A Reader Writes: “How can we be the change that we want to see when we find ourselves working in organizations that do not empower diverse people with different approaches and ideas to reach their full potential?”
Recently I received a moving email from a reader who confirmed all the reasons why I wrote The Inclusion Paradox – to connect, to inspire, and to catalyze changes that tap the power of diversity. She asks important questions about what individuals can do in the face of rigid structures that block the changes they would like to help foster. Excerpts from her email follow. How would you respond?
Throughout my experiences in different organizations and companies across sectors, I have been a sponge soaking up new knowledge about the cultures, people, constituencies, missions, values and most importantly the leadership with whom I’ve worked. While living overseas for several years, I began learning about cultural competency and diversity from a European perspective and was quite alarmed and intrigued at the same time how my notions/biases of culture and leadership were very much rooted heavily in Western based-U.S. centric approaches. It made me take a few steps back and learn about the new and different perspectives towards addressing diversity and realize “the invisible barriers” that existed in “global approaches towards leadership and diversity” when working beyond borders.
What I have seen and personally experienced, however, is that many organizations have not been able to leverage their diversity due to the lack of leadership, values, courage, vision, and understanding of the importance of cultural and emotional intelligence (“softer skills”) both internally and externally. Your book hits upon so many of the things I believe need to change within individuals, companies and organizations to truly bring about a more productive inclusive environment. At many points along my journey, I have connected the dots and seen where true change and innovative collaboration could lead to profound and new potential, but many organizations still have rigid structures, managers and leaders who are not willing to reflect upon the impact of their leadership styles, influence and decision-making, and teams that cannot work together effectively due to diversity barriers. As a woman, I am too aware of what it feels like not to be seen, heard, supported, and recognized as someone who brings valuable differences to the table.
You encourage us to “be the change that you want to see in the world” towards the end of the book. And my question to you is, How can we be the change that we want to see when we find ourselves working in organizations that do not empower diverse people with different approaches and ideas to reach their full potential? I am quite encouraged to hear how Hewitt Associates has worked to bring about an inclusive culture. It gives me hope. But what can those of us not working in such an environment do to help bring about change from the bottom up?
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