Springfield Business Journal_2020-12-25

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 17 Diversity is being asked to the dance, while inclusion is being asked to dance. “ Lexi Jackson Service member, AmeriCorps Spend the first and last five minutes of the workday in reflection. Much also can be learned from your own life. In the last five minutes of your workday, open a working document and add today’s date. Make bullet points about what you did, how you were treated, how you treated others, what remaining questions you have about the day, what new ideas you heard or had, and anything else on your mind. Open the document the next morning and reflect on yesterday’s notes. Ask yourself what connections you can make between the ideas you noted and working ideas on your plate. Ask yourself how you can improve your interactions with co-workers, clients and subordinates by reflecting on the positive ways you were treated or treated others. Ask yourself what steps you need to take to answer the remaining questions and set goals for how you will approach the day. 7 Hire minds, not degrees. With the rise of freelance work and increased access to professional skill development, many young professionals possess the necessary technical and relational acumen to be successful in a number of career fields without a related degree. Organizations should prioritize a job candidate’s decision-making and values judgment over their professional resume. As far back as the 1880s, railroad companies employed priests to conduct their hiring processes because of their unparalleled judgment of character. 8 9 Institutions can create opportunities, but only people create connections. As my generation enters the workforce, we value organizations with an attention to diversity, equity and inclusion. While many have created programs, offices and commitments to these issues, the efforts are merely platforms. We need people – those willing to invest in relationships with others, listening to their stories and making them feel seen. Diversity is being asked to the dance, while inclusion is being asked to dance. Young people are more valuable than even the most well-funded focus group. I was once rewarded with 10 days of paid time off for showing my supervisor how to livestream an event on Facebook. Young people offer perspective, technological acumen and social literacy that can take an organization to new heights with the click of a button. It is important to not only hire young people but also to actively engage their opinions and minds. 10 Content cannot be created without context. It can be all too easy to remain in our own echo chambers, especially after months of practicing social distancing. However, if we do not engage those we serve or manage to ask for their feedback, we will miss out on opportunities for collaboration and improvement. It wasn’t until a camcorder salesman for Panasonic asked his son’s friend to record his son’s birthday party festivities that the salesman realized the product was not designed for a left-handed person. Panasonic became the first company to offer a camcorder with a universal handle. 6 DEC. 28, 2020-JAN. 3, 2021 HEATHER MOSLEY