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July 5, 2011
Meaning: It’s human nature to be drawn to people like ourselves. After all, it’s self-validating to hear from those who seem much like you. Yet, the best leaders are those who proactively include those who are not like them – who welcome people with widely differing backgrounds, knowledge and perspectives. This is really the heart of diversity – being inclusive and valuing differences. Drawing on this 4th of July holiday, which encourages us to explore our own history as a nation, I am reminded of President Abraham Lincoln. He famously created a Cabinet not of his friends, but rather of major political figures, some of whom were his chief rivals. Although Lincoln valued friendships, he did not place them above the need for effective public service. Leaders who include others different from themselves, or those who offer contrary points of view, not only tend to make better decisions but also create a climate of respect that others want to join. It is that “melting pot” of people, perspectives and views that creates vitality and strength. By contrast, leaders who create “echo chambers” of people like themselves build an insular culture that shuts others out.
Ideas for Action: A diverse workplace should be a way of being, not a way of counting. There are two key aspects – one has to do with your choice of associates; the other is about guarding against your own human nature.
When choosing associates, consider how you hire or assemble work or project teams. Whenever possible, seek heterogeneity, not homogeneity. If your team is homogeneous, figure out how to invite others who think differently. Seek to build inclusion and openness within your work group and between your team and others. Could your team improve on interactions with other vital departments or groups? By reaching out to build relationships, you keep yourselves from being insular.
When guarding against your human nature, learn about your own biases. You can explore them on your own, or invite others to tell you! For example, it is easy to make assumptions about people based on stereotypes or membership in a particular group. How often do we dismiss people based on a pre-conceived label? “Oh, he’s an accountant, he wouldn’t know about that,” or “She’s from New York; she’ll be too aggressive.” Instead, get past preconceived notions and seek to understand and include others whose life experiences are different than your own.
Be aware of how easy it is to surround yourself with those you like, or those who share your way of thinking. For example, I recognize how bias can influence how I treat someone during a selection assessment interview. I pay special attention if I instantly like the person or have a sense we will get along. Those feelings can unconsciously cause me to skip over the tougher questions. To counter that, I jot a note in the margin to myself: “Be careful, he’s like you.” I want to be sure I truly understand this person well and not assume answers based on my own biases.
Step out and really get to know other cultures or even other languages. The more you immerse yourself in another culture or language, the more you realize that people have different views of the world and of life. I personally love learning languages because they’re a window into how others think and make sense of their worlds.
By embracing a world of differences and including wide-ranging points of view or perspective in your work teams, you will make better decisions and create a culture others will want to join. To paraphrase a saying, diversity is the spice of life!
Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO