Uniqueness

I found this meme a couple of years ago and found it hilarious.?I still do.

However, I never thought more deeply about the message and how it applies (or does not) to a business context. So, I want to share my thoughts with this community and invite you all to provide your own input.

So, essentially, we deal with two terms here:?"Uniqueness" and "Usability". Before diving deeper into their possible connections, I always like to discover what those words?actually mean.

To me, "Uniqueness" describes an attribute that is so rare that it exists only once. Some might say that every person, animal, and plant is unique, but even if that were true, it would also mean that nothing and no one is unique because uniqueness is the standard. Some claim that experiences can also be unique, but technically, every moment of our lives is unique, so I am not considering experiences in this discourse. Let's go with the "standing out, rareness" aspect of the term, but of course, the word is used far more often than this definition would allow, and – at least for me – the term has a positive connotation. We rarely use the term when we mean that someone or something is extraordinarily awful, do we? It's also the central joke of the meme.

So what about "Usefulness"? We should be able to define that very quickly, as we use this term much more often, but I am not so sure. Usefulness cannot stand on its own; it needs a reference,? a task, a situation, or a setting where certain aspects are, can be or become useful. However, I also believe there is such a thing as the potential of usefulness. A hammer can be useful whenever I need to put a nail into a wall. The potential remains, even if I will never use it, right?

So, how does this come into play in a business context?

I observe a development that fosters diversity, and equity in all its forms, from gender, the colour of skin, and sexual preference to religious belief systems. Why is that? Well, to me inclusion is always better than exclusion, and openness is always better than acting only on bias, opening up perspectives a homogenous group might not be able to even consider.

BUT…we can also observe a tendency that tries to convince us that the potential of usefulness lies solely in being different, that being "unique" is a desirable and hire-able attribute. I'm not so sure about that.

Some young people just starting their careers were raised with the idea that being different means being important. You were told you were special, that no one else can offer what you bring to the table. And that's true—to a certain point.

I don't think uniqueness alone is enough. It's like being that weird, bent fork—interesting to look at, but is it useful at the dinner table? Not really.

Eventually, most companies want to be successful, and—in most cases—that means earning money. Earning money is made easier and more enjoyable when leaders ensure that their staff is aligned (for anyone interested, I also wrote a Forbes article on Alignment) and engaged, providing an environment where the potentiality of skills, experiences, and "unique" approaches can become a reality. Companies don't just want someone who's different for the sake of it; they want someone effective and efficient, upholding the company's values and contributing to the team and overall success for everyone.

Just my 2 Cents, and you are invited to chip in.