We Need To Start Talking About Diversity of Thought

Diversity of thought is highly contentious in the workplace.

We love to talk about diversity of ethnicity, of race, of gender, of sexual orientation.

But we rarely celebrate, welcome or encourage diverse viewpoints or personality types.

Sure, in highly innovative environments uniqueness and diverse ideas are welcomed for the most part.

However, 40% of BIPOC feel heard or that their voices carry weight at work according to research by Hue.

Many companies simply don’t understand that folks who are BIPOC don’t just have non-white skin, we also have incredibly unique personalities, spirits, ways of speaking, and world views that shape how we show up and see different situations.

What so often happens is that BIPOC folks enter the workforce and then instantly feel like the elephant in the room.

We don’t immediately align with our white colleagues’ viewpoints.

And then we wait for the moment to come when we are labeled:
👎🏽“dissenting”
👎🏾”challenging”
👎🏿”hard to handle”
👎🏽”overreacting”
👎🏾“unprofessional”
👎🏿”not a team player”
👎🏽”disruptive to the culture.”

In your DEI strategy, I urge you to push past thinking that your solution is to simply increase the diversity of skin colour.

Focus on encouraging, welcoming, celebrating diversity of thought and unique personalities as well.

Warning: You likely have an idea of what a “great culture” looks like it. Something to the tune of a cohesive place, where things flow, it’s just so natural to work with your colleagues, you get each other and connection is organic. Ya, that likely won’t be how a diverse environment feels, perhaps ever.

DEI strategy involves creating a new measuring tape for what “great culture” is at your organization too.

Good luck.

Let me know if you need help anytime along the way 🙋🏽‍♂️