The Corporate Communications and Public Affairs department presented Johnny C. Taylor, Jr. as its first guest in the Communicating Excellence program last night.
Taylor was introduced as “one of the finest chefs in the kitchen of management” and spoke on diversity and communication. He opened his speech with a story from his past and stressed to students that they are the future.
“You [students] are our future,” he said. “You’re going to make sure this war is resolved and oil prices come down.”
Taylor said he doesn’t want to live in a “color blind world” as one of his teachers had hoped. Instead, he wants to live in a world where people appreciate and respect diversity.
Senator Barack Obama gave a speech that Taylor said is “one of the most beautiful speeches [he’s] ever heard” because Obama tackled the issue of diversity.
“I believe diversity is the single most pressing issue facing America right now,” he said. “And I realize that’s an aggressive statement.”
Taylor believes current students need to prepare America for the New America. Now, America is having conversations about whether a black man can own a company, whether someone can be gay or lesbian, or whether a black man or a woman can run for president, he noted. America is changing, and communication is everything.
“Words hurt. Words help,” Taylor said. “If any of you [students] are going into corporate America or any other field, it is important that you walk in with the same confidence as the lawyers and doctors do.”
Taylor stressed that communicators’ roles are important and significant, just as a lawyer’s would be. Communicators, though, may need to challenge the people with whom they work.
“Really think about training and education,” he said. “Think about your role as a trainer and as an educator. It is imperative that you be courageous in the workforce and challenge people, particularly on the issue of diversity.”
In addition, he admitted that “it’s OK to have biases and prejudices.” But Taylor stressed that it is important not to allow those biases to become discriminatory because then a line is crossed.
