Everybody has that one friend --

每个人都有一位这样的朋友 ——

you know, the single-minded one,

对某件事极其专注的朋友，

the one who, no matter what the question is,

不论问他什么问题，

always finds a way to make the answer whatever it is she’s single-minded about.

都有办法把答案和他 念念不忘的那件事拉上关系。

I’m that friend.

我就是那个朋友。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And the thing that I’m single-minded about

而我一心一意专注的事，

is racism.

是种族主义。

If someone were to ask me, "So, Janet, got any plans for the 4th of July?"

如果有人问我：「那麽，珍妮特， 你七月四日有什么计画吗？」

I’m subject to answer, "Yeah, I’m going to binge-watch ’Roots.’"

我会回：「我要刷剧，狂看 《寻根》（关于黑奴的影集）。」

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Or if they said, "Janet, I’ve got a joke for you:

或者，如果有人说：「珍妮特，我跟你说个笑话：

Why’d the chicken cross the road?"

鸡为什么要过马路？」

Uh, was it a black chicken?5437.591Probably gentrification.

「呃，这只鸡是黑色的吗？

(Laughter)

可能是因为仕绅化（贫穷地区因 富人迁来居住，环境得以改善）。」

(Applause)

（掌声）

But for me, single-mindedness is not just caring about something.

但对我来说，专注在一件事上 并不仅仅只是去关心它，

It’s caring about something enough to do something about it.

而是为这份心意做出实际行动。

It’s not just thinking, it’s doing.

不止是「想」，还要去「做」。

It’s not just praying, it is moving your feet.

不止是祷告，还要行动起来。（「祈祷时也做出行动」非洲谚语。）

And the reason I’m single-minded about racism is because I know

我之所以对于种族主义 如此专注，是因为我知道：

single-mindedness can destroy it.

专注能够摧毁它。

I learned that many, many years ago.

我是在许多年前学到这一点的。

Back in 1984, I was a junior at Davidson College

1984 年，我在 戴维森学院读三年级，

in Davidson, North Carolina.

它位于北卡罗莱纳州的戴维森镇。

Now, Davidson is a little-bitty town,

戴维森是个丁点儿大的镇，

Southern town, split by railroad tracks,

南方的小镇，以火车铁轨为界限，

with white Davidson on one side, black Davidson on the other side,

一边是白人区，另一边是黑人区。

and, as black students lived on the white side of the tracks,

作为居住在白人区的黑人学生，

we got used to being stopped in downtown and asked for ID,

在市区被拦下并被要求 出示身分证件，是司空见惯的事，

until the police memorized our faces.

直到警方记住我们的面孔， 才不再这么做。

But fortunately, that didn’t take too long,

但幸运的是， 这花不了多少时间，

because out of 1,200 students, only 52 of us were black.

因为，在 1200 名学生中， 只有 52 名黑人。

There was one black professor

还有一名黑人教授，

and one black assistant dean.

和一名黑人副院长。

Things weren’t a lot better on campus.

在校园里，状况也没有好多少。

Well, I wasn’t OK with this.

嗯，我对此颇有微词。

And so, I started writing things.

所以，我开始为此写作。

And then I started yelling things.

接着，我开始为此呼喊。

And after about three years of that,

大约这样做了三年之后，

I got tired.

我累了。

So I decided to write one more thing;

所以我决定要再写一样东西：

I wrote something called "Project ’87."

我写了「87 专案」。

Project ’87 was really just a challenge to Davidson:

「87 专案」其实只是个 给戴维森学院的挑战：

in three years, by 1987,

用三年的时间，到 1987 年时，

enroll 100 black students,

要招收 100 名黑人学生，

hire 10 black professors,

雇用 10 名黑人教授，

create five Black Studies classes

并开设 5 堂黑人研究课程，

and hire one black dean.

及雇用 1 名黑人院长。

It didn’t seem particularly revolutionary,

这似乎并不是什么 革命性的专案，

but what was different about it was,

但它有个特别的地方，

we also challenged Davidson to say that if you don’t do this,

我们也挑战校方， 我们说，如果你们不这么做，

we will question your commitment to diversity.

我们将会质疑你们 对于群体多样性的承诺。

It was a real problem.

那是个实实在在的问题。

We put some real numbers to it.

那些数字是动真格的。

We gave them some real consequences.

我们要给他们点颜色看看。

Well, the campus went absolutely nuts.

随之，整个校园陷入疯狂。

But fortunately, in the middle of this,

但幸运的是，在这过程中，

Davidson got a new president,

戴维森学院有位新校长上任，

and that president was single-minded about racism, too.

那位新校长也同样 专注于种族主义。

And so, he created a task force

所以，他成立了一个专案小组，

to address the issues in Project ’87.

来处理「87 专案」的议题。

And several months after that,

几个月之后，

we produced a 77-page report.

我们撰写了一份 77 页的报告。

That report was the foundation for all the change that came after it.

该报告是后续所有变革的基础。

Now, I wasn’t there to see that change,

当时我没能亲历那场变革，

because, actually, in 1985,

因为，其实，在 1985 年，

I graduated.

我就毕业了。

(Applause)

（掌声）

You are looking at the three happiest people on the planet that day,

你们现在看到的，是那一天 地球上最快乐的三个人，

because I am leaving.

因为我要走人了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

However, the change did happen,

然而，改变确实发生了，

and today, there are 185 black students,

现今，学校有 185 名黑人学生，

there are 16 black or multiracial professors,

16 名黑人或多种族的教授，

there are four black deans,

4 名黑人院长，

and there’s an entire degree-granting Africana Studies Department.

还有一整个能够授予 学位的非洲文化研究系。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Project ’87 changed Davidson.

「87 专案」改变了戴维森学院。

But it also changed me, because what it taught me

但它也改变了我， 因为它教会我一件事，

was there’s a lot of power in single-mindedness.

那就是：专注投入一件事 会有很强大的力量。

Well, today, I’m an executive speechwriter

如今我担任高阶主管讲稿撰写人，

for one of the biggest companies in the world.

隶属于世界上最大的公司之一。

It’s a profession that is 92 percent white and predominantly male,

从事这职业的 92% 是白人， 绝大部分是男性。

which makes me a little bit of a unicorn.

让我显得有点像是 珍稀的独角兽。

But I’m a single-minded unicorn.

但我是只专注的独角兽。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So the thing about speech writing is, it’s very personal.

撰写演讲稿有一个特点， 它很个人化，因人而异。

So I spend a lot of time in deep conversation

所以我花了很多时间和执行长

with the CEO and senior executives,

以及高阶主管进行深度对谈，

and a lot of times those conversations turn to diversity and inclusion,

大部分的时候，那些对谈的主题 都会转向群体多样性及包容性，

which, of course, I’m always happy to talk about.

我当然对此津津乐道。

But after quite a few of these conversations,

但在多次这样的对谈之后，

I’ve come to a conclusion:

我得到了一个结论：

I believe that business is in a position to do something

我相信：企业，是特殊的 存在，它能够做到一些

that no other entity can do.

其他社会实体都无法做到的事。

Business can dismantle racism.

企业能够破除种族主义。

Now, colleges can’t do it.

大学没办法做到这一点。

There aren’t but 5,000 of them in the United States

在美国，大学不过就五千所，

and only 20 million students enrolled.

只招收两千万名学生。

Church can’t do it, either --

教堂也做不到 ——

only 35 percent of us go on a regular basis,

只有 35% 的人会定期去教堂，

and when we do,

且当我们去教堂时，

eleven o’clock Sunday morning is "the most segregated hour" in America.

在美国，星期日早上 11 点 是「最种族隔离的一小时」。

But business?

但企业呢？

There are a 162 million people in the US workforce alone --

单单是美国的劳动人口 就有 1 亿 6 千 2 百万人 ——

people of all races,

包含了所有种族的人，

united in the spirit of wanting a paycheck and having to show up to get it.

他们团结起来，因为他们想要 领到薪水，还一定得出面才能领取。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, I’m aware that diversity is bigger than race,

我知道群体多样性并不 侷限于种族，它更大、更广泛，

and racism is bigger than America.

而种族主义也同样不侷限于美国。

But racial discrimination is the most prominent form,

但种族歧视是最为突出的表现，

and Lord knows America is the absolute best at it.

地球人都知道， 在美国，种族歧视最为严重。

So what if, though, what if

所以，如果这样会如何：

we worked in diverse and inclusive environments

我们在一个多样性 且包容性的环境下工作，

that we had something to do something with?

能够让我们借助一些 东西来做些什么？

And since we spend one-third of our lives at work,

既然我们把人生三分之一的 时间花在工作上，

what if we did that with people who didn’t look like us?

如果我们和拥有不同外观 特征的人一起工作，会如何？

I think the world would be a totally different place outside of work.

我想，在工作以外的世界 会变成一个全然不同的地方。

That can happen if business gets single-minded about racism.

如果企业也能专注在 种族主义上，就有可能办到。

But the question is: How is that supposed to happen?

但问题是：要如何让它发生？

Well, I think there are three things that business can borrow from Project ’87:

我认为，企业能从 「87 专案」中借鉴三样东西：

real problems,

实实在在的问题，

real numbers,

实实在在的数字，

real consequences.

实实在在的后果。

Like it or not,

不论喜欢或不喜欢，

diversity is not really a problem for business -- yet.

对企业来说，多样性并不是 什么问题 —— 目前不是。

I mean, it’s a nice thing to have, it’s the right thing to do,

我的意思是，它能 锦上添花，且师出有名，

but for decades, we’ve been trying to make the case

但数十年来，我们 一直在努力提出论据

that diversity fuels innovation and customer insight.

来证明多样性能够 促进创新和市场洞察力。

I mean, at this point, it’s kind of a no-brainer,

我是指，在此时此刻， 它是毫无疑问的，

a little bit like hearing a smoke alarm going off

有一点像是听到烟雾警报器响起，

and standing with your hand on the hot door,

把手支在高温的门上站着，

waiting for some data to tell you that your house is on fire.

然后等著某些资料来告诉你， 你的房子失火了。

Because the data is already there.

然而资料已经在那里了。

Ethnically diverse companies perform 33 percent better than the norm.

在人种上更多样化的公司 在表现上比标准值好 33%。

Forbes’s best workplaces for diversity enjoy 24 percent higher revenue growth.

富比士公布的群体多样性上的最佳工作 场所，在收益成长上高出 24%。

And yet, here we are in 2018,

但，已经到了 2018 年，

and there are only three black CEOs in the Fortune 500.

在「财富美国五百强」当中 只有三名执行长是黑人。

And if your name is Molly or Connor,

如果你的名字叫莫利或康纳，

you’ve got a 14 percent better chance of getting a callback on your resume

在寄出履历后得到回电的机会，

than if your name is Shanice or DeShawn.

比叫做珊妮丝或 迪尚恩的人要高出 14%。

And all of this, despite the fact that by 2045,

所有这一切，尽管到 2045 年，

America is projected to be a minority-majority country.

预期美国将成为 少数民族合起来占多数的国家。

Here’s the thing:

重点是：

the business case for diversity, as it stands today,

企业现今的多样性状况

doesn’t really speak to any problem.

其实并没有表明任何问题。

And the only way business is going to get single-minded

若要让企业专注在种族多样性上，

about racial diversity

唯一的方式就是：

is if it has a problem that is urgent and relative to somebody

种族多样性有个问题很急迫，

other than people of color.

而且还跟非有色人种有关。

I got one:

我有想到一个：

How about employees and customers?

想想看员工与客户？

Because no matter what business you’re in,

因为不论你从事哪一行，

you’re going to need those, right?

都需要员工和客户，对吧？

Well, let’s talk about some real numbers.

咱们来谈一些实实在在的数字。

If you have employees and customers, wouldn’t it make sense

如果你有员工和客户， 如果他们在外貌上

if they looked a little bit like the people that work for you?

和你的员工们有点相似， 这不是相当合理的吗？

So if that’s the case, maybe your employee base should be 13 percent Black

若是这样的话，也许 你的员工应该有 13% 是黑人，

and 18 percent Hispanic,

18% 是西班牙裔，

because that’s what the population looks like.

因为那就是他们人口中的分布比率。

Maybe that’s what your customer base looks like.

也许你客户的人种分布 也是像这样的。

But let’s be clear:

但咱们把话说清楚：

diversity and inclusion are not the same things.

多样性和包容性并不是同一件事。

Diversity is a numbers game.

多样性是个数字游戏，

Inclusion is about impact.

而包容性关乎影响。

Companies can mandate diversity,

公司能够强制要求以达成多样性，

but they have to cultivate inclusion.

但得要慢慢培养包容性。

And if inclusion is what you’re after,

如果你追求的是包容性，

you’ve got to calculate some slightly different numbers.

你得要计算一些较为不同的数字。

How about 30 percent?

30% 如何？

Because that’s the point that research shows

因为研究显示，当少数民族 在所有人中的比例达到 30% 时，

at which the voices of minorities actually begin to be heard.

他们的声音才开始被听到。

If you want a real problem,

如果你想要有个实实在在的问题，

you’re going to need real numbers to fix it,

你就需要有实实在在的 数字来解决它，

and if you’re not willing to set real numbers,

如果你不愿意设定那些数字，

then maybe you’re not real serious about diversity and inclusion.

那么，也许你其实没有 认真看待多样性和包容性。

That brings me to my third point:

这就导向了第三点：

real consequences.

实实在在的后果。

Think about this:

想想看：

when salespeople forget what they’re doing and don’t come up with their numbers,

当业务人员忘了他们在做什么， 且没有达成业务目标，

what do we do?

我们怎么做？

We give them a little time, maybe we give them some training.

我们会给他们一点时间， 也许会给他们一些训练。

But then if they don’t hit those numbers eventually,

但接着，如果最终， 他们仍然没有达标，

we fire them.

我们就会开除他们。

However, when you start talking about diversity and inclusion,

然而，当你开始谈论 多样性和包容性时，

we use terms like "accountability."

我们会用到像 「责任性」这样的词。

And maybe we scold, and maybe we hold back an incentive or two.

也许我们会叱责，也许我们 保留一两份奖励不发。

But you know what the best incentive is?

但你们知道最好的奖励是什么吗？

A job.

一份工作。

And you know what the best disincentive is?

你们知道最好的遏制因素是什么吗？

Losing it.

失去工作。

So if companies really want accountability,

所以，如果公司真的想要责任性，

they should assume that that is a given.

他们应该要假设那是已有的事实。

Consequences are what happen when you don’t do what you’re accountable for.

「后果」起因于敷衍塞责。

Imagine this:

想像一下：

imagine a place where people of all colors and all races

想像一个地方，在那里， 有各种肤色、各种种族的人，

are on and climbing every rung of the corporate ladder;

分布在企业各阶层 且还在向上攀登；

where those people feel safe -- indeed, expected --

在那里，那些人觉得很安心—— 这是可预期的——

to bring their unassimilated, authentic selves to work every day,

每天都可以放心地以没有被同化、 最真实的自我面对工作，

because the difference that they bring is both recognized and respected.

因为他们带来的差异 是被认可也被尊重的。

And imagine a place where the lessons we learn about diversity at work

想像一个地方，在那里， 我们在工作中学到的多样性经历

actually transform the things we do, think and say outside of work.

能真正转变我们在工作之外的 行为、思想和言辞。

That is what happens if we all work together

如果我们能够同心协力

to fix what’s broken.

来消除隔阂，就能实现它。

That is what happens if we stop praying for change to happen

如果我们盼望改变的发生， 却不再寄希望于神明，

and actually start moving our feet to making it.

而是真正行动起来、 开始去做，就能实现它。

That is the power of single-mindedness.

那就是专注的力量。

Thank you.

谢谢。