Overview:
Diversity is crucial for harmony and continuity in complex systems; including nature! An organization is primarily made up of people; it’s most valuable natural resource. As people do so does the system. However, the more complex the system the riskier it gets. Risk, unattended to, leads to crisis. Studies in the bio-sciences point to the importance of diversity in ensuring harmony and continuity of nature. Organizations are only a microcosm of nature.
Sensemaking is necessary for enabling positive thinking and action among peoples; especially in crisis! Globalization, technological advancement and specialization are motivating people to enact there own realities, regardless of the larger organization they belong to. So, emergent systems encourage multiple voices, self functioning teams, feedback, flexible and adaptable processes.
Diversity and Sensemaking for years have been misinterpreted, suppressed and maligned, causing great social and economic harm. Diversity Oriented Management Effectiveness (DOME) espouses appreciative approaches for looking at disharmonies that may impair the full potential of an organization if not interrupt the entire system, leading into a crisis. A crisis, if not properly managed could result in disaster!
Disharmony – Crisis – Disaster
Diversity – Sensemaking – Harmony
Individuals – Groups & Teams – Organizations & Communities
Redefining Diversity and Sensemaking:
Traditionally, organizations look at diversity in terms of race, gender and ethnicity. These are scientifically referred to as demographic diversity. Other crucial categories of diversity are psychological (values, resiliency, etc.) and organizational (hierarchy, functions, skills, etc.) diversity.
Research is showing that organizational control on its people and systems is ineffective today due to globalization, technology (especially digital) and climate change. Individuals, teams, groups and divisions push for their independence. The center cannot hold. People want to enact their own realities. They will follow if they are able to make sense of the situation and need relative to their circumstances. Sensemaking is therefore an imperative tool today for enabling positive thinking and action, as well as for leading.
Our research has identified six variables of Diversity and Sensemaking we call FITRAE:
