Marcia's Leadership Q&As: Do You Embrace Diversity in Your Organization?

Q. Our executives have said that diversity is an issue we need to embrace, but our culture is still not diverse after years of saying diversity is important. What does diversity really mean, and why is it important?

A. Diversity is easily defined, but for some, it’s challenging to implement. Let’s understand that simply, it is about the quality we practice in including and involving people who are like us and not like us. In more recent years, the focus on diversity has been primarily on these traits: social; ethnic and cultural; gender; and sexual orientation. But if we think of the larger picture and globally, there are endless traits around diversity. There are those who have local views and others who have world views; people who think analytically and others strategically; early risers and night owls; introverts and extroverts; atheists and evangelists; generational diversity; abled and disabled people. The list can go on and on.

Whether a country, a city, a community, or a company, some cultures are homogeneous and others are heterogenous. Some relish in diverse cultures, perspectives, foods, and customs while others reject differences. For some people, being similar feels safe and there’s certainty. Inviting in diversity means welcoming the unknown, committing to learning and understanding and having more tolerance for differences. 

Diversity and inclusion will takes years and generations to achieve. But what is the issue? If we think about diversity, every person is unique and different.  Each person wants respect and to be understood. In that, people are seeking equality. Some parts of society welcome diversity while other parts resist it. It’s a learned behavior—from very young. The question is, will people open up their perspectives and learn more about each other? Travel at young ages often helps expand perspectives. Always, the more we commit to different and deeper learning, the more opportunities we discover.