From Diversity to Cultural Intelligence: Seeing the Bigger Picture

When I first came to the United States, I landed in Richardson, Texas. I saw people of all colors, languages, and abilities living and working side by side. This diversity often reminded me of the Apostle John’s vision — “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language.” I used to think, “I have a glimpse of heaven in my neighborhood.”

Our workplaces are no different. Every company brings together people from diverse races, ages, faiths, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, and lifestyles. All of us—through our visible traits such as gender, age, and race, as well as our less visible ones such as beliefs, values, and habits—carry a unique micro-culture to work.

The surprising thing is that diversity has benefits that give companies a competitive advantage. Data shows:

·        Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time compared to individuals working alone.

·        Companies with diverse workforces outperform peers financially.

·        Companies with teams have higher productivity and engagement.

One of the greatest strengths of the United States as a nation is our openness—we value people for the talents they bring, whether they are carefully mowing a yard or identifying gaps in tech security before engineers do. From mom-and-pop businesses to corporations larger than some nations, employers have learned that difference is an advantage, not a deficit. This attitude brings with it great rewards.

Consider JPMorgan Chase’s Mortgage Banking Technology division. Their team members with autism achieved productivity in three months that typically took others three years—a sixfold increase. You can read more about their remarkable success here.

This is why, when DEI was dissolved, educational institutions like Southern Methodist University redefined it through the lens of Cultural Intelligence. Personally, I prefer this approach because it brings everyone to the same platform—treating each person with respect and dignity while helping us understand and work effectively across our differences.

Cultural intelligence empowers us to be more—to rise to our better selves.