Introduction

Where does the practice of diversity and inclusion add to the desired results in any endeavor e.g., business, sports, education, etc.? In choosing the players for your favorite NFL team? What about in choosing the doctor for your grandmother who just tested positive for COVID? Should you include residents from the very different neighborhood three city blocks away from you in your block party?

That is the subject of today’s 10-minute episode. 

Continuing

There is a lot of talk these days about diversity and inclusion. And it is not just politicians and activists who are trying to make points with their audience. I was looking at an advertising video for a popular, somewhat high-end restaurant chain with a location here in Colorado Springs. It pointed out that they offered an “inclusive experience.” Other than meaningless virtue signalling, what could that possibly mean? That they have beers from third world countries? Or that they have finally come around to serving blacks and other minorities? Or is it simply empty pandering to a clich-loving crowd?

Let’s look at a diversity example from sports. In the NFL players are selected purely on the basis of who can do the most to help the team earn wins, at a price the team can fit under its salary cap. There is an obvious and compelling tradeoff between performance and cost, value and price. Neither diversity nor inclusion are any part of these decisions. At the same time, there is a growing push to have more black coaches. The demand is that the coaching staff more closely reflect the racial makeup of the players. Why? When looking at athletes, the goal is to get the best player, not simply a qualified one, in each position, regardless of race. Why would the standard for coach and staff selection be any less demanding? Do those pushing for diversity here believe that having the best coaches and staff is less important than having the best players? Or is it because the activists are more than willing for teams to have suboptimal coaching and administrations, with likely reduced results on the field, in order for them to satisfy their diversity demands?

Politicians and activists are fond of observing that certain groups do or do not, “Look like America.” If I am doing market research prior to introducing a product that I want to sell to all Americans, I would want to have my group of test subjects look like America. In any other group, I want the best, not simply people who meet minimum qualifications. When I am looking for a doctor, plumber, or a handyman, my personal preference is to get the best I can get for my money. I might occasionally violate that preference, that principle. For example, if a friend’s child was trying to get a start in the plumbing business, and all I had was a clogged drain, I might take a chance on an unproven service provider. That would be my choice. If I had been elected to make decisions for others, as politicians and governments do, I would not have that option. People who spend taxpayer money are obligated to get the best people and the best results possible.

There are times when simply having qualified, “good enough” candidates for a job is what is called for, so let’s look at a couple examples:

Mass hiring of firefighters in a crisis. Yup, get as many qualified bodies as you can, as fast as you can. Even then, we will want to take the best of the lot and put them directly on the fireline and in supervisory positions.

Warehouse workers during peak periods, e.g., COVID-related increases in online purchases, or both brick and mortar and online stores during the holidays. And again, we will want to take the best and put them in the more important positions. 

And there will be exceptions where putting minorities in positions of authority, for example on corporate boards, could improve results. It is possible that board members in those groups might have insights into parts of the employee population and the...