In this issue, we will discuss how important diversity is, citing John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty”.
Mill was a leading liberalist and politician for a short period of time. Mill’s achievements are marked by the vast body of work he wrote in the various fields of political philosophy, logic, and economics.
One passage from “On Liberty” reads as follows.
If his/her judgment is really reliable, how did he/she become so?
Because they have always accepted criticism of their opinions and actions with an open mind. I have made it a habit to listen to all opposing opinions, to accept what I think is right as much as possible, and to consider for myself where I am wrong, and if possible, to explain it to others.
I have always felt that the only way to fully understand a subject is to hear all the different opinions and to examine every point of view on a given view.
No wise man, in fact, has ever attained wisdom in any other way, and the nature of the intellect is such that men cannot be wise in any other way.
Mill’s motivation for writing the book was the reality that while democracy was spreading in 19th century England, public opinion as the majority opinion was oppressing individuals. He urged that minority opinions must be heard.
He focused on the reality that decisions based on the majority opinion greatly inhibited the individual freedom that people demanded. So, he asked, “How can we develop truly reliable judgment?” .
Mill’s answer was “respect for diversity.”
It is unclear to what extent the concept of diversity was understood at the time, but Mill may be considered a pioneer in bringing the importance of diversity to the public’s attention.
One of the key themes we want our clients to realize through our executive coaching is that of authority. Executives may think they are humble and want to be so, but the title of “authority” causes those around them to perceive them differently. In other words, it is normal to be “disciplined”. As a result, truthful information never comes out.
“Managers must be more humble than anyone else.” They must listen!” This is the truth.
コーチング情報局を運営する株式会社コーチビジネス研究所では、企業を対象としたコーチング研修、ビジネスパーソンを対象としたビジネスコーチング、個人の方を対象としたライフコーチングを提供しております。その他、コーチングを学びたい方のためのコーチングスクールの運営、経営者やビジネスリーダー向けにセミナーを開催しています。興味や関心がございましたら、お気軽にご相談・お問い合わせください。
This article was written in Japanese and converted into English using a translation tool. We hope you will forgive us for any inadequacies.
Coach Business Laboratory, Inc., which operates the Coaching Information Bureau, provides coaching training for companies, business coaching for business people, and life coaching for individuals. In addition, we operate a coaching school for those who want to learn coaching and hold seminars for executives and business leaders. If you are interested or have any questions, please feel free to contact us for further information and consultation.
