“Experiencing the full expression of employees’ and colleagues’ identities affords us innumerable advantages, from personal fulfillment to organizational profitability.” – La’Wana Harris
A leader shared with me how he saw an increase in innovation and morale in his team. This decreased the time they had to be in meetings because communication within the team improved. As a bonus, he noticed that the leadership skills he had developed in himself were multiplying as he saw his team applying those same skills themselves. This was evidenced by people on his team being promoted because others saw the leadership they were demonstrating. Would you like to see that happen in your team, too?
When asked what was causing these positive results, he attributed it to paying attention, listening, and reading others around him so that he connected with them. As he did this, he learned not just to see his ideas but the many ways a problem could be solved. A shift in how this leader viewed people around him caused a waterfall effect in the results.
Multiple variables led to these results. This is the beauty and multifaceted nature of leadership. It can never be narrowed down to a simple formula because it is a way of being. For each person, it is a journey of self-discovery and then unique application in their own authenticity.
However, today, one mindset shift in leadership stood out to me. This leader grew in a mindset that learned to value the diversity of people. He used to see success through only one lens—the knowledge of what he, as an individual, brings. But now he sees the power in many, not just in people exactly like him but in the ideas that spark from people who are diverse from us.
Why Value Diversity
Organizations that embrace diversity see multiple benefits and gain a significant competitive advantage. Numerous studies have shown that diverse teams are more innovative, perform better, and make smarter decisions. By bringing together people with varied perspectives, experiences, and skills, organizations can solve problems more creatively and effectively.
For example, a 2018 McKinsey report found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity were 21% more likely to have above-average profitability. Similarly, firms with higher racial and ethnic diversity were 33% more likely to outperform their peers in terms of profitability.
Sometimes, I see terms, like diversity, attached to political agendas, and then that term is suddenly seen as divisive. In these arenas, wording gets paired with intense feelings of fear. Diversity is a team benefit. Yes, we want innovation and profits, but even more powerful is that when each person is seen and valued, the energy that comes from that team is unstoppable. Diversity is a gift that should be paired with gratitude.
Core Principles of Moving Diversity to Inclusion
La’Wana Harris is a global leadership development professional and coach who trains others on three core principles of inclusion coaching. These principles resonated with me because they are principles that strong leaders must live out daily. Reflect on these three principles:
- Unconscious Bias: What thoughts and beliefs do I have that unwittingly marginalize or discriminate against others? In the opening of this article, I discussed a leader with an unconscious bias that lessened his team’s contributions because he thought his ideas were right, so there was no need to listen to others. Other times, we may minimize another unconsciously just because they are different in some way from us. We simply overlook them.
- Conscious Choice: What choices do I make daily to create and uphold a welcoming and inclusive culture? What helped the leader mentioned is that when he realized he wanted to change his bias of not valuing others, he consciously reflected throughout his day on his behaviors. He reflected on conversations and considered whether they were positive or negative interactions. What could he learn and correct immediately or do better?
- Courageous Action: How can I respectfully challenge and call out the biases rather than rely on others to handle these situations? First, we must be role models and live our actions to include others. Yet, this power is multiplied when we also use our voices. Unconscious bias means we don’t recognize it in ourselves. We need others to help us become aware. The leader above modeled and then led the way for his team to also fully see others and include them.
Uncovering Unconscious Bias
So, how do we find out if we have an unconscious bias? We can become aware by engaging in self-reflection. However, sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know, yet others may be aware of it and see it clearly in us. So, we have to ask for feedback.
Start with a trusted person who has a perspective on your interactions with others. I also encourage you to get feedback from someone who may be different from you. For example, maybe you ask a colleague with whom you have a solid relationship who is a different gender, race, etc. Ask them to give you honest feedback on whether people feel seen by you. Tell them why you are asking for feedback. Nothing is off-limits, and you will simply listen.
Then, listen to what they have to say. Ask clarifying questions to understand but not to defend yourself. Just take note and know that you don’t have to agree immediately. You may need time to digest it, so taking it in and reflecting later is ok. Are any unconscious biases emerging from that discussion?
I just had an unconscious bias emerge for me last night. I have been attending a weekly book club about learning and understanding a group of people who are different from me. I thought I was doing pretty well with conscious choice and courageous actions. Then, one of the group members shared her insight about a bias in herself; boom, it hit me like a lead brick. I was struggling with the same thing. Now that my unconscious bias had come to my consciousness, I had clarity for my next growth step.
Summary and Book Recommendations
Differences can naturally bring up fear because they relate to the unknown. Beware of anything that tries to play on that fear, which leads to turning to those who are like you and excluding those who are different. If you notice yourself circling the wagons to make you feel safe and lessen the fear, ask yourself if you have an unconscious bias. Like the leader at the beginning of this article, becoming aware, making a conscious choice, and a courageous action can unleash something so much better, and you will be filled with gratitude.
Here are a couple of books I recommend:
- Diversity Beyond Lip Service by La’Wana Harris
- Insight by Tasha Eurich