Welcome to June 2020!
The month also known as 'Pride Month'. A month to raise awareness around the inclusion of the LGTB+ community into 'normal' society.
And this year, also the month that the world is heavily protesting -mostly peacefully, but also with riots in many big cities- against the inequality between people of colour and white people (and especially against the heightened police violence against people of colour).
But you've read my first 4 words correctly... Welcome to June 2020!
Exactly, June 2020!?!
20 Years into the 21st century -the age where digital transformation is accelerating faster than ever before (driven by the corona pandemic), the year where artificial intelligence is present in every aspect of our lives (we all carry a piece of AI in the pocket of our trousers), the year of hyper-connectivity (never before has more data been sent/streamed over the internet), even the exact moment in time that humanity has successfully travelled to space with the first commercially built spacecraft (SpaceX's Crew Dragon).
And still we're facing the daily violation of and fighting for the primary right of equality?
Isn't it plain logic that every person, regardless of the colour of their skin, their race, gender or religion, should be treated equally?
Of course, equality doesn't mean that everybody should be treated in the same way. Your skillset, mindset and attitude matter too.
If you, as an Ambitious Leader, want to fly a rocket to Mars, you will need people who have the knowledge and attitude to support you in that, not just anybody will be suited to do that.
Still, everybody should have the opportunity to learn and acquire those skills through the educational system (if they want to, of course).
That's what "total inclusion" is about, and it's something that needs to be present in every Ambitious Leader's mind!
And the same holistic approach should be applied to everything.
I hear so many people say "I need to get out of my head", or "I don't take such a rational approach, I'm more of a feeler".
What kind of non-inclusive bullsh*t is that?
I've never seen a brain on feet, nor a walking heart.
We have a body, and that includes all of our organs, all of our different sensory abilities, and we can and should use all of them to be successful. Just like society needs to incorporate all people, regardless of their origin, to be successful!
And how do you do that, feeling and thinking at the same time?
Well, through the same holistic approach as the one where you include all races, genders, and religions.
All elements have their role to play, to make a better whole. And all elements involved need to accept that all those elements are present and all of them are needed: "
mutual total inclusion".
A leader is not of higher value than an operator, nor the other way around. They need each other. (because you can't operate without being led towards a goal, and you can't reach your goal without execution)
The heart is not of higher value than the brain, nor the other way around. They need each other. (because you can't think without feeling, and you can't feel without thinking)
A fantastic, innovative thought is not of higher value than a very conservative idea, nor the other way around. They need each other. (because you will scare people away, if you try to innovate and communicate changes that are too drastically different)
So, how do you do this?
Train yourself in detecting every fixed thought or idea that you might have, and then challenge yourself: is this really truthful? Is this kind of thinking still in line with the current societal thinking/movement? Is it in line with what is happening so quickly in the field of technology, or is your thinking still influenced by what you've experienced/learned more than 20 years ago?
Then adjust your thinking, catch up with what the 21st century should really look like, and go for "total inclusion", in all fields and aspects of your life! (Or -of course- keep those fundamentals that are and always will be the fundamentals of mankind. Not everything needs to be different, just to be different...)
Do you need some help in detecting, evaluating and challenging your (fixed) thoughts?
Please reach out to me, I will be more than happy to mess with your thinking! :-)
Click the button, choose 'Online Services', select a Clarity-session, choose your coach, and pick the moment that suits you best to have the conversation.
Or just send me an email.
Written by
Dennis Fredrickx, Coach for Ambitous Leaders
Dennis helps Ambitious Leaders to reach more in an easier way.
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