Global diversity awareness month
October brings Global Diversity Awareness Month to remind us of the positive impact a diverse workforce can have on a society.
I was recently visiting with a friend – another mom – who said, “Men think they can withstand pain, but they have no idea of pain. If they were to bear children, they would know what real pain is.” This got me thinking about the beauty in our differences – and also the danger in lumping a person, or people, into categories of characteristics.
Many companies have non-discrimination policies. Usually something along the lines of: We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status. The list keeps growing longer and longer. I hope one day we no longer need language that defines the kinds of discrimination that won’t be tolerated, because discrimination no longer exists. If we all practiced one simple rule – love one another - we would arrive there easily. So simple, yet apparently, so complicated.
Sometimes we need reminders to find at least one thing we appreciate about someone we may not agree with; in honor of Global Diversity Awareness Month, I intend to focus on finding common ground and appreciation for those with whom I differ. I hope you’ll join me in this challenge. With practice comes habit and with habit comes change. More love and acceptance in the world is never a bad thing.
Aiding in our professional practice around diversity, I’m thrilled Koné Consulting has begun teaming with Francisco Salinas, an expert in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and creator of the Inclusive Excellence Inventory[1]. I look forward to increasing our knowledge of - and footprint in - this important work.
Globally, I’m very excited to have another opportunity to visit Côte d’Ivoire this December and January where we will spend a day working with Women Entrepreneurs and Leaders (WEL). Learn more about WEL and how they are working toward gender equality from our 6/12/19 blogpost.
And remember:
-Christina
[1] The purpose of the Inclusive Excellence Inventory (IEI) is to assess diversity and inclusion-related efforts within divisions of an organization. The IEI focuses on five spheres of inquiry and draws on internal resources and expertise through divisional inquiry teams.