Difference Makers

Diversity is less about what we see and more about how we think.

1. Diversity Extends Beyond Surface-Level Differences

Diversity goes beyond just the visible factors, like gender or race. It includes unseen aspects like life experiences, personality, and beliefs that shape an individual's worldview. This broader understanding avoids simplistic assumptions based merely on external attributes. No two individuals, even with similar backgrounds, think identically.

This understanding improves how organizations handle representation. For instance, companies often focus on gender ratios or racial quotas without considering diversity in thought. By embracing the "Oxford Handbook of Human Resource Management" approach, organizations recognize the multiple dimensions that create a person's individuality.

Such a holistic view of diversity builds environments conducive to innovative thinking. Teams with varied educational backgrounds, cultures, or ideologies introduce fresh ideas into processes. Truly diverse companies, therefore, don't stop at visible elements but include who employees are and how they approach problems.

Examples

• A team with different ideologies brainstorming creative solutions.
• Companies adding diverse professions like artists to traditionally technical teams.
• Organizations implementing surveys that evaluate diversity in thought.

2. The Changing World Demands More Diversity

Today's global economy demands diverse perspectives. Rapid technological changes, globalization, and regional developments create a volatile and ambiguous business world described as VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous). This evolution emphasizes adaptability through diverse leadership.

Consider the shift in global influence from Western markets to Asia. By 2050, Asia will dominate in population size and middle-class presence, making representation vital. Similarly, tech disruptors like Airbnb have overtaken traditional corporations by harnessing diverse thinking approaches.

Businesses capable of thriving under VUCA-like unpredictabilities rely on boards and teams as diverse as the markets they serve. By expanding leadership pools, companies can maximize opportunities that arise from unconventional and innovative perspectives.

Examples

• Organizations hiring leaders with global cultural knowledge to handle Asian markets.
• Adding young executives who understand digital disruption like social media trends.
• Diverse hiring practices countering outdated gender-focused leadership norms.

3. Bias Blocks Real Representation

Bias—intentional or subconscious—impairs efforts to foster inclusivity in hiring and leadership. Even when a company aims for better representation, engrained stereotypes often guide decisions. These stereotypes include implicit associations, in-group favoritism, or perceiving out-groups as less complex.

Research from McKinsey found that diverse organizations outperform their less-inclusive competitors by 35 percent. Yet traditional hiring methods often prioritize sameness, explaining the overrepresented demographic of middle-aged white male executives.

Tools like Harvard’s Implicit Association Test (IAT) uncover bias by prompting introspection. Cultural competency training or even traveling and interacting with other cultures can also reduce biases. These efforts help organizations shift focus away from stereotypes—removing functional barriers to diversity.

Examples

• Harvard’s IAT revealing subconscious race or age biases in hiring.
• Managers requiring cultural sensitivity workshops before recruiting internationally.
• Cross-departmental mixers breaking assumptions among employees.

4. Groupthink Hampers Strategic Thinking

Groupthink pressures teams to agree rather than consider diverse opinions under tight deadlines, often leading to poor decisions. Psychologist Irving Janis tied events like the Bay of Pigs disaster to groupthink, highlighting how cohesive, uniform work environments can stifle dissent.

Boards face similar issues. Members driven by conformity overlook valuable yet dissenting views that might challenge the status quo. To counter this, adopting Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats method is effective. Each “hat” represents different ways of thinking—logic, emotions, optimism, pessimism, creativity, and coordination.

This approach ensures varied perspectives are shared systematically, making board discussions productive and inclusive. Rather than stifling disagreement, it creates structured space for opinions, fostering better decision-making and collaboration.

Examples

• Teams using de Bono’s Hats to brainstorm solutions to low customer retention.
• Boards adopting structured debates to weigh risks and rewards equally.
• Assigning facilitators to ensure quieter team members share ideas.

5. Emotional Awareness Shapes Better Decisions

Moods affect judgment, often unconsciously. The limbic system, which triggers emotional responses, can alter decision-making in boardrooms. Ignoring emotions, however, isn’t effective. Instead, managing moods improves outcomes.

Alan Sieler’s “Six Basic Moods of Life” ties emotions to responses toward inevitable realities (Facticity), potential changes (Possibility), and unpredictability. For instance, opposing reality leads to resentment while acceptance fosters peace. The key is awareness. Leaders who acknowledge their reactions can shift their attitudes and improve outcomes, creating a better work atmosphere.

This emotional competency extends into active conflict resolution. Suppose a colleague lashes out in a meeting. Rather than reacting defensively, connecting their behavior to external pressures encourages empathy, keeping discussions productive and calm.

Examples

• Monitoring team moods during emotionally charged decisions.
• Mood awareness resolving interpersonal tensions during project delays.
• Leaders taking steps to focus on facts rather than reactive emotions.

6. Data Helps Identify Gaps in Representation

Fostering diversity requires understanding where your organization currently stands. Hard data on customer profiles, demographics, and performance indicators helps leaders align the company’s diversity with its clientele.

Customer relationship management (CRM) analytics, for instance, offer valuable insights into who the organization serves. Pairing that data with local government resources on community demographics builds a clearer picture of gaps within companies’ leadership or workforce.

With this information, focused outreach to underrepresented groups becomes possible. Companies can design initiatives like language-specific hiring or targeting minority community publications, ensuring their boardrooms mirror the people they serve.

Examples

• CRM systems identifying a need for bilingual hires in multicultural regions.
• Local government data inspiring recruitment drives in underserved neighborhoods.
• Reviewing supplier diversity as part of reflecting consumer markets.

7. Tokenism Hurts Diversity

Filling quotas without intent alienates hires and damages inclusivity efforts. When people feel chosen only for numbers, not merit, morale suffers. For diversity to succeed, companies need to provide real responsibilities to underrepresented recruits from day one.

Imagine selecting board members solely to meet gender equality standards. Without opportunities for influence, these hires are unlikely to feel invested or capable of contributing meaningfully. Involving recruits as active decision-makers validates their inclusion.

Programs ensuring contributions showcase diversity’s impact directly. Ideas, when acted upon, reinforce the message that every voice matters authentically—not symbolically.

Examples

• Assigning immediate projects to newly hired minority board members.
• Providing mentorship networks for underrepresented executives.
• Avoiding quotas for leadership diversity hires without thoughtful onboarding.

8. Starting Conversations Sparks Long-Term Change

Improving corporate diversity starts with open, collaborative discussions about goals. Boards must ask, “Does our leadership reflect the communities we aim to serve?” Honest dialogue triggers new ideas about diversifying effectively.

Such speculative conversations identify hurdles without judgment. For instance, small changes in job ads or outreach to overlooked demographics often bring surprising results. The aim is to build shared understanding and commitment across the board.

Equipping teams with relevant questions and measured insights enhances outcomes. Constructive debates allow boards to discover shared priorities and move from vague consensus toward actionable plans.

Examples

• Analyzing age gaps on a board to frame succession planning discussions.
• Encouraging past board members to mentor underrepresented future leaders.
• Creating diversity-focused surveys assessing current workplace sentiment.

9. Embrace Change Over Resistance

Adapting quickly to unpredictable markets often determines survival or success. Companies clinging to fixed, outdated approaches rarely keep up with competitors. Open-mindedness, fueled by diversity, enables flexibility.

Changing leadership structure or adopting unconventional practices may seem bold but reflects market realities. By taking calculated leaps forward, businesses align themselves better with evolving consumer expectations.

The key is repairing traditional hierarchies’ rigidity—allowing leaders to tackle uncertainty with creativity and optimism rather than fear.

Examples

• Launching pilot programs run by underrepresented creative leaders.
• Multinational teams adapting corporate values for regional audiences.
• Leaders modeling growth by participating in personal bias training workshops.

Takeaways

1. Use strategies like the Six Thinking Hats to encourage balanced, inclusive decision-making in team meetings.
2. Conduct diversity audits comparing company demographics with customer profiles to understand representation gaps.
3. Promote emotional awareness by encouraging leaders to evaluate their moods before acting on them.