When Divided, We are Conquered

Our societies are structured around the concept of “betterment”.   Most of us operate with an innate belief “If we make things better now, they will flourish later.”  It’s why we have things like schools, libraries, gyms, AA, and most importantly, our community laws.

But what happens when each of our own individualized ideas of what “better” is, is drastically different? Is better to you, more beautiful, more sustainable, more respectful, or perhaps more holy?

That’s the question at hand when it comes to such laws as Indiana’s

SB101 – The Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  Indiana’s SB101 – The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed into law by Gov. Mike Pence on March 26th, allows individuals and companies to assert that their exercise of religion has been, or is likely to be, substantially burdened as a defense in legal proceedings.  This opens the door for business owners to choose who they will or will not accept patronage from based on their religious belief, without fear of being held liable for discrimination.

What differentiates this law from a similar federal law, The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, as well as several other state laws, are a few key points:

• Indiana’s Law Applies to Companies; Others Do Not
• In Some Other States, Non-discrimination Laws Trump ‘Religious Freedom’ Laws
• The Political Context is Different, and so are the Policy Aims.
• The Indiana Law Applies to Private Disputes

You can find a great breakdown of these points from ABCnews.com.

As expected, the situation brought to the forefront, the many times (but not all the time) contentious cross sections of the LGBT and Religious communities. Of primary concern was that now any business, could deny service to an LGBT person, and claim they had the right to do so while not being held liable for discrimination on the basis that they were just upholding the demands of their faith.

Thrust into the spotlight was a small Indiana pizzeria, who when pressed, claimed they would decline a client if they were asked to cater a same-sex wedding reception citing their Christian beliefs.  I will make note that they did mention, that they would serve all customers regardless of orientation, but that they drew their professional line at catering same-sex wedding receptions….with pizzas.
After wide spread media coverage, the pizzeria closed its doors to bide it’s time while the media frenzy passed.

Now I’m not one to support the demise of anyone or their business, but I must be honest that I had a moment of “Yay! The “good guy” won!”. It restored a bit of my faith in humanity, that can so easily get chipped away when you hear that there are still people in North America, who think the best option is promote segregation.

However, that’s when the reality of North America’s current state of inclusion started to set in. Within weeks upon closing, a crowdfunding campaign was launched to help support the establishment’s owners, during their “time of need”.  Quickly, the campaign raised over $800,000.

With the money, the pizzeria has been reopened, and the owners have indicated their plans to donate portions of the raised funds to various charities of their choosing.  As you can assume, the donated money came from SB101 supporters; those who feel they have the right to not be held liable should they opt to deny service to someone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Let me just summarize: over $800,000, was crowdfunded in support of legal segregation.

The backlash from Indiana’s SB 101 was immediately felt by the entire state, when such organizations as SalesForce, Angie’s List, a multitude of municipalities, and a growing list of other organizations, opted to cease all interactions with the state, should they continue with SB 101 on the books.  While Gov. Mike Pence, consistently claimed the bill was about bringing communities together, Indiana Republicans announced an agreement that will alter Indiana’s controversial Religious Freedom Reformation Act to ensure that it does not discriminate against LGBT people. The proposed change grants new protections for LGBT customers, employees and tenants.

When we create laws, our sincerest efforts and focus should always be to empower an entire community; while ensuring civility and sustainability. When we create laws that leave open the door for legal segregation, we are purposefully un-leveling the playing field, and intentionally causing civil discourse, with the goal of leaving fellow community members un- or minimally sustainable. Which brings me back to the concept of betterment.

My betterment is creating a space where all views have the opportunity to be presented, where taking pride in your belief system and living your personal life accordingly is acceptable.  My version of betterment, however, does not include creating tools with a direct aim at dividing us. We should have realized a long time ago that we are all in this together. Anytime we stray from that thinking as a global community, we are only making things better on an emotionally local level.  And that is how and why people often confuse diversity for division.....

The Global Learning Newsletter - April 2015

Welcome! The Global Learning Group of Companies is thrilled to announce the launch of our inaugural monthly newsletter. Here you can expect to find all the latest commentary, upcoming events and new products from the Global Learning Team and our esteemed associates.

To read, download, or share the April 2015 Global Learning Newsletter - click here.

Should you have any difficulty accessing the newsletter, contact info@egloballearning.com, and we can email you a pdf version.  - Thank you !

   

A Letter to Maya on World Autism Awareness Day

My Darling Maya:

I wanted to write you about our precious journey, albeit short, as Amah and granddaughter.

Your Poppa and I were so blessed to be with your parents and your maternal grandmother when you were born on August 27th, seven years ago. We felt such joy at holding you, minutes after your birth, and being with you in those early weeks of your arrival.

It was at another visit, a couple of years later, that my heart started to hurt.

You would not give us eye contact, nor let us touch or hold you. You spent hours drawing little circles and building tiny piles of rocks in the courtyard.  And so I, as gently as I could, suggested to your mom and dad that maybe something was going on with you, outside of the typical toddler scope.

Your parents were wonderful, immediately following up with an assessment. A few months later they called me, minutes after receiving the diagnosis: Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Flash forward to 2012, when your mother and dad decided to move to Toronto. You, your little sister and parents would be living with us until they could get resettled here in Canada. Now Maya, since I had already raised three sons, I figured I knew little children. But, you and I did not connect to my expectations.

I did not understand your behaviors and did not know how to love you the way you needed me to love and understand you.

But I learned.

I learned from your mom and dad who, with their delicious sense of humour and commitment, absorbed as much as knowledge and insight possible about Autism. More to the point, about how autism affected YOU.

I learned from your little sister, who immediately knew how to love and defend you at a very early age.

I read and observed and kept trying to connect.  Maya, in a fairly short time you started to blossom at a school for kids with autism, who understood your needs and how to help you succeed.


So here we are, two years later …and you give us big, wonderful kisses and hugs. You come out with the most profound statements, such as the time I walked out of the bathroom, nude after a shower, and you said ‘Hi Amah! Where are your glasses?”

Or the time you came to visit and, after explaining the points system of behaviour at school, and expressing your disappointment when you did not achieve to your expectations, said “Do you mind giving me some privacy? I need to play.”

You cut to the chase and we know where we stand with each other.

Maya, you have such a rich imagination and create complete worlds in your imagination, dancing and playing with a whole cast of imaginative friends in your mind’s eye.  You turn on it’s head, the myth that autistic children are only ‘black and white’ in their view of the world and do not have much of an imagination. You are a whiz on the computer and love your iPad –I think technology acts as a bridge enabling your (now) very articulate communication. You are reading at the appropriate level and your teachers comment on how bright and adorable you are.

Maya my darling, each of us is unique and each of us a little different from each other. I so look forward to seeing you as an adult and contributing your wonderful gifts to society just like the amazing Stephen Spielberg, a famous and beloved movie director. He was diagnosed in his 40’s as having Asperger’s Syndrome; the same kind of wonderful mind-wiring as you.

Much Love,
Your adoring Amah

More About Autism Awareness Day 2015

This April 2nd marks the seventh annual World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD). Originally created by the United Nations General Assembly, the day has become an opportunity to share information and raise awareness about autism, while also highlighting some the accomplishments and challenges faced by those living with the condition, both children and adults. Events are held all over the world every year such as panel discussions with autism experts, politicians and non-governmental organizations, fundraising, conferences as well as workshops.

Autism was first diagnosed by a psychologist from John Hopkins University by the name of Leo Kanner in 1942. "Decades after that first discovery, its causes are still far from understood. Today research from around the world focuses on a multiple of possible causes such as genetics/heredity, differences in biological brain function (neuropathology), pre-natal factors, possible exposure to environmental toxins, viral infections and immune system deficiencies”.(1) Autism is considered to be a lifelong, neurological developmental disorder, characterized by difficulties in communication and social interactions, as well as repetitive behaviours and sensory sensitivities. In the past two decades autism rates have been on the rise, as the latest research conducted by the Centre for Disease Control estimates, 1 in every 68 children are born with or have been identified as having autism spectrum disorder or ASD. This is up from an estimate of "3 cases in every 10,000 children from studies conducted in the U.S. before 1990".(2) Some argue that this increase could be due to better diagnoses, while others argue that there are other factors involved.

Autism awareness is extremely important for both children as well as adults living with the condition. For children there is a need for more research and funding for effective evidence-based treatments, better access to that treatment, earlier diagnoses, as well as "essential supports for the families of those children. For adults living with autism there are another set of challenges to overcome. According to the United Nations “it is estimated that 80 percent of autistic adults are currently unemployed, due to a lack of support when it comes to job training as well as pervasive discrimination". With respect to finding employment,  "research suggests that employers may in fact be missing out on abilities that people on the autism spectrum have in greater abundance than the “neurotypical" worker. For example people with ASD often have heightened abilities in pattern recognition and logical reasoning, as well as a greater attention to detail. This makes them the ideal candidates for jobs like software testing, data entry, or lab work just to name a few". (3) This shows the importance of removing the stigma attached to ASD, so that we are able to uncover otherwise overlooked abilities, that once fostered, would enable these individuals to lead more complete and fulfilling lives. We can do this by "creating better access to vocational training, better support with regards to job placement and lastly with greater awareness we can begin to eliminate the discrimination that stands in the way of employment opportunities". (4)

Many times "autism is portrayed as a frightening disease in need of a cure". Limiting ourselves to this perspective can result in a lack of resources when it comes to creating programs that are actually able to improve the everyday lives of autistic peoples.” In addition to this there is a "strong need for members of the ASD community to hold more "senior leadership positions within autistic organizations, in order to truly voice the communities needs in order to bring about more change”. (5)

As John Elder Robinson, an author and a person living with Autism so eloquently explains:

“I have come to the emerging realization that autism – as a neurological difference – confers both gift and disability on everyone it touches.  It’s the fire the moves humanity forward, while simultaneously being a fire that can burn us individuals as we try to make our way. Many autistic people are aware of this dichotomy.  Some of us feel “totally disabled” and others feel “totally gifted.”  Most of us – I’d venture to say – feel both ways, at different times, depending on what we’re doing at that particular moment. Consequently, I support the idea of changing society to make it more accommodating for people who are different.”(6)

This holds a very compelling message for us all. As a society we must do more than merely accommodate those who are different, we must celebrate those differences and realize that in those differences lies great power,  great potential, and great opportunity, for a more inclusive world where we are able to see beyond the weakness and instead find the strength.

References:

1.http://www.autismsocietycanada.ca/asd-research/general
2.http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20021231/cdc-autism-rates-higher-than-thought
3. http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/
4. http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday/
5. http://www.buzzfeed.com/virginiahughes/autistic-people-spark-twitter-fight-against-autism-speaks
6. http://jerobison.blogspot.ca/2013/11/i-resign-my-roles-at-autism-speaks.html?m=

Research provided by Global Learning Research Coordinator and Writer, Breanna Rothe.

Getting to Know You: Rhonda Singer

Global Learning is very proud of the company we keep.  With that in mind, we are thrilled to introduce our new interview series, “Getting to Know You”, written by the latest edition to our team, our research coordinator and official Global Learning writer, Breanna Rothe.

Getting to Know You: Rhonda Singer by Breanna Rothe

This month we had the pleasure of speaking with Rhonda Singer, a visionary, an innovator and a truly inspirational woman. Over the course of the interview she shared with us a bit about her unique and extensive background, what really motivated her to dedicate her career and life to becoming a “Cultural Intelligence Champion and what she sees for the future of organizations with regards to diversity, cultural intelligence and unconscious bias.

Rhonda joked that over the years particularly in her role as a Health and Safety consultant “I worked in every kind of industry in the GTA, from beautiful office towers to the bowels of the earth such as in the sewage plant as well as refineries, and everything in between”. Rhonda began her career as a nurse working with a well-known plastic surgeon in New York City until she became pregnant with her first child, and while longing for her home in Canada, decided to move with her husband back to Toronto to raise a family. Once back in Toronto she began teaching prenatal education as one of the early adaptors to work in the newly formed Toronto Childbirth Education Association. When her three boys grew a little older, she was hired by a health and safety consulting company, Employee Care, and over the course of the ten years she spent with them, she became an equity partner. One of the highlights of her work with Employee Care was establishing a successful training and education program for occupational health nurses that took these nurses from a hospital setting and trained them to become health and safety consultants, which was a very new and different environment!

Rhonda later moved on to become the Manager of Learning Services for a large international manufacturing company, where “she provided learning strategies and training with regards to product and professional development for corporate employees, as well as Canadian and International dealers.” With Rhonda’s leadership the company was able to “cut their manufacturing lead time down from two years to just six months”. During her time working with health and safety practices and processes Rhonda also had the opportunity to interact directly with many of the employees on the floor, many of whom came from different cultural backgrounds, who shared with her their unique stories and experiences, and gave her a greater appreciation for diversity. Those earlier experiences really became the seeds that went on to blossom into her passion for cultural intelligence and working with global talent.

Following her work in the manufacturing sector she became the Executive Director at the non-for profit career management organization, Progress Career Planning Institute (PCPI). Rhonda recalls how one of the divisions she managed there consisted of 10,000 unemployed individuals, 80 percent of which came from other countries. And how one day while “having a meeting with her direct report, discussing their metrics and how they were going to help people back into work, “I suddenly had a huge epiphany that is so crystal clear, even to today. The Conference Board of Canada at the time was promoting their employability skills and my huge aha was when I realized that our cliental would not understand what that looked like, sounded like or felt like because they came from other countries.” This moment really launched Rhonda forward to do more research that eventually led her to the term cultural intelligence, which was known at the time to be a concept created by Soon Ang and Lin Van Dyne, and further developed by David Livermore.  For Rhonda, the idea of Cultural Intelligence was a much more strategic concept, and a departure from the more prevalent HR term at the time, cultural competency, which she felt was less encompassing.

Over the course of her 10 years at PCPI, she went on to become President and in her legacy partnered with The Toronto Community News and City of Toronto, to co-create the IEP Conference, which is now regarded “as one of the most innovative and respectful events for Internationally Educated Professional newcomers seeking practical, effective career advice in Canada”. (1) They recently had their twelfth annual conference, consisting of over a thousand Internationally Educated Professionals, coming from five different sectors, with sixty to seventy speakers, which centered on “honoring the courage of these global talents, while at the same time helping them navigate the system”. In this visionary work Rhonda was an integral part of bringing cultural intelligence to the forefront, twelve years ago at that first conference.

It was through this passion for Cultural Intelligence and Diversity and Inclusion that Rhonda was eventually introduced to Elaine Newman, and her role of V.P., Global Talent for Global Learning. Rhonda explains how David Livermore, who she had known for years, introduced her to Elaine, who like herself had participated in David’s CQ certification course. Rhonda then had the opportunity to hear Elaine speak during a presentation at the CQ forum in May 2014. Rhonda said that she was immediately struck by how “it went from my head and out of Elaine’s mouth.  She was talking my talk and walking my talk and I was right there with her the whole time.”

When asked what motivated Rhonda to join Global Learning, she explained that at this point in her life she really wanted to join a company that epitomized the values that were important to her, that she walks, both personally and professionally. “I wanted an organization that was really embracing diversity, and in particular cultural intelligence. This is what truly drives me.  And when it comes to Elaine, not only does she believe in excellence, she is a true innovator. She is a yesterday person. What I mean by that is that when she gets an idea, you know she is going to make it happen right away. Tomorrow is too late. These two factors are what I appreciate.”

As V.P. of Global Talent Rhonda sees her role as two fold. As a result of her past experiences she feels very strongly about Internationally Educated Professionals or Global Talent, with regards to the courage that these individuals possess, knowing how difficult it is to leave one’s home to move to a new country. Rhonda expressed how these individuals are really “diamonds in disguise because they bring their skills, their culture, and have such a different mindset and experience that we can really learn from. There are so many examples of internationally educated professionals who have been such innovators. She goes on to explain “that we have the ability to be one of the most competitive countries in the world, if we can learn to use our global talent more effectively. “

Rhonda sees her position at Global Learning as “an opportunity to utilize her expertise with global talent to help organizations cascade an approach using cultural intelligence to help gain a more competitive advantage. She believes that “in order for organizations to truly survive in a global economy, such as we are living in today it is essential that they begin to take a horizontal approach to diversity versus a vertical or silo one to working with their employees, their most valuable asset”. By using what we have learned about diversity, cultural intelligence and unconscious bias thus far “we create the power of possibilities to cross bridges both locally and internationally, in a way that we really haven’t done before”.


References:

1. http://www.iep.ca

Where Are All the Girls? by Rhonda Singer

There is a wonderful picture on my computer screensaver, taken a few Septembers ago, of my husband and me, surrounded by our five granddaughters (ranging in age from four months to almost 7 years old at the time).

Each time that photo catches my eye, I still find myself in a kind of almost happy disbelief, for the score has been flipped on its head in only one generation. My husband and I had three sons, hence, I was outnumbered in our household 4:1.

Back then; 4 testosterone: 1 estrogen.

Now? The men are outnumbered. Today the score sits at 4 testosterone: 9 estrogen.

I waited many years for the joy of female family members, never expecting to experience this type of balance. Now that I am a grandmother, an Amah, I reflect on what the future holds for today's young women.

Whilst I was waiting (and hoping) for an estrogen infusion into our family, the world was going through a dramatic change in the gender ratio balance. This is a significant, virtually hidden and very worrisome issue. One that is very likely going to have a big impact on our future world.

While on travel, I picked up the riveting book Unnatural Selection by Mara Hvistendadhl, which had been shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times book prize and a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize. What I read about gender imbalance of girls to boys was shocking.

The link to technology and subsequent use of ultrasound is alarming, for it means that the skewed sex ration is an outgrowth of economic progress not backward traditions. Restoring the global balance of males and females could take until 2050.

Implications are profound. Evidence already shows that girls throughout the world face higher rates of violence, poverty, and discrimination. The world’s surplus men means an increase of testosterone and therefore more violence, with huge rises in the number of kidnappings, prostitution, and international trafficking and child marriages.

By now most of know of Malala, the brave young woman who at 14 years old was shot by the Taliban for standing up and advocating for the education of girls. Ironically, during that same week back in 2012, October 11 was declared by the United Nations as the world's first International Day of the Girl Child.  Canada has led the international community in adopting this day, along with the support of Plan Canada. 

The question is why are girls and women valued less than boys and men?

There is a growing recognition around the world that support girls and their basic human rights is key for healthy communities. History shows that the best way to convince more couples to have girls is to improve the status of women by boosting education and career advancement.

And yet, sadly, women still need to be distinguished separately in diversity initiatives along with immigrants, GLBT, and people of color. Each of those segments are composed of either men OR women and so to be identified separately AND to naturally fall into any other ism as a woman is a double whammy. 

In spite of that ‘so called’ advocacy, we still read in the media that salaries are 15% to 30% less than men, and women’s representation in Fortune 500 leadership positions has stagnated in recent years.  In case you missed it, here is a wonderful infographic that we developed here at Global Learning, for this year’s International Women’s Day that looks at the gender wage gap here in Canada and the U.S.A. We have come so far, yet what is already ten years ago, in 2005 Royal Bank of Canada released a report that estimated the lost income potential of women in Canada due to the wage gap is about $126-billion a year.  

So what is going on? It is a cultural and economic issue… not a gender one.

Culture can be defined simply as ‘the way we do things here’. Geert Hofstede, a well known researcher, defines organization culture as the “collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members from others". 

And culture is not easily described. Try articulating five or six practices in your organization and then ask “why do we do that?”.

Culture is based on values, the glue to behavior and decision- making. 

The question is: what’s invisible in our Canadian culture that does not recognize girls and women as equal, valuable contributors and leaders in the world of work- in government and in politics? 

My invitation to you: take a stand and start an inquiry with others about what is going on from a cultural and economic lens.

It is not only about my granddaughters; it is about your daughters and granddaughters too. It is about creating the future.  

Inspiring Others to "Walk Their Talk" By Elaine Newman

There are times in a person's life, amazing fleeting times, when they know what they believe in and stand for, has made a difference in shaping the choices of others.  These are the times we wait for and treasure, when we realize all of our hard work and effort has resonated with people we love and hope to inspire.  For parents, aunts and uncles and other adult family members, this is the defining moment with children. Last night, I had such a moment.

My daughter, Alexandra graduated last November from McGill University in Montreal with a Master of Science (MSc) Family Medicine.  Her thesis focused on the well sibling experience of anxiety and depression in young adults.  Her brother (my son) Michael has struggled with severe anxiety his entire life and her personal experience as his sister influenced her choice of thesis topic.  Much has been studied and written about the impact of mental health issues on the family unit from the individual's as well as the parent's perspective, but little to no research has been centered on the well sibling's experience.  Alexandra's thesis utilized qualitative research to explore the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the study group of 18 to 25 year old well siblings. This was a true case of lived experience shaping important choices in our life.

Alexandra was invited by the Jack.org McGill Students' Chapter to talk about her thesis and the impact that mental health issues have on the whole family unit at their Bridge the Gap speaker series this week.

“Jack.org is the only national network of young leaders transforming the way we think about mental health.  With initiatives and programs designed for young people, by young people, they strive to end the stigma in our generation.  

In 2010, Jack Windeler was a first year student at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.  He was a lively, bright and funny young man who was also struggling with mental illness.  Halfway through the school year, his grades dropped, he stopped going to class and he became disinterested and disengaged. Like many young people, Jack couldn't reach out for help.  In March 2010, Jack died by suicide. His loss devastated his family, shocked the Queen's community and started a movement. Following his death, his parents, Eric Windeler and Sandra Hanington asked friends and family to make donations to Kids Help Phone in Jack's memory.  The outpouring of support created the foundation for The Jack Project which has since grown into a registered Canadian charity which focuses its efforts on decreasing stigma and improving mental well being on campuses.”

Back in September 2014, my son Michael started his freshman year at college and it was no surprise to us that he chose to attend Queens University.  What was surprising to us was that he could go away to college at all.  With his severe anxiety, he had never, and I mean never, been able to participate in overnight school trips, stay at friend's houses or travel by himself.  With the support of his family, friends, doctor, and coach who he had worked with since age 8, Michael started a year-long plan focused on enabling him to attend a university away from Toronto. 

Michael not only saw this as an opportunity to enable and empower his own life, he developed into a champion for other people living with mental health disabilities. Michael quickly became an ally and mentor for younger students in his school who were experiencing the all too familiar fears and anxiety that have plagued him for so many years. 

With this new glimpse of discovery into his own purpose, Michael has been exploring endeavors he couldn’t have conceived possible just a short time ago.  He has been invited to and has spoken at school events, as well as attended outside conferences with his school counsellor, a personal mentor of his for the past 9 years.  Most importantly Michael accomplished this amazing goal that he had set out for himself, while at the same time leaving others to feel inspired to do the same.

Last night, I received an unexpected gift, packaged in a brief Facebook comment.  As most of us do these days, my daughter Alexandra took to her Facebook profile, to make mention of her speaking engagement with the Jack.org McGill Students' Chapter. 

Michael left the following comment:

"really proud of my big sister Alex for speaking about her thesis at McGill today! As someone who has struggled with anxiety for as long as I can remember, having a family member focus a thesis on mental health issues and helping others affected by this is the best thing I could ever ask for! Love You."

I told my children last night, how proud I was of both of them for "walking the talk" and being role models and advocates for individuals with mental health issues.  Awareness, understanding, advocacy and empathy are critical to supporting others in every respect.  If all of us can focus on inspiring others in some way, big or small, to "walk their talk", the world will truly become a better place. 

"Some people see things as they are and say, why? I dream things that never were and say, why not?" ~ Robert Kennedy 

Global Learning Infographic: International Women's Day 2015