Vive la France, Vive la Diversite!
O’ the beautiful game…with all its twists and turns, underdogs and upsets. The World Cup tends to be the platform for the biggest of dramas and this year did not disappoint. In particular, this World Cup will stand out from many because of the tech integration, strange statistics and dramatic victories. Alas, the Cup has come to an end and a victor has emerged – France!
Throughout the tournament they showed class and guile to navigate the group stages and make it to the finals where they faced an equally resilient Croatia. France ultimately won 4 – 2 to claim their second World Cup victory in history.
The winning team has gotten a particular type of attention due to its diverse collection of Footballers. The French team was full of Arab, Black, White, Christian, and Muslim players whom mostly were either immigrants or descendants of immigrants. This speaks in volumes of success through diversity. A large part of that success was their cohesion and focus on the goal (quite literally).
Diversity & Inclusion best practice is equally applicable in sports as it is in the workplace. The French Team was a model of cohesion & dynamism that created a historically delightful sporting experience. We can all learn from their commitment to the goal and their unique philosophy on a team sport. In the workplace, we all have a common goal and when we embrace the different styles and skill sets of our workforce to create a dynamic team that’s both creative and effective, we can achieve collective success.
Now let’s take a moment… step away from the dream and fantasy of the largest sporting event in the world and come back to our lives. Where we have personal goals and careers of our own, we’re all seeking our own version of the World Cup. In the same way N’Golo Kanté, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann connected on the field, a Coordinator, an Analyst and a Manager can successfully collaborate within the organization. Each team player brings in their own unique set of skills and experiences, resulting in progressive results.
Vive la France, Vive la Diversite!
Alexander Giraldo
Design Consultant
The Kaleidoscope Group
