I work for a large, global chemical company based here in the United States. Last year I received a promotion to a level that includes leadership responsibilities – and additional training for such activities. I was at our corporate office all last week in training, including a day and a half of “diversity and inclusion” training. For as much as I was NOT looking forward to this, it was, by and far, much better than I expected. Some parts were deep in PC, but most was just discussions on global business and dealing with people with vastly different cultural backgrounds.
I only knew one other person in the class of 30, a friend of mine in the same work group that received the same promotion at the same time. He is also a Commander in the Navy Reserves (pilot). Our outlook in life is quite similar.
We agreed to help one another get through the class by kicking each other under the table if one strayed into dangerous territory during the D&I class – you know, like espousing a politically incorrect view of any kind. It didn’t work!
At one point their was a short quiz – 10 questions – to help assess oneself. No right or wrong answers (I heard that 100 times over the day and a half course) – just an assessment of basically whether you were more “western” in your approach to time and business, or more “non-western”.
Everyone took the quiz, then graded ourselves afterwards. My friend teased me – I got 10 out of 10, and he only had a 7 (I told him that had he been Army or Marines he would have got the right score instead of a pansy one!) . The average score for Americans in business is in the range of 5-9; for our workforce, it’s a 6, and for our leadership a 6.4. Belgians had the highest average score of any western nation (7). Japanese businessman had an average score of 2. Again, a measure of one's concept of time management - and the importance of time, as well as the importance of measureable things versus that of relationship, position, etc.
Well the leader of the course decides to poll the class on their scores, and writes the numbers 10 through 1 on a flip chart. She then asks if there were any 10’s, turning around quickly without a real look. She starts to ask for any 9’s when someone in the class pointed out that we had a 10 – one 10 – and that was me. Her comment? “Really? In all my years of facilitating this class I’ve never had a person with a 10”.
Well, I know why. The last question was “The way business is conducted in developing countries is not better than nor worse than it is in developed countries; it is simply different and equally valid.” You had to respond “strongly agree”, “agree”, “disagree”, or “strongly disagree”. I responded “disagree”.
Needless to say, this is a political landmine question, and I am sure no one has ever answered it honestly if they either disagreed or strongly disagreed before, thus the lack of any “10” scores.
Not satisfied with killing my future advancement prospects, and deciding that my foot tasted pretty good (so why not start on my leg), I then felt the need to elaborate. I stated that I read the question – as I had read all of them – very literally, and that based on that, and any basic understanding of economics and history, the only valid answer was negative. Our economic system – free market capitalism with private property rights and the rule of law has generated more wealth of more people, and lifted more people out of poverty, than any other system in the recorded history of man. This is not open to interpretation – it is a matter of historical fact. Further, the western concept of time – realizing that time was indeed a commodity of fixed supply (versus unlimited), explained in large part, when combined with our economic system, the western world’s success compared to other parts of the world that either don’t manage time or don’t have similar economic systems – or both. If our system wasn’t superior, why was the developing world trying to copy it – if not in whole, in parts?
Arguing facts and logic with people who have their minds made up – especially on an emotional front – seldom garners any positive results. Having several people in the class from “non-western” countries probably didn’t help either. The teacher switched the topic promptly, without acknowledging my points. I’m sure somewhere, a notation has now been put in my file. Oh well, at least I was honest and stood up for my beliefs!
As I said, all in all it was a good class, and the week was very well spent. The funny thing is that I am actually an advocate for D&I - because I firmly believe that no one group has a monopoly on intelligence and talent. If the goal is to have more of these qualities, and one does not discriminate against anyone in pursuing this goal, then eventually their workforce will indeed be very diverse. Problem is, like all companies operating here (and elsewhere), the fear of litigation also drives this policy, and having heads to count is often easier (especially in a lawsuit) to defend than unrepresentative individual workgroups which are often encountered when one pursues true excellence. Still, compared to some companies I've seen, we're ahead of the game on average.
Enough hard thinking before a holiday weekend...
(at myself...) 
(yes, I'm using irony 
---------------------Sixgun
