Diversity and Innovation
Lorenzo, R. (2017, Oct). Rocio Lorenzo: How diversity makes teams more innovative
What does the speaker’s experience mean to you?
From the speaker’s experience, I have discovered that the notion of diversity has always been so misunderstood within various scholarly spheres. The incorporation of the term ‘diversity’ in different categories of life can potentially have positive reverberations. From the speaker’s speech, as a listener to the speech, the speaker’s questions that she raised also had a thought-provoking impact on me. Like the speaker, I marvelled at the possibility of the effects of diversity on organizations and whether it bolsters innovation.
Without a doubt, innovation in the modern-day era is a pivotal instrument in the emergence of new technologies, and having a business edge over competition in the market. The speaker’s experience, made me realize that harboring the aspect of diversity within an organization, brings more different perspectives to the table, and the most viable options are taken from the diverse angles of approach and bolster the warding off of competition, and also gives rise to the emergence of new and better products for the consumers. According to Saxena, (2014), workgroups that have implemented the aspect of diversity, often produce increased cognitive processing and information exchange within the context of the workplace. Besides, it fosters the development of new concepts ideas, and experiences whereby persons get to learn from their colleagues at the workplace (Segal, 2019). As such, diversity in this sense encourages diverse points of view, which enhances ameliorated problem-solving. Also, the notion of diversity ensures that creativity is bolstered. From the speech, it is therefore apparent that the more diverse a company gets, the more innovative it becomes, warding off competition.
What 5 theories or course concepts help you to understand your experience?
The first concept that helped my understanding of the speaker’s experience is the notion of non-verbal communication (Kudesia & Elfenbein, 2013). Its importance lies in the fact that it helped me realize how broad it is and its efficiency in diversity within various companies. Another concept is the pattern of communication among the U.S. ethnic minorities. In this regard, understanding the cultural association helps in the communication associated with minority cultures. The concept of gender differences in communication helped me understand the speaker’s experience in that it touches on the aspect of socialization. The concept of bilingual communication helped me understand the notion of its cognitive advantages regarding diversity in communication. Finally, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs helped my understanding of the aspect of friendship in diversity.
What have you learned from the experience?
Doubtless, from the speaker’s speech, I have learned that since diversity is an integral tool in ensuring that it fosters the conception of new experiences and ideas, it is also vital in ensuring that it sets people free from the aspect of conformity to adopting only a singular way of life. From the speech, diversity in creating differing ideas and perspectives bars persons from the notion of thinking wholesomely as a group. Uniform thinking comes to the fore when people want to conform and not have diverse ideas.
How might you move forward from this point?
From this point henceforth, I believe that I would be alive to the notion of diversity and its importance in the innovation spheres. With this in mind, it is also essential that I employ the concepts of communication in the creation of harmony of diversity. Embracing diversity would not only bolster togetherness across all cultural boundaries but also across the genders. As such, I would ensure that I embrace diversity as differing opinions lead to better results than one way.
How might the experience affect your thinking and practice?
Doubtless, from the speaker’s discussion, I have realized that diversity is an important tool for the aspect of innovation and warding off competition. Inclusion initiatives and embracing diversity emphasize the creation of a culture, which is accommodative of everyone, regardless of their sexual identity, race, and ethnicity (Jacobs, 2020). As such, the speaker has triggered my thinking to reason in a way that accommodates all diverse opinions to guarantee advanced decisions and better innovations.
How can you apply these new ideas in the future?
In the future, my point of intrigue will be to ensure that all persons across the divide are aware of the aspect of diversity. This will be so, regardless of their gender orientation, cultural background, ethnicity, and race. Also, I would dedicate my time to how important diversity is in fostering unity, and cohesion, and developing ideas that are of advantage to everyone. I would hold meetings where the patrons are of different cultures and other diverse aspects reasoning together to address a common goal. Creating forums where I can explain the importance of embracing diversity on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook would be my goal in the future. Therefore, without a doubt, innovative ideas are most likely to bloom in the wake of unity present in reasoning together.
Identify three opportunities for future growth or engagement
From the speech, I can become a researcher, aiming to explore ways competing organizations can embrace diversity in their companies to bolster growth and oneness. Besides, with the acquired knowledge in this course, I believe I can explore the mentorship program where I encourage the public on proper ways to incorporate togetherness in the community through diversity. Lastly, I would seek a venture into politics, whereby I would use my position of influence to help change or ameliorate policies that touch on incorporating diversity in all levels of society.
References
Jacobs, B. S., Hatzigeorgiou, M. N., & McCamant, K. L. (2020). Cultivating a Culture:: Implementing Methods to Embrace Diversity and Inclusion. Nurse Leader, 18(5), 426-429.
Kudesia, R. S., & Elfenbein, H. A. (2013). Nonverbal communication in the workplace.
Lorenzo, R. (2017, Oct). Rocio Lorenzo: How diversity makes teams more innovative [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/rocio_lorenzo_want_a_more_innovative_company_hire_more_women
Saxena, A., 2014. Workforce Diversity: A Key to Improve Productivity. Procedia Economics and Finance, 11, pp.76-85.
Segal, E., 2019. Why We Need Diversity. [online] Psychology Today. Available at: <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/social-empathy/201907/why-we-need-diversity#:~:text=Diversity%20brings%20in%20new%20ideas,true%20for%20our%20culture,%20too.> [Accessed 26 May 2021].
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Question
Week 4 Assignment: Self Reflection
For this assignment, you will be writing a reflection paper on one of the following TED talks. In the Self Reflection assignment, examine the effect of course material on your assumptions and knowledge about the role of culture or your everyday interactions with others from a different culture, religion, or socio-economic group. While the reflection is subjective, the paper should be an integration of your experience and the course readings.
- Lorenzo, R. (2017, Oct). Rocio Lorenzo: How diversity makes teams more innovative [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/rocio_lorenzo_want_a_more_innovative_company_hire_more_women
- Pinker, S. (2005, July). Steven Pinker: What our language habits reveal [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/playlists/228/how_language_changes_over_time
- Talhouk, S. (2012, November ). Suzanne Talhouk: Don’t kill your language [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/playlists/228/how_language_changes_over_time
- Wilson, T. (2017, June). Theo E.J. Wilson: A black man goes undercover in the alt-right [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/theo_e_j_wilson_a_black_man_goes_undercover_in_the_alt_right
After referring to the TED talk, respond to the following questions.
- What does the speaker’s experience mean to you?
- What 5 theories or course concepts help you to understand your experience?
- What you have learned from the experience?
- How might you move forward from this point?
- How might the experience affect your thinking and practice?
- How can you apply these new ideas in the future?
- Identify 3 opportunities for future growth or engagement.
The reflection paper should be formatted in APA style, and include 3 scholarly references.