Ich bleibe meinem Motto 2024 treu: WENIGER denken & reden, MEHR handeln.
Diversity in der Arbeitswelt ist bei uns eine Selbstverständlichkeit und gelebte Praxis. Was Vielfalt in allen sieben Kern-Dimensionen bedeutet, kannst Du HIER ausführlich nachlesen:
Alter
Ethnische Herkunft & Nationalität
Geschlecht & geschlechtliche Identität
Körperliche & geistige Fähigkeiten
Religion & Weltanschauung
Sexuelle Orientierung
Soziale Herkunft
Wir haben die Charta der Vielfalt unterzeichnet und werben dafür, dass viele Unternehmen mitmachen, um eine offene und wertschätzende (Arbeits)welt zu erschaffen. Diversity Management geht uns alle an: Arbeitnehmende, große Unternehmen, kleine und mittelständige Unternehmen.
Du möchtest Vielfaltsbotschafter:in werden? Am 28. Mai 2024 ist findet der 12. deutsche Diversity Tag statt.
Das Motto des #DDT24 lautet: Stimme Für Vielfalt – 365 Tage im Jahr! Melde Deine Aktion an und zeige Deine #StimmeFürVielfalt. Die Aktionsanmeldung ist jederzeit möglich. Mehr Infos und Aktionsanregungen findest Du HIER
Last year we went to the queer job and career fair Sticks & Stones in Berlin for the first time. And we travelled there in style.
The atmosphere is unlike any other job and career fair I’ve ever seen. The people are themselves- very much like the motto: “WORK WHERE YOU ARE CELEBRATED, NOT WHERE YOU ARE TOLERATED”. At the same time I’ve heard in conversations with people that some companies are good with their communication, while having room for improvement.
For the first time yesterday the fair was held in Cologne, and I went there again. Knowing the drill by now, I went directly to the coaching registration desk and secured my spot with a diversity and career coach. I enjoyed that session a lot and received valuable feedback and inspiration.
The gap between communication and action is very real and the process of looking for inclusive projects and employers can feel very lonely. This fair shows you, that the struggle is real, that different people have very different struggles and most importantly: you are not alone.
The speakers, coaches and exhibitors are an inspiration that we as a society and the working world is moving into an inclusive direction where diversity is celebrated- it is the fair’s motto and mine.
The fair will be bigger, more colourful and more diverse when they return to Berlin on 28 & 29 JUNE 2024. Get your free ticket HERE and join the movement.
There was enough time for thinking in 2023. Enough time for recurring thoughts, resignation and delusion. We are thinking giants and implementation dwarfs. About time for action- and at the same time my new year’s resolution:
Time for ACTION!
As I set the direction for the next 365 days, inclusion and sustainability are my focus. Our daily actions determine the trajectory and tiny choices add up over time- exponential growth. It is estimated that we make 35,000 choices per day. Most people sleep around seven hours a day, that makes roughly 2,000 decisions per hour or one decision every two seconds. It does not matter if the figures are correct, you can change things with your actions every two seconds! And I’ve learned that there are over 70 elections worldwide in 2024 where decisions are VERY important.
Your choices matter!
Herstorywill not care about your excuses and the things you did NOT do. The quality of your actions are determined by your goals. Always ask WHAT you want to achieve for whom? „Achieving more“ and „doing something digital“ are no goals. They do provide no answer to WHAT you want to achieve. Growth is a statistic and it has certain effects. Digital processes with data and sensors provide input for decisions. The best data and the best digital processes without an actual purpose can have a good, bad or no impact. Always ask WHO is benefitting from the goal and who is left out or harmed?
Question the goals, set inclusive & sustainable goals
In nature we call it seasons, in companies we call it circular economy. Think about what happens before, during and after you use certain products and services. Especially when you design products and services, apply circular design principles.
Last but not least: Be kind to yourself, others and nature. Make mistakes, learn from them, correct them. Inspire yourself and others. Apologise and have fun along the way.
Play and have fun
Wishing you all a healthy and peaceful 2024 full of action.
It’s that time of year again where we celebrate what we believe in, spend time with our chosen family and are gay together- one of the many meanings of the word „gay“ is „merry“.
My wish for you personally is: be grateful for who you are, who you are with and what you have together. Spread love and peace around you.
My thoughts this year are that we have too much hate, division and war in the world. I am talking about all the tiny, daily things people do AND the big fights.
This year my inspiration comes from Esther Perel and I highly recommend her talk with Steven Bartlett, her game and her conflict course if this sounds familiar to you:
„Uncover why you keep having the same fights over and over again. Learn how to break free from habitual patterns and responses. Find peace and reconciliation even when you disagree.
Turn conflict into connection
Instead of fighting about something, ask yourself: what are we fighting for? How can we manage paradoxes like stability & change, continuity & innovation? Play with those contradictions and find solutions. Playing is important.
Yesterday I saw this wonderful video featuring my favourite German dragqueen and activist, Barbie Breakout, who found the exact right words about people who want to divide us, lead with fear and do NOT provide a single solution. Watch the video here
I can only say- and I did so in the YouTube-comment-section:
So important from start to finish! I was also the other child who had to go through the hatred of those around me, and I wouldn’t wish that on „concerned“ parents or other children. Thank you @barbiebreakout again
Inspired by Trixie Mattel I would like to add this very simple and clear statement:
There are too many examples of hate and violent attacks against people who are different. In other words: people are being attacked for being their authentic selves. You can have your opinion about that, attacking them is not acceptable and actually criminal in most countries.
Many people survive and turn their experiences into something beautiful. Tom Rasmussen is a survivor, who wrote and performed the powerful song „street violence“, combined it with Shon Faye’s words and I can’t get enough of their performance. I cannot recommend Tom’s Album „body building“ enough- it’s a very strong contender for my album of the year. Until then enjoy two Abbey Road performances here
Last but not least Bjork dropped her beautiful collaboration with Rosalía for a good cause. You can make art AND save the planet at the same time. Watch the video here and consider donating if you can
Studies show that placebos and nocebos work. We know that our brain is looking for shortcuts to save energy all the time.
Why do we trust our decisions and perceptions anyway? Because we have no choice? Because we are lazy? That’s actually a fact. You can call it efficient, or „trying to save energy“. It’s what our energy-hungry system does.
In other words: we are emotional and irrational short-term thinkers. That explains why it is so hard to think longer about situations, jumping to (wrong) conclusions and not admitting mistakes but staying on the wrong course. It also explains why we are not good at dealing with change. We are very good with excuses, twisting facts to our previous decision(s), ignoring contradicting facts. We even believe things where we have very little proof- our brain believes things just by hearing them repeatedly or if they are written in bigger font.
This is why…
…data is so important, to correct all these mistakes.
…a diverse gremium is important to see the full picture.
…reminding us to think twice, discuss important decisions with others is essential to correct our many mistakes that we produce on a daily basis. Tiny mistakes accumulate to loosing in the long run. Another thing our brain does not understand: exponential growth.
Let’s make it as easy as possible: what counts are our daily actions. It could be our standard mindset to accept that the majority of our decisions are wrong. Let’s check them with others in order to make the best possible decision. Adopt a Kaizen mindset and improve step by step over time. Fail quickly and learn from your mistakes, that is what lets you succeed in the end.
If you think that your standard decision is wrong- you are probably right
The best decision-making process could be: asses the situation, test your assessment, gather additional information and decide again. In order to make better decisions: take your time, be open and transparent about your current state, change your mind and decisions. Don’t let anybody pressure, shame or bully you into quick decisions on your own.
Our brain likes it quick and easy. This is represented by Daniel Kahneman’s SYSTEM 1 that can be summarized like this:
FAST
Unconscious, automatic, effortless
WITHOUT self-awareness or control “What you see is all there is.”
Assesses the situation, delivers updates
Does 98% of all our thinking
Today we have access to a lot of information- correct and fake. Fact-checking alone can be too much for system 1. Today’s challenges that we face like climate change and social conflicts are NOT quick and easy but long-term and complex- represented by SYSTEM 2:
SLOW
Deliberate and conscious, effortful, controlled mental process, rational thinking
WITH self-awareness or control, logical and skeptical
Seeks new/missing information, makes decisions
Does 2% of all our thinking
We need time and energy for system 2. Some people say, that you are not responsible for your first reaction but for your second. Remind yourself: what is good for others and for me in the long run- and take your time thinking about that. Prioritise long-term consequences over short-term comfort. Sit with your discomfort for a while if it is worth enduring.
In my humble opinion the 2 most important words for this journey from system 1 to system 2 are: transparency & action.
My potentially wrong thoughts
What counts in the end is that we respect ourselves, others and our planetary boundaries, distribute money and human rights to more people. Part of the solution could be that governments set the rules for social and sustainable decisions and companies find creative ways to make money within those limitations. As time is of the essence and more and more people understand how important social and environmental responsibility is, I see organisations setting those rules proactively and leading the way into a sustainable and inclusive future. And it is the biggest challenge to define your impact in three-dimensions: financial, social and sustainable. That is why some corporations combine their financials either with social or environmental goals.
I also see the opposite- and sometimes the noise that quick and easy dividers produce is a lot. I also see activism and action when people‘ rights and the planet are threatened, and I’d like to see more of it.
My daily actions
Our daily actions determine if we win or lose (individually and as a group) and save the planet in the long run. Here are some of the things that I do:
I do not use google as a search engine anymore. I use Ecosia and they plant trees (15 and counting) while I search stuff.
I am using a mobile data plan from share and they give school children in Kenya access to an educational project that helps them learn math, writing and reading.
I am looking for fairtrade products- and I could be more consequent on that one
That’s where I stand today. What is your input on this little piece? What do you do? Comment below
I understand marketing as securing the long-term success of a company. Communication is the visible result of a strategic marketing process. The definition of success is expanding from a purely financial perspective to include environmental and social aspects.
What’s The Minimum?
Sustainability & inclusion are two umbrella terms that everyone defines differently and that change over time. The minimum requirements of these dimensions are expanding and regulation is increasing. Net-Zero is the current minimum requirement for sustainability IF you reduce sustainability to climate. Is „non-discrimination“ the minimum requirement of inclusion? And does that definition include personality, all internal, external and organisational dimensions?
Europe
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) expands the minimum requirements for documenting corporate performance to include environmental and social dimensions. Reporting will become mandatory for an estimated 50,000 companies in Europe (15,000 of them in Germany) from the 2023 financial year (estimation by KPMG).
Marketing For Future!
As marketing strategists assessing companies for future viability, we need to pay particular attention to sustainability, diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI). Now is the time for leaders with a sustainable and inclusive mindset to set up, develop and make companies, processes and products financially successful in a sustainable and inclusive way. 80% of business and product decisions are made in the design phase (European commission).
The Power Of Community!
I am NOT looking for companies that say: we do the bare minimum because we have to.
I am looking for allies with whom I can analyse and transform companies – internally and externally.
I am looking for the big and long-term transformation, a team where we discuss ideas and perspectives. A space where we explore what is possible and design a way to get there. Let’s do this together.
Today it is easy for me to inspire with one of Simon Sinek’s podcast episodes „a bit of optimism“.
Listen to the 34 minute long interview with Ana Kirova and do not only think about LOVE without judgement but also about FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, BUSINESS and SEX without judgement- basically LIFE. Let’s grow together from fearful and fake personas toward authenticity without judgement.
Ana Kirova is the CEO of the dating platform ‘Feeld’, an app that helps people break free from traditional norms, explore alternative relationships, and discover the boundless potential for love that comes with accepting yourself and others without judgment.
Ich schätze Barbie Breakout und Ihre Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema gesellschaftliche Weiterentwicklung SEHR! Sie erzählt die Stories von marginalisierten Menschen, die entweder von anderen falsch oder gar nicht erzählt werden! Und es sind genau diese Stories, die wir brauchen, um unsere Gesellschaft weiterzuentwickeln, denn:
„Niemals hat irgendeine gesellschaftliche Weiterentwicklung für eine marginalisierte Gruppe dadurch stattgefunden, dass sich Leute angepasst haben, sich in die letzte Reihe gesetzt haben und den Mund gehalten haben. Never“
Barbie Breakout
Aufklärung
Meiner Meinung nach befinden wir uns in einem gesellschaftlichen Umbruch, in dem die Privilegien des weißen Patriarchats abnehmen. Es entstehen viele neue Kategorien, Labels und Sprache, womit Menschen aus dem, was vorher als „Normal“ oder „Mehrheit“ bezeichnet wurde, ausbrechen.
Zuerst gab es eine Regenbogen-Flagge, heute gibt es je nach Quelle mehr als 50 Varianten.
Während ich Repräsentation sehr gut verstehe, frage ich mich schon: wie klein muss die Gruppe sein, um mit einer extra Flagge repräsentiert zu werden?
Meine Idee von gesellschaftlicher Weiterentwicklung ist, dass wir 50+ Varianten des Regenbogens nicht brauchen, sondern zu dem Punkt kommen, an dem der Regenbogen als Symbol für alle Menschen steht, die Ihre Individualität feiern und dafür gefeiert werden. Wir müssen die Angst und die Vorurteile gegenüber Individualität abbauen.
Die Macht des Regenbogens
Unter diesem inklusiven Regenbogen sind wir viele und haben Macht! Die Macht, die Gesellschaft in die Richtung zu bewegen, in der wir uns NICHT gegenseitig hassen und bekämpfen.
Wenn wir endlich verstehen wie groß diese Gruppe von sich respektierenden Individualisten ist und wie mächtig wir sind, bräuchten kleine Gruppen keine Scheindebatten über kleine Themen führen. Viele dieser Debatten sind unnötig, rauben uns Kraft und führen nicht zum Ziel- und wir wissen, dass genau das vom Patriarchat gewollt ist.
Raus aus der Bubble
In unseren Bubbles geht es uns gut. Das Problem dabei ist: wir können unsere Bubbles nicht mitnehmen, wenn wir uns im öffentlichen Raum bewegen und dort angegriffen werden. Wir müssen unseren Mund aufmachen und laut bleiben bzw. werden! Solange, bis es kein „anders“ mehr gibt und wir genauso geschützt sind wie Heteros.
Wir brauchen eine öffentliche Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema wohin und wie wir unsere Gesellschaft weiterentwickeln wollen. Durch Verbote für marginaliserte Gruppen erreichen wir nur deren Kriminalisierung. Herausforderungen gibt es genug. Nur wenn wir uns auf die großen und wichtigen Themen konzentrieren, werden wir diese Veränderung schaffen!
Deshalb mein Appell zum Pride-Month 2023:
Sprecht mit Menschen, die nicht in Eurer Bubble leben. Führt Diskussionen, fragt Euch und andere: in welcher Gesellschaft will ich und wollen die nächsten Generationen leben?
Schlagen wir die Brücke von der Vergangenheit über die Gegenwart in die Zukunft. Wir können sie jetzt noch aktiv gestalten. Ich möchte nicht in die Situation kommen, dass ich keine Wahlmöglichkeit mehr habe und meine Handlungen kriminalisiert werden- zum Glück lebe ich in Deutschland. Nutzen wir die Gelegenheiten, die uns CSD und Pride bieten.
HassLiebe
Mein CSD-Motto-Vorschlag 2023 ist: HassLiebe.
Allein der Titel macht auf die steigenden Übergriffe auf LGBTQ+Personen aufmerksam und liefert die Beweise für alle, die sagen „ihr habt doch alles erreicht“. Davon ausgehend können wir diskutieren, workshoppen, andere Bubbles kennenlernen, Initiativen anstoßen und hoffentlich Gesetze verabschieden, die sich für einen liebevollen und respektvollen Umgang mit diversen Menschen einsetzen und sie schützen, solange es notwendig ist.
Das Ziel
Mein Ziel ist eine nachhaltige Welt, in der Diversität gefeiert wird. Wie erreichen wir das? Eigentlich wie immer, mit Aufklärung und Bildung. Natürlich brauchen wir auf dem Weg Disruption- ohne wird es nicht gehen. Deswegen ist es um so wichtiger zu wissen:
Wer bin ich, und in welcher Gesellschaft möchte ich leben?
Starten wir die große Diskussion- so werden auch die kleinen Diskussionen einfacher.
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FunktionalImmer aktiv
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