An Appreciative Stance on Diversity As We Move Into the 21st Century: A Timeline Exercise to Identify Key Experiences in Good Work Relationships between Black and White Peers

Abstract

Positive peer work relationships provide opportunities for black and white managers and professionals to accomplish their task objectives and further develop their interpersonal competencies. The cross-racial focus of positive peer work relationships concentrates on what is working well in them as a way to ultimately spread their benefits to other people within an organization. These positive peer work relation-ships can become learning laboratories by utilizing a timeline exercise to identify the key experiences, core competencies and best practices associated with them. The information gleaned from this exercise can enhance individual performance and organizational effectiveness.