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Truth 12. Appreciating Diversity Increases Others’
Appreciation of You
It’s fascinating how much habits learned during childhood
endure into adult life, profoundly affecting the way that we
see the world. During our early years, human minds construct
embedded “mental models” of the way things “ought to be”.
These models are so strong that even after spending many
years in countries with the steering wheel on the other side
of the car, most Americans would still have to think twice
about which seat they need to use as a passenger!
Mental models come into play every time we meet someone or
do something new. I recall watching a panel discussion with
an American head of diversity. He felt that one of the
participants, a woman from the Middle East, wasn't committed
to the topic because she wasn't passionate enough. What the
diversity executive had to learn is that the American mental
model of commitment – energetic enthusiasm - is not
necessarily true for all cultures, or for Arab women.
Most companies today declare a commitment to diversity,
eager to ensure that employees from all backgrounds are
understood and respected. But how many people, having filed
away the policy, really know what appreciating diversity
means? The truth is that it is not just about including
others because that’s the politically correct thing to do,
but about realizing that others act, communicate and think
in different ways to you, and that understanding and
nurturing those differences will bring added value to your
work.
The greater the range of ideas and opinions you can
generate, the better the collective brain will work, as
colleagues spark off each other and learn from each others’
differences. Paying attention to colleagues’ favored ways of
working and communicating, individual or cultural, rather
than trying to enforce your style upon them, will result not
only in a happier team but higher productivity. And those
are the things that prove to bosses that you really are in
charge of the situation, and worthy of their respect.
Take Fred’s story. Fred works in Kuala Lumpur for a major
U.S. company. A few years ago, noticing that his Malaysian
employees often talked animatedly amongst themselves, and
clearly had interesting ideas, but rarely spoke at meetings,
Fred looked for the reason. With the help of a local
colleague, he discovered that the Malaysians found it hard
to express themselves well in English without preparation,
and felt uncomfortable jockeying for airspace with fluent
Americans.
So Fred created a system that would work for everyone,
American and Malaysian. Ideas were to be collected from
people well before each meeting, in order to draw up a
shared agenda that all personnel were ready to speak about.
From that point on, conversation flowed at meetings, and the
team flourished. Fred’s initiative not only led to better
teamwork, but the impressive results raised his profile at
U.S. headquarters.
Fred was working across national cultures, but his attitude
would be equally effective in an all-American office. The
key rule is never to assume that others will present their
thinking, or respond to circumstances, in the same way as
you. Forcing them to do so only causes discomfort and dulls
motivation. Rather than equating lack of participation with
lack of initiative, check with colleagues that your approach
works for them, or ask them how they like to receive
information. Make accommodations for differences by setting
ground rules to ensure that the concerns and contributions
of all colleagues are solicited and acknowledged.
Working for a large organization means managing
communication across all kinds of barriers, and among a
diverse range of personalities. Inclusion is about working
to ensure that you get the best from everyone. That’s not
just about following policy, but about stepping back from
one’s own mental models, and treating all colleagues with
the generosity and understanding that we personally would
like to receive. |
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