What Diversity Really Means

Of course, you should be focused on racial, ethnic and gender diversity, but not exclusively—think, too, about disability, upbringing and experience.

All companies are looking for ways to innovate in order to grow profits and marketshare, and competition is as fierce as it’s ever been. Some will grow faster than others—and most of those will have, as part of their secret sauce, diverse teams. That means bringing in employees of different genders and racial backgrounds, certainly, but it also means recruiting people from a range of upbringings and backgrounds.

From small projects to big company decisions, diversity is needed at all levels. But here’s what that really means:

1. Diversity has many faces

Think beyond the typical definition of diversity and see how many different perspectives you can add to your team. I grew up in Poland during the 1970s under communist rule. Life was hard and even though it was only 10 years of my life, it had a major impact on the leader I am today. Growing up in a world of scarce opportunities has made me more efficient in finding them, and my mother’s struggle to keep us fed in that environment now fuels my work ethic and drive. These perspectives have become my personal assets that not every company has. They are one lens in a diverse range that my company employs.

Age, upbringing, even personality types should be diverse. Some people are highly creative while others are analytical. A team of 10 creative people might throw out 5,000 ideas, but with nobody analytical to critique them, they may not be able to narrow their ideas down to one. Both are very positive traits on their own, but together, they bounce off of each other and complement one another for more critical thinking and better decision-making.

2. Diversity unites

As long as every group within a company is diverse—from the boardroom to customer service—the larger team you create will be united. Of course, this depends on hiring open-minded people capable of leaving their egos at the door. Look for people who have experienced unique ways of handling situations, but understand that no one way is the absolute right way.

When everyone is diverse, no one is excluded. Each team member knows that everyone else is bringing a unique point of view to decision-making and that theirs is as equal an asset to the discussion as anyone else’s. They feel valued and come to the table wanting to contribute towards the company’s greater good, even when that means going with another person’s idea. A diverse team unites around their diversity, and a united team can overcome anything.

3. Diversity multiples capacity

The more diverse the aspects of life among a group of people, the more capable that group is of overcoming adversity. Each upbringing comes with a unique way of managing a diverse set of struggles. When you open yourself to inviting a broad range of diversity in approach and decision-making onto your team, you find yourself with people who have different ways of handling every situation. A diverse team therefore will offer more diverse methods of overcoming problems, and through critical discussion will evaluate the best option for each situation.

People who grew up with money, for example, might suggest raising more money when it comes to overcoming a financial struggle because, having always had it at their disposal, this seems easiest to them. Someone who has always bootstrapped themselves and found ways to grow, on the other hand, will come up with different creative ways to solve the same problem. Just as a fish surrounded by water its whole life will never really appreciate the ocean, outside perspectives bring vast opportunities to a business.

Fill your company with diverse ways of thinking and discover the wealth of knowledge that comes with it. Think gender, race, ethnicity, religion, age; but also think disability, upbringing and experience. The true definition of diversity is having so many different perspectives that between everyone, you can find a way to accomplish anything.


MORE LIKE THIS

  • Get the CEO Briefing

    Sign up today to get weekly access to the latest issues affecting CEOs in every industry
  • upcoming events

    Roundtable

    Strategic Planning Workshop

    1:00 - 5:00 pm

    Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process

    Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:

    1. Lack of systematic approach (70%)
    2. Laundry lists without prioritization (68%)
    3. Decisions based on personalities rather than facts and information (65%)

     

    Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns.  They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning.  Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process.  This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented.  If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form.  The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.

    New York, NY: ​​​Chief Executive's Corporate Citizenship Awards 2017

    Women in Leadership Seminar and Peer Discussion

    2:00 - 5:00 pm

    Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations. 

    Limited space available.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $495 will be added to your total.

    Golf Outing

    10:30 - 5:00 pm
    General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
    Sponsored by UBS

    General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.

    The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.

    To sign up, select this option in your registration form. Additional fee of $295 will be added to your total.