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Good Diversity Leadership, and Breakthrough Innovation #5 (of 10)

By October 29, 2014 No Comments

5-Learn and recognize the different ways in which people are intelligent and contribute to the organization. Stop being stuck in recognizing and respecting only one type of intelligence (yours.)

So often in my diversity and inclusion programs, people will make comments like,”I have no problem with people who are different. I respect everyone.”

First of all, if you think that diversity and inclusion is about having no “problem,” then that is the problem. People who are culturally intelligent are curious about people who are different. They want to learn about others.
When someone thinks of diversity as “having no problem,” it means everything remains the same.  “We all just do our jobs. there is nothing to be gained or lost by working with a diversity of co-workers.”

If you think you “respect everyone,” visualize what they means to you. How do you show respect? How do you react to people who disagree with you, or people who are intelligent in a different way? It’s easy to say you respect everyone when they’re all like you, but be conscious of how you react when someone doesn’t agree, or does something in a different way than you.

Become aware of whether or not you are a “my way is the best” type of person.

Research the different ways people are intelligent, and the different ways people learn.