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Why DIVERSITY Matters

Maisha Cobb Diversity, General

What the great resignation has taught us is that organizations have to build welcoming climates that are ready to embrace different ways of thinking and a broad range of individual perspectives. Organizations need to develop spaces in which individuals can incorporate their unique combinations of talents, knowledge, and skills that allow them to be their authentic selves.

Embracing the nine principles of DIVERSITY will help organizations develop a creative richness that comes with cultivating a culture that honors all perspectives.

Differences- Accept differences in all people, genders, races, religions, affiliations, status levels, life experiences and visions. Be fully present with an open mind.

INCLUSION:

Get to know individuals by taking an interest in the diverse backgrounds of others as well as what you have in common. Every face has a place, every voice is valued, and everyone has something to contribute.

VALUED:

When people feel valued, they show more caring and compassion towards others and they feel safer and more secure. Feeling valued improves mental health, wellbeing and learning. When you recognize someone’s personal qualities or something they have done, they feel valued.
Be known for your kindness and grace.
Pay attention.
See the potential in others.
Show appreciation.
Solicit people’s opinions.
Provide people with the praise and recognition they deserve.
Say “thank you.”

EMPATHY:

Empathy is the building block of humanity. Understand how another person is feeling and thinking. Seeing with the eyes of another. Listening with the eyes of another. Feeling with the heart of another.

RESPECT:

In honoring individuals by exhibiting care, concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings, you can improve communications and better connect, resulting in enhanced communications and learning.

Self-awareness:

Diversity enhances self-awareness. Learning from people whose backgrounds and experiences differs sharpens your self-knowledge and self-insight by allowing you to compare and contrast their life experiences with others whose life experiences differ sharply from their own. By being more self-aware, you are more capable of making informed decisions about your personal and professional future.

Integrity:

Do the right thing when no one is watching. Be honest. Keep your word and stand by your word in everything you do.

Trustworthy:

Trust affects everything and is gained over a period of time. Be your authentic self. Show vulnerability.

You

Everything starts and ends with you because you have the choice to make the difference.

Personal change creates the field for a deeper change as we are all connected and need one another to be successful. It gives us purpose and grounds us.

As Gandhi so eloquently states, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

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