Diversity continues to be a popular term in today’s society. If you were to Google the word, it has over 1,170,000,000 results (in only .69 seconds). According to Merriam-Webster, it means “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements.” Diversity helps ensure long-term survival due to the synergism of the differing elements.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Seed Vault Holds Plan to Save World’s Crops” is apropos for our society today. Dwindling diversity is a threat to both our food crops and also our organizations. While many people are comfortable with uniformity, that uniformity in the end will eventually doom the organization.
More than once I have been told to “stay with my own people.” Yes, while I too may be more comfortable “with my own people”, staying in that small circle does nothing to help me improve diversity in other organizations. I will say, from experience, sometimes there does come a time when leaving an organization, that does not want to change, is the best action.
Telling people they have to change their mindset has not reached the goal of diversity in organizations or how we care for our environment. The demonstrations and sit-ins of the 60’s for peace and to save our environment had little long-term impact on today’s current situation. Educating organization leadership, getting their “buy-in”, and then implementing on-going long-term training for the rest of the organization will make the difference we need. Help be the change for diversity, both in our environment and our society.
The diversity of genetics within a hive, along with the diversity of nectar and pollen sources help provide a strong future for our favorite pollinator, the honey bee.
Grow your strength and become that 21st Century leader by attending our conference in October.
https://www.croptrust.org/our-work/svalbard-global-seed-vault/
https://www.wsj.com/articles/plan-to-save-worlds-crops-lives-in-norwegian-bunker-11590744601