Conversation: How Seeking and Speaking the Truth about Racism Can Radically Transform Individuals and Organizations

Livingston, Robert

A practical guide for businesses and other organizations seeking to create candid dialogue about the persistence of racism in their communities, identify and eliminate bias, and take action to bring about a more equitable workplace and culture, written by a Harvard academic and leading expert on diversity and inclusion.

Whether it’s the composition of a company’s leadership team or the seats that employees choose in the break room, America’s racial divide plays out in stark terms in the workplace. For social psychologist Robert Livingston, however, the struggle to eradicate bias and make organizations more diverse, equitable, and inclusive is not a futile battle but an attainable goal.

Livingston, who has taught at leading universities for over twenty years and advised organizations such as Airbnb, Deloitte, Microsoft, and JP Morgan, has made it his life’s work to show people how to turn difficult conversations about race into productive instances of real change. With wit and clarity, The Conversation distills Livingston’s decades of research and practice into a solution-oriented road map for organizations seeking to uproot entrenched biases in the workplace.

Founded on extensive data and principles of psychology, sociology, management, and behavioral economics, Livingston’s PRESS framework reveals that racism can be defeated with Problem awareness, Root cause analysis, Empathy, Strategy, and Sacrifice. Brought to life by his vivid storytelling, The Conversation explores the root causes of racism, ways to foster greater empathy and solidarity, and, finally, concrete actions that individuals and organizations can take to make profound and sustainable progress toward racial equality. The Conversation is an essential tool for turning well-intentioned diversity statements into measurable outcomes.