Diversity of ideas creates richer imagination about a better future state, and more ways to potentially get there.
Diversity of ideas – which come from diversity of people’s experiences, knowledge, and perception — is only powerful in a two-part framework:
- Aligned objectives, which require shared values. We need shared values to align on the problem statement, and right and wrong ways to create solutions.
- The shared value of inclusion, which means we accept people as people with something to offer.
Diversity of ideas is an input into a process of making a decision. High-performing teams solicit many ideas before making a decision. Once the decision is made, the team pivots their energy into executing a plan to reach an objective. Too often, we start debating the decision 22 seconds after people left the meeting – this is wasted energy and a poor use of diversity.
