Diversity – we all know the profession needs to be better at it, we all know that it is something that the profession needs more of. But do we know and understand why?
Does it feel like something we ‘should' be doing, or do we feel a non-negotiable burning desire to achieve it no matter what?
I am never a fan of 'should do’s'. We either do, or we don’t.
You do it because you know it to be worthwhile doing and you do it wholeheartedly. Or you do not do it and save that time and energy for something that is worthwhile doing.
The diversity piece
So, is it worthwhile ensuring your business is achieving significant growth in its diversity and do we even fully understand what diversity is?
Diversity is any term that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another.
Diversity is not just a moral imperative but also brings a business advantage, as diverse teams have been shown to be more innovative and better problem solvers.
Embracing diversity goes beyond simply hiring a diverse workforce though.
It's about creating an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued and respected. To achieve this, a focus on inclusive leadership is crucial.
Inclusive leaders are those who actively engage and value the contributions of all team members, regardless of their differences.
They foster an environment where everyone feels comfortable and encouraged to share their ideas and perspectives.
This helps businesses and business leaders avoid the phenomenon known as group think.
We have looked extensively at the impact of inclusive leadership on employee engagement and productivity. We found inclusive leaders empower their team members, leading to higher job satisfaction and retention rates.
They also create an environment where individuals can bring their authentic selves to work, resulting in increased creativity and innovation.
This helps any business achieve higher employee engagement, stronger retention rates and ease of hire.
With a diverse culture, leaders can actively seek diverse perspectives, provide equal opportunities for growth and development, and create inclusive policies and processes.
Encourage your leaders to educate themselves about unconscious biases and take steps to mitigate them. The biggest bias we have is the 'I don’t have a bias' bias.
Eliminating bias creates a safe and welcoming environment for people from all demographics to be enticed into, and hence we advance our capacity to positively engage with the myriad of ways in which people see the world, thereby increasing our capacity for connecting with our clients.
Reaping rewards
If we look at business A, built up with employees who insist that their way of doing things is the only legitimate way, and that they have nothing to gain from considering alternative views – this business is going to be neither innovative nor harmonious.
By contrast, we look at business B, where employees feel empowered to share their thoughts and opinions and also to have an open mind to listen to other thoughts and opinions. Business B will be far more innovative, encourage more creativity and achieve greater progress.
