I recently had the privilege of delivering a guest lecture on the importance of diversity and inclusion in building globally oriented teams, invited by my good friend Maggie Yin Jiang, a professor of communications at the University of Western Australia. It was a truly enriching experience to return to the classroom and engage with an enthusiastic bunch of university students.
In my presentation, I blended personal anecdotes with data-driven insights to highlight the significance of encouraging diversity and inclusion within teams. I stressed that diversity isn’t just a moral obligation; it’s a business strategy that drives innovation, creativity, and profitability. I encouraged the audience to reflect inward and work towards building diverse teams, as organisations that embrace inclusivity are better positioned to thrive in today’s global marketplace.
Mahatma Gandhi’s timeless quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” resonated strongly within this context. It serves as a reminder that for organizations to advocate for inclusivity externally, they must first cultivate an environment of acceptance and diversity within. Only by embodying these values internally can businesses truly drive meaningful and lasting change, both socially and commercially.
As the CEO of illuminance Solutions, I’ve witnessed firsthand the powerful impact of having a diverse team. There have been numerous occasions where our illuminance team, hailing from different backgrounds and experiences, identified challenges and contributed to more effective solutions—particularly when they themselves belonged to the communities facing those very issues. This reinforced the idea that diversity isn’t just about representation but can drive innovation and business success.
The session was highly interactive, with students asking insightful questions about building and managing diverse teams. I was thrilled to discuss the challenges and rewards of creating such an environment. As a token of appreciation, I gifted the first five students who asked questions a copy of my book “Terminal 4: An Entrepreneur’s Journey From Bicycle to Business Class”. The book, which chronicles my journey from migrant beginnings to establishing a social impact technology company, delves into many of the topics raised during the discussion—particularly the value of diversity in business growth.
