How to embrace diversity

Working in an international environment is usually very challenging . You not only deal with many different people from different countries, but also different personalities, opinions, cultures… However, working with different types of people is also very rewarding.

I’m a huge fan of diversity. Whether it’s about people from different backgrounds, cultures, races, nationalities, languages, religion, age, sexual preference, etc., I love and need diversity.

Appreciating diversity means recognizing differences between people. It means acknowledging that these differences are actually an asset. We should never discriminate but embrace diversity. 

What you can do as an individual

Many organizations have programs in place to improve diversity and inclusion. But as an individual, there are a few things you can do as well…

So, what can you do to embrace diversity?

✅  Be open minded

Respect everybody. Accept everyone for who they are. Do not judge. Having people with different ages for instance means different experiences and different views of seeing things. Be open to all suggestions.

✅  Stay curious

Don’t always believe stereotypes. Listen, ask questions, try to understand. Having a team with different expertise areas, backgrounds and/or languages will provide specific insights that you may not have thought of.

✅  Be willing to learn

You don’t know what you don’t know. People from different countries or cultures view things differently. They bring valuable input, especially if you implement a product or a service globally. 

Therefore, next time you have to set up a new team or manage a team, try to make it as diverse as possible. It will really help your organization.

This post was also posted on Linkedin.

#vlvcoach #diversity #inclusion #leadership