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May 2021-D& I Corner

The Northern California PGA Section Diversity and Inclusion Committee is dedicated to increasing awareness, understanding, and action to address the needs of all community members. The goal is to provide a supportive and proactive golf environment that promotes recreational access, developmental programs, and career opportunities.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION: We hear both these words used throughout our day. Whether it’s on the news, in social media or around the workplace, creating and embracing diversity and inclusion is essential. But what do these words really mean, and how do we apply them? Global Diversity Practice provides us with a clear and direct explanation.

DIVERSITY – In a nutshell, it’s about empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them different, in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, education, and national origin.

INCLUSION – Is a sense of belonging. Inclusive cultures and workplaces make people feel respected and valued for who they are as an individual or group. People feel welcome with a level of support, energy, and commitment from others so that they can do their best work.

Here are some other ways to understand the powerful influences that shape and develop our attitudes, and ultimately, our behavior, without us even being aware of them.  Quite simply, we are a stronger and better society because of our differences, not in spite of them. Below are three examples of bias and clear definitions gleaned from a forward-thinking tech company called Built-in. Use this link to learn more. DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS – Unconscious biases, also known as implicit biases, are the underlying attitudes and stereotypes that people unconsciously attribute to another person or group of people that affect how they understand and engage with a person or group.

AFFINITY BIAS – Affinity bias, also known as similarity bias, is the tendency for people to connect with others who share similar interests, experiences, and backgrounds. When you hire someone like you, it’s often because that person shares these similar interests with you. However, this doesn’t help your team grow and diversify. Look for someone that ‘adds’ something to your team rather than someone who simply fits.

CONFIRMATION BIAS – Is the inclination to draw conclusions about a situation or person based on your personal beliefs and prejudices rather than on unbiased merit. (Think of this from the perspective of golf course operations. What ‘confirmations’ do we look for when interacting with people? Do we ever ‘predict’ that a person or group will be difficult to deal with and then look for evidence to confirm our bias? If we give every person the benefit of the doubt while looking for ways to connect with them, we help create an atmosphere of support and inclusion.)

We encourage all our PGA Associates and Professionals to take a few minutes this month to see how they can improve the golf experience at their facility for their guests, members, and co-workers. If we use our collective talent and teamwork in the pursuit of this worthy goal, there is absolutely no limit to what we can achieve.