Diversity & Inclusion: Everyone Is Different, And That's a Good Thing

“Everyone is different, and that’s a good thing.”

You hear things like this all the time, and chances are you agree that it’s true. However, oftentimes our thoughts and actions say otherwise.

In the workplace, it can play out in many ways:

• We get easily frustrated when someone doesn’t see things the same way we do.

• We gravitate toward people who are more similar to us, and we may distance ourselves from those who are not.

• We assume that we know better than someone else simply because their approach or style is different.
  

And while these small and isolated examples may seem insignificant, they are not, because they contribute to the greater culture of the company which affects things like hiring practices, team dynamics, and promotion decisions.

So how do you talk the talk AND walk the walk when it comes to diversity and inclusion?

While there are many different ways to successfully approach diversity and inclusion, you can’t get very far without a solid foundation built upon the belief that everyone has inherent value. So how do you begin building that foundation?

Before diving into that question, let’s first understand what the terms diversity and inclusion mean.

Diversity and inclusion are often used together. While they are interconnected, they are not interchangeable. In order to effectively build diversity and inclusion into your company culture, it is important to understand each term:

• Diversity refers to the representation of people in the group (age, race, gender, etc.).

• Inclusion refers to the contributions, presence, and perspectives of the different groups of people as being valued and integrated.
  

It’s possible to be diverse without being inclusive. For example, a workspace with many different races, ages, sexual orientations, and/or genders is diverse. But if the perspectives of only certain groups within that organization are valued or carry influence, it is not inclusive.

The most successful organizations are both.

And this is because all people are different - from the way they think to how they interact with others to what motivates them. As an organization, that’s your greatest strength.

Diversity and inclusion lead to greater productivity, better problem-solving, and increased financial performance because with varying perspectives and experiences comes innovation. 

When different groups of people in the workplace are heard, valued, and respected, it also leads to greater trust and commitment from employees. So not only are teams more productive and innovative, they’re also operating better together and are more engaged. In fact, inclusion in the workplace is one of the most pivotal factors in retention.

Despite your organization’s desire to prioritize diversity and inclusion, It can feel daunting to know where to begin. A good starting point we recommend is forming a shared language.

At CoreClarity^®, we’ve created a framework to interpret Gallup’s CliftonStrengths^® Assessment, which provides a shared language for teams to articulate what each person brings to the table. One of the reasons why we love the assessment is because it fundamentally supports diversity and inclusion. Created by Don Clifton, it was founded on the principles of positive, strengths-based psychology - focusing on what’s right with people as opposed to what’s wrong with them.

The results of the assessment give you your top 5 talents out of a list of 34. There are over 33 million possible combinations of the top 5 in a particular order. Some talents are more common than others and show up in more than 30% of people’s top 5 (Achiever), while others talents are more rare, and show up in less than 5% of people’s top 5 (Command). What’s really interesting is Gallup has found that talent representation transcends race, age, socio-economic status, and industry. 

All people are different - from the way they think to how they interact with others to what motivates them. And as an organization, that’s your greatest strength.

No talent is better than another. No set of top 5 talents is better than another. They all can contribute and are valuable.

We believe that when you apply this to the workplace, what you get is an appreciation and integration of all talents. The framework helps foster an environment where each individual gets a seat at the table. The different perspectives and skill sets that each talent brings have the potential to lead to greater innovation, better problem-solving, and increased performance. Equipped with a shared language, teams can recognize how each person can contribute and begin to capitalize on it. 

The talents and shared language reinforce that being different is good, or what’s “right” with people, as opposed to the differences being bad, or what’s “wrong” with people.

With an understanding and application of talent diversity, there is a new space to recognize and appreciate the other differences among the team (race, gender, age, etc) and see how those differences also lead to greater effectiveness for the team as a whole.

Does this replace other forms of diversity and inclusion? No. Will this solve all your diversity and inclusion problems and needs? No. But what it will do is provide a foundation for recognizing the innate value of all team members, which is the starting point needed for understanding, appreciating, and utilizing the diverse perspectives of all your people.

Interested in learning more about CoreClarity, or how we can help your team or organization? We’d love to talk with you. Schedule a free 30-minute call today!

“CliftonStrengths" and the 34 CliftonStrengths theme names are registered trademarks of Gallup, Inc.

Other Resources:

The Case for a Shared Language

CoreClarity Workshops: Take the guesswork out of teamwork by equipping your teams with the tools they need to flourish