Brazzell: ‘Me’ culture = less money in global market

Americans must better understand and respect other cultures in order to stay on top in the global corporate landscape, guest speaker Lee Brazzell said Monday afternoon at the University Student Commons.

Brazzell, CEO of Transformation Consulting LLC and adjunct instructor at the University of Richmond, spoke as part of a speaker series sponsored by Multicultural Student Affairs. The series aims to help students cope and thrive in a diversifying world.

“There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind anymore that corporations run the world, not governments,” Brazzell said. “Smart companies recognize you don’t have options . America doesn’t have enough white people anymore!”

Brazzell said United States companies need to promote employee diversity in order to survive in a global market.

“It isn’t just about hiring people who look different,” Brazzell said. “Everything you do needs to reflect diversity.”

Brazzell’s job is to help companies diversify, as well as mediate profit-cutting conflicts among employees. These conflicts, Brazzell said, often result when cultures clash.

Because the U.S. places heavy emphasis on individuality and personal success, dealings between Americans and people of other cultures can be especially rocky, Brezzell said.

“There’s no doubt in anyone’s mind anymore that corporations run the world, not governments.”
-Lee Brazzell

“We come to the table with so many preconceived notions about people,” Brazzell said. “In a global society, it’s much more ‘we.’ ”

Ijuanzee Isom attended the lecture as the program specialist for Multicultural Student Affairs. Isom said he thought Brazzell’s choice to informally communicate with the audience enhanced the lecture.

“One thing I appreciated . is the audience interaction,” Isom said. “It’s really refreshing.”