This article contends that if U.S. corporations are to remain competitive as they enter the 21st century, their managers must stop trying to manage members of a workforce that is becoming increasingly more diverse and begin leading them. We offer evidence that this admonition amounts to a mandate for corporations to begin developing diversity leaders. In addition to providing a definition of what a diversity leader is, we describe nine characteristics that diversity leaders must possess to successfully lead a diverse workforce. The importance of these characteristics is supported by examples from a variety of large, well-known corporations. Finally, we offer recommendations that will be useful to those managers with aspirations of becoming effective diversity leaders.
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