthebeginning.Thebottom-upapproachservestooperationalizethehigh-levelstrategiesthroughouttheentireorganisation.3.Keyfeaturesofabottom-upapproach#FocusontheindividualRecognisingthatchangehappensonepersonatatimeandthateveryoneisdifferent(e.g.havehaddifferentexperiences),abottom-upapproachdevelopsdifferentlearningsolutionsandstrategiestomeetindividualswheretheyare.Forexample,whitemalesoftenfeelexcludedfromthediversityandinclusionequation.Thereisaneedtounderstandtheirissuesandconcerns.#AccountabilityatalllevelsOften,accountabilityisviewedastheresponsibilityoftopmanagementand/orHR.Abottom-upapproachputstheonusoneveryindividualtoseehis/herroleinadvancingthediversityinitiatives.Theageold:What'sinitforme?hastobeansweredandoftentop-downapproachesprovideapunitiveratherthanopportunisticanswer.Forexample,azerotolerancepolicyissometimestranslatedfromthebottomas:Ibetternotsayanythingtosomeonewhoisdifferent.Imightsaythewrongthingandbefired.Inabottom-upapproach,anaturalworkteamlearningcommunitycanfacilitateabetterunderstandingoftheparametersofzerotoleranceforthatteam.Itisanopportunitytolearnhowtoworkmoreeffectivelywithco-workers.#CommunitybuildingTherearecultureswithinculturesinlargeorganisations.Everydepartmenthasitsownunspokenandunwrittenrules.One-sizeimplementationwillnotfitall.Everydiscretecommunityinthebottom-upapproachisrequiredtotranslatethetop-downmessageanddevelopitsowndiversityandinclusionstrategiesthatareconsisten