Journal of Diversity Management – First Quarter 2009 Volume 4, Number 1 1 Situational Leadership And Diversity Management Coaching Skills Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, Nova Southeastern University, USA Jatuporn Sungkhawan, Southeast Bangkok College, Bangkok, Thailand ABSTRACT Leadership and diversity management have been part of the work life since the beginning of formal organizations and a critical element of globalization. The authors provide an overview of situational leadership and link it to diversity management so the focus can remain on productivity rather than personalities and biases which are part of each society and individual. Based on personal training experiences of the authors, this conceptual and practical paper provides a model to link situational leadership to diversity in the workplace through effective coaching skills. Keywords: leadership, diversity, diversity management, coaching skills, situational leadership, communication, and management. INTRODUCTION eaders and managers are part of the society and deal with diversity challenges and opportunities every single day. Those managers and leaders who are properly prepared to deal with the challenges and take advantages of the opportunities it offers will likely succeed by being effective coaches in a diverse workplace. Discriminatory practices are widespread in the society and, at times, it surfaces in the workplace which can cause major challenges for managers and leaders. Unfair aspects of discrimination often take root from societal biases, stereotypes, and misinformation. Instead of passing on societal biases and treating employees unfairly based on stereotypes and misinformation, managers can use situational leadership practices by concentrating on the performance of each associate and developing them progressively based on their level of readiness to take on new responsibilities and initiatives. DIVERSITY CHALLENGES FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND MANAGERS 1 Diversity is a subject that can be very powerful and emotional for everyone who deals with it either directly or indirectly. Diversity topics deal with issues of being different and alike, inspiration and perspiration, sadness and gladness, privilege and lack thereof, culture and religion, tolerance and justice, and hatred and animosity. Diversity challenges and opportunities impact all nations around the world to one extent or another. Today issues of cultural identification, religious protection, ethnic cleansing, racial supremacy, oppression of minority groups, unfair compensation to various groups of people based on their minority status or gender, and other such critical issues impact various nations around the world. For example, even countries such as the United States of America and Russia are suffering from racial conflicts caused by groups of individuals claiming “white supremacy” and privilege. There are hundreds of hate groups in the United States (as well as around the world), such as the Klu Klux Klan (KKK) and other extremists, that are active in promoting hatred and animosity toward minorities or those who are “different.” As a matter of fact, there are at least 500 “hate group” websites on the internet spreading the message of hate and racism. As reported by the Good Morning America Show of ABC (June 11, 2006), the internet seems to be a growing tool for hate groups to spread their message and attract new members. ABC showed videos of KKK members demonstrating on June 10, 2006, yelling and screaming that they want Mexicans, Jews, and illegal immigrants out of the United States. The “Intelligence Report” from spring 2006, which is published by the 1 See Mujtaba, B. G. (2007). Workplace Diversity Management: Challenges, Competencies and Strategies. L