Successful leaders recognize that diversity goes beyond demographics. This includes diverse thinking, which is a powerful driver of innovation and growth. Embracing diverse perspectives is essential to being competitive in today's dynamic business environment.
As an executive leadership coach, I emphasize the importance of implementing seven unconventional methods to foster diverse thinking in your organization. This approach sparks creativity and promotes positive change. Here are my top recommendations:
Encourage opposition and discussion: Instead of seeking consensus, encourage healthy dissent and open discussion within your team. Different opinions can lead to stronger decisions and innovative solutions. Make it clear that diverse perspectives are not only accepted but valued.
Embracing Cognitive Diversity: Go beyond traditional diversity measures and consider cognitive diversity, including different thinking styles, problem-solving approaches, and perspectives. Build a team of individuals who bring unique intellectual strengths.
Create a cross-functional team: Break down silos and foster cross-departmental collaboration. Encourage employees from different departments to work together on projects, fostering the exchange of diverse ideas and approaches.
Celebrate failure as a learning opportunity: Shift your mindset about failure from a negative outcome to a valuable learning opportunity. Encourage experimentation and risk-taking, knowing that failure can lead to breakthroughs and innovative thinking.
Encourage inclusiveness in decision-making. Involve employees at all levels in the decision-making process. When making strategic choices, seek input from a variety of voices to ensure that your decisions reflect diverse perspectives.
Encourage lifelong learning: We encourage a culture of continuous learning and personal development. Provide opportunities for employees to acquire new skills and knowledge, allowing them to gain new insights into their roles.
Seek an outside perspective: Collaborate with external experts, advisors, or consultants who can provide diverse perspectives and experience. An external perspective can challenge the status quo in an organization and stimulate innovative thinking.
Creating a culture of diverse thinking is not just a buzzword, it’s a strategic imperative for successful leaders. By making this a critical issue, the best leaders can propel their organizations toward greater innovation, resilience, and success.
Leading from within: Leadership that pursues diverse thinking is not about following standards. It's about taking on challenges and embracing being special.
#1 domestic bestseller
leadership gap
What comes between you and your greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions based on specific values and characteristics. However, over time, all executives reach a point where performance declines and failure persists. Few people understand why or how to prevent it.
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Lolly Daskal is one of the world's most sought-after executive leadership coaches. Her extensive multicultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages, and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership programs are designed to be a catalyst for leaders who want to improve performance and create meaningful change in their companies, lives, and the world.
Among Lolly's numerous awards and recognitions, Lolly Top 50 Leadership and Management Experts Inc. From a magazine. The Huffington Post honored Lolly with the following honor: The most inspiring woman in the world. Her writing has appeared on HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, Psychology Today, and elsewhere. Her latest book, The Leadership Gap: What Stands Between You and Your Greatness It became a national bestseller.