Career

How — and Why — You Should Break out of Your Bubble

It's now a given that diversity boosts organizational performance, says executive Dorri McWhorter. The big question now is how to create environments where diversity thrives.

Ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform their peers, said Dorri McWhorter, CEO of the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, in a talk, “Break Out of the Bubble — Inclusion to Enrich Your Life,” at Convening Leaders. The question isn’t why we should create diverse and inclusive environments, “which ultimately leads to better results no matter how you measure it,” McWhorter said. “The question is always how, and I think that’s where people are struggling.”

One first step toward being more inclusive: Intentionally seek out people and groups other than your own, McWhorter told Convene‘s David McMillin. “You get different perspectives and insights that you just wouldn’t get if you stay within your own bubble.” 

McWhorter was invited to speak at Convening Leaders 2018 as the inaugural thought leader for Ascent, a new initiative by PCMA and Convene, to inspire and spur inclusion and diversity in the business-events industry. 

Barbara Palmer

Barbara Palmer is senior editor and director of digital content.