Doing what comes unnaturally

According to Workplace Trends, diversity training was offered by 56% of US companies in 1994, up from 47% in 1993 and 40% in 1992. Because of Chevron Corp.'s multinational activities and changing employee demographics, chairman and CEO Kenneth T. Derr has asked each of the corporation's operating companies and departments to incorporate diversity programs into business plans. One of Chevron's diversity training sessions, conducted by Bill Stone, is discussed. Stone hopes to take the class beyond the limited issues of race and gender that often dominate diversity debates. The session includes discussions on perceiving cultural differences, understanding the unspoken rules of an organization, creating an environment in which individuals can fully use their talents to benefit a company and smoothing over cultural and professional differences.