The beauty of the word diversity is that it means different things to different people. Many globally diversity leaders have realized that diversity transcends dividing people in different ethnic groups. I have come to believe that hiring people based on different ethnic backgrounds is not an effective criteria to gauge if they will fit into a company’s culture and values.

To illustrate with an example, I would like to first bring your attention to the picture below.

Currently, we have the view that there is a big world out there and people are different based on their unique cultural identities.
A= Culture 1
B= Culture 2
C= Culture 3
D= Culture 1+3 = A+C (where 2 cultures intersect)
E= Culture 2+3 = B+C
F= Culture 1+2+3 = A+B+c
G= Culture 1+2 = A+B

The common names for these groups is: Asians, Hispanics, Asian Americans, African Americans, Multi racials etc. With these distinctions, it is hard to say how these people will they fit into the company’s culture.

Now consider, the picture below:

Here these different cultures are interacting with each other.
The cloud is the diverse cloud of the company and everyone is working within it. A, B,C,D,E,F are distinct cultures.

It is interaction A<->B that shapes the experience of A and B and shapes A+B (which is constantly changing and evolving).

Similarly, it is interaction A<->B and A<->D that shapes A, B,D. They don’t become different groups but remain A, B, C and D but evolve in their unique perspective based on their interactions. A becomes a bit of B,C,D,E,F based on its external interactions (outside of its culture).

So, there are chances for A to be more diverse because its experiences are a blend of different interactions. He is more open to accept others and values that lay the foundation of a company.

The point is: For a diverse individual to perform effectively and fit into the company’s corporate culture, it is important to focus on the experiences and interactions she has with others – the exposure to different cultures allows an individual to become more open.