It takes a great deal of courage to understand, accept, and own up to your competency in managing diversity. It is easy to give up when things get tough or when it appears that diversity is no longer in vogue. It is easy to point fingers at others when the organization is not as welcoming to diversity as we would like it to be. Nonetheless, when we point fingers, at least three of our fingers point back. It is critical that you “walk your own talk.” A lot will depend on what you do personally.
It is important to become conscious of what your own filters and personal biases are. You have to confront them and make certain you fully utilize the true gifts that your diverse workforce brings to the table. You can say all you want about your beliefs in diversity and inclusion, but if you don’t take actions to prove it, people won’t believe you.
Walking the talk means that you make certain you are living the diversity values standard you want or are holding others to meet. When you lead by example, employees get the message loud and clear that you not only talk about the importance of diversity, you live it by the way you interact with others. Modeling diversity leadership is critical for improved performance using diversity. Remember, the net effect and impact of your behavior is multiplied over the number of lives you touch as a manager. You play a vital role in whether diversity in your organization is a reality or myth. I hope that you will choose to be the “difference that helps make the diversity difference!”