Isn't Diversity the Foundation of Resilience?

As a female entrepreneur, I find the idea of using 'Diversity Hiring or Diversity Initiatives' as a marketing or publicity tool off-putting.

In light of all the current social economic turmoil and major shifts in the status quo, a daily barrage of articles and campaigns seem to be popping up left and right. The common thread that I identify with in business and life is defining resilience as a character trait of a diverse individual and diverse skill set.

I am Asian and a woman, but that has never been my signature tagline or my basis for my story or pitch to suggest a valid reason to hire me. Watching the endless press releases, announcements, campaigns, social media posts and statements from multiple sources, I can’t help but cringe and question their timing and sincerity.

Rather than serving as a platform to sell, diversity has served as the foundation of my resilience. Perhaps it stems from my childhood, growing up as a daughter of a military officer during a time when anti-Asian sentiment was very tangible. Diversity and resilience were the fabric of our household.

Likewise, adapting to change as we moved constantly, with rules and structure in place, pushed the need for creativity. Diversity was my lens for seeing the world, people and approaching problem solving. Resilience and strength became defining characteristics in the process.

Certainly, I have felt a distinct discrimination, inequality, and the invisible wall of my own industry that has at times not quite known what to make of me and the teams I cultivate. Proudly, I can state that they are, in fact, the most diverse set of people who are the minority in our business for several reasons, including exceptional human beings with diverse skills.

For me, it has never been intentionally building a diverse workforce or other check the box agendas. It’s truly been about love, respect and admiration for simply the best, most exceptional talent around. The fact that they bring diverse perspectives because of their varied backgrounds (in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, social beliefs) is what has contributed to the resilience of our practice and ultimately, our success.

We continue to applaud diverse thinking, people, talent and problem solving. I do use ‘we’ because it was through heartfelt conversations with each other during these difficult times that gave me the courage to share my thoughts in that the leadership qualities they respect most are the diversity, resilience and sincerity of my organization.

Please do not misunderstand. The intent is not to paint perfection or presume to suggest a role model, but sharing thoughts and hopes that through these life-changing moments we find that we can celebrate our individual diversity and use diverse problem solving to be resilient.