Guiding Principles Organizational effectiveness in today's world hinges on managing diversity well. At Friend & Associates, we partner with clients to build inclusive organizations that tap the talents and experiences of all employees. Members of our multicultural team help people at every level understand how diversity relates to both the company's success and their own. Some of our guiding principles: Diversity speaks to everyone. It's not just "some people's issue." Diversity includes a broad range of visible and non-visible dimensions that shape interpersonal relationships, customer service and organizational effectiveness. For diversity initiatives to work, there must be a sincere commitment by a powerful guiding coalition of leaders. Rather than trying to change people's values, successful diversity initiatives focus on behaviors and systems that support organizational, team and individual effectiveness. Training is a tool for advancing diversity efforts. An effective diversity initiative is a strategic process that continually evolves to address an organization's changing needs. It is not merely a series of training events. BACK