‘Class’ is one of the most important and generally overlooked of the Diversities

‘Class’ is one of the most important and generally overlooked of the Diversities. Whether you went to the right school and/or have the right accent is a key determinator as to whether you might succeed (make enough money) in the Arts and related professions.
This article is a reflection of how it is in Britain, but I have no doubt that it is pretty similar everywhere else.

McKinsey et al say, time and time again, that having a diverse team is ultimately the best way to great success. Yet, people in the Arts world insist in recruiting people like them, and in particular people they already know who are just like them. Not quite Nepotism but not far off. And since many of them went to public school they will continue to recruit from there and the elite universities which they have been trained to blag their way into.
Time and time again talented people are excluded because they have the wrong accent or differently developed social skills. They just ‘don’t belong’. Thus they find it very difficult to be in the right networks and contacts to get the right jobs. And of course they cannot afford to be interns.
Code switching – have a different accent at home from work – so you don’t frighten the horses at work , does not just belong to those who are non-white or who weren’t born in the UK, It also applies to anyone who doesn’t have the appropriate Southern (but not Estuary) English Accent.

Here are a few examples of the British Class system in action

• Historically it was the class system which determined what you were not allowed to read . In the obscenity trial in 1960 following the publication of D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover (in 1928). The judge’s much quoted remark in his opening statement as to whether the novel was something “you would even wish your wife or servants to read”.
• For decades, Lowry was dismissed by the art establishment as a “naive Sunday painter” because he worked full-time as a rent collector and clerk until his retirement at 65. Not the least because his pictures represented working class life in Salford near Manchester.
• In 1967, the ruling class at the BBC was forced to concede that working class pop music could be publicly broadcast on its new radio station, after years of everyone under 20 listening to illegal Pirate radio and a full five years since The Beatles first hit.
• Which British Poet sold the most books in the UK in the 20th Century? Pam Ayers! where is she in the AI list of top 20 British Poets of 20th Century? Not a mention
• “There Will Be No Beryl Cooks in Tate Modern,’ Says Sir Nicholas Serota, director of Tate modern, The Cultural Elite vs Britain’s Working Class Painter” The refusal of Tate Modern, in 2026, to collect or display the work of Beryl Cook is not a matter of taste, nor a neutral curatorial decision. It is ideological. Cook’s exclusion exposes a deep and enduring fault line in British cultural life: the discomfort of the cultural elite when confronted with the working classes not as objects of study, pity, or abstraction, but as active creators of culture.

Sexual intercourse began In nineteen sixty-three (which was rather late for me) – Between the end of the ‘Chatterley’ ban And the Beatles’ first LP. Philip Larkin

Working class kids are very actively discouraged from studying the arts as, as described above, they are unemployable because they don’t have the right connections or the right accents. Sometimes the “Careers Officers” maybe being cruel to be kind. Not allowing working class kids to study the arts because they will never get a job. Or at the opposite end of the scale – allowing them to go to study arts at college and then not able to get a job.
My school careers officer recommended I become a Gas Fitter. As I don’t have a practical bone in my body I wonder how many houses I would have blown up

Further opportunities to watch

David Rigby’s recent PodCast conversation with Vince Stevenson , In two parts

• “I didn’t get where I am today”
• “Including ALL your audience “

Click here to access the podcast on YouTube.

Click here to access the podcast on YouTube.

Smart Coaching & Training works with over 30 associates, in four continents speaking 14 languages. Most raised and working in a wide range of cultures and living in a different place than where they were born . See our associates here.

Many of our associates learned how to speak via Toastmasters and Professional Speakers Association Read more

Many of our associates are specialists in Diversity , Interculturality and related topics Read more here and here.

Written by David Rigby © 2026 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

Training the Trainer Podcast Vince Stevenson with David Rigby Sunday 22 February 1700 CET

Our guest for this session is another friend and colleague, Mr David Rigby, an intercultural leadership expert, mentor and coach. David is also a motivational speaker, trainer and the founding director of Smart Coaching & Training Ltd. David has worked in 22 countries, built teams across four continents, and has spent decades helping leaders navigate cultural differences with empathy and impact. His topics will include Things to consider when trying to engage and include ALL your audience whether, speaking, training or writing.

“Including ALL your audience” Podcast with Vincent Stevenson Part 2 February 26 watch here https://youtu.be/HNWYMJeZC8U

“I didn’t get where I am today” Podcast with Vince Stevenson Part 1 February 26 watch here https://youtu.be/0fbpdgEnHX0

This has a different focus that the podcast described below and was recoded in December.

To watch further The Training The Trainer podcasts, Vince Stevenson with special guests click here .

People & Purpose Podcast in December with Tarja Takko – summary

In December’s episode of the ‘People & Purpose’ podcast, Tarja Takko sat down with David Rigby, intercultural leadership expert, mentor, coach, and founding director of Smart Coaching & Training, to explore why the ability to connect across cultures has become a strategic superpower for modern leaders. With experience working in 22 countries and building teams across four continents, David brings decades of insight into how leaders can navigate cultural complexity with empathy, clarity, and impact.

David’s journey -from a mathematics degree at London University to a global career focused on people, leadership, and communication- has shaped a practical and deeply human approach to leadership. His reflections offer a roadmap for leaders and organisations operating in increasingly global, diverse, and interconnected environments.

A Lifelong Curiosity for Cultures

David’s interest in intercultural leadership didn’t begin in a boardroom—it started early, through friendships, languages, and a genuine curiosity about people’s backgrounds. From spending time with international peers at university to learning Italian and Spanish, his path has been shaped by an instinctive openness to cultures beyond his own.

That curiosity evolved into a professional focus as he began working across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Over time, David observed that leadership assumptions that work in one context can fail completely in another.

“If you’re leading people only in one country, you tend to operate in the culture of that country,” David explains. “Intercultural leadership means dealing with totally different and sometimes conflicting ways of working at the same time.”

Understanding Cultural Differences in Leadership

A recurring theme in the conversation is the danger of assuming that leadership looks the same everywhere. David contrasts leadership norms in Northern Europe, where autonomy and individual decision-making are expected, with cultures in the Far East, where hierarchy and top-down decision-making remain the norm.

The challenge for leaders is not choosing one style over another, but learning how to navigate both simultaneously without imposing their own cultural defaults.

“The biggest blind spot is expecting people all to behave the same way,” David notes. “They just don’t.”

Recognising these differences allows leaders to avoid misinterpretation and frustration, and instead respond with cultural intelligence.

Communication Beyond Words

Effective communication, David argues, is not about speaking more, it’s about ensuring shared understanding. Even when people technically speak the same language, meaning can shift dramatically depending on cultural context.

He illustrates this through familiar examples: how phrases like ‘that’s quite nice’ can mean very different things depending on whether you’re British or US American, or how indirect communication styles can mask disagreement in some cultures.

“Successful communication is when both people understand the same thing,” David reflects, “even if they’re coming from totally different viewpoints.”

This requires leaders to listen carefully, avoid assumptions, and actively confirm understanding especially in cross-cultural and remote settings.

Connection, Belonging, and Trust

In global and hybrid teams, creating a sense of belonging doesn’t happen by accident. David emphasises that connection requires intention, sincerity, and effort particularly when teams rarely meet face-to-face.

Rather than relying on surface-level checklists, leaders must invest time in understanding people as individuals, beyond their professional roles. Knowing personal context -interests, backgrounds, experiences- builds trust and strengthens collaboration.

“Ticking all the boxes doesn’t work,” David observes. “People have to know you’re being sincere about what you’re doing.”

Humility as a Leadership Practice

One of the most powerful moments in the episode comes when David reflects on humility as a core leadership quality. For him, intercultural leadership begins with recognising what you don’t know and being willing to learn continuously.

This applies not only across cultures, but across generations, disciplines, and experiences. Leaders must balance confidence in their own expertise with openness to being challenged.

“Am I humble enough to learn things?” David asks. “You have to know that you don’t know it all.”

Building Teams, Not Just Hiring Individuals

David also challenges traditional approaches to talent and diversity. While diversity is often discussed in terms of representation, he stresses the importance of team balance—including cognitive diversity, thinking styles, and emotional perspectives.

Recruiting the “best individual” is less important than building a team that can think, collaborate, and problem-solve effectively together.

“You can get results very fast with the wrong team,” David explains. “But they’ll be the wrong results.”

True inclusion, he argues, goes far beyond compliance as it requires leaders to actively create environments where different perspectives are genuinely valued.

Leading with Purpose Across Cultures

For David, purpose-driven leadership is inseparable from intercultural maturity. Leaders who want their organisations to thrive long-term must care not only about short-term results, but about the people and systems that sustain them.

This means balancing profitability with psychological safety, inclusion, and development especially in global contexts where expectations and norms differ widely.

“If you want to keep doing this in ten years,” David reflects, “then that’s what leadership has to be about.”

A Mindset for the Future

David Rigby’s insights highlight that intercultural leadership is not a skill to be mastered once, but a mindset to be practiced continuously. It demands curiosity, humility, courage, and a willingness to step outside comfort zones.

By listening deeply, communicating with intention, and valuing difference rather than fearing it, leaders can build organisations that are not only globally effective, but deeply human.

Watch the full episode here to hear the complete conversation and all of David’s insights on leading across cultures in a complex world.

Further opportunities to watch

David Rigby’s recent conference presentations

Click here to access the podcast on YouTube.

Click here to access the podcast on YouTube.

Smart Coaching & Training works with over 30 associates, in four continents speaking 14 languages. Most raised and working in a wide range of cultures and living in a different place than where they were born . See our associates here.

Many of our associates learned how to speak via Toastmasters and Professional Speakers Association Read more

Many of our associates are specialists in Diversity , Interculturality and related topics Read more here and here.

Written by David Rigby © 2026 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

Authenticity is key to creating memorable experiences

“I totally agree that authenticity is key to creating memorable experiences, especially in the hospitality industry where it can…” I received two comments on LinkedIn in response to a comment I had made about an associate’s post. Both started with these words, and both came from people employed in the same organisation (one is the CEO). The company is very well established as a leader in AI. So it’s a fair bet that these comments were generated by AI. In fact they are very proud that they do this.

My reaction : If cannot write to me personally then do not write to me at all. It has totally destroyed my trust in the people and the company. And I think: Are these photos created by AI?. Are the Videos using Avatars ? Is this message generated by AI?. The only time I am ‘reasonably certain’ I am talking to the real person is when I attend a webinar where there is interaction between the attendees and the presenters.

I am not impressed with organisations promising to personally message 10k people with personalised messaged as if they are from me. I like to select who I talk to and send specific messages to those individuals.

And then we get to the wise words invented by Meta to support the experience of Facebook . I posted a picture of me drinking Guinness in a local Spanish Bar. -not the least because it was freezing outside and we can take the dog in.
And Meta added “ Why is David Rigby in Madrid? Because on the post, it seems David Rigby is in Madrid to watch a football match between Real Madrid and Villareal. The casual setting of a pub with a TV showing the match and his enthusiastic comment “Where else but Madrid!” suggests he’s a fan of the sport or the teams playing “ (jan 26)
Anyone who knows me also knows I cannot stand football. And I was clearly, not clearly pointing out that the flyers and documentation about the Guinness were in Spanish., (try putting that through Grammarly !)
If it writes total garbage about what I know about why would I trust anything it says about stuff I don’t know about ?

I write as I speak

I write as I speak , with all the quirks of a Northern English man who has all the corners knocked off by working in 22 countries. It is completely beyond me why anyone would want to look like or sound like or write like some generic version of themselves . I know you can spend months trying to coax an AI version to be exactly like you .

“And I mean this most sincerely folks” was the catch Phrase of British TV personality Hughie Green in the 1960s and apparently was the most insincere and horrible man of the time.

And in conclusion, my message to the world: If you have got anything to say to me,
• Say it in person, don’t be excruciatingly polite
• Make it factual or your opinion (which is also a fact)
• Don’t make anything up if you don;t know – say you don’t, and make it short
• Don’t, therefore, hallucinate and just cut out the slop

Smart Coaching & Training works with over 30 associates, in four continents speaking 14 languages. Most raised and working in a wide range of cultures and living in a different place than where they were born . See our associates here.

Many of our associates are experts in AI and love it.

Many of our associates are specialists in Diversity , Interculturality and related topics Read more here and here.

Written by David Rigby © 2026 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd

As Christmas approached I was beginning to be overwhelmed. For the previous six weeks I had deadlines every other day. And while I was achieving them the underlying fundamentals where not being done.

Attending conferences and doing podcasts was one thing, having a visitor who broke her ribs was another, and being organized enough to stay in three different places over the holiday period was another, particularly regarding laundry. And this being Spain the weather is likely to be relatively very cold but potentially sunny. Every day required military planning.

Standing back enough was the challenge to realise you are overwhelmed. It’s happened to me before during the Christmas period. And the holiday period lasts for almost three weeks in Spain. So I decided to do no work.

So I decided to do no work

Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) with friends from South America – and my Spanish had turned into Italian. I couldn’t remember English either.Next day I spent making half British half Spanish Christmas lunch, and had to work out of to cook five vegetables simultaneously. Had Noche Buena, Noche Viejo and Reyes Spanish style , all with friends and at the last moment and not very formal, And In between: I have a cubic metre of physical photos so I spent the gaps scanning the negatives of maybe 5000 photos – and the scanned files still need sorting.

On the work front there are tasks which I have been completely unable to do, such as writing this, posting on the media and maintaining the website. They have had to wait.

In 2025 I spent time seeing people in Italy and Netherlands I haven’t seen in years, and attending many international zoom event, as well as attending local events in person . The conclusion is that some of those will have to go. And I also recognise that others have decided that I have to go – I am OK with that.

I am listening to the ‘overwhelmed’ podcast from Claudia Hammond on BBC is great for recognising it’s not just you. Taking time out to reflect helped me recognise I was in survival mode. You need to step out if it before you recognise it. I will be organised, with the infrastructure in a better position, to start again, by February. Meanwhile I will sort those Photos, and see I can continue to give up what I told myself to . The space created may give me time to embrace AI and do everything more effectively . Who knows? What about you ?

Smart Coaching & Training works with over 30 associates, in four continents speaking 14 languages. Most raised and working in a wide range of cultures and living in a different place than where they were born . See our associates here.

Many of our associates learned how to speak via Toastmasters and Professional Speakers Association Read more

Many of our associates are specialists in Diversity , Interculturality and related topics Read more here and here.

Written by David Rigby © 2026 Smart Coaching & Training Ltd