There is Strength in Differences and Comfort where we Overlap

Not long ago, I worked for a company where leaders had designed a hierarchical work environment reserved to a very privileged group, coming from the same background and with comparable experience. It didn’t take long for me to feel ill at ease with their common schemes of thought. And as I tried (unsuccessfully) to bring change to the company, I realized they didn’t really value opinions that were different from theirs.

Needless to say, I found it appalling that in the diverse world we live in, there were still high ranking managers who forgot to reflect on how many opportunities diversity offers us. Trust me, I am the exact opposite. I strive for diversity of thought. My core values say that, as a manager, I must be comfortable hiring people who don’t think like I do, people who have a different heritage and cultural norms. We should all be comfortable with Diversity defined as “The variety of experiences and perspective which arise from differences in race, culture, religion, mental or physical abilities, heritage, age, gender, sexual orientation, and other characteristics”. Of course, diversity also encompasses a wide variety of other differences, including work experience, parental status, educational background, geographic location, and much more. For me, diversity is otherness or those human qualities that are different from our own, yet present in other individuals and groups.

Multinational companies recognized long ago that succeeding in the global marketplace requires management teams and employees that reflect diverse populations. But most companies implemented diversity through the golden rule: “treat others as you want to be treated”. The implicit assumption is that how you want to be treated is how others want to be treated. Perhaps instead of using that rule, we should use a better one: “treat others as they want to be treated”. Moving our frame of reference from what may be our default view (“our way is the best way”) to a diversity-sensitive perspective (“let’s take the best of a variety of ways”) will help us to manage more effectively in a diverse work environment.

Because creating an environment in which employees’ different identities and abilities are not only respected but also appreciated promotes diversity. Such an environment is conducive to motivation and rewarding high performance. Let’s treat diversity as an asset that brings broad range of viewpoints and problem-solving skills to the company. When we value diversity, we recognize, accept and support people’ differences. And when we manage diversity, we create an environment that takes advantage of the different attributes of everyone and promotes community and comfort with difference.

Managing diversity well provides a distinct advantage in an era when flexibility and creativity are keys to competitiveness. Heterogeneity promotes creativity. And heterogeneous groups have been shown to produce better solutions to problems and a higher level of critical analysis. This can be a vital asset at a time when companies undergo tremendous change to find new and more effective ways to operate.

Sure, on some level, working with carbon copies of yourself is easier, but it is dangerous. In the words of General Patton, “If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking”.

~ by slycio49 on May 30, 2013.