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Certain Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Personal Characteristics (KSAOs) Are Required or Preferred for Diversity Leaders

• Key roles and responsibilities for diversity leaders include strategic leadership (including leading diversity programs/initiatives), stakeholder engagement, tracking diversity trends, and human resources–related activities.
• To carry out responsibilities within those categories, diversity leaders would ideally have the following KSAOs: interpersonal skills; business expertise; leadership skills; equal employment opportunity (EEO) and military equal opportunity, affirmative action, and diversity knowledge and skills; a driven personality and commitment to diversity; analytical abilities and skills; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and multicultural competence.

Some KSAOs Can Be Improved Through Training and Education

• The scientific literature suggests that certain KSAOs identified as important for effective diversity leaders, such as personality and motivation, are very difficult to develop; interpersonal skills and leadership skills are somewhat difficult to develop; and problem-solving, communication, and technical skills (e.g., business procedures) are the easiest to develop. Those KSAOs less amenable to development should form the basis of selection of diversity leaders, while those KSAOs more amenable to development should be targeted for improvement as part of training and education.

This study identifies the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other personal characteristics (KSAOs) needed in individuals who will be responsible for implementing strategic diversity plans in the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The authors interviewed more than 60 diversity leaders in industry, the public sector (including DoD), and academia and reviewed relevant scientific literature, education programs, and advertised job requirements. The study found that primary roles and responsibilities for diversity leaders include strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, tracking diversity trends, and human resources–related activities. To carry out these responsibilities, diversity leaders would ideally have the following KSAOs: interpersonal skills; business expertise; leadership skills; equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and diversity knowledge and skills; a driven personality and commitment to diversity; analytical abilities and skills; critical thinking and problem-solving skills; and multicultural competence. Certain KSAOs are harder to develop than others (e.g., personality attributes and motivation) and should form the basis of selection of diversity leaders. Other KSAOs, such as problem-solving, communication, and technical skills, are easier to develop and may be enhanced through training and education. The study recommends a three-step plan for DoD to help determine how to train and educate future DoD diversity leaders: (1) determine whether there should be a separate professional development track for diversity and inclusion personnel, (2) determine training and education requirements by focusing on those KSAOs more amenable to development, and (3) determine the best means for fulfilling those requirements (e.g., whether to outsource the training).

• Chapter One

  Introduction

• Chapter Two

  Roles and Responsibilities for Diversity Leaders

• Chapter Three

  KSAOs for Diversity Leaders

• Chapter Four

  Selection and Development of KSAOs for Diversity Leaders

• Chapter Five

  Conclusions and Recommendations

• Appendix A

  Methodology

• Appendix B

  Job Posting and Interview Coding and Results

• Appendix C

  Diversity Education Programs