What is Diversity? Diversity according to the commentary is “differences between individuals within groups” (Defining Diversity, n.d.). We all come from somewhere, regardless of what we have been told or thought to believe. We all have something to offer and when we take the time to embrace one another and create a community of inclusion, magic happens. Acceptance, and willingness to embrace one another lead us to succeed individually and on a variety of levels.
Diversity alongside Inclusion is like peanut butter and jelly. Diversity with the implementation of inclusion causes people to come together for a common purpose and create something great. That is the sole reason why Diversity and Inclusion have such a vital importance in the life we live. Inclusion is defined as “process of including the various diverse perspectives and characteristics” (Inclusion, n.d.). Inclusion creates interaction, healthy interaction that can result in negative effects of surface-level diversity. Moran, Moran, and Abramson state that”as you get to know your teammates, you relate to them more as they are, and less as they might appear to be as stereotypes” (Moran, Moran and Abramson, 2014).
The office in which I work in is a melting pot of ethnic backgrounds. Some are from Pakistan, Palestine, Mexico, India, U.K., Italy and so on. Many of them have different ways of thinking, styles of doing business and experience levels. The broker/owner of the office does a fantastic job of creating a monthly meeting (inclusive approach) with all of the agents to come together and discuss how we can better serve our clients, make more money and what working in the current market and what isn’t. This has created a positive deep-level diversity because we would grow fond of one another, letting our guards down and building long-lasting relationships. This caused our office to generate record-breaking numbers in the Bay Area.
I have personally grown from my environment and culture at the office. What has made it easier is that I am very open with others and willing to be very helpful for the sake of collective success. The less we are ethnocentric the better off we will be. It takes a sense of humility to learn and want to work with others for a common goal. I truly believe that there are many organizations that lack this principal and that can be the very reason that they aren’t meeting there fullest potentials. When we embrace healthy Diversity and create inclusion our overall performance collectively increases, we reach goals faster, we grow as individuals and we reach unprecedented success. That is the reason Diversity is so vital in the world we live in.
References:
Moran, Robert, Abramson, Neil, & Moran, Sarah. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences. Oxford: Routledge.
Defining Diversity. (n. d.). Leadership in a Global Context–OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 23, 2018, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1916378/modules/items/23640518
Inclusion. (n.d.). Leadership in a Global Context — OLEAD 410. Online course lesson, Penn State World Campus, The Pennsylvania State University. Retrieved January 23, 2018, from https://psu.instructure.com/courses/1916378/modules/items/23640522
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