Diversity is so yesterday...

Last night I had the amusing joy of presenting at the PMI Leadership Series in Adelaide.

Before I share my chuckles, I want to throw to the top of this article what a great job the Project Management Institute Adelaide are doing in bringing attention to a number of critical topics including pay inequality, discrimination and providing professional opportunities that go well beyond project management tools.

So why do I say 'diversity is so yesterday'?

It is partly because it feels like a conversation that refuses to go away and it is partly because of the burden some of us carry that assumes that because I am a woman in leadership that diversity challenges are burning my mind every night when I go sleep.

You know that cliche statement, 'What is keeping the CEO up at night?'...

Well, I can assure you the topic of 'Diversity in Adelaide and Australia' isn't it.

Stupidity drives me to whiskey at night, watching people pick 'school mates' over choosing the smartest people makes my eyes bug a little and the sheer craziness of carrying a bias that prejudiced you from seeing the talent in others, leaves me a little speechless.

In the words of my mother, 'It is just stupid'.

And as my mother's daughter, I have clearly been influenced by her practical and 'success driven' nature a lot. Her robust criticism of those who speak in negative generalities and succumb to narrow minded prejudice, rings true. It is stupid because by excluding a group of people you are in fact excluding yourself from a significant talent pool.

My mother would ask, 'Why wouldn't every truly focussed leader hunt down the best person for the jobs so as to build an A Team? Why hire your mate, your buddy or someone who you choose because they look and sound like you? It doesn't sound like these folks are really interested in success to me.'

Ahh, Mumm you make me laugh.

Pushing aside those mates you have that are just so talented you'd choose them even if you didn't know them, this bias to 'stick to what we know' is not useful. 

These days as we enter the knowledge economy, we need to abandon the 'boys/girls club' and instead demand to work with the best and most talented people we can find. These people will challenge you, make you a little uncomfortable (it is sometimes called feeling inferior and is gross) and they'll take you to places you have never considered before - but that is often what progress feels like. It sort of sucks at certain points as you discover just how stupid you really are. Footnote : I have 'sort of' come to like these dreadful moments of being stupid as I comfort myself I am just growing, not really stupid ... :).

Last night, I showed this amazingly accurate scientific run chart .... see below. It is a rough way to explain what might happen when you fail to embrace diversity.

So the picture on the left shows this concept of a narrow community and how there's this 'middle/average ground' of a social norm that where we're all supposed to operate in. By being 'normal and average' we can be seen as trustworthy, consistent with expectations, etc. And many of us will adapt to be accepted and safe.

And that is all very warm and wonderful for those who just need to feel safe.

But the thing is, innovation and new ideas come from weird sources and are often not safe until we figure it out. Then that UCL and LCL below expands into a broader range of 'safe'. That is growth.

The little red dots? These are the weirdos, the crazy people, odd ideas and the eccentrics you come across - but remember, they are only outliers to those people who live within the deviation. From an average spot they look out of character.

But for the rest, or those who have a much bigger world view, these red dots are just another version of normal and well within acceptable range.

So back to discrimination and not being stupid in leadership.

If you have a terribly narrow view (dev) of what someone is capable of doing or achieving because of a prejudice you have regarding age, gender, nationality or something else, who is it who really disadvantaged?

Here's a hint.

Not them (in the long run). It is you (right now).

They will wander off, momentarily put off by your discrimination and then find someone with a bigger and more global view who is just hungrier than you for great talent. A company, a department or a leader who just has a broader view point will welcome this amazing talent, because they will see it where you were blind.

Not a great look (pardon the pun), when we're all looking for the best people these days.

So it would seem that Mum, yet again, might have a valid point.

Being a leader who is prejudiced or discriminatory against any group is not a 'sad indictment' of an outdated system, but is just someone who is just a tiny little bit stupid. :).

Now before I go, hiring and securing great people is a complex sport, filled with loads of rules and insights and this issue of discrimination is being felt everywhere. We hear so much about the 'value' of being open and this article is offered only as a supplementary angle to possibly highlight the danger of being closed minded and not being commercially aware of the damage being sexist, ageist or any other 'ist' can have on your organisational success.

Thanks for reading and you can follow Marina and the rest of the MCBI crowd on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/Mantra01/

About the Author :

Marina Pullin is the Managing Director of professional services firm, MCBI.

For 12 successful years, MCBI has assisted organisations to transform and improve their people, the processes and technology. You can find out more about the firm by visiting www.mcbi.com.au

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