Diversity and Real Estate
I have been reading information provided by the real estate profession on diversity. It is appearing to me (I will gladly stand corrected if I am wrong) but all of the information I am finding focuses on race and ethnicity, "minorities". These are but two of many dimensions of diversity!
I was a corporate facilitator of diversity for a Chicago firm and traveled the U.S. facilitating workshops for Fortune 500 companies, U.S. governmental agencies and large corporations; Sara Lee, Caterpillar, U.S. Forest Service to name a few...so I admit, I am passionate about this issue!
Diversity is far, far beyond race and ethnicity. Yet race and ethnicity are a couple of the primary dimensions of diversity. To have, build and sustain a diversity initiative within any organization...including a 1 person real estate firm!, here is a list of some dimensions of diversity that need to be included;
- Age
- Physical Abilities
- Race
- Ethnicity
- Gender
- Education
- Class
- Sexual Orientation
- Communication Style
- Thinking Style
- Political views
- Language
- Marital status
- Parental Status
- Level within an organization
- Military Experience
- Work Style
- Religious Beliefs
- Income
- Generation
So even with us working in small communities we have diversity issues; not right nor wrong but in the context of bringing awareness to the issue. For example, I am 52, white, male, married from Iowa. If I come to work in a real estate office that just hired a 30 year old single guy from New York, who just got out of the military, do you think we have different ways of seeing the world?
Diversity is about respecting differences, uncovering similarities, valuing everyone's uniqueness and better understanding people for who they are. Remember the saying; "Seek first to understand, before being understood?" Too often people focus on their differences, rather on similarities...causing frustration and breakdowns. When one takes time to understand another from several of the dimensions of diversity, you build trust and a relationship. After all, we all have far more in common than our differences.
Jim Hostler
Senior Mortgage Loan Consultant
Lenders Direct
a division of Gateway Business Bank
Direct: 928.225.7418
Email: JHostler@elendersdirect.com
Fax: 928.527.7943
NMLS #6410200021
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