TABLE OF CONTENTS Constructing your organization's first diversity scorecard must be accomplished by implementing a systematic process that builds consensus and clarity about how to translate the organization's vision and strategy into diversity operational objectives and measures. Selecting the right diversity metrics or measures is actually much more than deciding what to measure. It is, in fact, a key part of your overall strategy for success. Select the wrong diversity performance metrics and you may help the organization go out of business, although all graphs indicate that you are healthy. Select the wrong metrics and your worst nightmare might come true employees actually implement and perform well according to these wrong metrics (Brown, 1996)!
The concepts in this diversity scorecard book, in general, may appear straightforward. It is almost common sense that all organizations need a balanced diversity scorecard of some sort and that fewer measures are better than too many; however, coming up with a good, precise set of diversity metrics that actually predict your success and show causal relationships to performance is quite difficult. Doing so often requires extensive (and often expensive) research to settle in on the right index or metric that predicts your success in the marketplace. Some trial and error is also involved. It is critical that you have the training and expertise to design these measures effectively or that you hire a diversity metrics consultant with these diversity metric design skills to help you get off to a good start.
