The Inclusion Paradox, 3rd edition: The Post-Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity

Dramatically changing demographics are upending politics, marketplaces, and workplaces. In this Third Edition of The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity, Andrés T. Tapia, Senior Client Partner and Global Workforce, Inclusion and Diversity Practice Leader at talent and leadership management consulting firm, Korn Ferry, examines how today’s hyper-diverse world of the Obama Era and beyond has been transforming policy agendas, marketplace penetration, and workforce management—and what those changes mean for our future.

With its more than fifty new pages of updated facts, figures, deep Korn Ferry and other research, as well as current event references, in this Third Edition, Tapia explores not the political implications, but rather the cultural implications of what has been the Obama Era, and what it takes to move into the next generation of diversity work to grow business and attract and retain the best talent.

He makes the case that the work of diversity and inclusion has never been more urgent, particularly in an era of polarization around the world, as everything has globalized, and paradoxically, atomized at a massive scale. Yet nations and companies are woefully and dangerously unprepared for this diversity. Because it’s one thing to acknowledge the diversity already here, quite another to make the most out of it.

“Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work” is what Tapia says about this reality. Which means that inclusion is hard. Very hard. Harder than diversity itself. Inclusion defines the challenge all leaders face as they address the dramatic shifts of diversity—racial, ethnic, generational, gender, sexual orientation, faith, personality, nationality, and on—in our workplaces and communities.

Andrés Tapia is a Senior Client Partner and Global Practice Leader for Korn Ferry’s Workforce Performance, Inclusion and Diversity Practice.

Andrés has been one of the leading voices in shaping a contemporary, next-generation approach to diversity and inclusion. The approach is global, deeply integrated into talent systems, and focused on enabling marketplace success. He has over 25 years of experience as a C-suite management consultant, diversity executive, organizational development and training professional, and journalist. Andrés joined Korn Ferry from Diversity Best Practices, a diversity and inclusion think-tank and consultancy, where he acted as President and was responsible for the organization’s overall vision, strategy, and outcomes. Prior to his tenure there, he acted as Chief Diversity Officer and Emerging Workforce Solutions Leader for Hewitt Associates and was responsible for shaping and leading that organization’s internal diversity transformation as well as its diversity consultancy.

Throughout Europe, Asia, North America, and his native Latin America, Andrés has served clients in shaping their enterprise-wide diversity and inclusion business cases and strategies across industries—including financial, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, government, not-for-profits, and education—with dozens of Global 500 organizations headquartered in the US, Brazil, South Korea, Switzerland, Italy, and India, such as John Deere, Marriott, United Airlines, Target, Cigna, CJ, Tata, Barilla, and Roche.

Andrés is a globally sought-after speaker on the topic of diversity and inclusion. He has been published in major dailies throughout the US and Latin America primarily through his writing for the New America Media wire service as well as the Huffington Post. He is the recipient of numerous leadership and diversity awards and has served on a number of boards, including currently serving on the editorial board of Diversity Executive magazine, the corporate advisory board for the Bentley University Center for Women and Business, and the Ravinia Arts Festival.

Andrés received a bachelor’s degree in modern history from Northwestern University in the Chicago area with an emphasis in journalism and political science. He grew up in a bilingual/bicultural home in Lima, Perú. He is married to Lori, a musician, and they have an adult daughter, Marisela, who is a professional flamenco dancer.