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

EXCELLENCE: Differences Create It!

Putting our differences to work has unlimited possibilities. It is at the intersection of all that distinguishes us that we find new levels of innovation, excellence, and contribution. You've been there, haven't you? Do you remember the grand experiences when a moment was achieved when collaboration WORKED! When we intertwine the best of the best in each of us, we see how much we can accomplish together --- achievements not possible without our individual differences.

Consider this example...
When something is done well, one need only soak it in and enjoy pure excellence. One need not know anything about the art form because the performance transcends knowledge.

In this example of putting our differences to work, you need not know anything about horses to appreciate greatness and the joy of dancing your best dance!

http://beboframe.com/FlashFrame.jsp?Size=S&FlashBoxId=3309347442

Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.

What distinguishing qualities about you might be matched with qualities with others to achieve new levels of excellence?

Watch for the opportunities!

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 1, 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

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

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

Competencies + QUALITIES for Leaders

Peter F. Drucker, known as the father of modern management, left a lasting influence on how I developed as a leader. In Putting Our Differences to Work, I share how I always loved his straight way of talking. I saw him once look out at an audience of many hundreds of people, all clinging to each word he spoke. He gave us a message I've never forgotton --- 8 simple words to last a lifetime:

"Make your contribution. Everything else is a diversion."
-- Peter F. Drucker

He also was very clear on the Four Competencies that he thought every leader needed:

1. The willingness, ability and self-discipline to LISTEN . "Listening is not a skill; it is a discipline. Anybody can do it. All you have to do is to keep your mouth shut."

2. The willingness to COMMUNICATE, to make yourself understood.

3. RE-ENGINEERING MISTAKES. Being able to say, "This doesn't work as well as it should. Let's take it back and re-engineer it."

4. The willingness to realize HOW UNIMPORTANT YOU ARE compared to the task. "Leaders subordinate themselves to the task."

He reminded us about how great leaders see their role, "When effective leaders have the capacity to maintain their personality and individuality, even though they are totally dedicated, the task will go on after them. ...Otherwise they do things for personal aggrandizement, in the belief that this furthers the cause. They become self-centered and vain."

These four competencies are timeless. Using them as your "yardstick" for self-assessment and ongoing renewal is a great idea. Ask yourself often --- perhaps at the end of each week --- How did I do this week LISTENING, COMMUNICATING, RE-ENGINEERING MISTAKES and SUBORDINATING my ego to the task at hand. 
(Source: Managing the Non-Profit Organization)

I think today our organizations and the world are asking us to strengthen these competencies with still a new level of thinking and questioning, as well as developing a new set of distinctive qualities that will help us effectively work across the differences that define our distributed and global workplaces, marketplaces and world. In my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, I define five qualities that challenge new thinking and action. Here is a summary:

• Makes diversity an organizational priority. This quality reaches beyond “putting our differences aside,” “see what we have in common” --- it values these truths, plus values of the differences too.
• Gets to know people and their differences.
  This quality expands our thinking to see the many dimensions of diversity in a new light; developing a curiosity and knowledge of others.
• Enables rich communication. This quality defies the notion of unilateral streams of thought; it opens the way to go way beyond two-way communication of the past with openness.
• Holds personal responsibility as a core value. This quality challenges us to change the mindset that travels with us; inspiring others to do the same by our example.
• Establishes mutualism as the final arbiter. This quality adds a new guide for decisions, problem-solving, products, services and profit-making --- everyone benefits; no one is harmed.

How do your competencies and qualities stack up?

What skills and attributes have been more beneficial to you as a leader?

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

It's COOL to Be Different

Have you ever felt like you were different? I admit it. I have. Not in a bad way (except on a down day), but I think I always knew that I was just not from a normal lot. I wonder if most of us feel this way for our own unique reasons. I am a thinker. A dreamer. A doer. I can play and really get into almost anything giving it 150%. I've also learned I'm adaptable --- life has had its inherent twists and turns, missteps, milestones and miracles. How about you? Through it all, I never felt light and carefree, as much as driven to make a contribution. Sometimes, I long for the easy time, do you? ...and when I am just burned out on it all, I wonder why and how I got this way.

As I have contemplated the art of putting our differences to work, it has helped me recognize how important it is for each of us to own and accept our differences --- our quirks and unique qualities. In doing do, I am sure we will then be able to better welcome and appreciate the differences in others.

Recently, I found a writing by Steve Jobs one of the co-founders of APPLE. He seemed to be cheering each of us on --- those of us who know we've come from a self-defined odd lot. Reading his wisdom made me feel so accepted and understood for a moment. It feels good! It seems from his perspective it is cool to be just a little different. See if you agree...

Here's to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes. Yes!
The ones who see things differently. Yes! Yes!

They're not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them,
disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They invent. They imagine. They heal.
They explore. They create. They inspire.
They push the human race forward. Yes! This is what I want to do!

Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art?
Or sit in silence and hear a song that's never been written?
Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?

We make tools for these kinds of people.
While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world, are the ones who do."

—Steve Jobs, Apple C.E.O.

What makes you unique?
What distinctive qualities do you bring to leadership?

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