I’m excited about my third round as facilitator in a University training for Search Committees – those charged with hiring teaching faculty in this fairly large university campus. I have already done two highly praised facilitations and now I have a choice: I can go safe: do an opener that I know works or….something different. As the whole point is to encourage departmental “risk” and increase diversity in new hires – I’m going different this time around.
As it is Autumn, I get inspired to make delicious and interesting soups for my family to enjoy, so I embarked on a chili experiment last week, and encountered the same wall of resistance around my chili “Don’t make it so spicy this time!” meaning no cayenne, no pablano, no heat, and in my opinion no FLAVOR. But this time, instead of trying to “sneak in just a teeny pinch of jalapeno”…. which I can’t even taste all that much, but sends them screaming to the water glass…. I got smart and added a heaping spoonful of brown sugar along with enough cayenne to satisfy my taste buds. The result? “This is great chili mom – make this again!” Music to my ears…. I had not just finally found the secret to chili we all could enjoy, I, as it turns out, had achieved “Umami”.
Have you encountered this term before?
Malcolm Gladwell’s “What the Dog Saw” and Sally Hogshead’s new book “How the World Sees You” both made reference to this fifth identified flavor that, according to Wikipedia “balance(s) taste and round(s) out the overall flavor of a dish.” Umami is, apparently, a unique taste sensation not dependent, unlike other flavors, on certain receptors in the tongue, like Bitter, Sour, Sweet and Salty. It is however, an experience somewhat dependent on those four flavors Being In Balance. I offer my chili as a humble example.
So, how is this even remotely relevant to diversity training? A diverse team – meaning a mix of personalities, experience, backgrounds, ETC. – has a greater chance at decision-making Umami than a non-diverse team. Stands to reason right? If you’re missing a particular “flavor” (skill set, natural ability, inclination, point of view), that absence will effect results, and even if marginally palatable, will be less “Umami-esque” than it might have been given a more inclusive genesis.
Bear with me a bit longer. Who in your work group represents the following flavors? And assuming we all exhibit ALL these qualities somewhere in our lives, which one most resembles yours in a particular work setting?
Disclaimer! We have to dismantle some negativity around these tastes as adjectives for people as no one wants to be labelled “sour” or “bitter”, right? But as described here – they all have their positive and necessary qualities…..
Bitter: Discerning, not afraid to tell the truth of a situation, or at least express one’s strong opinion. Accustomed to receiving respect and very comfortable in positions of authority, Bitter’s priorities are very clear, articulate, and often traditional. Pedigree: meaning, of course, quality and a proven track record, is very important, as Bitter’s standards are very high. Bitter is exacting and can appear to be uncompromising, but in the end, no one makes the case for the status quo more powerfully than Bitter.
Salty: Practical, good problem-solver, can be counted on by others in the group to hold fast to the bottom line. Salty is a pragmatist; steady, dependable and predictable. Uncomfortable with change, especially change that is unsupported by facts or previous experience, Salty is detail oriented, methodical concrete, and absolutely essential to any decisions being carried out. Often Salty, along with Bitter, is the person in the group to support and quantitatively justify continuing the status quo.
Sweet: Relationships and human interactions are a key focus, concern and influence for Sweet. Actively and passionately seeking connections and common ground between ideas, possibilities and people, Sweet is uncomfortable with conflict, and will soften language, tone and intention to better blend with the rest of the group. Often the most patient member in a group, Sweet can also support needed incremental change over time, so that the others can be more comfortable with it.
Sour: Uncomfortable with the status quo, Sour tends to shake things up with zing and spice! New ideas, influences, experiences, personalities are often passionately and engagingly introduced by Sour. Sour can be a terrific salesperson, a very popular teacher, a good improvisor and is comfortable promoting large changes at high speeds, but can be frustrated by the need to take a more cautious, orderly, detailed approach in order for others to sign on to a particular plan. A creative thinker, an excellent brainstormer, a visionary, and not afraid to articulate even unformed ideas, Sour can be entertaining, stimulating, energizing and exasperating for the rest of the group.
So, did you see yourself here? Of course, we all exhibit these behaviors in certain contexts and with particular others. Were you able to recognize the “flavors” for yourself and for others in your work groups? Are all the flavors represented and “in balance” in your work setting?
I’m thinking the next step for my training opener is to create a short quiz for people at the training to take, and then quickly determine the quality of their particular departmental “Group Soup”…