ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the leaders suggest that being ourselves is important to our collective diversity but, first, let's clarify something about the 'D' word. Taking another aspect of being unique, through who and what they are, they may find ourselves representing people in their community whom they reflect in some way. Being ourselves, being different, having the courage to speak out: these are all ways in which they can bring what's unique about us to the work we do together. This reflects a tension at a deeper level between our human needs to be ourselves as independent individuals but also to feel a sense of belonging to the group that they care about. In these ways, a team in which people feel that they are valued enough by each other to speak up and be different, becomes a group with perhaps the greatest sense of belonging of all.
