Reflection

Diversity: More than a Business Case

It can be well intentioned for an organization to make an operational or financial case for increasing diversity.

But this can undermine the true and sustainable change needed to make things better for current and future generations.

We must focus on the moral case for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Check out this HBR article for evidence.

One thing I’m doing is building up my own personal passion to increasing diversity and changing power dynamics in family, business, and society.

As leaders, we must clarify and communicate our own connection to this work. This requires us to educate ourselves and put up a mirror to see where we must change and the cost to not changing.

For me it is about my wife, my niece, and my friends. I see how women, people of color, and LBTQ+ friends around me are limited. I also see the potential inside and around them to be their truest selves. I love them so I will work to make it better.

If we simply rely on the bottom line to justify increasing diversity, we perpetuate the power dynamics which maintain patriarchy and white supremacy.

If you want a place to start your journey of educating yourself, check out my list or ask a friend.

Lean In Foundation has many resources for gender equality.

Consider how you can use experiential learning framework to make a change yourself.

Experiential Learning Framework

We learn best by eventually doing something ourselves. To enhance this, we can use an experiential learning framework to push ourselves or others through.

This can also be used in coaching if a coachee has a situation they are discussing and wanting to improve. We can walk them through these steps and continue the progress in future sessions.

Experiential Learning

I love this framework as it is what I could see myself do naturally but also helps fill gaps to ensure I make the most of an experience.

At times I’ll do something and not even reflect. Journaling or talking through the situation is helpful for reflect.

Even when I do reflect, I may stop there and avoid conceptualization. Maybe because fear of shame or such but consider “So what?” really lets the reflection sit in and take effect.

Even still, I may feel good about myself and stop with conceptualization. “Yay I made a new self awareness discovery…” But it has no weight if it doesn’t change my behaviors. Applying is key. I use Start, Stop, Continue to help me keep my apply brief but actionable.

Then go back through the cycle. Act again and reflect, then conceptualize, then apply…repeat.

Ed Batista has great content written on experiential learning. Post 1 and Post 2. Image above is from Ed Batista.

Anytime we are examining our actions, there is a possibility of stepping into shame. Check out Brene Brown’s work on this to ensure you’re equipped to move through shame rather than let it hold you back.