Jamming with differences
Some takeaways from jamming with difference.
Increasing differences is the best way to make them smaller. It’s only when you start looking for contradictions that you can connect the different points of view.
You don’t always have to choose between points of view, sometimes you can do both or you could take a new stand together. Think of inclusion as a jam session, in which all musicians agree on the rhythm and make their own melody. To make a beautiful whole, the musicians sometimes have to follow each other, but they also need to be able to let go. And the music only gets better when there’s some variety.
And don’t forget: inclusion is something you do together!
Reflection exercise: case study
Telecom company X is strongly committed to diversity and inclusion, including at the highest level. They recently recruited two female executives, creating a gender balance within the management team. They organised an internal event for all employees with speakers, including diversity experts on the topic of diversity and inclusion at work.
Thanks to the telecom companies commitment, women within the company are more likely to apply for technical positions. This results in a better gender balance within the technical teams, which are indicating that they are more productive and creative than before. Other than that, vacancies for technical profiles attract better and higher-quality staff: there is a great number of applicants to choose from, which increases the possibility of finding a good match.
Do you recognise a minority in this case?
How does the organisation ensure that the opinions and ideas of employees are heard/discussed? What is the result?