United States Air Force Academy

Climate

As one of seven strategic goals, the Air Force Academy seeks to ensure it has the faculty, staff and cadet diversity to broaden the cadet learning environment and prepare Academy graduates to lead in a global expeditionary Air Force.

The objectives supporting this strategic goal are:

- Proactively support and encourage diversity efforts throughout the Academy.
- Determine and provide an optimal blend of total-force expertise.
- Support outreach efforts and foster strategic partnerships to expose diverse populations throughout the United States to the Air Force Academy's opportunities.

DIVERSITY CLIMATE FACTORS

In a 1997 research paper titled "Understanding the Impact of Cultural Diversity on Organizations," Maj. Molly K. Moon outlines some factors underpinning an organization that may influence a diverse climate:

- Identity Structures: Groups that people may identify themselves or others as a part of, which may lead to prejudice or discrimination toward individuals so categorized.
- Prejudice and Discrimination: These work against both minority and majority groups and are generally reinforced by social factors such as family members, friends and the media.
- Stereotyping: Distortions and inaccuracies rooted in false assumptions and faulty analysis.
- Ethnocentrism: The tendency to view those in one's own group as superior to those in other groups; an us-versus-them mindset.
- Informal Integration: Groups with no formal organizational structure, instead formed based on factors such as common language, perceived social similarity and ethnocentrism.

DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT TOOLS

Major Moon provides the following diversity management tools in her research paper:

- Empowerment: In "Managing Diversity in Organizations," Robert Golembiewski wrote that empowerment should follow the "more, more hypothesis": the more you trust someone, the more others will trust you and keep your trust. Empowering diverse members of your organization improves the diversity climate and mission accomplishment.
- Diversity Training: According to Major Moon, diversity training can enlighten members about positive aspects of diverse groups, to break down stereotypes and remove prejudicial attitudes.
- Mentoring and Networks: Supervisors and leaders can use mentoring to improve the diversity climate. Networking can allow supervisors to learn about problems that exist in an organization and receive input to improve or correct the problems.

The full text of Major Moon's paper is available online through the Air Command and Staff College here (.pdf, 89k).

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