Rewire: A Radical Approach to Tackling Diversity and Difference

A new perspective on tackling diversity and difference in the workplace. Rewire: A Radical Approach to Tackling Diversity and Difference takes a fresh look at the issue of equality, diversity and inclusion at work. It critiques the current thinking and practices that are responsible for slow progress in this area, while providing readers with a new, holistic and tactical perspective that leverages what we know about influencing and changing people's mind-sets. The issue of difference sits at the core of many of the world's crises. Large corporations are a microcosm of the globalized world we inhabit, and hold significant power in shaping our societies and ideas. Despite decades of work in diversity and inclusion, little progress has been made because current approaches focus on specific contexts, short-term results and commercial returns, rather than taking into account what we know about human behaviour and addressing the social and economic cultures in which we operate. This book argues that in order to achieve sustainable positive change, we need to focus on how to create a culture of openness, empathy and inclusion – which in turn enables corporate strategy and drives innovation. The authors, who have worked in a number of leading organizations, including Caterpillar, American Express, HSBC, Towers Watson and the NHS, put forward a new approach, based on years of experience of achieving both individual and organizational change. They present: · A causal map, which describes a wide range of social, biological, psychological, evolutionary and organizational factors that influence how we think and operate. · A unique step-by-step approach to rewiring our fundamental psychological processes and creating change at an individual, organizational and cultural level. This book offers corporate executives and social leaders a fresh perspective on diversity and difference, along with the tools to create more inclusive, effective and innovative environments.

Table of Contents:
Section 1: INTRODUCTION Chapter 1: What this book is about Chapter 2: A critique of current approaches Chapter 3: The case for change Section 2: THE CAUSAL MAP Chapter 4: The six lenses Chapter 5: Personal identity Chapter 6: Cognitive dynamics (How our minds work) Chapter 7: Physiology (The body and the brain) Chapter 8: Organisational identity Chapter 9: Organisational dynamics Chapter 10: External context SECTION 3: A METHOD FOR CHANGE Chapter 11: Taking an OD approach Chapter 12: Tips for consulting Chapter 13: Introduction to the iterative model Chapter 14: Diagnosis Chapter 15: Imagination Chapter 16: Leadership and behaviour Chapter 17: Governance, process and metrics SECTION 4: CONCLUSION Chapter 18: Final thoughts

About the Author :
Chris Yates is the General Manager of Learning & Development at Microsoft and is based in Seattle. Previously he was the Chief Learning Officer and Head of People and Organizational Development for Caterpillar Inc. and has served in senior roles at HSBC and American Express. He specializes in organizational design, leadership development and the management of large-scale change initiatives. Along with Pooja Sachdev, he was the co-author of Rewire. Pooja Sachdev worked as a consultant Organisational Development Specialist for the HSBC Group for several years. Previously, she worked at Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson) and at Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS), and was appointed Senior Policy Officer at the Commission for Racial Equality. She has worked with a wide range of organizations in the public and private sectors, including Channel 4, London Borough of Newham, the Department for Trade and Industry, Novartis and Royal Mail. Pooja specializes in unconscious bias (its impact in decision-making), gender in the workplace, culture (organizational and other), work life balance, employee engagement and wellbeing. She has lived in three countries, and is a qualified counsellor, coach and group moderator. Pooja holds an MSc in Occupational Psychology and is currently working as a consultant in London.

Review :
...the most refreshing approach to diversity I have read The authors have produced a refreshing insight into a complex arena … The interlacing of the classic frameworks loved by HR practitioners with the everyday examples of personal reality is one the book’s major strengths. Refreshing, challenging and engaging! This breakthrough book places diversity centre stage of organizational culture change. Offering practical ways to develop more inclusive and dynamic workplaces, I highly recommend it. Yates and Sachdev combine a powerful critique of the typically piecemeal and “bean-counting” approaches to diversity. The book offers specific advice for practitioners seeking to change organizational cultures, sparking new ways of thinking about the consultant’s role and how to foster organizational commitment to lasting, effective, and sustainable change. Rewire is critical reading for leaders and change agents who want more diverse and inclusive workplaces. Yates and Sachdev give us a comprehensive framework that takes into account both our internal and external environments. Their approach is holistic, practical and can be used in different global markets. FINALLY! A book that not only points out the problem we face as a society, but also offers a concrete, yet remarkably simple approach to solving it. Creating change in the space of diversity has been an issue since before we were born – and as a society we’ve made advances through rules and laws, but not yet got to the root of the issue. Through six lenses and insightful personal stories, the authors offer a brilliant solution to finally solve an incredibly wicked problem. Chris and Pooja offer the reader a unique, and desperately needed, approach to embracing diversity and difference. Rewire is the one of the most interesting, provocative and thought-provoking books I have read in years. After decades of failed approaches to diversity and inclusion, I am excited for the possibilities this book brings for my organization and for the world.