.png)
Do you value difference... really?
In all likelihood, the answer is 'No'. You're just going along with it afraid to ask 'why?' Social Construction involves phenomena - in this case, the value of human differences - that have never been observed nor substantiated, yet are deemed to exist for the simple reason that most people believe them to. Other examples include 'women belong in the home', 'ginger people are ugly', 'black people are inferior to white people', 'boys don't cry', money and Santa Claus. Collectively, today these abstractions of reality hold back 96% of all human potential - a tragedy of monumental proportions.
Change Makers like me possess uniquely broad perspectives and greater understanding of both the drivers of Human Behaviour and the true nature of reality. We use these and other special abilities to change... anything we like. Let's start by correcting this fib on our collective (un)conscience.
Newsflash: No one cares about Diversity
From the shape of our ear lobes to the size of our feet, every Human Being possesses near infinite differences to the next. That's especially the case when we look beneath the surface at our Intrinsic Characteristics - the invisible traits we all possess that drive our behaviour (such as our education, beliefs, motivations, skills, disposition, energy etc.). Human Uniqueness greatly boosts the robustness of our Human Genome plus the speed and effectiveness of Human Evolution, thanks to the sheer diversity of genes available for Natural Selection. And in a world order centred around specialisation rather than self-sufficiency, it's further enhanced our ability to survive and thrive by pooling our talents and covering each others blind spots.
That makes it pretty important to us as a species. But consider that A) with advantages and disadvantages from our natural differences broadly averaging out to the no net benefit of any particular group of Humans, and B) all visible human differences - our Extrinsic Characteristics (such as our name, height, skin colour, age, gender or nationality) - have absolutely no bearing on our abilities or behaviour (as concluded by the Human Genome Project, 2003). Therefore at an individual/society level, human differences are rightly and entirely meaningless and arbitrary. Only discriminators - those who oppress others - value difference.
Humans value Authenticity
The foundations of all interpersonal relationships are Trust and Respect. If either is broken without remedy or understanding by either party, no meaningful relationship can form or continue. Sadly for ill-fated UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, she was never able to garner either with the British public or Financial Markets after declaring her passions to the Beijing public for Pork Markets instead at Tory Party Conference 2014. A performance that betrayed her self-interest and lack of adequate Talent, Influence, Authority and ultimately Authenticity - the extent of alignment between her externally manufactured Identity and her true intrinsic Nature.
However all was not lost. After all, people change all the time. Truss' prestigious appointment to Foreign Secretary earlier that year sealed her destiny in Tory succession planning and leadership coaching to upskill her clear flaws began in earnest. But fast forward to the present where her predecessor PM Boris Johnson's early resignation announced 7th July threw those plans into disarray, with no other candidate willing or able to take up residency in Number 10, and Truss still lacking the personal brand or strategic wisdom to succeed in the role. Now committed to filling the top job in the country with blatant Tokenism, instead of much needed Authenticity to help calm turbulent financial markets, Tory party leadership were clear they needed an insurance policy.
Doomed from day one (literally)
Upon her confirmation on 8th September, Truss' first act was to appoint what was touted by her party as 'the most diverse cabinet in UK history', with its 34% women and 77% non-white people (both, extrinsic traits) particularly skewed towards the top jobs.
But lacking our perspective and with the sole motivation of Performative Allyship (rather than a genuine appreciation and understanding of the strategic value of intrinsic diversity), they had in fact appointed the least diverse cabinet in UK history when measured on internal characteristics that meaningfully drive capability and behaviour. With 66% of Truss' token cabinet having attended private school versus the UK average of just 7%, the ill-informed, often self-promoters lacked meaningful authenticity, breadth of perspectives and experiences, plus talent, legitimacy, uniqueness, common identity, ideas or self-confidence garnered from self-earnt success (not just inherited wealth). Unable to formulate any plan for economic recovery beyond promptly abandoned 'flagship' policies such as untimely tax breaks for the rich, markets predictably and promptly moved against an illegitimate government that won power off the back of promises it clearly has no way of keeping.
Remind you of anyone?
In case its not abundantly clear, and much as Truth Tellers can spot Liars, we Change Makers can perceive Authenticity - as can investors and many of the 96% of customers and suppliers who aren't heterosexual white men. So while most Firms, D&I Consultancies and Award Bodies across the UK go on making the same mistakes as Liz Truss' short-lived premiership by just talking the talk, we're busy walking the walk by lending our uniqueness, authenticity, wisdom and cheerleadership to help good firms serious about doing the right thing thrive through authentic, intrinsic uniqueness.
If you're a good firm, be curious, get in touch and become Deilightful.
