Plumbing the Depths of Diversity

by Judy Ryan

Most people think of diversity in relatively narrow terms. The dictionary describes diversity as the state of being diverse; variety or the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc. Diversity is multi-dimensional and extends way beyond this definition. I am a woman of a particular race, age, sexual orientation, wealth, and could be among those quite similar, all while missing the deeper context of diversity within this group; our temperaments, interests, values, aspirations, work, politics, religion, and much more. So, “What are the depths of diversity, and more importantly, how do we bridge with each other in diversity?”

“Feelings of worth can flourish only in an atmosphere where individual differences are appreciated, mistakes are tolerated, communication is open, and rules are flexible - the kind of atmosphere found in a nurturing family.”
-Virginia Satir, Author and “Mother of family therapy”

“We don’t need a melting pot in this country, folks. We need a salad bowl. In a salad bowl, you want the vegetables - the lettuce, the cucumbers, the onions, the green peppers - to maintain their identity. You appreciate differences.”
-Jane Elliot, An American Diversity Educator

Here are key dimensions related to diversity that provide a much broader context than is typical for understanding. Within each below, there is a wide range of interpretations, resulting feelings, beliefs, and ways of operating:
Cultural. Every one of us is a product of our collective experiences, including how we interpret them in our particular cultural community. We could be a Siamese twin in the same country and home and come to completely different conclusions about our experiences. However, often we are generally and predictably conditioned by our unique cultural environment. Culture colors our beliefs about power and authority, gestures and body language, how to use time, being vs. doing, competition vs. cooperation, and how conflicts should be resolved. Each culture has shared traditions and observances, accepted norms, and basics such as kind and extent of personal space, diet, priorities about the role of individuals vs. the collective, and what can be flexible vs. what must be structured.

Organizational. We are shaped by our organizations and beliefs and practices within them. How will power be used? Who is governing and being governed? What psychology is used? What is our work content, our location, use of technology, fields, job classifications, pay, tenure, hierarchy, divisions, departments, management and staff status and responsibilities, work experience, unions, affiliations, and organizational culture? Everyone has a different idea of what these should be and why. Many don’t think of diversity in terms of organizational practices and norms.

External. We are shaped by our external conditions such as our neighborhood, income level, class, religion, marital, family, and military status, wealth, hobbies and habits, appearance and style, education, work, peer pressure, communication, including language and accent, and political party affiliation to name just some factors.

Internal. While there is some fluidity in this, many people see these as immovable, such as gender, gender identity, race, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, physical and mental conditions and abilities,
Personality. Personality is defined by the lenses in which we view the world, colored by our priority values, and how we guard, leverage, and operate from them. For example, I view the world through a priority for competency logic, and systems. Another prioritizes stability, reliability, and responsibility. Another freedom, fun, and results. Another spirituality, inspiration, and relationships. All are needed but all each (combinations too) function quite differently in how they like to be treated, what stresses them, and how they lead and communicate.
So, “How do we bridge with each other in diversity?” The importance of these five dimensions argues for adopting a causal way to operate together so that we respect, honor and appreciate diversity in all its depth. How to do this is imbedded in healthy human systems that ensure relationships are equitable, psychologically safe, and inclusive.

Judy Ryan (judy@LifeworkSystems.com), human systems specialist, is owner of LifeWork Systems. Join her in her mission to create a world in which all people love their lives. She can also be reached at 314-239-4727.
People hire LifeWork Systems because we help businesses become agile and manage their priority system: their human system. I hope this article helps you make sense of what’s most crucial to your evolving organization!