Diverse Insights

 

You hear discussions of how the brilliant strategy of Barack Obama served him well in his run for the White House. It was not just strategy that helped Obama to knock out early democratic favorite and former first lady Hillary Clinton followed by an old fashioned smack down to a veteran republican “maverick”, It was clarity.

 

Barack Obama is a very bright man, a brilliant politician and a master of strategy.  These facts are only part of what made him a formidable presidential candidate.   The real difference that Obama brings is the fact that you know where you stand with him because he knows where he stands with himself.

 

It’s very difficult to be a formidable opponent or leader if you don’t take a stand.  Even with his racially mixed background, there is no confusion when it comes to how Obama perceives himself.  The fact that Obama thinks of himself as Black is part of what makes him attractive to such a broad spectrum of people.

 

Why is this distinction so important?

It allows Barack to focus on the matters at hand with certainty without the confusion that usually comes from not quite being sure where you fit in.  Once you are clear with who you are, you can then focus. Once you have focus, you can then begin to thrive.

 

We all know people that, although they are obviously Black, seem to be a bit grey when it comes to how they perceive themselves.  We like to refer to this group as “Black-Lite”.  To pull from a famous advertising tag line from Miller Lite, “tastes great-less filling”. Black-Lite seems to fit in on the surface but finds it difficult to bring a discernible difference to the table because it is too busy trying to stay invited.  The only people that can truly change a situation are those that are not worried about fitting in especially if fitting in can only happen at the expense of what they believe.  It is usually unclear what people that are Black-Lite believe because they are not the ones determining their beliefs. They look to outside forces to draw their opinions and to help them establish their position on issues rather than looking within. They have very little confidence in their own background and knowledge which is why they tend to mimic the strategies of the establishment.

 

There is a temptation to recruit people that are “Black-Lite” into organizations because on the surface, they don’t seem to disrupt the situation.  They take what they are given and are happy to be seated at the table, albeit a side table with a smaller chair.   They assimilate into a system that is broken only to take on the ideas and strategies of those that were in charge and are responsible for creating the mess in the first place.  The Black-Lite type could never make for a formidable opponent in a presidential campaign nor can they bring a difference to your company from the junior executive wing of the firm.

 

The difference that they may have brought to the organization was checked at the door in an attempt to “fit in”.  The firm and its leaders gladly welcome this docile version of something different, although it’s why they continue making the same mistakes even though they may feel that they have “diversified” their team.

 

Companies continue to make the mistake, much like McCain, of thinking they are still calling all the shots. The public is telling you in so many words, you need to change because the game has changed.  This cry has not been any louder than what we heard during the recent presidential campaign.

 

Obama isn’t the only difference maker that is out there from the Black community.  There are plenty of others that can bring the same type of leadership and value into your company.  You can’t decide how you want them to behave because, based on the state of affairs, you desperately need their help, insight and independent thinking, more than they need you.  The shift is on!