27 Jul Is Something Missing In the Diversity Discussion?
Diversity in the workplace is a hot topic but we believe a key group of people is being missed out of the diversity discussion. Today they discuss why everyone should be included in diversity policies – after all every one of us is a unique individual. When we learn to celebrate those differences amazing things happen. Please follow The Smartest Path YouTube channel to keep up to date on the latest Smartest Conversations.
Transcript
Birgitta : You know I think there’s a key element missing in diversity.
Fiona : Absolutely.
B : In the diversity discussion?
Fi : Absolutely. We’re hearing all the time about gender differences, about ethnicity differences, sexuality differences.
B : Yeah, but it is about uniqueness in the end isn’t it?
Fi : It is, absolutely, that’s the missing element and when you look at uniqueness, it means every single person should be included in a diversity program.
B : Absolutely. Yeah, and I think it’s also about, I mean, we all have people we do not want to work with. There’s people we do not like, there’s people we find strange.
Fi : They talk too much or they spit when they talk! (laughs).
B : They have b.o!
Fi : They smell! they talk too much, they don’t talk enough. They’re always critical,
B : Absolutely.
Fi : They have too much energy and it’s so exhausting because we can’t be that amazing.
B : Yeah, but it doesn’t mean that they do not have anything of value and it’s up to us to understand and to recognize that, don’t you think?
F : And to learn how to work effectively with people to make a true connection.
B : Absolutely.Yeah.
Fi : And of course again, we’re always talking about this connection, aren’t we.
B : We do, we do.
Fi : You know, not just with others, but with ourselves as well.
B : So what do you think the real problem is? Is it the fact that we try to make copycats of people? So we expect them to do the same as us?
Fi : That’s a huge problem, isn’t it ? You’ll get an incredibly successful woman, for example. And she’s confident, and she’s dynamic and she’s heading the team and she can’t understand why her team members aren’t like her. You know. It’s so easy to stand in front of group of 20 people and give a sales presentation (laughs). Why can’t anyone else do it? So, I think in that case, they’re trying to make clones of themselves and they’re wondering why these clones aren’t occurring.
B : yeah, yeah, and on the other hand, you have all these people in her team, that want to be like her and have no clue how to do that. Because they’re trying to copy something they’re not. And instead of embracing what they are,they’re trying to fit in.
Fi : And this comes back down to that confidence issue, doesn’t it. What we recognize is, every single woman has confidence. It’s just that in some situations, we don’t bring out our confidence. And I think the trick for a good leader, is to learn how to bring that confidence out in others and that’s not by duplicating themselves.
B : No, absolutely, it’s by really trying to understand what drives other people and what are the things that make them unique
and to embrace that part and to bring that up.
Fi : I think it’s a time for a tip Birgitta.
B : Okay, lets do that.
Fi : Or a challenge. Should we do a challenge?
B : Let’s do a challenge.
Fi : Okay.
B : Do you want to go? Go for it.
Fi : I’d like you to think of three things that you can learn from somebody that you don’t really enjoy working with. It’s a challenge!