Workforce Cultural Competency

Lions and Tigers and Bears - Oh My
How to Manifest Greatness in a Diverse Environment

We have long known that the thing that breaks down barriers is good open conversation. But have you ever been to a discussion on race that left people more angry than when they started? Ever been to one where you just know there was a lot more not said than actually said ? Ever been to one where the lines were clearly drawn ... perpetrators on one side and victims on the other? 

Well it is difficult to talk about subjects like race, diversity, prejudice, biases and equal employment without someone feeling like they're guilty. Or is it? One of the oldest teaching methods in the world is by means of parables. Socrates used parables to teach. Demosthenes used parables to teach. Jesus used parables to teach. And they taught some of the most difficult subjects in the world. In the parabolic method, concrete ideas are presented in story form. This provides a safe venue to reach conclusions that can then be transferred to everyday situations. In this method, participants can discover truths without feeling like they are being blamed for the past. 

Lions and Tigers and Bears is a parable written to cause introspection and challenge beliefs concerning our diversity and how it impacts relationships and social intercourse. It is a tale of a mythical kingdom that is experiencing profound changes and how the inhabitants of that kingdom adjust and profit from their assets or resist and experience loss. 

As understanding is required, guidance is sought from a wise one called 'The Teacher'. However a paradigm in thinking and beliefs is facilitated through profound insights gained from deep contemplation. We invite you to participate in the same process. Read and contemplate. Consider what you truly believe and why. We believe when you consider and truly understand the profound truths hidden in this parable, you can discover for yourself how to apply them to your situation so that you can profit from the diverse environment you exist in. 

Written to evoke thought and the questioning of preconceived notions, the story takes a short amount of time to read ... but possible a lifetime to understand and implement. In an increasingly complex, sophisticated and global marketplace, we cannot succeed unless we attract top-caliber people that can provide the cultural and biological diversity we need to compete. To do less is to show up low on assets.