It has been quite a while now that you have been subjected to thoughts from the President and I had figured this week was an appropriate time to give you a breather…. However, fear not and be thankful for my 60 minute daily Rockingham commute at 5am. With most sleeping and those who are not perhaps engaged in the delights of physical exercise, I share my journey with Spotify and an interesting podcast.
This mornings topic related to Diversity. Big topic, but time is on my side, so I got through 2 different podcasts one from Yourceomentor and the other from HBS Ideacast. Both looking at the same principle from slightly different angles. I’ve spent the day considering the points raised herein and how they apply not just to our business life, but to our life in general. How can we better engage with each other and celebrate the differences in all our backgrounds to enjoy a better world. Adding both of these on top of yesterdays lesson from Anthropologist James Suzman, I can’t help but be completely committed to the potential we each carry and the limitless opportunity before us when we figure out how to engage as a result of our differences.
I encourage a listen of each:
There is great challenge for us all as it really means connecting and engaging with people who think and see things quite differently to ourselves. I have so much invested in my own point of view - how could I possibly have time to entertain someone else’s…? Yet it is through this sharing and challenging that great things develop.
I am a Rotarian because I do not have all the answers and by being a part of an organisation of such great cultural diversity and access to a global community, hopefully each day, each week, my eyes will be opened that little bit more and my contribution that wee bit richer….
Yours in Rotary Service,
Stephen
President 2020-21