Photography by Caitlin Swamy (November 22, 2014, Sydney, Australia) 

Schwartz (2012) defines universalism as, “Understanding, appreciation, tolerance, and protection for the welfare of all people and for nature” (p. 7). For me, universalism is at the core of my value system, and it was no surprise that it was my highest scoring value in the Schwartz PVQ Self-Assessment.Leaders must understand their personal values. Personal values guide leader’s decisions and inform their leadership philosophy. Universalism embodies the driving force behind my leadership philosophy. For these reasons, I am kicking off the BCFP Capstone Seminar with a core values exercise (please reference the Proposal and Project tab for more details).

I’ve cultivated the value of Universalism due to the life experiences that shape my worldview. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel frequently. Traveling has allowed me to have a richer understanding and awareness for my own personal belief system and how my core value of universalism plays into other cultures. I’ve learned that not everyone will share my same values, and there is something beautiful we can learn through embracing our differences. Wood (1997) describes the diversity in the U.S. from the perspective of The Reverend Jesse Jackson as, “A family quilt that derives its beauty from the distinctiveness of its peoples” (p. 5). I would argue that this family quilt expands from the U.S. into the entire world. It is essential that we embrace the differences that make up the patchwork of this quilt.

Artnett et al (2009) writes, “It has been, is, and will be the differences, not our commonalities that present us with…ethics demands and challenges.”(p. 39). When we are aware and mindful of our engagements with others, we are invited to differentiate between discernment and judgment. This requires awareness of the self, the other, and the situation to release judgment and acknowledge that everyone makes sense of the world differently. Moving beyond judgment has multiple facets that are already an active part of my core beliefs. Moving beyond judgment requires one to practice self-reflection, curiosity, and openness to others. I practice self-reflection everyday through daily meditation. This time allows me to cultivate silence, enhancing my ability to be a better listener and my ability to practice self-awareness, all critical areas in moving beyond judgment. Curiosity has become an unconscious activity for me. Having the privilege of access to education and travel has further fostered curiosity as one of my core values. Embracing diversity mean being curious about others through developing the heart (“Good Reads,” 2017):

“NEVER GIVE UP
No matter what is going on
Never give up
Develop the heart
Too much energy in your country
Is spent developing the mind
Instead of the heart
Be compassionate
Not just to your friends
But to everyone
Be compassionate
Work for peace
In your heart and in the world
Work for peace
And I say again
Never give up
No matter what is going on around you
Never give up”
― Dalai Lama XIV

My posting today is a piece of aboriginal art that I fell in love with when traveling around Australia in 2014. I’ve always found tremendous beauty in Aboriginal artwork. Each small dot makes up an entire painting and that painting tells a story. This is a close parallel to the patchwork quilt analogy. Each dot, while different, is an important and integral part of the story. Each of these vibrant colors intricately weave together the stories of generations past and the hope for a brighter future. This piece of art is a reminder to me to be more intentional, mindful, and aware in my interactions with other people. When I am aware, I am able to move beyond judgment, develop my heart, and appreciate each individual dot of paint. Developing the heart and openness to others are synonymous and are the critical threads that allow us to move beyond judgment to a pluralistic perspective of the world. We embrace diversity through recognizing that we all are worthy of love, kindness, and respect.

Food for Thought:

1. Which of your core values inform your leadership philosophy the most and why?
2. What steps can you take today to “develop your heart?”
3. How do you embrace diversity in your own unique microcosm and why is this important?