Building a Diverse Framework

As we started this look at building a framework for relational leadership, I mentioned the depth of the networks Cindy and I had established within the organizations we were each with for nearly two decades and I shared how lacking we realized our professional networks were as we stepped outside those roles. While extending our individual networks was necessary in the roles we held in smaller businesses, it became mandatory when we stepped into self-employment. 

I recently had the chance to be part of an interview on a friend’s YouTube channel where we talked with the guitar player for a band that’s toured all over the world since the early 90s. He commented on being an entertainer, not a musician. He said that there were thousands of people who were better guitar players than him, but learning to entertain an audience has allowed him to play music for a living for the last thirty-five years. Cindy and I experienced the same thing, just tied to the space we work in. We occasionally stumble onto brilliant work by someone we’ve never heard of and we frequently see people get paid gobs of money for being mediocre - at best. In each case, their networks have been key to their success (or lack there of).

In introducing the idea of this framework, I also shared how many networking events we’ve attended since starting our business, even when we didn’t feel like it. In many cases early on, especially the times where we would have rather been anywhere else, we found ourselves interacting with people we already knew and had opportunities to talk with routinely; it was comfortable. Over time, though, we’ve forced ourselves to be very intentional about keeping those conversations brief so we can dedicate our time and energy at those events to establishing connections with folks we may not meet otherwise. Extending the breadth of our professional network has provided us with a larger foundation to build from, but building diversity into that framework has served us equally well.

I occasionally hop on a soapbox to rant about how focusing solely on diversity in an organization, just for the sake of being diverse, delivers little value on its own. But creating genuine inclusion across those different skills, thoughts, and backgrounds can drive tremendous growth - if we do it for the right reasons and we constantly work at it. Diversity without inclusion often creates a bigger mess than it solves. But without diversity, very little progress is made.

Cindy and I fought to build a diverse network, often forcing ourselves not to hang with the same crowd every time we showed up at an event. While that’s broadened our connections and our reach, it’s also opened doors to different perspectives we didn’t have before. Even the most structured candid feedback coming from someone who thinks like we do may never initiate change. Over time, building a diverse framework has allowed us to learn from a wide range of perspectives. Whether that’s been feedback on events we’ve hosted or spoken at, courses we’ve created, or just perspective on issues business leaders face, incorporating diversity into our structure strengthens our overall relational framework. And we’re exponentially better because of it!

Earlier, we looked at the strength of humility as we leverage leadership growth. We’ll dig into how that ties into this framework next. Before that, I’ll challenge you to look for opportunities to add a diverse voice in your plans so the feedback you’re working from isn’t the same thing you’ve always heard.