FROG IS FROG

A Post, A Granddaughter, and A Lesson That Came Back to Me

Two years ago, I made a post on LinkedIn about my granddaughter Sam and Frog is Frog, the children’s book by Max Velthuijs. She was two at the time, a bright-eyed bundle of curiosity who wandered into my house every morning at precisely 7:15, ready for our ritual: storytime.

That post took off. It resonated with people. It led to keynote invitations, deep conversations, and thousands of reactions. I wrote about how Frog is Frog isn’t just a children’s story—it’s a mirror for the business world. Companies, I argued, make the mistake of expecting every “frog” to also be a duck, a rat, a pig, and a hare. But true strength isn’t found in forcing conformity—it’s found in embracing what makes each individual exceptional.

It seemed like an obvious truth back then. A truth that businesses were finally starting to acknowledge. Diversity, inclusion, individuality—these weren’t just ethical principles; they were competitive advantages.

Fast-forward to 2025, and that post came back to haunt me.

Because here we are, watching companies quietly scrap their diversity programs, as if they were a passing trend instead of a foundation for innovation, resilience, and survival.

Diversity: From a Corporate Priority to a Corporate Afterthought

The irony stings.

In 2023, everyone wanted to talk about diversity. Companies filled their annual reports with pledges and commitments. They hired Chief Diversity Officers. They held workshops. They measured representation.

And now?

Diversity initiatives are being tossed out like yesterday’s press releases. Not quietly. Not regretfully. But with the kind of relief that suggests they were never really wanted in the first place.

The same companies that once championed diversity as their North Star are now treating it as a nice-to-have. The rhetoric has shifted from “Diversity is our strength” to “We need to focus on core business priorities”. As if diversity wasn’t one of them.

The Morning That Brought It All Back

Sam is four now. The years have deepened her wisdom, her creativity, and her ability to see the world with a clarity most adults seem to have lost.

One bright afternoon, we sat together in the living room, and she asked for Frog is Frog again. I opened the book, and as we reached the part where the white duck soars through the sky, she declared:

"I can’t fly because I’m not a bird—but I am a child, and I can draw a flying duck!"

She grabbed her crayons and, with a flourish of imaginative abandon, sketched a magnificent duck soaring through a vast, blue sky.

She understood something that corporate leaders seem to have forgotten. The goal isn’t to make everyone the same. The goal is to recognize what people can do—and let them do it.

Diversity Was Never a Checkbox

If diversity had been treated as essential, it wouldn’t be so easy to discard.

But the truth is, for many businesses, it was never about better decision-making, stronger teams, or increased resilience. It was a branding exercise. A compliance measure. A way to look good in an annual report.

The moment it stopped serving their PR needs, they tossed it.

Yet, the irony is glaring: diversity isn’t about being nice. It’s about winning. The companies that foster different perspectives, challenge assumptions, and bring varied experiences to the table are the ones that outthink, outmaneuver, and outperform.

Monocultures breed stagnation.

Diverse teams breed innovation.

But tell that to the CeO who just cut the diversity budget because “other priorities” have taken center stage.

What Sam Already Knows—And What Businesses Need to Relearn

Later that day, I asked Sam why she drew a flying duck instead of trying to fly herself.

She looked at me as if I had just asked why the sky was blue.

"Because I know I can't fly," she said, rolling her eyes. "But I can draw!"

It was so obvious to her.

She didn’t try to be something she wasn’t. She found her own way to contribute.

That’s what companies should be doing—identifying strengths, leveraging differences, creating environments where everyone’s unique abilities add value.

Instead, they’re doing the opposite.

The Post That Won’t Go Away

So here I am, two years later, re-reading that LinkedIn post from 2023.

The one that so many people liked. The one that sparked conversations. The one that got me on stages to talk about why diversity matters.

And I can’t help but wonder: where are those companies now?

Are they still standing by their words? Or have they joined the ranks of those quietly pushing diversity into the background, pretending it was just a phase?

One thing is certain: the companies that get this wrong will pay the price.

Because the future doesn’t belong to the ones who erase differences.

It belongs to the ones who embrace them.