Diversity is a reality; inclusion is still a work-in-progress

Diversity is a reality; inclusion is still a work-in-progress

Concerns and questions surrounding a lack of diversity and inclusion and its broader impact – especially within technology firms and startups – have been widely explored by the media, authors, consultants, and academics the past several years. Countless organizations have rushed to establish “diversity officers” and diversity policies. Despite all the attention, how much do we really understand diversity and inclusion? How can we personally be impactful?

As Verna Myers once said: “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” Recognizing the need and actively practicing these concepts are vastly different.

Empathy is the root of human improvement

Diversity is more than gender – although that might be the one point of difference most talked about today. Diversity is also about age, ethnicity, socioeconomic backgrounds, beliefs, diversity of thoughts, and beyond. It is more than just placing a “token” diverse member in your team – and it’s not about numbers and quotas. It is about leveraging the power of different voices and thoughts, in order to better understand your customers’ needs – and to provide a more inclusive solution for the betterment of not just your organization, but the broader society. It is about providing a supportive culture and organization structure that provides a space where diverse individuals and teams can thrive. It is about providing a safe, inclusive environment for everyone to share their experiences and opinions, and to challenge existing thinking.

After all, how innovative and interesting would we be if we all think and talk alike? How would our actions and assumptions ever be challenged if we thought all the same?

Which brings the painful question: Why then, are we still talking about diversity in the workplace, and as a society, why do we struggle so much with it, when it seems to be a sensible and natural thing to do? Perhaps humans aren’t really ready to look beyond themselves.

Technology is age and gender agnostic

Diversity and inclusion have implications far beyond simple optics. Let’s consider the longevity market for a moment – a $7.6 billion opportunity in the U.S. alone. There are now more people older than 65 than there are children younger than five today. But how much do we actually understand the changing needs of this growing demographic and the challenges they face? How many fintechs startups do you know of that are innovating for the 115 million older adults and their circles of care? For example, Americans age 60-plus owe more than $86 B in unpaid college loans. 40% of them 65 and older are in default. But looking at the student loan solutions that are in the marketplace, one would think that this is just a millennial problem. Wouldn’t the lack of focus on this issue and demographic suggest the need of more inclusive thinking then?

None of us are born biased. And neither is our technology – it does not , or should not, care about how old we are, what gender or ethnicity we belong to, or where we were born.

Our upbringing and our life experiences shape our view – of how the world is, and how it should be. That in turn, shape the solutions that we create and the challenges we choose to tackle.

With emerging technologies such as voice and artificial intelligence, we have the opportunity to re-shape our future and create a more equitable society for all. We can all be active participants in writing the next chapter of humanity that reflect our values and priorities – for a world that is as diverse and vibrant as ever.

So what are you waiting for?

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Listen in to our latest podcast episode of Judge Me By My Cover on iTunes and Spotify, as Bradley and I chat about the recent Voice Summit, Melinda Gates’ book “Moment of Lift”, and our thoughts on diversity, inclusion, and empathy.

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