Criticality of Diversity of Thought

We usually understand diversity as having a range of people with various racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various lifestyles, experience, and interests.

In practical terms, however, diversity is the antidote to groupthink. Groupthink psychologically strives for consensus. Consensus, often, is a mediocre achievement. People settle for acceptable solutions rather than the right ones.

Complexity cannot be successfully tackled by one frame of reference, one mindset or one world view.

A cognitively diverse group will not only find it easier to see risk from many different angles, it will also be able to facilitate a wider debate of the consequences and implications of a variety of actions.

Here are some dimensions of thinking to consider while thinking about diversity

Ideas: Initiators v Generators

There are people who initiate ideas, while there are some who generate option on other people’s ideas. The group needs both. Often teams tend to have biases to avoid one type.

Style: diplomatic v forthright

Presence of ‘forthright’ in a group ensures that issues are tabled, post which diplomacy can ensure smooth functioning. Absence of either is unproductive.

Focus: task orientated v people orientated

Absence of either is microwave culture of quick fixes which crumble in the end.

Risk: cautious v adventurous

Risk needs to be seen and assessed from many angles, not only as what to avoid, but also as the ones to take.

Perspective: detailed thinking v big picture

Each human perspective on either side of this finds the other frivolous. Both are essential. Both are needed in the group. Leaders need to learn how to manage both sides.

Autonomy: collaborative v autonomous

Some people think while collaborating, while other think independently. This diversity is essential for decision making to be right. Singular dimension will lead to disowned decisions.

Approach –head v heart / certainty v ambiguity / thinking v acting

Without diversity of thought the team might look like a group but it will behave like an individual.

1,048 strategic decisions in Fortune 500 companies were studied in a recent study. 17 practices in making these decisions were examined, 8 were to do with analysis, 9 were to do with process.

The conclusion was that decision making needs a behavioural strategy, not a data one. The diversity of behaviours above is the differentiator.

#diversity #thought #groupthink #decisionmaking

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