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May 2007
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Strategies
and Advice on Work and Life |
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This
Issue
Stress Management & Diversity: The Link |
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Addressing Bias
Introduction
The
Intersection
Stress Management & Diversity and Inclusion
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The Lieberman Learning Letter |
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Introduction
Its
easy to look at people like Don
Imus and condemn him--and he
does need to be condemned--so
long as we recognize we may be
similarly guilty.
We
all have our own biases,
assumptions and stereotypes
about people who are different
than us in any way; race,
culture, ethnicity, religion,
gender, sexual orientation, etc.
And, ironically, we learn these
biases from media like Don Imus'
show, along with our
environment; family, friends,
television, other radio,
newspapers, religious
institutions and movies. So
instead of simply looking down
at Don Imus, let us also look
inward at ourselves for a
moment.
Research says that people can rid
themselves of biases by interacting with individuals who
are different beyond the surface
level and getting to know people on
a human level. Are you doing
enough in your life to help undo
your own biases and assumptions?
The
women from Rutgers set a great
example when they sat down with
Don Imus and talked about his
words, and their thoughts and
feelings. My hope is that this
is the beginning of a tipping
point, and that there will be
more open dialogue on issues of
race, gender, and every other
dimension of diversity.
In
this issue of the Lieberman
Learning Letter, I highlight
another compelling reason to
address your biases: they can
contribute to higher stress and
anxiety! Read how stress
management is impacted by
diversity in our feature
article. Also, check out new
learning tools below. We have
three new products that will
help you to lead a diverse
workforce, learn to engage in
inclusive dialogue, and break
through fear and self-doubt!
Simma Lieberman
Associates
"The Inclusionist"
Helping to Create
Profitable Cultures
Consulting,
Speaking, Training
Diversity
Strategy, Diversity Dialogues, Gender Communication
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The Intersection Between Stress
Management and Diversity & Inclusion
When I started conducting workshops on
stress management throughout the
country, I was struck by how many people
felt stressed out by other people. So
many people I met were annoyed because
other people wouldn’t change, and either
didn't do or see things their way. When
there were differences in race, gender,
age, religion, sexual orientation
between people, it was even more
stressful and people had additional fear
and discomfort. With this came feelings
of powerlessness and often confusion.
Let me give you an example. One manager
I worked with was relationship oriented
and got things done by getting to know
people first. She worked with another
manager who didn't invest in this
relationship building at the front end,
who she thought was indifferent, and who
was therefore stressing her out. As it
turned out, the other manager happened
to be more task oriented than she was.
He still built relationships, but he did
so with his team during the task,
not before it. And he was just as
productive. In other words, it wasn't
that he didn't get things done or didn't
invest in his team, he just had a
different way of doing things.
When the manager I was working with
understood that they accomplished the
same amount only in different ways, she
no longer focused on “how wrong” the
other manager was. And as a result, her
stress levels dropped. It meant no more
frustration when he got straight to
task, no more anxiety that he was
negatively impacting organizational
performance, and no more subtle
attempts to get him to do more
relationship-building during meetings.
The
reality is, it
takes a lot of energy to try to control
other people and get them to be just
like you. In stress management, we talk
about determining what you can change
and what you can't--in other words, what
you need to let go of. Think about it
for a moment.
When it comes to diversity, when you are
able to accept differences, and realize
that you don’t need to control everyone
else, you’ll feel your stress load
lighten.
To accept differences, we have to
understand differences, and there is no
better way to do this than to learn to
communicate with people who are
different than you. People who interact
across difference begin to understand
why other people behave or speak
differently than themselves. They learn
how to ask questions, give feedback and
be more comfortable with other people.
They also begin to differentiate between
behaviors that interfere with
productivity and those that have nothing
to do with effectiveness but are just
different.
Related
articles on Simma Lieberman Associates:
Contact us
to learn more about Simma Lieberman Associates' programs
and workshops on stress management and diversity.
Call
Simma Lieberman Associates at (510)-527-0700.
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Just Released! New Products from Simma
Lieberman Associates
Click
any of the pictures below to learn more
about our exciting new products!
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Diversity Leadership (Audio CD +
handouts) |
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by Simma Lieberman
Simma Lieberman speaks about
diversity leadership for the new
millennium in this LIVE
presentation.
Simma inspires future leaders
from universities across the
U.S. about what it takes to
be a diversity leader
today. Using her upbeat
humorous style, Simma addresses
the skills that are
essential for
success in our diverse society.
The
CD contains:
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Break Through Fear and
Self-Doubt (Audio CD + handouts) |
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by Simma Lieberman
 Simma
Lieberman shares her own
experiences with a live
audience about how to break the
stranglehold of fear and
self doubt that
interferes with our ability to
live our best lives.
Laugh and cry as Simma recounts
her days growing up in the Bronx
and how she broke through fear
and self-doubt. Simma knows that
motivation without “how-to
knowledge” leads nowhere.
Her practical action steps help
you break through your
own fear and self-doubt
in your personal or professional
life.
Contains:
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Leveraging Diversity With
Dialogue (MP3 file) |
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by Simma Lieberman
 Listen
in as Tracy Brown from Diversity
Trends and Simma Lieberman
discuss Diversity, Difference
and Dialogue.
You will learn:
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How you and your
organization can benefit
from the inclusive dialogue
process
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The difference between
dialogue, debate and
conversation
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When and how to use
inclusive dialogue to
develop trust amongst people
who are different that can
create a foundation for
problem solving
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Examples of how people and
organizations have
successfully used inclusive
dialogue
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About
Simma...
Simma helps organizations create more profitable cultures
and improve individual and
organizational performance. She is a consultant, speaker, and
trainer. Simma is the co-author of Putting Diversity to Work (Crisp Publications,
2003), a guide for managers on leading a diverse workforce.
Simma is often called "The Inclusionist" because of her
ability to improve communication amongst people who are different. She is
quoted in various national magazines and news sources, including The
Economist, Redbook, NY Times, Investor's Business Daily,
First For Women, Human Resources Executive,
Black MBA,
MSNBC and Fox News. Her clients include McDonalds, Pillsbury,
Lucent Technologies, Motorola, AT&T, Monster.com, Diageo, Stanford Court
Hotel, and the Women's Food Service Forum.
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The Lieberman Learning Letter
The Lieberman Learning Letter is an occasional e-newsletter containing information from Simma's workshops, seminars, and keynote speeches. Simma
shares this information free of charge with
colleagues and clients to promote the continued
learning and growth of individuals and their
organizations. This email is sent to subscribers of Simma's newsletter, colleagues,
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