I am well-read, I have several advanced degrees, and I am reasonably versed in research methods. Yet, some of the best conclusions that are applicable to my work are lessons from my mother. An immigrant from Dominican Republic, she somehow has always had an abundance mentality - even when experiencing the many hardships familiar to immigrants living in poverty. I grew up hearing her often say that, "en el mundo cabemos todos." In this world, we all fit.
My mother's perspective counters the demographic usually featured by researchers when comparing an abundance mentality to a scarcity mentality. I've often read of the scarcity mentality as a characteristic of poverty. While there are some contexts in which that may be the case, in the context of the diversity we see in educational and corporate settings, the scarcity mentality has little do with socio-economic status and more to do with biases creeping into practice. Research on bias tells us that one of the reasons (among many) that biases exist is competition over scarce resources, which whether perceived or real can lead to inter-group conflict.
Perceived scarcity can cause the manifestation of bias as conflict in diverse spaces. An abundance mentality can be learned through work that examines facts and multiple perspectives. With the right approach, we can detour the characteristics of the culture of a space from stingy to compassionate, suspicion to trust and rapport, competition to collaboration, and fear to acceptance.
A current ubiquitous theme in education is "growth mindset". Schools use the concept to teach students to take chances, and learn from mistakes rather than feeling discouraged by them. Similarly to abating fixed mindsets for students, leaders and participants in all spaces can intentionally work on forging positive dispositions, including abundance mentalities. Establishing that in this world, we all fit is an integral part of creating inclusive spaces. I'm here to help you further explore and discuss this topic as an individual, with targeted groups, or as an organization. Let's talk!
Dr. Violet Jiménez Sims
Co-owner and Lead Consultant
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