Be Like David
It’s the powerful versus the powerless.
It’s David versus Goliath.
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It’s an uphill battle.
These are descriptions I’ve heard from fellow DEI practitioners attempting to shift business culture toward enhanced inclusion for all. A general feeling of engagement tinged with hopelessness. The issue with this mindset is that while on one hand it seems to recognize the reality of the situation, it misses the opportunity inherent in the perception of the power gap between those in privilege and those fighting for seats at the table. Yes, David was less physically mighty than Goliath, but he had a few very crucial advantages which led him to volunteer for the challenge in the first place.
In his book of the same name, Malcolm Gladwell turns the tables on how we view the events of that historic day between a gigantic infantry soldier and a shepherd. Goliath, the Philistine’s mightiest warrior descended into the ravine—a no-man’s land in the stalemate between the Cretan army of battle tested combatants and the encampment of Israelites they meant to conquer—and made his challenge to the other side, shouting, “Choose you a man and let him come down to me! If he prevail in battle against me and strike me down, we shall be slaves to you. But if I prevail and strike him down, you will be slaves to us and serve us.”
David was a shepherd boy who had brought food to the Israelite soldiers and heard the call to action. When no one else stepped forward, David, who claimed to have overcome more challenging opponents than the likes of the 6 ft. 9 giant, stepped forward with his speed, guile, and deadly slingshot to defend his people. Goliath expected single hand-to-hand combat, but David had no such plans. He could tell by the fact that Goliath had to be escorted by a consort into the ravine that his opponent’s vision was impaired, that his lumbering size made him slow, and that David had the element of surrise: his trusty slingshot.
Goliath was thus completely unprepared for David’s approach to the challenge before him. David ran toward him, swinging and then releasing his projectile with enough force at that distance to penetrate Goliath’s skull and kill him. Had he missed, the tables might have turned; but he didn’t, and the rest is history.
So, it’s time for us to be like David. Be like David in his courage. Be like David in his belief and self-assurance. Be like David in his strategic acumen and unique skillset.
J.E.D.I. leaders are not as powerless and/or outmatched as we may seem based on the outsized task of carrying transformation like David holding his rocks. If we were, there would really be no point of writing yet another book on this subject and further saturating the literary landscape. So, at the outset of this book, let’s lay down our skepticism and imagine the possibility that we already have everything we need to make the change happen. And on top of that, we have the extreme benefit of being on the side of doing what’s right for others— which creates an inertia unlike any other force.
This playbook is designed to remind us of the power and distinct advantages we possess as practitioners operating in this space. We are far from overwhelmed. We are primed for success, and we have the might of right on our side. Please keep that in mind every day as you’re doing the good work and progressing through this resource.
Now, let’s get started!
