Business Fit Magazine November 2019 Issue 2 | Page 54
Mindset & Emotion
Diversity and
Self-Awareness:
Internationally recognised coach and
leadership development expert, Barbara Dalle
Pezze, believes the next level of growth and
transformation is achieved by being open to
diversity. Through being open to seeing things
differently, we can grow and evolve
I was asked what is, in my opinion, the next level
of growth and transformation. I believe it is to
be open to diversity, honour it, be questioned
by it, learn to engage with it and when possible
integrate it into our life.
A Path to Growth and
Transformation
When we honour diversity, we give ourselves an
opportunity to expand the way we know, feel
and interpret ourselves and our life. Diversity
exposes us to something new that we probably
never thought of, and it puts us in a position of
power and responsibility towards ourselves and
our life because we can choose what to do with
‘the new’ that the diverse puts in front of us.
By being open to what’s different, by engaging
and interacting with it, we give ourselves a chance
to move beyond a limited and limiting way of
thinking and being that interprets the diverse as
a threat.
That which is different from me, my culture, my
world, my way of thinking and living, is often
perceived, consciously or unconsciously, as a
threat. When we interact with what’s different,
we are exposed to ways of being and living which
might put our own way of being and living into
question. And that’s scary and uncomfortable.
We prefer to be validated in the way we are and
choose to be. We don’t like to be questioned
about it.
But if we want to grow and evolve as human
beings, we need to endure the discomfort of
being questioned, and learn how to transform
that discomfort into a force that propels us into a
path of personal growth and transformation.
To be questioned by diversity gives us an
opportunity to discover more about ourselves,
who we are and what we really want in life.
Diversity is a life opener to those who dare
to take a chance and risk going beyond their
comfort zone.
We cannot, however, authentically honour
the diversity others bring to us if we don’t first
recognise, appreciate and honour ourselves in
our own diversity, which is in fact our uniqueness.
We are complex and sophisticated creatures,
and to really be free to engage and grow by being
in dialogue with diversity, we need to devote time
and energy to discover who we are and how we
function from the inside out.
Our reality is complex and the clearer we
are about our own inner world, the more we
become capable of creating a happier life, full
of possibilities and opportunities, not limited by
experiences and memories of the past, but open
to all possibilities the future brings.
We need to learn to become transparent to
ourselves. When I am transparent to myself, I
know who I am, my talents and shortcomings, I
know what moves me, what I react to, my limiting
beliefs and my empowering beliefs. I know what I
value and why, what’s important to me and why,
what motivates me and what holds me back. I
know how to master myself and how to be the
best version of myself.
By becoming transparent to myself I become
free to appreciate myself and others. I am not led
by my emotions because I know how to manage
them, I know where they come from, how I create
them and how I can leverage them.
When I am transparent to myself and honour
myself, I am not afraid of what others think of me,
I don’t keep comparing myself and my life to the
life of others, perhaps suffering because I judge
their life better than mine.
When I am clear about myself, I am comfortable
in my own skin, I am aware of my choices and I
know I am free to change and create a different
reality for myself, should I so decide.
What can we do, then, to begin a journey of
self-discovery, learn to become transparent to
ourselves and be free to honour and be enriched
by diversity?
We start by quieting our mind and listening
attentively to those inner whispers we tend
to ignore. We learn to pay attention to what’s
happening inside of us. We learn to recognise
our own emotions and our own thoughts, and
this means that we learn to notice, see, feel,
distinguish the components of our inner world.
We can begin by asking ourselves three
questions: How am I feeling right now? Which
three words describe my emotions today? How
are my feelings influencing my thoughts and
behaviours?
Let’s take some time during the day to check in
with ourselves. Paying attention, listening and
becoming aware will centre us and open us to an
amazing journey of growth and transformation.
Barbara Dalle Pezze, Ph.D., is an internationally recognised coach and
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leadership development expert with over 18 years of global experience.
Women CEOs and Senior Executives of Fortune 500 companies hire her
to help them expand their potential and elevate the quality of their life and
impact as leaders. Barbara is passionate about transforming the conversation
about women, diversity and inclusion.
www.barbaradallepezze.com - [email protected]
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