Broaden Your Bubble

Scott Miller

Just for some introspection, I recently drew a picture of all my friends.

Not their faces (I have zero illustration talent) but a series of circles (think a bullseye) and listed their names on one of the ever-increasing circles. Closest family and friends nearest the center, and professional associates and acquaintances further out. I included people I am mostly associated with through church, my hobbies, professional activities, social clubs, and boards—you get the point. I stopped at about 150 people.

Mainly I wanted to see how diverse my daily influences were. I knew the answer; I’m just a glutton for punishment, I guess.

Here’s what I calculated. Of my 150 closest friends and associates:

2% were people of color. Meaning basically everyone I spend my time with is white.
80% were over the age of 50.
Nearly all of them have advanced degrees.
A surprising number were physicians.
None of them have physical disabilities (that I know of).
Most own multiple homes and cars and have no need for a financial safety net.
All of them are not only employed but thriving professionally and financially.

I could go on, but let’s just say my relationships are not representative of the real world. They’re mostly a mirror of myself. Disclosure though: I am not a physician, I don’t own multiple homes, and I do have a few bills haunting me…

So you might ask why I did this exercise. My interview with Mindy Henderson revealed my general ignorance in how to talk with and about a person, otherwise very much like me, but with physical disabilities. How do I offer help? How do I refer to their condition or abilities when necessary without offending or minimizing them? How do I ensure the words I use to describe others with similar challenges are respectful and affirming?

I’ve come to realize I don’t need more friends, but I do need more diverse friends. People who can challenge my thinking and entrenched points of view. Those who can better teach me what’s going on outside my deliberately created and very safe bubble, ensuring I’m not only relevant but empathic and relatable.

So I looked at my circle another time, and although nobody’s race or net worth changed, I did see something valuable:

One of them is gay. Open, out, and very fulfilled. One is a leading name in the legalized cannabis industry (this is a big deal for me given that I not only have never partaken, but I’m quite public about my opposition). Several are Jewish or Muslim, and many are not religious at all. Quite a few have very debilitating mental and emotional health issues, which I’ve become a part of given their involvement in my businesses. And there are other very stark differences from me and my current roles in life.

Maybe my circle isn’t as homogeneous as I thought. But it certainly needs broadening. I’ll work on that.

Download our guide, Manage Your Biases to Better Manage Your Team, to learn some strategies for identifying your biases as a leader and what you can do to manage them.

About the Author

Scott Miller is a 25-year associate of FranklinCovey and serves as Senior Advisor, Thought Leadership. Scott hosts the world’s largest and fastest-growing podcast/newsletter devoted to leadership development, On Leadership. Additionally, Scott is the author of the multi-week Amazon #1 New Release, Management Mess to Leadership Success: 30 Challenges to Become the Leader You Would Follow, and the Wall Street Journal bestseller, Everyone Deserves a Great Manager: The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team. Previously, Scott worked for the Disney Development Company and grew up in Central Florida. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife and three sons.
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Broaden Your Bubble

Just for some introspection, I recently drew a picture of all my friends.

Here’s what I calculated. Of my 150 closest friends and associates:

So I looked at my circle another time, and although nobody’s race or net worth changed, I did see something valuable:

Maybe my circle isn’t as homogeneous as I thought. But it certainly needs broadening. I’ll work on that.

About the Author

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Broaden Your Bubble

Just for some introspection, I recently drew a picture of all my friends.

Here’s what I calculated. Of my 150 closest friends and associates:

So I looked at my circle another time, and although nobody’s race or net worth changed, I did see something valuable:

Maybe my circle isn’t as homogeneous as I thought. But it certainly needs broadening. I’ll work on that.

About the Author

Previous Article

Next Article

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