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I recently drafted a solutions proposal for an early-stage startup responding to requests for observations concerning their inclusion and diversity growth challenges.
I’m sharing these observations publicly – with names and company identity cloaked – for two reasons.
Fear breeds contempt of difference.
It’s a killjoy for equitable relationships, preventing opportunities to explore inclusion as a living practice, rooted in personal experience and curiosity as a healing force. Defaulting to fear (and its results of either freezing, ignoring or acting mindlessly) only chases away sensitivity and self-reflection.
Recently, a former work colleague and product designer shared with me that the phrase “soul-driven” smacked of “crunchy, granola” sentiments – causing a real sense of discomfort. In that moment, as kind and honest as they were, I realized they weren’t open to discover what a soul-driven leader and team is actually made of.
As founders of technology companies/startups, society is drawn to your public intention to design, build, and fulfill a massive dream. To solve crucial problems and bolster the economy. Society looks to you as a reflective example of the “impossible” made real through full-scale software, teamwork and ingenuity.