Wachovia

In order to accomplish this organization-wide change, leaders need a coherent way to sequence the changes and implement them at each level of the organization. This book provides a plan for doing just that. Some might ask why is it worthwhile for leaders to undertake such a task as achieving racial equity. My response is that organizations do not e... xist alone. They have clients, customers, suppliers or funders as well as regulators. Organizations that operate without racial equity are not invisible. Communities of color know the status quo. Michael Burkart received a Doctorate in Education for organizational development in 1983. He has been consulting with government agencies, non-profits and Fortune 500 companies on achieving racial equity in the workplace for over thirty-five years, including eighteen years with the premier diversity firm, Elsie Y. Cross Associates in Philadelphia, PA. I had the opportunity to engage in life-changing work with Michael Burkart while leading a large, complex team at Wachovia Corp in the early 2000s. As a company, we focused on issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation based on the very same principles he espouses in this book. The work was hard because it required people with innate privilege, starting with me, to become extremely vulnerable and accept that the playing field isnt level for every person. I have led the same work at two additional companies (eBay and AvidXchange) and can say without hesitation that while the cultural change work takes time, it leaves a legacy. What better outcome could any transformational leader hope for than that? Michael Burkart and I are lifelong colleagues and friendsMichael has shown astonishing understanding of power dynamics, white privilege and the dynamics of differenceHe is spot on that committed and consistent leadership is required over time to achieve equality and equity in workplaces. I agree with him and appreciate him and his commitment to equality and inclusion more as the days go on. He is courageous and unflinching on ...Read More