Eric I'm grateful you took on this topic! We do live in an unprecedented time where so many tribes are colliding, as if thought all the comets could light up the night sky at once without bumping into each other!
I wonder if our inherited structures of hierarchy and work are even functional for the breadth of origins and individuals collected together today. From my own personal experience as a Mestizo in the United States, none of this diversity stuff works, nor do I have hope that it will. History has no precedent for its success and as long as we rely on the systems of the past, its failure will be all but guaranteed.
Still, I do hope for integration. Perhaps that is the objective to the subjective feeling of belonging. Let diversity be only heard of by wealth managers, and inclusion be for batteries in the box. I hope at least for a society integrated to a point where, like in Mexico, being mixed becomes the unifying identity. Maybe celebrating the mixing in itself is the solution?
The breadth and origin of individuals feels rather broad to fit into existing structures and hierarchies. While I echo there’s maybe not even a hint of hope for change, it does feel like one of those photos one takes that can’t be improved through editing, no matter what techniques we try. Starting with a new photo might be the only way to shoehorn something that’s not fit for purpose.
That said, I tend to see the mixing you mention as a fountain of hope. Singapore - where my parents were born - is a total melting pot of cultures and races. I had to look up the word Mestizo (!). And when I did, it reminded me of the word Peranakan that describes people who are a Chinese- Malay mix. And one of the products of that - and one of the things that helps create a subjective feeling of belonging is food.
Peranakan food is delicious! I reckon it could rival some of your tostones. 😮
So, I agree 💯 there’s hope in mixing being the solution.
Great article Eric. It's interesting, as white, straight, upper-middle class guy in the US, I almost feel as though I'm not supposed to "belong" to any group. Or at the very least, I should feel guilty for wanting to.
To your point about fostering belonging in the workplace, my goal has always been to get to know people as best I can. I like having personal conversations so that I know who people are, what they do, where they came from, etc.. I've felt this helps people feel more welcome because at least somebody cares about them as an individual and cares to learn about their background.
It’s a great point you make, James, and I think speaks to the inadvertent consequence of focusing on inclusion of certain characteristics, and not others. Focusing on certain things is, by definition, exclusionary. It doesn’t seem a wise action to have someone feeling included before, and then excluded after. Or that you belong less.
It’s why I like looking at the conundrum sitting in an office in London, and sitting in one in Beijing, because it helps me look for ways that I can belong in both, and the ways I can cultivate belonging in both. What emerges is that different contexts require subtly different solutions. Your approach with getting to know people is a marvellous way to create that trust and connection that fosters belonging.
I know when I was working in Beijing, the lack of belonging I felt was palatable. I was effectively a foreigner. A banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) that didn’t speak fluent Chinese, and ought to have done. And then there were other low level jibes about being an expatriate.
It’s weird that I felt a greater sense of belonging working in London in the late 1990s with almost exclusively white, straight, upper-middle class men (and some women) than I did working in Beijing with people who looked like me.
I didn’t need diversity. I actually needed a sense of belonging.
Thank you for highlighting the principles you have Eric. Belonging for me is the crux of it all. It sounds easy but it requires so many interpersonal skills to create for oneself, and for others. I think this aspect is not addressed enough.
I agree Charlotte. Part of the challenge is in the threat of not belonging. It can be so visceral, and those types of feelings that really touch one's heart are what make belonging so challenging.
Thanks for this piece, Eric. Very timely for me as I’m supporting a company working through this at the moment. One thing that stood out for me when identifying the need for belonging, came about a year about when I was taking a self-directed course for adults learning how to apply it into children’s learning environments. It used Maslow’s pyramid to describe how learners must feel like they belong to a safe community to thrive and flourish. Then I applied this to my own work environment, communities, etc and saw how important this truly is for learners of all ages. So I’m starting to help clients create alignment with the team members and helping them see each other for who they are and what they bring to the table. In an increasingly global world, you make a very good point on this awareness.
Well done and looking forward to more valuable insights from you!
I'm glad this was useful for you, Kelly, and how it's unlocked more reflection about the hierarchy of needs we all have. Safety, security, purpose, love, connection, self esteem. They're all important for us to flourish.
It's one of the most challenging aspects of corporate values, I think. They tend to be quite lofty and aspirational. One company's could be mistaken for another's. What's missing, I think, is how in practice an individual can align their values as well as their needs with the corporation's objectives and values.
The closer the alignment, the more we can succeed and flourish - both as individuals and organisations.
Always stirring the pot in such useful ways Eric. Another great topic. You definitely hooked me with your spiky point of view on diversity. I am always on the lookout for simple practices/tools that get right to the heart of things. The WE/THEY test is a brilliant tool to measure where things are really at really the belonging factor, whether you're a leader and want insight into your own team or a consultant trying to help. I'm frequently conducting design calls with C-suite teams to get to the heart of what they're facing and how to speak usefully to the group. I'm going to add this question to my process. Do your people say "we" or "they" when talking about your company?
Indeed, Rick. It's a powerful and simple tool. When the answer to that question is "they", it can mark a sudden shift in how leaders see themselves and the impact of how they are leading.
I suppose it's the leaders that want to be "we" that are part of organisations that not only flourish on the balance sheet, but in their ethos and culture.
Eric I'm grateful you took on this topic! We do live in an unprecedented time where so many tribes are colliding, as if thought all the comets could light up the night sky at once without bumping into each other!
I wonder if our inherited structures of hierarchy and work are even functional for the breadth of origins and individuals collected together today. From my own personal experience as a Mestizo in the United States, none of this diversity stuff works, nor do I have hope that it will. History has no precedent for its success and as long as we rely on the systems of the past, its failure will be all but guaranteed.
Still, I do hope for integration. Perhaps that is the objective to the subjective feeling of belonging. Let diversity be only heard of by wealth managers, and inclusion be for batteries in the box. I hope at least for a society integrated to a point where, like in Mexico, being mixed becomes the unifying identity. Maybe celebrating the mixing in itself is the solution?
The breadth and origin of individuals feels rather broad to fit into existing structures and hierarchies. While I echo there’s maybe not even a hint of hope for change, it does feel like one of those photos one takes that can’t be improved through editing, no matter what techniques we try. Starting with a new photo might be the only way to shoehorn something that’s not fit for purpose.
That said, I tend to see the mixing you mention as a fountain of hope. Singapore - where my parents were born - is a total melting pot of cultures and races. I had to look up the word Mestizo (!). And when I did, it reminded me of the word Peranakan that describes people who are a Chinese- Malay mix. And one of the products of that - and one of the things that helps create a subjective feeling of belonging is food.
Peranakan food is delicious! I reckon it could rival some of your tostones. 😮
So, I agree 💯 there’s hope in mixing being the solution.
Great article Eric. It's interesting, as white, straight, upper-middle class guy in the US, I almost feel as though I'm not supposed to "belong" to any group. Or at the very least, I should feel guilty for wanting to.
To your point about fostering belonging in the workplace, my goal has always been to get to know people as best I can. I like having personal conversations so that I know who people are, what they do, where they came from, etc.. I've felt this helps people feel more welcome because at least somebody cares about them as an individual and cares to learn about their background.
It’s a great point you make, James, and I think speaks to the inadvertent consequence of focusing on inclusion of certain characteristics, and not others. Focusing on certain things is, by definition, exclusionary. It doesn’t seem a wise action to have someone feeling included before, and then excluded after. Or that you belong less.
It’s why I like looking at the conundrum sitting in an office in London, and sitting in one in Beijing, because it helps me look for ways that I can belong in both, and the ways I can cultivate belonging in both. What emerges is that different contexts require subtly different solutions. Your approach with getting to know people is a marvellous way to create that trust and connection that fosters belonging.
I know when I was working in Beijing, the lack of belonging I felt was palatable. I was effectively a foreigner. A banana (yellow on the outside, white on the inside) that didn’t speak fluent Chinese, and ought to have done. And then there were other low level jibes about being an expatriate.
It’s weird that I felt a greater sense of belonging working in London in the late 1990s with almost exclusively white, straight, upper-middle class men (and some women) than I did working in Beijing with people who looked like me.
I didn’t need diversity. I actually needed a sense of belonging.
Thank you for highlighting the principles you have Eric. Belonging for me is the crux of it all. It sounds easy but it requires so many interpersonal skills to create for oneself, and for others. I think this aspect is not addressed enough.
I agree Charlotte. Part of the challenge is in the threat of not belonging. It can be so visceral, and those types of feelings that really touch one's heart are what make belonging so challenging.
Thanks for this piece, Eric. Very timely for me as I’m supporting a company working through this at the moment. One thing that stood out for me when identifying the need for belonging, came about a year about when I was taking a self-directed course for adults learning how to apply it into children’s learning environments. It used Maslow’s pyramid to describe how learners must feel like they belong to a safe community to thrive and flourish. Then I applied this to my own work environment, communities, etc and saw how important this truly is for learners of all ages. So I’m starting to help clients create alignment with the team members and helping them see each other for who they are and what they bring to the table. In an increasingly global world, you make a very good point on this awareness.
Well done and looking forward to more valuable insights from you!
I'm glad this was useful for you, Kelly, and how it's unlocked more reflection about the hierarchy of needs we all have. Safety, security, purpose, love, connection, self esteem. They're all important for us to flourish.
It's one of the most challenging aspects of corporate values, I think. They tend to be quite lofty and aspirational. One company's could be mistaken for another's. What's missing, I think, is how in practice an individual can align their values as well as their needs with the corporation's objectives and values.
The closer the alignment, the more we can succeed and flourish - both as individuals and organisations.
Always stirring the pot in such useful ways Eric. Another great topic. You definitely hooked me with your spiky point of view on diversity. I am always on the lookout for simple practices/tools that get right to the heart of things. The WE/THEY test is a brilliant tool to measure where things are really at really the belonging factor, whether you're a leader and want insight into your own team or a consultant trying to help. I'm frequently conducting design calls with C-suite teams to get to the heart of what they're facing and how to speak usefully to the group. I'm going to add this question to my process. Do your people say "we" or "they" when talking about your company?
Indeed, Rick. It's a powerful and simple tool. When the answer to that question is "they", it can mark a sudden shift in how leaders see themselves and the impact of how they are leading.
I suppose it's the leaders that want to be "we" that are part of organisations that not only flourish on the balance sheet, but in their ethos and culture.