Diversity of thought: Why it’s important and how to manage it

Diversity in the workforce is important. Different people from different backgrounds allow for diversity of thought, which can help to boost creativity and innovation.

“When managing different people, creating space for collaboration is super important and understanding the strengths that people bring to the table. You might have someone who comes across very negative all the time, they’re the first person to shoot down an idea,” said Ari Recruitment chief executive Aimee Baker.

“But you need those people in your organisation. They are your gatekeepers; they keep things safe. They look for the problems that you might not see. So, creating spaces and teams where it’s safe for people to contribute their thoughts.”

It’s important for a leader to be inclusive and open to different ideas. This can spark discussion and make room for innovation.

“Someone once taught me, when you’re asking a question, ask someone who might be the last person to speak in the room. Because you might always have one or two who are really great at taking up airways, and I know this because I’ve been one of those people, still am sometimes,” Ms Baker explained.

“But creating space for the person who’s probably very reflective. They might be thinking on it, have a really good idea, but wouldn’t necessarily speak over someone else or be the first to put their hand up. How do you create an environment and a space where they can speak up?”

Ms Baker added: “When it comes to a team, understanding different people’s strengths and their weaknesses and making sure we’re working together to complement them [is important]. It doesn’t need to look like everyone’s the same. Diversity is so good and especially from a skills point of view and then figuring out how we work together.”

Employers should be aware that no workplace is going to be full of the same kind of person. This is important to consider when implementing policy, as what works for one person may not work for another. Identify differences and use them to your advantage.

Ms Baker commented: “It’s never going to be one size fits all. You could have two people grow up in the exact same family by the same parents and come out completely different as siblings. So even with a lack of diversity, you’re still going to have different people who respond differently.”

“Some are going to be incentivised by money and driven by competition. Other people are not driven by competition at all. They’re happy with routine and doing the same thing every day. So, I think it’s important to understand who’s on your team, and even if your team’s too large for you to be able to sit with every individual person and manage them, making sure you’ve created great support systems or buddy systems.”

The transcript of this podcast episode was slightly edited for publishing purposes. To listen to the full conversation with Aimee Baker, click below: