Richard D. Bucher, Ph.D. Howard University,
   Diversity Consultant

The Question

The question is not will we encounter diversity but how will we respond to and leverage diversity.  All of us work in multicultural environments.  With globalization making us more interdependent, the influx of new workers, and more culturally diverse clients, customers, and suppliers, the present and future hold promise to those of us who can value diversity and unleash its enormous potential.

Who Can Be A Diversity Trainer and/or Consultant?

It is important to understand that anyone can refer to themselves as diversity consultants or trainers.  Consequently, it is not uncommon for people with very little background, academic or otherwise, and very little experience to “slide" into this field.  It is imperative that you do your homework before you hire a “diversity professional.”

As a Diversity Consultant and Trainer, I...

define diversity as all of the ways in which we are different (Diversity Consciousness, p. 1).  This encompasses, but is by no means  limited to, individual and cultural differences, group and organizational differences, societal differences, and differences in the way we lead, communicate, team, view and manage conflict, and identify ourselves.

    • view diversity as an organizational imperative, rather than a legal-driven initiative.  As such, diversity directly and indirectly connects to your organization’s bottom line.
    • view diversity as potential, rather than an end in itself.  By that I mean, we need to develop the skill-set, partnerships, organizational systems, processes, and leadership to bring out and fully utilize the benefits of diversity. 
    • believe that diversity cannot be analyzed apart from other organizational components, such as assessment, training, recruitment and hiring, performance evaluations and promotions, marketing, customer/client satisfaction, and product design, sales, and service.

With This In Mind, I will tailor my approach to your specific needs and goals.  In doing this, we will:

  • Establish context.   Why training?  Why consulting?  And why now?
  • Assess where you are and where you want to be (short-term and long-term), and determine how you will measure your progress.
  • Formulate a plan that focuses on employee satisfaction and productivity, customer/client satisfaction, and operational results.
  • Follow through and work together to build support for, clarify, and reevaluate goals, and plan for the future.

 

Workshops Offered

My Background

As a diversity consultant and trainer, I will draw extensively on my background and my experience as a student, teacher, and practitioner.  First, I am not a newcomer to the field of diversity.  Diversity has been my passion as well as my area of expertise for more than 40 years.  As an undergraduate at Colgate University and a graduate student at New York University and then Howard University, I was drawn to the study of human relations.  I earned my degree in sociology at Colgate University in Hamilton, NY, and then went on to NYU to pursue my masters’ degree, all the while focusing on different dimensions of diversity such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, social class, and educational background.

As a white doctoral student at a historically black college (Howard University), my world and knowledge of diversity expanded exponentially.  My doctoral studies focused on race and ethnic relations, both in the U.S. and abroad.  At Howard, I became much more aware of my own cultural encapsulation.  I developed a lifelong commitment to understanding human differences more fully and using that knowledge to leave this world a better place.

For the last 35 years, I have taught at Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), a historically black urban college serving some of the poorest and brightest students in the state of Maryland.  This global educational laboratory has promoted my diversity consciousness in ways I never could have imagined.  For example, I remember giving an assignment to class one day, asking students to name 3 goals they hope to achieve in the next five years.  One student wrote, “I hope to live to be 25 years of age.”  That student’s comment “blew me away” and made me much more aware of my “privileged background.”  Experiences such as these occur constantly, and I feel like a “sponge” waiting to soak up all of the life's lessons in my midst.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention my family background.  I am a father of three children, two daughters and one son.  My wife is a high school math teacher who has an extensive background teaching extremely diverse and needy student populations.  My daughters, who are two of the kindest people I know, both work and live in the D.C. area.  My son, who has autism and lives nearby in an adult living facility, has been instrumental in expanding my awareness, understanding, and skills in the area of diversity.  All of my children have taught me so much about life’s priorities, the importance of faith, the millennial generation, balancing work and family, and the list goes on and on.

I provide this information about myself because I draw on all my life experiences and all my "bridges of understanding" when I speak, train, teach, and consult.