Human-centered design methods can help organizations reduce implicit biases that affect recruitment, retention, and advancement.
A project landed on my desk this week, and it puzzled me. It asked me to list five ideas outlining my point of view on where diversity, inclusion, and innovation collide.
This is such an evident connection, I assumed. What's the point of writing anything down, I thought.If there were a sign at the intersections of diversity, inclusion, and innovation, it would read: "You cannot have groundbreaking innovation and a radically thriving business without diversity and a collaborative experience of inclusion within your team or organization. Seriously, it's possible."
A few weeks ago, I presented a keynote at the SIFMA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leadership Summit; I spoke about the tangled relationship between diversity and innovation with leaders; worldwide, these two areas emerge as essential priorities. That is because there is a growing awareness globally that workplace diversity drives innovation.
My team and I find this consistently in the transformation work we've done with teams and leaders at companies worldwide. Regardless of domain, field, or industry, the organizations that strive for diverse perspectives—across age, ethnicity, gender, educational background, etc.—experience higher rates of innovation.
Research also supports this notion: workplaces that, for example, invite employees into the innovation process operate with greater agility, beat sales targets, and outperform their competition—resulting in 5.5 times the revenue growth of peers with a less inclusive approach to innovation.
There are a few things that organizations must convey to present authentic diversity in their innovative thinking, including:
Teach others about the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Select problems that empower people to participate and spot the most meaningful opportunities to create positive change.
Drive diversity and inclusion (as well as innovation)as a part of every leader's job
Construct an environment where those ideas can thrive on an equal footing instead of always listening to the highest-paid person's opinion, ideas from the usual suspects, or those who are confident enough to speak up
If you want to support diversity and innovation, connect with me at hello@dethornyoung.com!