WTH just happened?: Big disruptions

Are we questioning the values, or the way the values are being applied?

I think about some of the policy-focused DEI work... there's a gravity when so many people buy into something in a short period of time, of actually questioning it. And there's a lot at stake in questioning things like that... nobody wants to be on the wrong side of that conversation. Whatever side they believe is right, no one wants to be on the wrong side of it. We might mistake questioning the application, for questioning the values themselves... and so we might avoid taking the risk of actually having a conversation: Is this the best way to get to that goal? To realize the values?

‍

Organizational diversity is essential for innovation.

In an organization, diversity... like having diverse human beings in all the complexity of that... Yes, it creates tension but when you open to it and you allow it, it also creates play and experimentation because you have different ways of seeing and experiencing and being in the world. That's exactly when it's like, ‘Oh let's play with that!’ ‘What would it be to do that?'

‍

Acknowledging the larger journey is the first step to making progress.

Many of the conversations I've had with culture people talk about the battle with cynicism in their organizations. ‘This is just another tick the box... It doesn't mean anything... Change is not going to happen... It's just optics...’ Maybe this is the space for leaders to say: We don't know the answers, but we are committed to going on the journey together. We do know if we stop and we ask questions together and we acknowledge the larger journey we can get to a place that feels like we're all in this together. Maybe that can be a really good starting place.