The Surprising Truth About Diversity of Thought

January 23, 2024

Company Culture

The Surprising Truth About Diversity of Thought

What do an improv troupe, a jury room, and a Fortune 500 company have in common? On the surface, not much. But look deeper, and you’ll find they all thrive on one key ingredient: diversity of thought.

Time and again, the research shows that diversity of thought leads to higher performance but not the kind of diversity you might expect.

On a typical team, there are two types of diversity. The first is demographic diversity-differences in age, gender, ethnicity and so on. The second is experiential differences in professional backgrounds and areas of expertise.

While these contribute to a team’s makeup, they don’t guarantee diversity of thought. You can have a room full of people who look different but think alike. And vice versa – a homogeneous team that brings very different mental models to the table.

What is diversity of thought?

It comes down to differences in how we process information and see the world. Our minds all work in unique ways, shaped by our backgrounds, personalities, and life experiences. When we bring these diverse perspectives together, magic happens.

Here’s an example from the hit show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” In this improv comedy programme, performers get random prompts from the audience and have to create skits on the fly. Their scenes are unscripted and completely unplanned.

You’d think this would be a disaster. But the cast has incredible chemistry. That’s because they have diversity of thought in spades. Ryan Stiles is known for his oddball humour. Colin Mochrie plays the smart aleck. Wayne Brady’s smooth style balances their quirky energy. These different approaches complement each other perfectly.

The same goes for a criminal trial. When selecting a jury, lawyers don’t want twelve clones who will think and vote identically. They look for a variety of ages, backgrounds and personalities. This diversity of perspectives leads to more nuanced deliberations before delivering a verdict.

Organisations with cognitively diverse teams were significantly more likely to gain market share and innovate successfully. And the more diversity of thought on the top management team, the higher the profits.

So, how do you cultivate this kind of diversity?

Here are three research-backed strategies:

1. Encourage intellectual humility. Teams need psychologically safe environments where people feel comfortable challenging each other’s ideas and assumptions. Recruit members with open, curious mindsets who can park their egos at the door.
2. Increase social perceptiveness. We need to get better at perspective-taking and seeing issues through others’ eyes. Foster empathy and emotional intelligence in your team. Be aware of how differences in communication styles and thought patterns can create misunderstandings.
3. Don’t demand consensus. Too often, leaders pressure teams to align around a single solution, silencing dissenting opinions quickly. Make space for healthy debate and avoid rushing to unanimity. Consider handling divisive issues through a majority vote rather than consensus.

You must also be proactive about seeking diversity of thought when building teams.

Don’t just look for differences that meet the eye – go deeper:

• Recruit people with multicultural experience who can spot blind spots.
• Include contrarians who aren’t afraid to rock the boat.
• Find connectors who can bridge divides between clashing perspectives.
• Balance big-picture thinkers with detail-oriented doers.
• Mix curious learners with practical sceptics.

With the right ingredients, diversity of thought enables teams to think more critically, see the complete picture, and uncover solutions they’d never find independently. But it does require work. You must foster mutual understanding and teach people to value different thinking styles.

The payoff is well worth it. Studies find the same thing whether you’re leading an improv troupe, a jury, or a multi-billion-dollar company. To reach your highest potential, gather a diversity of minds. Unique perspectives are your most valuable resource.

So next time you assemble a team, resist the urge to duplicate. Don’t just pick people who you relate to or seem to think like you do. Actively seek different thinkers. You’ll be amazed at where it leads.