Say No to Stereotypes!

Our mind is constantly organizing information and creating categories to understand the world, and to make sense of what happens around us. Nevertheless, there is no need to impose a set of fixed characteristics upon a person or a group of people. Stereotypes are oversimplifications of human beings. Comments such as: “Women aren’t good drivers”, “You can’t trust people who are dressed that way”, or “If he lives in that neighborhood, he must be a criminal”, are all examples of categories we create, labels we establish based on false beliefs.

By generalizing and assigning people fixed characteristics or behaviors, we are stereotyping them, and denying them the opportunity to show who they really are. We should not feel threatened by what’s new, what is different, or by other’s expectations. I am convinced that it is outside our comfort zone where amazing things may happen. That is exactly what we want to happen in our organizations: we want new ideas, great doses of innovation, creativity, and a fresh outlook. Diversity brings this synergy into any corporation.

Leaving behind prejudice will be an advantage in your organization. Innovation is only possible when we give ourselves and our workplace an opportunity to explore and broaden perspectives. Valuing other ways of understanding the world, is recognizing the riches of different worldviews.

My advice is to keep an open mind and create an atmosphere of respect and trust to generate diverse points of view and to stay on top of the latest trends in different fields. Promote a dynamic and innovative work environment, welcome diversity, get rid of stereotypes, question absolutely everything, and don’t take anything for granted.

There is an aggregated value in considering different perspectives. It is your choice to tap on the wealth of diversity.