DIVERSITY AND OPEN-MINDEDNESS
With the holidays upon us – Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, Eid ul-Adha, Winter Solstice, any others you may celebrate — I thought it might be a good time to talk about diversity and celebrate what makes each of us unique.
During this season and throughout the year, many people speak about the need for tolerance. While I don’t like the use of this word because of its negative connotation – “I don’t really like you but I’ll put up with you” — I do believe that acceptance and understanding are vital to our continued growth as individuals and organizations.
We live in a diverse world populated by a variety of cultures and religions we barely fathom and yet we seem determined to go about life the same old way. Think how ineffective your business would be if your team members were all the same – same dress, same thought, same talents. Boring!
And kind of spooky. Like a scene out of some sci-fi show.
Yet with all the diversity around us, we fail to embrace other’s uniqueness. Instead we gravitate to those most similar to ourselves.
I remember early in my career when I worked in an organization that had government contracts which required the company to implement and maintain an affirmative action plan — one of the early roads taken toward diversity.
As part of the plan, it was necessary to review hiring practices to ensure they imbued the ideas of equality and diversity. What we discovered was that the employee referral program perpetuated a less diverse work population.
Why?
Because those already employed by the company – typically White — tended to refer people similar to themselves thereby creating a non-diverse talent pool. Of course, it was logical once we saw the results. But it never dawned on us what impact the program actually had.
So during this season of joy and remembrance, remember to keep an open mind! Next time you think about tolerating someone’s differences consider celebrating them instead.
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