The most vital part of any organization is what defines "organization" -- people. But that's also the one factor that's the most difficult to define. People are diverse - in their heritages, skills, interests, shapes, sizes, colors...And when an organization grows as rapidly as Novant Health, it only becomes more diverse. That's why leaders have taken a serious look at how best to pull this multi-faceted team together.

"Divesity is something that not only serves the company and makes it better, it also helps the individual. We're committed to creating a culture that supports and encourages diversity," explained Carl Armato, President and CEO of Novant Health.

The word "diversity" simply means different, varied, not alike. For companies like Novant, diversity means recognizing that people are different and then doing what it takes to bring out the best in each person so we can all live out the mission of the organization. The key is to empower each employee to do his or her own best while working together as a team with a common purpose.

Diversity takes commitment on a personal level and at an organizational level. It's not Equal Opportunity or Affirmative Action law. Although diversity includes the concepts behind those regulations, it goes beyong them. For us to continue to be successful, it will take a personal and professional commitment to ensure that every individual who works within Novant Health contributes to patient care with his of her talents.

Why does Novant Health invest the time and resources to incorporate diversity awareness into the organization? "Diversity already exists within Novant Health," notes Carl. Employees are a diverse group. We also have diverse suppliers and customers. And we all have different perspectives on how we look at situations, based on our personal values, beliefs, opinions and backgrounds. What's important is that we recognize and build upon these differences to better serve our communities.

Diversity is a competency we value as a company because it involves recognizing that everyone is different and that differences can provide advantages. It means recognizing that people have a right to be different. It means being sensitive to differences of gender, race, education, style, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, mindset, age, physical ability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or other life experiences. Senior leaders believe so strongly in this concept that diversity is held forth as one of the core Values for our organization.