EMBRACING DIVERSITY
It's the difference between us, that makes the difference.
Maria van der Schoot - 27 July 2020
No matter where we look, in which system we engage, anywhere where we incorporate diversity, a system will thrive.
Organisations that choose to embrace a variety of people that:
· Stem from different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures;
· Have different genders, and
· Hold different political preferences, world views and beliefs
…are most likely to thrive (depending on the level of respect they hold whilst integrating all differences).
Unexploited ecosystems that have maintained their biodiversity in:
· Specie richness
· Plant diversity, and
· Natural climate fluctuations
…will thrive.
Human physical body’s that are nurtured with:
· Diverse diets and
· A variety of exercise routines
…will thrive.
It’s clear when we look at solving complex issues such as global warming, inequality, human rights and poverty for example, we need to look at the system as a whole.
Often, when looking at sustainability issues, attempts to grapple with this complex problem may consider one, sometimes two, but rarely three perspectives in the solutions that are generated. Viewpoints can include a lens of:
· Environmental sustainability;
· Social sustainability and/or
· Economic sustainability
No complex issue can be solved solely by taking only one of these perspectives into consideration.
For example, in order to solve global poverty issues, we need to take into account the communities these people live in, how they are being dominated by western cultures based on their economic interest and the challenges they face when operating in constant and rapidly changing natural environments.
When looking to address complex sustainability issues, it can be argued that we need to take yet another perspective into account and that is the personal sustainability perspective.
Personal sustainability looks at the well-being of the individual and the state one is in, in order to thrive.
Ensuring one can keep on serving themselves, others and their environment to contribute to something bigger than themselves without collapsing.
During our 7-week program LISTEN on personal sovereignty, communication and resilience, we will dive deeper into exploring how to achieve personal sustainability and how to take full responsibility for one's own state.
We will look at how to navigate complexity, get clarity on our perspectives and create awareness on how our beliefs run our actions and thoughts. Simultaneously, we will look further into how this perspective fits in the others and how we can thrive on diversity by incorporating all.
Are you as curious about these juicy topics as we are?
Click here for our 7 week course in the art and science of personal sovereignty, powerful communication and resilience.
Click here for YES&’s Digital Event | August Edition - What does it look like to listen, speak and act from a place of authenticity and independence? A collective dialogue to support our relationship building capacity in work and life.