We All Need the Harmony of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

One of my first loves was music, and I view myself as an auditory learner. Hearing and listening have always been integral to how I receive and interpret information. My recognition of this gifting informs my sensibilities about diversity, equity, and inclusion as well.

Unison expressions can be very powerful, particularly with large groups. However, the richness of harmony is unparalleled and can surpass the power of unison work. A creative endeavor marked by everyone doing exactly the same thing will lose the interest of the audience eventually. Harmony, on the other hand, can create interest and excitement.

Similarly, in organizations, we don’t need everyone doing the same thing. We also don’t need octaves, which is a form of replication of the same note, but in a different register. We need genuine harmony. Chords are built when people proudly produce their individual notes and blend them together for a finished product. In this construct, each pitch is valued on its own, without comparison to others. The unique sounds are necessary to create sound fusion. We respect each note for being just that, and we acknowledge that to achieve a specific sound, no one note is more important or more valuable than any other. As a group, we also listen and make adjustments to be aware of one another as we pursue common goals.

My framework for diversity, equity, and inclusion reflects my musical background. I see diversity as imparting value to the differences and recognizing that individual contributions must be different to be powerfully blended. As a leader in the field of diversity, equity, and inclusion, my efforts always seek to acknowledge the depth of the disparities and the need for intentional, corrective actions.

I see equity as driven by justice. Our cooperative efforts rely on mutual respect, and we seek balance. I see inclusion as a verb rather than a performative goal. Optimally, we all experience the distinction between a culture of enforced “tolerance” and the genuine invitation to partnership and mutual reliance to build something together.

In my career, I have worked in various settings and in various capacities. I was the first African American chief resident in otolaryngology for the Yale Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery program. I am currently one of a few fully tenured African American males at the University of Illinois and the recipient of a named professorship. I have been appointed to government and industry advisory boards and I have happily served. In each circumstance, my goal has been to be my authentic self and bring my attributes to the collective for the greater good. My desire is to foster work environments in which everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. My experiences have informed me of the isolation that often comes when one breaks down barriers and the fierce resistance one can face thereafter. This knowledge guides the blueprints of any plan to dismantle systems that slow progress.

For much of my career, I have faced the assumption that when people acted to affirm me, I was given something I did not earn. Moreover, colleagues often misinterpret the transaction as unilateral and primarily for my personal benefit. I hope my legacy will be that organizations valued my contributions. I trust that they better understood why, when W. E. B. DuBois was given the opportunity to comment on being one of the first African Americans to earn his doctorate from Harvard, he stated, “The honor, I assure you, was Harvard’s.”  I hope I opened doors for others and reframed collective ideas about the beautiful harmonies we can create when we work together, value individuals for what they bring, and realize mutual benefit.  

H. Steven Sims, MD, FACS

Dr. Sims is the director of the Chicago Institute for Voice Care, a laryngologist, board-certified otolaryngologist, and musician.