Diversity is real and lasting if it exists from the top of any organization or society, to the bottom. In that order.

Attempting to seed diversity from the front lines upward almost always slows, and fails. Where you have diverse front line bankers and their managers,diversity seems to dissapear as you go up the org chart. Often, this means to imply some diversity is actually diversification to interface with consumers, but not truly create lasting, diverse progress.

When I hear diversity, I ask myself to measure it by its highest presence and practice in management. If it's missing, a culture and practice of diversity is missing. Going for curry for lunch with the Indian guy isn't it.

To beliefs that see diversity difficulties from two cultures tiptoeing around each other: no one exclusively owns kindness, professionalism, goodness or the practice of being any of these things. We deny ourselves and others the dignity of humanity and being treated humanely when we do not take a minute to learn someone's story and humanize them, instead feeding division.

When not focused on inclusiveness, diversity quickly becomes division.

Reading so many stories about the symptoms and experiences of "diversity", or lack thereof reinforced my beliefs:

1) Don't be an overt badge or token. If anything, be a lot of badges so your diversity is just one of them. Use it for good and encourage your white friends to use their white privilege for good.

2) It's a reality to deal with any -ism. Age, "race" , gender, religion. People do not fight over these things as much as fighting over interpretations of these things. Some will always look for the easiest thing they can find to marginalize others with. Take it as a sign you are doing something right, if the narrow minded folks are threatened by you.

3) Not choosing the family you were born into, or the color of your skin, nor choosing your gender before you were born is a pretty small minded way to practice bias. Ignorants will be dumbfounded when you say you didn't pick the family you were born into, when they mistreat you just for that.

4) If I end up in a room where I get half the respect as anyone, and I have to be twice as good to get equal respect, four times as good to be special, and eight times as good to be extraordinary....

5) Do I give up when challenged to be 8 times better, or walk away with the ability to drink from a firehouse when others can't breathe? Would such a talent help, or hurt building the life of my dreams and using it to be on a path of service and compassion towards all of humanity?

The above could lead to some people feeling disconnected and disillusioned from their citizenship in their community, humanity. It's never fazed me too much because I did have a diverse group of friends who took a minute to turn this strangers so easy to marginalize, into a person and in some cases a friend.

A side effect of pursuing extremely positive self growth is all the haters (who are self-haters first) become a servant to your achieving more than your potential. It also can fuel jealousy because most often haters are busy doing nothing themselves near the 8x you're capable of, thanks to them.

Nindho.