What does diversity mean to your team?
The Challenge
Take a mental inventory of your team. How is diversity of thought displayed across the team? Does everyone think alike, or do you have many strong, varied opinions expressed by different team members?
Why do this?
Many people think of diversity as defined by ethnicity, color, background, or other legal ways to consider diversity within a group. Diversity of thought ensures that a team always considers multiple points of view, thinks creatively and innovatively, and problem-solves without being stuck in one perspective.
As a supervisor, your ability to add "diversity of thought" to other measures of diversity is critical to building a successful team. Individual differences in thinking and approaching a problem move your team toward productive interactions and innovative solutions.
What’s next?
With your next hire, seek out candidates who are noticeably different in how they think, communicate, and solve problems. Take the initiative to hire people who expand the diversity of thought within your team.
