Diversity Practice

Thanks to some great mentors, I learned many years ago that diversity is much more than color of skin and religion of choice.

Having a broad exposure to diversity of thought is crucial to being a Leader who understands the angles and motivations of the people on their team - regardless of their style and strength.

One way to develop more flexibility in your style is by intentionally exposing yourself to ideas and persuasions that you KNOW you either completely disagree with or even outright despise. It’s EASY to click on that article by the author you know aligns with you and how you like to lead and treat others. It takes LITTLE EFFORT to read something that reinforces your own style and beliefs.

Yet how many Leaders jumped into a leadership role though because it was EASY and required LITTLE EFFORT?

I don’t know one.

Many Leaders I know do a great job of seeking out new skills and techniques that will help them better serve themselves, their teams, and their company. You can get a jump start on practicing diversity by dedicating 3-5 minutes a week to reading from someone from a very different school of thought. In today’s search-engine world, it’s not hard to find someone who’s style and motivation is different than yours.

Your mind works very differently when you read through something you don’t like. It takes effort. When it’s done with the intention of learning and growing and being better equipped to navigate through disagreement with the people in your organization (or your personal life) - then the effort is time well invested.