Simultaneous Equations to Diversity

Have you ever read the description of you based on your Zodiac sign and thought to yourself, "That's sort of true but not all of it." Did you ever have a tough time completing a behavioral test, such as Myer Briggs because it felt like you could answer the question multiple ways? When we have trouble relating to written descriptions of ourselves, it is because we are navigating several identities at that moment.

An engineer at my work recently reminded me of the concept of simultaneous equations. He said we all learned it in school, but most have forgotten it. It is the concept where you need to factor in multiple equations in order to fully appreciate the problem. For example, it would too simple to contribute a string of nor'easters to global climate change. There are likely other things involved that also made that particular weather pattern possible.  

This conversation got me thinking about how sometimes the KISS concept - keep it simple stupid, may not be the best path when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Majority of the awareness programs focus on simple unconscious biases and stereotypes that are based on single equation assumptions of a person. The truth is we are all products of numerous potential simultaneous equations. On the surface, my children look Chinese. They will grow up as Chinese Americans. Like most siblings, they couldn't be more dissimilar from each other.

For example, when we assume a middle age white male is of the majority, we may be overlooking his sexual preference or his psychological disability, etc. When we learn that a Chinese woman is an immigrant and assume that she may have a language barrier or will exhibit stereotypical behaviors of a woman raised in China, we may be overlooking that she was a baby when she moved to the US and raised as a Mormon in Utah. 

Even people with the most check-the-box attributes of the 'majority' in America are constantly navigating multiple identities based on where they grew up, the way they were raised, their alma mater, their income and career stage, age and ability, etc. Imagine the executive who was an all-star quarterback in college with a full scholarship but grew up in a trailer park with alcoholic and abusive parents. Every one of those factors may contribute to his decisions and behavior at work.

We are all navigating a number of identities. We are all complex creatures who for the majority of time behave a certain way based on beliefs and cultures, and other times based on mood swings. If we are all amalgomies of simultaneous equations, then there may be a potential common ground that can be leveraged to solve diversity and inclusion problems around the world.

I propose we have Open Talk Programs at work that allow EVERYONE to have a chance to talk about the parts of their identity that make them feel different, proud, vulnerable, or self-conscious. As a group, we can explore these parts and how they affect decisions and behaviors at work. An open dialog such as this may shine a light on the invisible diverse attributes underneath the visible ones and will allow everyone involved to relate to each other's struggle with navigating multiple identities. 

Stay Amasian!