At the Water Cooler, In the Voting Booth, by Pat Schally
Certified Business and Leadership Coach
You don’t have to look far for a good example of diversity in our country. The recent political campaign affords plenty to go on. Who did not observe, discuss, blog, e-mail or maybe even campaign for their presidential candidate-of-choice? It was unprecedented, the degree of personal involvement and media frenzy that surrounded our heated national election. It was riveting theater at its most dramatic and colorful. The spicy scripts were sprinkled with name-calling, along with race, gender, generational and societal issues that jumped right off the screen and the printed page.
Admittedly, some of the mainstream publicity about the candidates’ so-called conflicting lifestyles was rather silly; a case of a glass of chardonnay vs. a can of beer, an eye-blink vs. a stare-down, a bridge-to-nowhere vs. a stairway to heaven. Yet now, with the dismal economic news, we are confronted with far more sobering realities. In trying to make sense of the Wall Street bailouts and why the regulatory watchdogs fell asleep, many of us have been left feeling rather helpless. As we stand on the sidelines watching the market’s wild swings, we ponder, not to say, fret, over our financial futures.
But through all of this, are we actually making the connection between our own distractions and concerns over unexpected crises and our leadership responsibilities that are applicable—not just in corporations, but also in our communities and in our very own families? Are we being pulled away from purpose? And, significantly, as we take stock of our leadership practices, how do those practices align with our criteria for a Commander-in-Chief who must steer us through this major financial crises? I’ve heard some people admit that they avoided listening to or reading about either topic--the election or the economy. “Too depressing,” they said or “I’m tired of the rhetoric.” Those were easy, albeit understandable, cop-outs.
Instead, why not view the current events as an opportunity to help us focus more deeply on real issues, look inward and articulate a viable leadership philosophy. Why do this? Because the way we respond as a boss around the water cooler and the way we respond as a citizen in the voting booth represents a veritable microcosm of our basic beliefs about what kind of leader we are and desire to be. And that response, I might add, are highly personal, reflecting beliefs that are as varied as the ones that are now being expressed politically throughout our country.
Before you know it, you may even surprise yourself. By really zeroing in on leadership requirements, you might find that you’re asking yourself if you, yes, you, are living up to those same standards. If there’s a gap, let it serve as a wake-up to action; there’s some personal leadership work to be done here. As the comic strip character Pogo put it, “We have met the enemy and he is us.”
Outside the political arena, diversity shows up in many areas of our lives. In some cases, the socially mandated need to be more politically correct (PC) has fostered an overall atmosphere that welcomes diversity in all forms. Businesses have stepped up to the plate, incorporating into their mission statements the fostering of culture of diversity. Workers and leaders alike have benefited from, and are strengthened by, sharing power and information between cubicles, across the diversity divides. We’ve all come a long way and many of us now realize that there is a priceless opportunity here to learn from the different perspectives and positions of others, opportunities that are made possible if we are willing to listen with open minds and open hearts.
Yet, there’s another side. According to a recent report from the Human Resource Management Guide, while organizations believe diversity is important, managing it continues to be tricky. Only 30 percent of the organizations surveyed agreed on the definition. And that’s because diversity “is not well…understood; focuses too much on compliance; and places too much emphasis on ethnicity and/or gender.” Clearly, there is work to be done in this area. Still, it is vital work, work that calls for inspired leadership to boldly step forward.
What if leadership does not take that step, does not believe in or support diversity? Some divergent, deeply-held beliefs can and often do surface as the seeds of diversity are planted and cultivated. Divergences of opinion can occur, as they have today around our Presidential race, as we are faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. What becomes of a country, a company, an organization, or a family that suppresses diversity?
In my view, when we all think and act alike the results are the all-too predictable stagnation, sameness, loss of innovation and competitive edge. Yes, mistrust and arrogance obliterate ideas, yielding few, if any, true light-bulb moments. Countries and companies have gone down for less.
If we look at families today, there are positive signs of diversity. I’ve observed enlightened parents who are proudly passing on to their children cultural openness and curiosity. Parents are our first and best teachers. A recent cartoon in The Wall Street Journal made light of parents’ attempt to expose their children to diversity. In the cartoon an earnest mother, speaking to her child’s teacher, declares, “We’d like to get him in a school with more diversity and start being exposed to children who watch different shows.” Shallow, maybe, but it’s a start.
Whether you hang your hat on the promise of a new President, the promise of better financial times, or the philosophy of Pogo, the fact remains that promoting diversity brings out the potential leadership greatness in each of us. Embracing diversity, compelling as it is, for its own sake, enhances the ability of people to work and live together for the greater good of all. Now that’s a campaign promise that most of us can get behind 100 percent.
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