Diversity—Making space for everyone at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center using dialogue to break through barriers

Abstract Diversity is perhaps one of the most important concepts in today's business environment. Organizations have expended significant resources in this area in an effort to improve the bottom line, to become an employer of choice, to avoid lawsuits, and to “do the right thing.” Diversity is also one of the most difficult initiatives to implement in organizations because there are such diverse views on what diversity is and how deeply it should be woven into an organization's culture. Diversity can be difficult also because the dimensions of diversity are closely tied to an individual's personal beliefs, perceptions, and life experiences. These personal beliefs often present barriers to full inclusion and participation in the workforce. At NASA/Goddard, we are using dialogue and other initiatives to break through these barriers to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive workplace. Our Diversity Dialogue Project has been key in helping us to identify and address the diversity issues and concerns at the Center and in helping us to move confidently toward the future. This article describes the diversity journey at NASA/Goddard thus far and provides insight into the challenges and opportunities of such a journey.