Or, as someone who isn't clearly classifiable into any one of the six diversity strands - age, belief, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability and gender/transgender - would I be accepted and my ideas taken seriously? Or would I be labelled as the 'typical white American male', biologically incapable of seeing the larger picture?
Fortunately, though, it didn't take long for the D&I team to put these concerns to rest. In my first meeting at LOCOG, Stephen Frost, the head of Diversity and Inclusion, momentarily halted the conversation to reiterate, in no uncertain terms, that LOCOG was professionally and philosophically opposed to diversity quotas.
He emphasized that the most talented applicants, irrespective of age, race, belief, or ability, would be brought on board, simply because delivering a world-class event would allow for nothing less.
It was thus immediately made clear to me that the work of D&I was not about policing applications and manufacturing diversity, but rather about genuinely opening LOCOG's doors to everyone who might be interested in delivering the Games, guided by the firm belief that no one group has a monopoly on talent, and that diversity would arise in proportion to how much the attitude of 'inclusion' permeated our organization.
Inclusion, then, is the operative word. At its core, inclusion is not about tokenistically reaching out to groups that have historically been excluded. It is not about merely making venues accessible and providing a diverse range of services. And it is most certainly not about filling quotas with substandard employees because they make us appear more tolerant and progressive.
Rather, it is about adopting the attitude that every person affected by our organization – be it a staff member, volunteer, or client group – has the right to feel comfortable and respected.
It is about uncovering our unique talents, even if they are often well hidden by conspicuous flaws.
It is about realising that a diverse and inclusive workforce does not arise miraculously from thin air, but rather is the fruit of years of hard, innovative work and an organization-wide commitment to equality.
And, in personal my case, inclusion is about making a 'typical white American male' feel right at home on LOCOG's Diversity and Inclusion team, knowing that his opinions are always welcome and that his diversity category does not define him.
