From the President’s Desk: Diversity Is More Than a Buzzword

Every so often, I like to take a stroll down the wood-lined paved path that runs behind our condo complex. Walking down this former rail line gives me time to take in the sights and sounds of nature and spend a moment focused on simply putting one foot in front of the other.

On a recent stroll, I was struck by something other than the trees and chipmunks. For perhaps the first time, I noticed the people around me. I walked past two women in hijabs talking animatedly with one another, families with hordes of children on little plastic scooters, and a group of young men joking in a language I couldn’t even begin to understand. Coming into town, I breathed in the smell of our local brewery (known for its hot chicken sandwiches), saw the glow of the neon sign in our local Italian bistro (which teaches pasta-making classes), and heard the laughs of the crowds lining up for an evening treat at our local ice cream parlor.

My feet came to a halt. I looked at the bright blue sky above me, the sun shining through the rippling leaves, and was struck by how lucky I was.

I’m beyond fortunate to live in a diverse neighborhood. And by “diverse” I don’t mean that our neighborhood has a DEI program; I mean that the city provides a home for people from all walks of life, not by highlighting differences but by celebrating what we all have in common. All of us need a place to eat, exercise, shop, or worship – so why not make room for everyone? Why not have choices? Why not make space to include handmade pasta and hot chicken? 

Whether you’re hungry for corned beef or chole, mudslides or mole – anyone can feel at home in my neighborhood. The diversity of food, music, and language means I constantly get to experience so much more of our wide world - even in my small town.

For some time now, diversity has been a buzzword that people – and companies – seem to toss around. Don’t get me wrong: diversity SHOULD BE a key concept in any organization! But recently, we’ve become so caught up in trying to identify what these terms mean instead of focusing on doing the work. Think about it this way: is your organization more likely to become diverse by drafting a robust diversity policy, or by building a diverse team?

Connico takes pride in celebrating diversity, welcoming team members with a variety of backgrounds—from singing to skiing, Jamaica to Johannesburg, and psychology to statistics. In our discussions, we include everyone, whether their title is director or intern. We give all team members a voice at the table in case some new ideas are better than the one we’re working with. This inclusive approach fosters a wide range of perspectives, helping us continuously refine and improve as we grow.

What if building a resilient organization wasn’t about a policy or paragraph, but instead about the actual makeup of a team? What if we put as much effort into talent search, interviews, hiring, and employee treatment as we do into our paperwork and websites? What if we worked every single day to build a work culture where every single person was respected for their unique talents, one-of-a-kind insights, and the brilliance that makes them who they are?

With every decision, we as leaders have the chance to put time into building something great. Greatness comes from getting the best ideas, the best approaches, and the highest quality – which means that one single voice can never rule them all. Focus on building up that chorus of multiple voices, and you, too, can enjoy the beauty of diversity.