As we learned from lesson 3, diversity is a huge part of the professional setting. This includes diversity in a number of different facets including race, age, gender, heritage, and more. In a professional setting, having an inclusive and diverse workplace is the key to overall success. Having different sets of opinions is really what we look for when it comes to innovation and new ideas in general. When building a team or joining a group you certainly want to be aware of both the surface-level diversity (essentially demographics and easily distinguishable traits) and the deep-level diversity (core beliefs, attitudes, etc).
Looking back at one of my most recent work experiences at the summer camp as a mid-level manager (2 steps up from the bottom and 3 steps down from the top), the diversity of my leadership team played a major part in our overall success throughout the summer. Most of our surface-level distinguishers were pretty much the same, we were all early 20’s white students that mostly came from the same background but we all had different life experiences when it came to school, family, friends, and more. Our core belief systems were inherently different and this is what helped us work so well together and allowed the summer to run extremely smooth.
Having the ability to add differing opinions to a group setting is not something that should ever be overlooked. Too often, corporations are stuck in a rut of stale ideas and it usually stems from a lack of diversity within the team. Looking back at another one of my former jobs in the game development industry as a community manager, the one primary development team I worked with got stuck about 6 months into the project because everyone on the team (3 members) were burnt out and had very similar life experiences, beliefs, and just overall outlooks on life. These three folks all grew up together and had known each other for multiple years. We decided to bring another member on the team as sort of a project manager. Compared to the other team members, this person was from an entirely different location, a different phase of life, and gave the project a breath of fresh air.
But diversity is not only important for new ideas. Having a good, diverse leadership team shows your employees that effort is being made to be inclusive. Strongly pushing job applications for the LGBTQ+ community is one of the main things I have seen nowadays with one company I follow proudly touting that over 80% of their staff is part of the queer community and I personally think that this is a great push. Lots of changes are happening in a number of industries and a lot of it is revolving around diversity and inclusivity. This is a wonderful move towards a more welcoming and better overall working environment for everyone.
Penn State University World Campus. OLEAD 410: Leadership in a Global Context. Lesson 3: Diversity. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2146712/modules/items/32847666
Hello,
I really liked how you pointed out the examples of different scenarios that you have witnessed!
In the camp example, where you mentioned the differences but yet it all came together, how did you your team come to the plan of action?
Did you find yourself using any specific method for a path forward? Was it consensus?
In regards to your example about corporations is similar to places I have been employed throughout my career. Although your team infused the group with a fresh perspective, I have seen more often than not the lack of looking to a new idea. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard, well this is the way it is always been done!
The last aspect you mention the push for LGBTQ+ applicants. What company is it ,that is that is reporting these stats? I am kind of interested because they said 80% of the workforce is from the queer community.
The reason I make this point is that potentially the company might now be moving towards being exclusive with their selections. I think as future leaders we all need to find balances, and in their case might actually be moving toward the opposite of their intended effect.
My last paragraph is just food for thought, and me playing a little devils advocate. But in general it is something that leaders need to think about.
Great post, it made me think about a number of different aspects of the coursework!
Thanks,
Bill Egan
Penn State University World Campus. OLEAD 410: Leadership in a Global Context. Lesson 3: Diversity. Retrieved from: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2146712/modules/items/32847666
I agree that diversity is an important to promote in the workplace because it does add differing of opinions to assist individuals to understand and view alternative viewpoint, ideas, or ways of doing things that they were unable to see on their own. Now the most important piece of diversity that an organization and employees need to recognize in the workplace is cultural diversity. According our lesson 3, cultural diversity, “refers to the differences between people because of their culture of origin. In the internet age, this concept is not quite as simple as country of origin, as there can now be a balance of cultures shaping an individual.” (PSU, 2021) Organizations leaders must not only learn and teach diversity and inclusion, which is the process of including others and differences in order for their employees to understand why it is important in the workplace. Our Lesson 3 on Inclusion states, it is important to know what while diversity and inclusion can go together when there is a goal of successfully link people, they don’t necessarily go together. People can be diverse and excluded.” (PSU, Inclusion, 2021) Incorporating these deep level diversity beliefs and points will help an organization breakaway from the old mindset of doing things and foster fresh perspective on different subject matters.
Besides pushing diversity in your application process, what other ways can diversity and inclusion be managed in workplace?
Works Cited
PSU. (2021). Defining Diversity. Retrieved from OLEAD 410, Section 001, Fa21ModulesLesson 03: DiversityDefining Diversity: https://psu.instructure.com/courses/2146712/modules/items/32847657
PSU. (2021). Inclusion. Retrieved from OLEAD 410, Section 001, Fa21ModulesLesson 03: DiversityInclusion: OLEAD 410, Section 001, Fa21ModulesLesson 03: DiversityInclusion