What color is red? When I was in the printing business, and a customer had to pick the color red that would go on their brochure, there were so many choices that it was often overwhelming to choose just one. But in printing, that’s the choice you have to make…you can only print just one red at a time!
But when we’re talking about people, there’s not just one viewpoint. Quite the contrary! Every person has a unique worldview, a totally different thought process and has been imprinted with different experiences, and they’ll express themselves in a totally unique way.
Pegasus Pathways is a WBE and believes in leadership through diversity.
It amazes me how much we actually accomplish, given the myriad of opinions and viewpoints we are dealing with every moment of every day. Then add in contrasting traditions, ages, personalities, cultures, languages and accents, philosophies, needs and desires, strengths and abilities and you have a truly diverse set of opinions influencing each decision.
The workplace is like a kaleidoscope! Think about how a kaleidoscope contains loose pieces of diverse materials, which are put into a tube and reflected by mirrors so that the variety turns into a lovely pattern. Simply put, a kaleidoscope organizes variety into a beautiful symmetry where each element still maintains its individual unique qualities, but together they form a new creation, changeable yet with the constant ability to reflect a new reality.
As leaders, we need to embrace the “Kaleidoscope Principle” to create optimal results. In today’s business jargon, we call it “diversity and inclusion”.
How do you lead effectively when all the personalities, who see the world in their unique way, need to come together and pull in the same direction, so that your vision and goals are realized? How do you capture the imagination and energy of those people on whom you depend to carry out your strategies when they each see the world through their own lenses?
You embrace the differences. You put all those diverse and unique viewpoints into a tube and combine them into a beautiful symmetry….you invite contribution of the infinite possibilities of new ideas, innovative thinking and new solutions.
You start with yourself! Know yourself…spend time reflecting on how your values and beliefs can expand to support your leadership growth, the growth of your business and create value for others. Remember this includes everyone from your team, your clients, your vendors, your colleagues, to your family, friends and community. Get an objective ally, whether a coach, mentor, spiritual advisor -someone who will support you in knowing yourself. When you know yourself, you can build your business around who YOU are and who you are becoming.
You expand your ability to “see” others. Diversity and inclusion mean that you include others’ diverse viewpoints in your thinking and planning and marketing and concerns and considerations and every facet of the success you want to achieve. This is not easy. But it’s critical to your success in this world that keeps getting smaller, where technology brings every idea and opinion into the public domain. The “public” is made of individuals, and your job as leader is to capture all the creative thinking from the diverse population around you…and make it safe for them to express their diverse ideas and share their unique viewpoints. Surround yourself with diversity and leverage the benefits.
When you make choices from that expanded vision, you truly become a visionary leader.
Go out and buy yourself a kaleidoscope to remind yourself that you can organize diverse qualities into a greater vision of beauty and meaning and success that creates value for yourself and others. What a beautiful thing!
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