Designing for Diversity - by Binna Kandola & Stuart Duff

About the Book

Design equitable talent management processes that are fair and inclusive to create a diverse workforce now and a talent pipeline for the future.

Book Synopsis

Are your talent management systems identifying the right leaders and doing it fairly?

Designing for Diversity is a practical, research-informed guide for managers, HR leads and departmental heads who want to improve performance assessment, promotion decisions and leadership pipelines without reinforcing bias.

Binna Kandola challenges outdated philosophies that shape traditional talent management, showing how they can unintentionally exclude high-potential individuals. Drawing on real-world examples, the book provides actionable strategies to design systems that truly recognize and nurture leadership talent.

You'll learn how to:
- Apply inclusive performance management methods that surface hidden talent
- Build equitable promotion processes grounded in measurable criteria
- Integrate formal and informal mentoring to expand opportunity
- Move beyond token targets to create lasting cultural change

From refining talent identification to rethinking development frameworks, Designing for Diversity gives mid-career professionals the tools to align strategy, equity and impact. The result is stronger talent pipelines, fairer workplaces and better business outcomes.

Themes include: talent management, diversity in leadership, performance assessment, equitable promotion, inclusive workplace culture

Review Quotes

"This book is a revelation - equally entertaining and enlightening. Just when you think you've heard it all, Kandola brings fresh perspectives and surprising depth to a topic you might think you already understand. With clarity, he transforms familiar ground into something vibrant and new. A must-read, packed with memorable insights."-- "Rob Moss, Editor, Personnel Today"

"If you subscribe to the view that the best person for the job is always selected, this book will make you think again and again. Professor Kandola meticulously outlines the ways systemic biases impact our perceptions of 'talent' and leadership prototypes, reducing opportunities for women, people with disabilities, racial minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals (and the intersections within these groups). The combination of insights from psychology research with stories from Kandola's decades of experience working in organizations make this a practical and highly accessible book. Practitioners will love the guidance on actions that make organizations more inclusive and their future leaders more diverse. And Kandola's trademark wry humour keeps it all entertaining. Designing for Diversity is a must read for business leaders around the world."-- "Dr Katie Spearritt, Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Partners"

"A timely and essential reflection on the importance and challenges of developing inclusive talent management in organizations. Engaging and clearly communicated, the book draws on the wealth of knowledge of the author, who brings evidence and theory to examples in action, from strategic decision making to the everyday experience of work. Critical, relatable, practical and relevant, the book will undoubtedly influence thinking about talent management and leadership."-- "Steve Woods, Professor of Work and Organizational Psychology, Surrey Business School, University of Surrey"

"Sharp, insightful and thought-provoking - this book is a must-read for anyone striving to improve their businesses - I was so inspired, I had to get a second copy!"-- "Felizitas Lichtenberg, Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Wellbeing and Sustainability at SumUp"

About the Author

Professor Binna Kandola is co-founder and Senior Partner at Pearn Kandola. He has been working in diversity and inclusion for over 40 years with organizations including American Express, Microsoft and NATO. He is a Visiting Professor at Leeds University Business School. Based in Oxford, UK, he was named by HR Magazine as one of the Most Influential HR Thinkers of 2023 and is regularly in the UK's Asian 101 Power List.