Bogeys and Eagles, Set Points and Love: Implication of Diversity to Sports and Entertainment

Generally speaking, the worlds of sports and entertainment have been viewed as ahead of the business world when it comes to diversity. In sports, wins are wins and losses are losses. For entertainers, fans are in the seats or they aren’t. But pull back the curtain and all is not as it seems – in the front office or in front of audiences. Even high-profile celebrities have not been able to dramatically increase the diversity of players and fans in some sports such as golf or tennis. As with business, diversity in sports and entertainment affects the bottom line.

In this presentation, Andrés Tapia makes the compelling case for greater diversity in sports and entertainment. He shares stories of how tennis and golf are working to increase diversity and the reasons behind the positive and not-so-positive results of these efforts. Tapia connects the diversity efforts of the sports and entertainment worlds to approaches in the business sphere and explains what these different environments can learn from each other.

Why Ignoring Diversity Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer

One size does not fit all. Companies are discovering that there can be wide differences in how non-majority employees take advantage of the benefits available to all employees. For example, minorities under-participate in preventive healthcare services even when it is available and at little or no cost. And women often show poorer investment returns on their retirement portfolios. A cultural component affects how groups view and access their benefits.

Andrés Tapia explains the reasons for these gaps and provides compelling insights on how to minimize them. He helps audience members discover innovative solutions that tap into the behavioral cultural drivers that enable companies to harness cost and operational efficiencies while at the same time motivating employees to better manage their health and finances.

The Toughest Challenge: The Broken, Leaking, Plugged-up Diverse Talent Pipeline

Despite the current state of unemployment, companies are not ready for the war for talent that is coming. Already, some industries are feeling the effects of insufficient numbers of people – multicultural and majority talent – being available for employment and leadership. The diverse talent pipeline is broken, leaking, and clogged up. In some cases, it is connected to talent pools that are drying up. In others, it is not connected to those talent pools that are rising. Where will companies find their future diverse employees and leaders?

In this highly interactive presentation, Andrés Tapia helps audiences discover ways to cultivate the necessary talent and leadership in both the short- and long-term. He proposes eye-opening solutions to this dilemma that are simple and deliberate, and that play to the particular strengths businesses bring to any challenge.

Disability: The Diversity Issue We Fear the Most

In a split second, any one of us can experience a life-changing event that could leave us disabled. It is the one diversity category that anyone can join at any moment. And it frightens most of us more than we admit. Not only is the fear prevalent in society and in our workplaces, it is a topic that even diversity practitioners struggle to address. Through the use of compelling stories, Tapia helps audiences face this fear while rethinking the concepts of disability and ability. He encourages audiences to view disabilities as a part of the human condition while transforming our workplaces to leverage the skills, talents, and ambitions of people with disabilities.

The Four Pillars of What Makes People of Color Stay and Thrive

Many company recruiters have become quite adept at finding, courting, and hiring multicultural talent. Where this process collapses is retaining and training this same group of employees. Too often, and often much too quickly, heavily recruited minority employees depart after hitting the hidden barriers of exclusion. In this stimulating discussion, Tapia helps company leaders understand the aspects of corporate culture that weaken multicultural employees’ bonds to their companies. He helps companies find alternative ways to address the revolving door syndrome for multicultural talent.

Women in Leadership: Why Current Best Practices Will Not Be Enough to Shatter the Glass Ceiling

In much of the world, women represent half of the labor force. They have revolutionized the workplace with their presence, their perspectives, skills, and demands. Women have introduced new approaches to managing people and working collaboratively, and led the way to new benefits that support all employees. As a result, our corporations and countries have been enriched. Yet despite this reality, women still have a long way to go before reaching parity at the executive level.

In this discussion, Tapia shares the breakthrough changes that are needed to advance greater numbers of women into the executive suite. He offers corporate leaders innovative ways of looking at the different perspectives and behaviors women bring to the workplace, while providing ways to discuss these differences openly and honestly with both women and men.