I would be remiss if I didn't interrupt the planned articles continuing my series on home-buying to discuss the recent events impacting our society. The tragic deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and other incidents are a reminder that systemic inequalities, particularly in law enforcement, still exist. I typically don't (and won't) venture into social/political topics. So why am I dedicating a week of my personal finance and career advice blog to such a highly-charged subject? Well, I feel it's the right thing to do. Hearing friends of color recount their personal run-ins with law enforcement, or even in normal social settings, is disturbing and needs to be addressed. However, rather than try to sway anyone with emotional arguments, let me put this in a context that fits my format. I am a firm believer in recognizing, appreciating, and embracing diversity - especially in the workplace. Diversity takes many shapes, and while I could dedicate this article just to racial diversity, I will speak to it from all angles. I present to you the business case for diversity.
Melting Pot vs. Salad
You often hear about diverse countries, workplaces, or other collections of people being a melting pot. While I get the concept, I question this line of thinking. Melting pot implies adding several ingredients to form a homogeneous product. So, let's take a workplace for an example. You hire an accountant, an engineer, a marketing executive, a salesperson, and a manager. You get them in a room, and tell them to conform to a specific set of criteria - how to think, how to talk, how to approach their work, etc. If you think this is an exaggeration, I know a company in the medical device field that does personality tests for all prospective employees. An HR manager told me they only hire "Type A" people... wow. Is this really what you want? A bunch of people with unique skills and experiences lining up to follow one path? Of course not. While there are certain aspects of a workplace that require adherence (safety, for example), you don't want to limit your employees/co-workers to a specific method. Think of diversity more like a salad - you have your individual ingredients, mixed together, but still visible. You put them together to make a single dish, but you could still identify the ingredients readily. Continuing with the example above, don't you think it's best to the let the individuals in the workplace operate with some independence? The accountant will bring another perspective on spending than the salesperson, the marketing executive will problem-solve differently from the engineer, and the manager will just tell everyone to do it faster, cheaper, and better! Sorry, couldn't resist some humor. But my point could easily be applied to people of different ethnic/racial backgrounds, age groups, and work or life experiences. Capitalize on the uniqueness of those around you to get the best results.
Is Diversity A Sacrifice?
Some would contest that being in favor of diversity means sacrificing something else. As in, if you hire a "diverse" candidate for a job, you are not truly picking the most qualified. To that, I question what qualified really means. Does qualified mean someone with the most experience? While "qualified" people have done the task before, and may have an initial leg-up if selected for the job, it doesn't mean they are any good! I once hired a supervisor for a job who had very direct experience, specific to the business area and industry. I thought I was really lucky, having found someone with the perfect experience for the job. After four months, I regretted the decision. Why? While she had the background I was looking for, she lacked the interpersonal skills, learning ability, and strategy to be effective. Conversely, I hired someone with very little applicable experience for the same job, and she was an absolute rockstar. While it took some time for her to learn, she had the right attitude, personality and life experiences that allowed her to grow and develop into the position. She even filled in some gaps on my team that I wasn't even aware of! Remember, you only see the world through your lens. While you can have a great perspective and valuable background, you will always have opportunities to learn and grow. By surrounding yourself with people that are different from you, and valuing their input, you can broaden your scope enough to make better decisions.
I challenge you to think through the concept of diversity. Some see it as some idyllic, socialist idea that really doesn't work in real life. I would argue there's nothing more capitalistic than diversity. The independent, unrestrained marketplace of thought and approach created through diversity brings out the best and brightest ideas. If you still think I'm full of it, just look at the world around us. Enjoying the food, technology, clothing, entertainment, and so many other aspects of our lives is a direct result of diversity. And if you're still not on board, I don't know what to tell you. I believe you are always entitled to your thoughts, and can act in accordance with those thoughts, as long as they don't infringe on others. Just know you're missing out!
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