Putting Our Differences to Work

INCLUSION: The Power in an Hour

From the time I started writing my new book, I wanted to create the opportunity for readers and believers in this mission to have a place to tell stories, to share experiences, to problem-solve, and most of all, to experience and practice the art of putting our differences to work --- consciously --- first-hand.

Today, I held my first in an ongoing series of Putting Our Differences to Work DIALOGUES. These one-hour conversations, held at my online Center for Dialogue at the Global Dialogue Center Conference Center, are designed for sharing your perspectives and discussing your issues, in a small, intimate virtual setting. Learn more and sign-up.

It was a small gathering, representing many differences. With just five of us, we represented different geographic perspectives: Canada, Germany, China, East Coast and West Coast United States. We also reflected the lives of corporate project manager, graduate student, writer, entrepreneur, and consultant --- and many other dimensions of difference.

In just one hour, we got a glimpse into who we are, where we had lived and worked, and shared thoughtful perspectives with one another on the topic of INCLUSION --- giving each of us something to take home. Here is a summary of some of the themes:

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE INCLUDED?

• Having a sense of belonging.
• Having access to all of the "gifts" of life.
• Belonging in a way that taps into the soul of who you are.
• Inclusion is both an environment you create and an attitude you carry with you.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO CREATE A "CULTURE OF INCLUSION" WHEREVER WE GO?
Two themes from the group about their personal practices... (paraphrased)

1. Cultivate non-judgmental listening. "I found this worked as I transitioned from a Corporate career to my own business. The big challenge was learning self-management. Learning to listen has helped invite customers in the process. I discovered I didn't have to be the one talking all the time."
2. Purposeful listening and also broadening your awareness of the diversity of others. "I ask myself how can you lend a voice to help bring others into the process."
3. Listening and showing respect are important --- but involvement matters too. "We need to go beyond listening and respect. We have take time to learn enough about each other, so we can see the value and help each other get involved."

LEADERSHIP FOR INCLUSION IS EVERYONE's JOB
As we continue to realize the implications of the changes in the landscape of leadership being as local as sitting at our desks and as collaborative as time, distance, difference and technology can take us, we all recognized that INCLUSION is not optional. Diversity is the reality of our world today and INCLUSION is the essential ingredient that "fuels" the best in all of us. It enables and accelerates the generation of new ideas, innovation, change, and growth. You can have all the diversity you want, but without a welcoming culture of inclusion for us all to grow and contribute, diversity can create chaos as we witness all around the world.

We agreed that we can't afford to have anyone opt-out from assuming the role of being leader of inclusion. With all the change that is needed in our organizations, corporations, communities, and the world, we have to recognize what Nelson Mandela reminded us in his book, Long Walk to Freedom: "With freedom comes responsibility." We all own making INCLUSION on every level part of our collective consciousness.

REFLECTIONS ON AN HOUR WELL-SPENT
Before we left our time together, we all shared one thought in reflection about the value of showing up for a conversation with new found friends different than us.

• I am leaving with a sense of possibility...
• I have conversations like this in my day-to-day work, but it was inspiring to learn from others from diverse places and careers, outside my work, discovering they too have passion about the idea of inclusion and putting our differences to work. I feel hopeful.
• Fabulous conference. ...I am very uplifted with the like minds who attended. One by one we will make differences work.
• I learned a lot from listening to others; I like to share stories and find it very inspiring to hear others.

What thoughts do you have on the topic of INCLUSION to add to these?

The next Putting Our Differences to Work Dialogue is Tuesday, August 12. Learn more...

Hope you can join us!

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

new book!
Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership and High Performance
by Debbe Kennedy ▪ Berrett-Koehler ▪ June 2008 – Hardcover
ORDER a copy at AMAZON.COM

Also available in DIGITAL DOWNLOAD at Berrett-Koehler

Foreword by Joel A. Barker, futurist, filmmaker and author
Paradigms: The Business of Discovering the Future

LEADERSHIP: The Power of Building Trust

One of my leadership role models in the distance is Kazuo Inamori, founder and chairman emeritus of Kyocera Corporation in Japan. In one of his book, For People and For Profit: A Business Philosophy for the 21st Century, he wrote about what he called "elevating your mental dimension." His belief and example align with the Five Distinctive Qualities of Leadership I introduce in my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, especially those about people, personal responsibility, and striving to live by the value of mutualism. He wrote:

"When Kyocera was first started, we had neither money nor equipment. In the midst of this I determined to base my management of the company on the human spirit.  The human spirit is changeable, but once bound by trust, there is no stronger bond in the world. By feeling mutual trust while working alongside our colleagues, we can overcome any difficulty.

I worked hard to be a leader my employees could depend on. In order that my employees and I could become trusted friends, at every opportunity I got I said I wanted them to lift up their hearts a little. In this way, the entire company staff, including myself, worked hard to elevate our mental dimension, and I believe that our complete involvement in our work brought about success of the Kyocera group."

In recent years, we have lost this kind of consciousness in many businesses and organizations. It will be essential for leaders of the future to incorporate the human dimension of leadership into their primary portfolio of leadership skills.

How do yours stack up?

YOU'RE INVITED...
Join me for online live conversation to discuss your organizational issues at my
Putting Our Differences to Work DIALOGUE CENTER.

Best...

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

new book!
Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership and High Performance
by Debbe Kennedy ▪ Berrett-Koehler ▪ May 2008 – Hardcover
PRE-ORDER a copy at AMAZON.COM

Foreword by Joel A. Barker, futurist, filmmaker and author
Paradigms: The Business of Discovering the Future

LEADERSHIP LESSON: The Best in People

There has been a quite a debate in recent months about the value of a leader's ability to inspire and the skill of bringing the best out in people --- guiding the individual to find within himself or herself the gifts to contribute that resided there all along. Why are these such important qualities in a leader?

I was cleaning out a cabinet and I found a story about George Washington that I had tucked away a long time ago. Unfortunately, it came to me without notation of its origin. There must have been something that touched me even then, long before I was focused on the art of putting our differences to work. The story clearly demonstrates the usefulness of these inspiring, insightful qualities. President Washington shows by his example what it means to see and ignite the best in people:

"Washington had a talent for bringing powerful, conflicting points of view into harmony. For example, such opposing characters as Jefferson and Hamilton could have split the nation into pieces, but realizing how badly the country needed both men, Washington labored successfully for cooperation and peace. Adopting Hamilton's fiscal policies, the President was able to place the federal government on a sound footing. And Jefferson's tremendous reasoning, writing and speaking talents were equally useful in helping to shape the infant government."

I re-read this story the other day and it has stayed with me since. I've realized as I've taken in its lesson that at this time in history, we are seeing new signs of a new generation of leadership blossoming in a way that demonstrates these qualities in action. What is notable isn't that the qualities of the individual shine. It is that when these qualities in a leader are present and connected to others, everyone shines.

In a moment of synchronicity, someone sent me a longer version of the Black Eyed Peas "Yes We Can" Obama Song than I had seen before. As I watched it again, it struck me that the Light came through not from one individual's call to action, but from the dimensions of differences inspired enough to sing their own note in response. Click HERE to watch.

Regardless of your political affiliation, the images of us feeling a sense of power in our own contributions makes my heart feel good inside. It lifts one up to see a new set of possibilities that rest in our hands.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
www.puttingourdifferencestowork.com

  http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com

Dr. King's Challenge for a New Age

It seems fitting as I write the first post on this blog that it begin with the wisdom of a great leader with an enduring influence on me and the world -- one who called us to a new greatness. So let me start with a story...

As I was finishing my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, I heard someone mention that there was one book everyone should have in their library. It is entitled, A Testament of HOPE: The Essential Writings and Speeches of Martin Luther King Jr. (edited by James M. Washington, HarperOne 1990). I found it!

When the book arrived, I opened it at random to a timely topic:  FACING THE CHALLENGE OF A NEW AGE, an address he gave at the First Annual Institute on Non-Violence and Social Change, which was held in Montgomery, Alabama in December 1956. I wanted to share it with you making just one minor modification by changing the century. It is profound how much it is a calling whispering to us from another time --- calling us to be part of a new generation of leadership that masters putting our differences to work through our thinking, actions, and behavior when no one is watching.

FACING THE CHALLENGE OF A NEW AGE
"Those of us who live in the twenty-first century are privileged to live in one of the most momentous periods of human history. It is an exciting age filled with hope. It is an age in which a new social order is being born. We stand today between two worlds---the dying old and the emerging new.

...another thing that we must do in speeding up the coming of the new age is to develop intelligent, courageous and dedicated leadership. This is one of the pressing needs of the hour. In this period of transition and growing social change, there is a dire need for leaders who calm and yet positive leaders who avoid the extremes of "hot-headedness"... The urgency of the hour calls for leaders of wise judgement and sound integrity---leaders not in love with money, but in love with justice; leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with humanity; leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause."

Then Dr. King goes on to paraphrase Holland, which was Josiah Gilbert Holland (1819-1881), a poet and novelist, this way:

God give us leaders!
A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Leaders whom the lust of office does not kill;
Leaders whom the spoils of life cannot buy;
Leaders who possess opinions and a will;
Leader who have honor; leders who will not lie;
Leadersho who can stand before a demagogue
and damn his treacherous flatteries without winking!
Tall leaders, sun crowned, who live above the fog
in public duty and private thinking.

As I wrote in Putting Our Difference to Work, all we already know about leadership is valuable. However, to strengthen our portfolio of skills to live up to the call of this new age, five distinctive qualities of leadership are introduced. They fundamentally change the rules in how we think and act. They reframe old notions that no longer work to our advantage in our organizations or wherever we find ourselves having an opportunity to have a positive influence on others. These qualities are needed at all levels of leadership, including individual contributors and aspiring leaders who may not see themselves as leaders. Our distributed workplaces and communities mean that we all step in and out of leadership roles that require new skills to understand, interact, and relate with others different than we are.

The Five Distinctive Qualities of Leadership are summarized in the PDF overview I created about the book.

What other ideas do you have to help us all improve our human qualities to better lead in business and society more effectively?

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
author, Putting Our Differences to Work

new book!
Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership and High Performance
by Debbe Kennedy ▪ Berrett-Koehler ▪ Spring 2008 – Hardcover
PRE-ORDER a copy at AMAZON.COM

Foreword by Joel A. Barker, futurist, filmmaker and author
Paradigms: The Business of Discovering the Future