Making Human and Social Differences Our Source of Strength
To achieve our vision, we must make our human and social differences a source of strength. Social identities are the result of constructs shaped by social norms. There are many dimensions of difference, but diversity scholars suggest key dimensions1 of human and social difference, called the "Big 8", present persisting challenges and opportunities to organizations. The dimensions found among 91ɫƵ’s people and stakeholders include race/ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, geographic origin/nationality, mental/physical (dis)ability status, religion, age, and role and functional/military background. Finding strength from the interaction of these critical differences provides the best opportunities to build a high-performing organization and contribute to a thriving society. Making our human differences a strength requires inclusion. Inclusion requires intentional, strategic action across four domains called Inclusive Excellence.