BLOG: Leadership Insights

Get Email Updates

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer: The real story

December 23, 2011

During the holidays, stories that have been carried on for generations surface on TV and in the news, creating a sense of nostalgia and excitement. Often times, we overlook the underlying meaning of these popular stories; like how the story of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer is really a lesson in diversity and inclusion, highlighting discrimination, isolation and depression.

Minorities across all segments are expected to conform to society’s norms and if they don’t, they are ostracized. Santa isn’t innocent in all this–his ignorance allows for Rudolph to continue to be teased and harassed for a glowing red nose. Only when he realizes that he needs Rudolph to guide his sleigh does he embrace Rudolph’s differences, encouraging the other reindeers to follow suit. It is strikingly similar to the rise of black integration into professional sports teams and the allowance of blacks and whites to integrate in public spaces.

At Linkage, we are committed to helping organizations create workforces that represent global communities and ensure an environment where every individual is not only accepted due to compliance, but included and engaged for their own professional and personal development. Interested in learning more? Learn more about our Institute for Leading Division & Inclusion.

Dark haired woman watches from audience of conference event

Women in Leadership Institute

NOV. 13–16, 2023 | Orlando, Florida, or Virtual
A 4-day immersive learning experience designed to equip women leaders with actionable strategies to overcome the hurdles women often face in the workplace.

Posted In

Blog

Enrich Your inbox

with timely, relevant leadership insights

Join more than 15,000 others and subscribe to Linkage Leadership Insights: your resource for leadership development-related topics that matter to you, from the advancement of women leaders to diversity and inclusion and purposeful leadership. Plus, get all the latest Linkage news delivered to your inbox.

Related Posts

All Insights

Start Your Journey

Speak with a Linkage expert today