What I've Learned from Serving in Diverse Environments
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” – Stephen R. Covey
Embracing Diversity: A Journey of Personal Growth
I found working in diverse environments with varying viewpoints interesting, allowing me to see things from a wider lens. Diverse environments challenge preconceived notions and foster growth.
Research shows that organizations with higher racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to outperform industry peers due to their broader perspectives (Hunt, Layton, & Prince, 2015).
This diversity ignites creativity, enabling innovative solutions and fresh ideas.
Additionally, diversity gives way to breaking down walls and stereotypes toward learning and growth while endowing spontaneity. It's exhilarating to come up with new ideas or improve upon the work you are doing to make the world a better place.
Strong interpersonal connections foster inclusive ecosystems that enhance our products, services, systems, infrastructure, and organizations—the very foundation upon which our society is built.
Why Diversity Drives Innovation: Beyond the Numbers
The business case for diversity is compelling and well-documented. Organizations with above-average diversity on their management teams report innovation revenue 19 percentage points higher than companies with below-average leadership diversity (Lorenzo et al., 2018).
Furthermore, companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity on executive teams were 36% more likely to have industry-leading profitability (Hunt et al., 2018).
Case Study: The Power of Different Perspectives
A recent study by Harvard Business Review found that companies with higher-than-average diversity had 45% higher market share and were 70% more likely to capture a new market (Rock & Grant, 2016).
This success isn't coincidental - diverse teams are simply better equipped to understand and serve diverse markets.
Breaking Comfort Zones: The Gateway to Knowledge
Diversity adds depth and meaning, and is life changing. Giving you the capability of communicating in ways you never have before, elevating the way you think and see the world.
However, open-mindedness is required, forcing you to step outside your comfort zone and making you uncomfortable.
To learn new things, we must explore unchartered territories and do things we have never done before. That is how we gain knowledge and experience.
When Stepping Out Leads to Stepping Up
Growth often begins at the edge of your comfort zone. Consider this self-reflection exercise:
🤔 Quick Assessment (5 minutes):
· What situations make you professionally uncomfortable?
· How have these moments led to personal growth?
· What diverse perspective have you recently encountered that challenged your assumptions?
The Art of Communication Beyond Words
When working in a diverse environment, your non-verbal communication becomes keen. You are aware of the tone and speed of someone's voice, facial expressions, movement of hands, and the position of one’s body.
You also pay attention to what is not said. You're mindful of traditions and customs in your travel locations.
Diversity fosters cultural competence, emotional intelligence, and mutual respect.
Inclusive cultures are 1.7 times more likely to lead their markets in innovation (Deloitte, 2020). These qualities enhance team performance and broaden perspectives.
Building Bridges: Relationships as the Foundation of Progress
Building relationships is vital to strengthening our ecosystem and enhancing the products and services we provide our customers and the surrounding communities.
Psychological safety is paramount for cohesiveness, creativity, and sustaining competitive advantage. However, it requires patience, flexibility, and adaptability.
Diversity as a Catalyst for Innovation
Diversity is about collaboration, cultural competency, emotional intelligence, and respect. It increases our awareness and problem-solving ability, making us more accepting and tolerant of others.
It opens us up to new experiences, giving us a greater appreciation for beauty, culture, and history, taking us to higher heights.
Strong interpersonal connections create inclusive ecosystems. According to Boston Consulting Group (2018), organizations prioritizing diversity in hiring see a 20% increase in innovation-driven revenue.
Workshop: Building Your Diversity Competence
Organizations that implement structured diversity programs see:
· 42% increase in team collaboration (Deloitte, 2020)
· 31% increase in responsiveness to customer needs (PwC, 2020)
· 58% improvement in employee engagement (McKinsey & Company, 2020)
Overcoming Common Challenges
Recent research shows that organizations actively addressing diversity challenges experience:
· 83% higher employee engagement (Gartner, 2019)
· 42% lower turnover rates (Society for Human Resource Management, 2020)
· 66% greater success in meeting customer needs (Deloitte, 2021)
A New Way of Seeing the World
Expanding our thinking elevates us to new dimensions, making it possible to live abundantly.
Call to Action
Reflect on how diversity has shaped your life and career. Share your experiences to inspire others to value the richness of diverse environments.
References
Boston Consulting Group. (2018). How diverse leadership teams boost innovation. Retrieved from [https://www.bcg.com]
Deloitte. (2020). The diversity and inclusion revolution: Eight powerful truths. Retrieved from [https://www2.deloitte.com]
Edmondson, A. C., & Lei, Z. (2014). Psychological safety: The history, renaissance, and future of an interpersonal construct. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 1(1), 23-43.
Gallup. (2019). State of the American Workplace. Retrieved from https://www.gallup.com
Gartner. (2019). Diversity and inclusion build high-performance teams. Retrieved from https://www.gartner.com
Hunt, V., Layton, D., & Prince, S. (2015). Diversity matters. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from [https://www.mckinsey.com]
Hunt, V., Prince, S., Dixon-Fyle, S., & Yee, L. (2018). Delivering through diversity. McKinsey & Company.
Lorenzo, R., Voigt, N., Tsusaka, M., Krentz, M., & Abouzahr, K. (2018). How diverse leadership teams boost innovation. Boston Consulting Group.
McKinsey & Company. (2020). Diversity wins: How inclusion matters. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com
Mehrabian, A. (2017). Nonverbal communication. Routledge.
PwC. (2020). Global diversity and inclusion survey. Retrieved from https://www.pwc.com
Reynolds, A., & Lewis, D. (2017). Teams solve problems faster when they're more cognitively diverse. Harvard Business Review.
Rock, D., & Grant, H. (2016). Why diverse teams are smarter. Harvard Business Review.
Society for Human Resource Management. (2020). The high cost of a toxic workplace culture. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org
