It has become a well-respected and acknowledged position that supporting diversity and inclusion in the workplace acts to facilitate innovative thinking within organisations, as well as more creative and strategic thought leadership that best benefits from multiple directions and powers to empower a business forward. The general principle being that, ‘together, we are greater’ and by combining not only individual perspectives as well as perspectives of differing genders and schools of thought, that we bring together a greater collaboration of knowledge to drive forth in a positive and constructive fashion. With this position, I do not believe any business owner or member of the wider general public would disagree – together when we listen, absorb, appreciated and understand, we are stronger and by combining our thoughts are thought process is more refined, strategic and on-point.
Yet, beyond our acceptance of this general well-established principle, have we really stopped to ponder and think the depths of this position in context? Or potential wider realms for business impact? I.e. if we generally agree that we are stronger together, how are we putting this into practice for the greater benefit of business and innovation on a day-t-day basis and to what degree?
On this topic, our Managing Director, Sarah Poole, raises the various complexities associated with everyday business in the field of innovation, barriers that remain and explores how we may pose to better address those challenges and remain at play, causing an intersection between a gender-neutral position as the driving force of positive innovation and business development in a progressive sense.
The Business Case for Diversity and Inclusion: Bold Thinking
In a recent article1, Forbes states that:
Diversity can stimulate innovation by challenging conventional thinking, encouraging fresh ideas and promoting creative problem-solving.
The article moves onto state that broad research has unveiled that diverse groups with people (who have difference backgrounds, genders, experiences and perspectives) consistently general more innovative solutions. It follows that:
Embracing diversity enables for the design development and ‘brainchild work’ that serves as integral to unlocking the design and development of innovative products, services and approaches.
That is, diversity serves and should be embraced for the greater good and seen as a ‘superpower’, not a legacy issue that poses to frustrate advancement of companies in a positive and constructive fashion simply because of ‘once was’ or singularly minded policies. Should companies fail to evolve and embrace, they go without and fail to leverage the diversity and ‘neuro-spicy’ thinking that comes from embracing a broader sector of personnel.
Enhanced Decision Making & Problem-Solving
Building from the above, it is a well-established position that organisations make better business decisions by leveraging their workforce’s diverse experience and knowledge – be that cultural, gender oriented, experience based on marginalised segments or mere technology or knowledge-driven specialisation and expertise. ’Together, we can’ is perhaps the motto to be applied. Together, by collectively bringing together our respective backgrounds, knowledge and expertise, we are better empowered to make and executive power decision-making and strategic decisions.
Flavour brings challenge of approach; complex and challenging group thinking lends itself to more in-depth thought structures and outcomes which pose to ensure businesses and organisations are positively ahead of the curve. The result is a wider range of schools of thought, possibilities in terms of seeking and seizing business opportunities with savvy and strategic thought, remaining ahead of the curve, and ideally engaging a diverse team that poeses to act to support ongoing execution.
Expanded Cultural Competence & Global Perspective
While the benefits of financial performance of companies prioritising diversity and inclusion are well documented as consistently outperforming their peers – for obvious reason. What is perhaps less well documented is that financial returns of executive boards strongly correlate with the diversity of that board, including the background, gender and international make-up of individuals occupying those board seats and ultimately acting as a driving force. While we all know and recognise that ‘knowledge is power’ and ‘knowledge comes from experience’ (be that gender, ethnic group or otherwise) what we are seeing financially is that diversity and inclusion (no matter its make-up, form or whereabouts) by general addition of flavour drives commercially positive financial outcomes for businesses across all sectors. I.e. variety financially counts, and not just in a strict numbers sense. Diversity drives positive outcomes across the board that ultimately display in terms of revenue, by reason of inclusion and representation both within the organisation but also in terms of understanding impacts at the consumer level.
Strategies For Embracing Diversity & Fostering Inclusion
Moreover, advancing a companies goals can be directly influenced by coordinating and associating same with cultural goals on a global scale. Ensuring diversity and inclusive of a workforce means turning minds to culture, religion and other social condition factors on a broad scale. Awareness and understanding of same, promotes inclusion and generates employee performance and loyalty.
Only by ensuring a broad, culturally aware open mind that understands and embraces all cultures, gender orientation and religious choice can an employer truly ensure engagement and commitment from its workforces, ensuring best outcomes. That is, understanding your people, ensures your people are best placed and most committed to understand and support the business objectives of your organisation. Undervalue them, and you undervalue your workforce that acts to service you and your business’s needs.
Employees must be motivated, committed and dedicated to achieve the organisation’s goals. Ensuring this starts with inclusion and understanding of your employees as individuals. For a successful CEO of any organisation, broad and global thinking is subsequently required in today’s modern age.
Building Inclusive Work Cultures & Continuous Evaluation
Creating a diverse and inclusive organisation begins with leadership, commitment and accountability. Senior leaders must be acutely aware and sensitive to what it is to champion a ‘global and diverse workforce’, understanding its many layers and being able to work through its many complexities in ensuring consistent and collective achievement of key organisational goals.
Having the ability to relate and unlock the power of a diversified workforce is key to ensuring its full potential – that is, only by ensuring understanding, continued communication, empowerment and fulfilment can a workplace enjoy the fruits of its varied organisation, putting into place and successfully combining various schools of thought, ingenuity and idealisation that ultimately lend themselves to innovation and successful progressive thought leadership.
Future Moves
Where to from here and how should organisations seek to unlock the ingenuity and innovation of its workforce? Support diversity, including in the form of gender, religion and sexual orientation. Encourage open forums of thought leadership, thinking and sharing of ideas. Adopt a policy of ‘no question is a silly question’ and ‘no idea is without its merit’. Encourage an open forum and safe space for debate, sharing of ideas and challenging of thoughts and ideals in a health and safe manner – after all, by challenging one another, we evolve and grow. And that, is by its very nature, the heart of innovation.
Together, we grow. So, let’s see safe spaces that embrace those differing ideas, perspectives and points of view, and let’s embrace those for the future of innovation and business advancement.
We are stronger together. We all have something to contribute. Voices must be heard and not silenced for innovative growth to be at its peak.
* “Tingari Cycle”: Artistic Credit, George Tjungurrayi (Australian Aboriginal Artist)
