None of us chooses where we enter the world, or to whom we are born. If we are fortunate we enter into a nurturing, loving, and economically sound environment. Needless to say that is not always the circumstance to which many of us are born.

Even when we are born into those fortunes, we still have flaws, because to be flawed is to be human. Yet with all of our own flaws it becomes easy to judge others negatively, or to place them in some box that makes them inferior.

When we take those negative feelings and emotions into the workplace it creates relationship blocks and a lack of trust. Without both positive relationships and trust, we are unable to build productivity teams. Without productive teams we cannot build productive organizations.

Because of our lack of information and stereotypes regarding others, we often find it difficult to create a tolerance and respect that engenders positive relationships. The more we know about others, the easier it is to empathize with them. More importantly, we must be able to analyze ourselves—to understand our own values and motives.

Every employee must feel that they have the opportunity to advance regardless of their sexual preference, ethnicity, color, gender, etc. Organizational leaders must create environments that allow all people to reach their full potential. However, without trust it will be impossible to create a workplace that embraces and celebrates differences.