If diversity’s benefits seem missing where you work… why not debunk the following 5 myths, and give differences a chance to ratchet up your bottom line:
Myth 1: Business IQ is fixed and a few have more. Reality: One key condition for more intelligent solutions is tone we foster at work so that the brain’s plasticity can rejuvenate. People’s tone IQ… as well as business IQs, influence how others develop and use
more mental acumen on the job.Myth 2: It’s all about gender inabilities. Reality: Rich offerings from gender differences come from the fact that human brains biologically differ in structure and function. Ability attributed to one over the other gender … assumes false hierarchies, and misses huge talents waiting in the wings of both. Why not instead, ask men … ask women … and get the goods!
Myth 3: Racial images rarely matter at work. Reality: Mounting evidence for visual intelligence show that icons and images we take in visually … influence how we act out inclusion or exclusion of those who differ. Why emphasize images associated with a noose … when inclusion is sparked more in images of wings?
Myth 4: Firms should focus on diversity training. Reality: Not so. Each time people tackle new skills, face updated facts, or try new approaches ... they change the physical composition of their brains. Neuroplasticity trumps diversity training. Check out the brain’s ability to grow daily, by surveying and developing multiple intelligence differences across all staff. Tap rich differences that get lost in most training sessions.
Myth 5: Hard skills hold more value than soft skills. Reality: On the job training should include an integration of skills in ways that allow differences to emerge across both. Neither hard... nor soft ... but rather smart skills mix in less cynicism in return for higher brain based productivity across differences.
Diversity training may not bring many benefits from on-the-job differences … but mounting research about diverse intelligences … shows intelligence for new perks. Worth a deeper dive into differences around you?
» Here's to an Intelligent New Year! from BrainBasedBusiness
Some time ago I suggested that it’s better to ask people … How are you smart? … than to ask … How smart are you? Today I happened upon Steve Olson’s amazing post on intelligence that helped to answer how... [Read More]
Tracked on: December 31, 2007 8:37 PM | Permalink to Trackback