Everyday People
Everyday People. It was a song by Sly and the Family Stone from the late 1960’s, a time of reckoning and social consciousness. The lyrics of the song, still have relevance today—race relations, affirmative action, diversity—important social and political issues.
Moreover, the lyrics, while condemning prejudice and discrimination, also celebrate the dimensions of diversity—people of all different colors, shapes, looks and sizes; people of different beliefs, and from different groups, occupations, social classes, generations, and races.
Meanwhile, the fight over DEI, diversity, equity and inclusion, rages on instigated by people who don’t even understand what it is. Corporate diversity initiatives grew out of EEO (equal employment opportunity—equity), affirmative action and nondiscrimination efforts. Over time diversity was recognized as inclusion. The premise behind this thinking is that if diversity is sometimes about counting people, then inclusion is about making people count.
Diversity is about uniqueness. Diversity is what makes each and every one of us a special individual. We each possess unique characteristics and qualities that we bring and contribute to the organization for which we work.
Inclusion is about Employee Engagement—being heard, being recognized, having trust, and wanting to contribute to the organization’s mission and purpose.
Diversity and inclusion are about values—individual and organizational values. Individuals want to work in an environment where others care about them and where they feel accepted and respected. Diversity is about culture—individual and organizational culture—making it a business issue.
Diversity extends beyond what is obvious about people—race, sex, gender identity, etc. We must unlearn our old mental models in which we see diversity as counting people rather than making people count.
Only then can we celebrate differences and uniqueness, finally recognizing that diversity has a place and affects all aspects of the organization—learning, resource allocation, product development and innovation, leadership integrity and even the bottom line.
The lesson—respect other people's choices even if you don’t understand them or if they don't conform to your ideas. That's the business case for diversity—respect!
Rest in peace Sly Stone (Sylvester Stewart) who passed away on June 9, 2025. He was the pioneering leader of the funk band bearing his name, Sly and the Family Stone, the first major American rock band to be racially integrated.
Everyday People is one of my favorite songs and the last time I heard it performed was by a Gay Men’s chorus. While we celebrate Diversity and Sly Stone’s contributions to music and culture, let’s not forget to celebrate Pride during June and throughout the year.