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Diversity is Bigger with a Small "d"

By Jim Woods

Diversity dare I say, is hard. Racial diversity in many respects is easy. The obvious often is. But alas, there is much more to the story.

Maya Angelou quotes, speakers on diversity and inclusion, speakers on diversity in the workplace, Jim Woods, Tom Peters.png

The term diversity has become exhaustively used to become diluted to the point that we seldom see our own problems with the living of the word. I’m okay but you’re not.

We want others to see us and hear us ….. but we never mind our lack of attempting to see and hear others.  

For some people diversity is a legal imperative. And for others I allow for a simple yet important misunderstanding. Diversity is a powerful word respecting diverse points of view. We need opposing viewpoints. My greatest moments of growth have been when my premise was challenged.

The Maya Angelou quote below is a remark in my view of the subtleties of hate. Diversity the big word with a small “d”.

Tom Peters gives an excellent explanation for diversity that is locked in generally on what we see. Yet not on what WE SEE. Writes Tom Peters, “But I want to talk about a different kind of diversity for just a minute, and that different kind of diversity is what I call lowercase “d” diversity. The shorthand of what I’m about to say is if you mix stuff up on any dimensions whatsoever—short people, tall people, left-handed people, right-handed people, people from universities, people with third grade as their last year of education— mix it up and you get a better way to address problems, better answers, etc.”

Hatred ignores the bigger picture. If there is any one thing to hate it is hate. Let me know your opinion. And oh, thank you for sharing. Jim