Define diversity and inclusion terminology

- Getting along with different and diverse people is about respecting and trusting others. You get respect when you show respect. You earn trust by building trust. Whether your diverse team is in healthcare, food service industry, manufacturing, or the high pressured IT department, each team is unique. Today's team is a diverse collection of individuals proud of who they are, their gender, their sexual orientation, their religion, their ethnic background, and all the other attributes that make an individual unique. There are even new labels for identifying some groups such as the acronym LGBTQ and POC. Add to this, the multi-generations present in the workplace. As the manager, you should research and become familiar with some terms. It would also make sense to understand some historical contexts for relevant terms. Affirmative action, this is a plan put in action in 1965 by then President Johnson requiring business workforce to mirror the community. Assimilation, this is a process whereby a minority culture is expected to adopt the behaviors of the majority culture. Bias, this is prejudice in favor of or against a person or group, usually considered unfair. Diversity, this is a state of being diverse, having variety. Examples of which are multiculturalism, ethnic diversity, social opinions, these are different. Inclusion, this means including others around the table in conversations and decisions. Microaggression, this is subtle, unintentional, discriminatory behavior against a member of a minority or marginalized group. Prejudice, this is an unfair feeling of dislike for a person or group because of race, sex, or religion. Sexism, this is prejudice or discrimination typically against women. Stereotype, this is unfairly believing that all people with a characteristic are the same. The manager should not make fun or be flippant about words or terms, nor should he allow others to do the same. Even if the person pokes fun about their own race, religion, gender, height, weight, that doesn't mean it's acceptable for you to do so. If you're not sure what terms are acceptable, ask the person, always being respectful. Don't include ethnic traits in a person's description unless necessary. We are accustomed to law enforcement describing persons of interest, but managers should refrain from this. Check with your human resources director if you need guidance. No one is perfect. If you mess up, apologize sincerely and then move forward. Now let's visit a hypothetical manager named Izzy, short for Isadora. Izzy has inherited a diverse team. The team has not gelled, that's where Izzy's role begins. First impressions challenge Izzy to confront her own bias and not start off with judgmental thinking or comments. However, Izzy may not be the only one dealing with these thoughts. Team members may also be harboring or restraining comments based on first impressions towards the manager. Izzy can begin to restore cohesion and positive communications by facilitating activities that build respect and trust among team members. It was President Theodore Roosevelt who said it first, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." Familiarizing yourself with diversity terminology will not only strengthen your knowledge, but will show that you are genuinely invested in your team members.