Diverse Faces are Not the Same as Diverse Voices

Ensuring diversity is not just the right thing to do but is proven to be good for the bottom line as a representative workforce is at a competitive advantage when talent is key change is widespread and new ways of looking at things become criticalThe Importance of diversity of voicesEnsuring a diversity of faces is a necessary but insufficient step Not only do companies need different faces around the table but they also need diversity in thinking We need to ensure that every person in a firm and around the table has a voice Most importantly it is critical to have voices that can speak truth to power question the status quo call out potential issues and be heard without the risk of being punishedInvite job candidates to apply live during the Media and Advertising Communityamp8217s Black Talent Outreach Week at MediaVillagecom and AdvancingDiversityorg October 1720 Apply for jobssubmit your resume hereToday some of the issues that need to be discussed including a how the most successful companies and leaders selfdefeat themselves by becoming deaf dumb and blind to the reality around them b how mangers instead of reinventing how they work and finding ways to maximize the benefits of inperson interaction are coercing people back to the office breeding long term disdain and resentment and c how The Third Connected Age of the Internet driven by AI 5G blockchain and ARVR requires a toptobottom rethinking of business modelsThere are voices that question and have suggestions on how to solve or mitigate these issues If such voices were listened to many companies such as Wells Fargo and possibly Boeing would not have suffered their reputational and market valuation losses There were people who knew there were issues but they either kept quiet or were silenced or ignoredSpeak up Speak outFor true diversity it is key that people can call out the turd on the table when everyone else is celebrating what looks like a delicious brownie This is very difficult since the issues being called out are challenging Financial impropriety Cutting corners to make deadlines which hurts product or service quality Loathsome behavior by management Incompetence in adapting to changeIn addition to the difficulty of speaking out there is the risk of job loss increased workload to fix the problem career blackballing and of course the possibility of being wrong But speaking one39s mind is not just important in helping to avoid big problems or issues It also creates an environment that helps daytoday businessIncreases effectiveness of teams The best teams feel connected to each other and feel a sense of empathy and trust Straight talk helps foster these qualitiesGets to the root of problems Continuous improvement is critical in a fastmoving competitive age This means identifying threats weaknesses and issues These are much easier to do when voices are not stifledFosters creativity and innovation For great ideas and creativity we need trampolines of trust and an environment where disruptors can disrupt without having their lives and careers disruptedHow to unlock the voices withinSpeaking up is difficult in all circumstances but particularly if management and the culture is not supportive Studying many companies and organizations including firms as diverse as Pixar and the Navy Seals has revealed some best practices that one can unleash to encourage diversity of voiceAsk everyone to speak from the most junior to the most seniorCelebrate truthtellers and status quo breakers when they are right with promotions and financial rewardsBring in outside voices to share cases from outside and run workshopsAfter each project ask how things could have been done betterManagement should ask people to build a case for why the decision being taken by management is wrong A postmortem before the project has begun allows people to say what they need toBeing sensitive to diversity of voices as much as to diversity of faces will ensure longterm success for companiesClick the social buttons to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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Diverse Faces are Not the Same as Diverse Voices

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Rishad Tobaccowala

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