Cognitive diversity can simply be defined as inclusion of people who have different information processing styles or problem-solving skills and who can offer unique perspectives because they think differently. It refers to educational, functional, and mental diversity. Some refer to it as diversity of thought.
Diversity of thought is implicit and omnipresent and is directly corelated to the dynamics of difference within a group. On any given day, teams are tasked with problem solving and they must tap into their mental diversity framework, which helps them define, analyze, assess risks, review processes, and ultimately have a positive outcome. Our life experience, history, genetics, and socioeconomic status all contribute to this framework. To achieve performance excellence, organizations must move away from the monocultural environment.
Research shows that diversity of thought is the fountain for creativity and that it enhances innovation by about 20%. McKinsey & Company Research showed that businesses with a healthy balance of men and women are 21% more likely to outperform their competitors.
Businesses with a good mix of ethnic backgrounds are 33% more likely to outperform their competitors. Additionally, teams that are gender, age, and ethnically diverse make better decisions up to 87% of the time. There is no doubt that high performing teams are both cognitively and demographically diverse.
To foster diversity at the highest levels of corporate leadership in Canada, improve shareholder democracy, and drive shareholder value through better transparency, the federal government introduced Bill C-25. It addresses the provisions for diversity on boards of directors and among senior management. This bill, however, did not include the charitable sector, which accounts for 8% of Canada’s GDP.
Historically, Canada has shied away from collecting and reporting disaggregated data. However, the COVID-19 crisis has shed some light onto the need for such data. The pandemic has impacted communities of Indigenous, Black, visible minorities, and marginalized groups more than any other. These are the same communities that many charitable organizations serve. The questions nonprofit organizations need to be asking themselves are:
- Does your board reflect your client and employee base?
- Do you understand the pains and lived experiences of the people you are serving?
- Whose voice is missing at your table?
For many years, the power to make decisions and distribute resources has been and still remains in the hands of the dominant group. This dominance has created a cycle which creates systemic problems. The flawed system is laced with cognitive discriminations which results in inequities that mostly affects marginalized groups. Cognitive discriminations, also known as implicit bias, refer to the attitudes that affect our understanding, actions, and decisions in an unconscious manner. Organizations need to aim for optimal diversity of thought, which can only be achieved if there is a level playing field for all talent, free of implicit and explicit biases. The intersectional approach that comes with diverse teams will help change the narrative and move your organization in the right direction.
Many companies are convinced that their hiring processes are meritocratic. Many in the “insider” group genuinely believe that the playing field is equal. If this is true, why not collect and share disaggregated data to show that there is no demographic bias? The metric truth lies in the data and people analytics history. Some leaders and boards default to confirmation of power and cite differentiated access to resources such as education, status, and wealth when their beliefs are challenged. Their choice is to maintain the status quo so they will justify their processes and position no matter what. If it is working for us, it should work for everyone else, right? Seek to have an open mind and remember that you do not know what you don’t know.
Here are some tips to help you start moving in the right direction.
- Ensure that your board recruitment and leadership development is intentional. Do not do it with the sole intention of checking the box.
- When recruiting new board members, DO NOT recruit from within your circles. Make every effort to cast a wider net. Resist the urge to look for the “best fit”. The best fit are often people that look like you and think like you.
- Planning is key. Most organizations wait until too late to start the recruitment process. As a result, they rush through it.
- Have an inclusion strategy before recruiting your next board member. This includes being committed to diversity and equity from the top down, aiming for cultural intelligence, and being open to learn. Do not put the burden of educating the board on the diverse board member.
- Look around the table and ask whose voice is missing? It is not all about race and ethnicity. There are many dimensions of diversity and perspectives.
- Be cautious not to dilute your diversity and inclusion goals by including them with your broader goals. Place equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) front, right, and center of your organization. The EDI lens is truly horizontal and can be applied to everything you do.
- Do not recycle the same visible minority talent. Having the same women of color serving on multiple boards defeats the purpose.
- Implement Organizational Accountability and Transparency by collecting and analysing data on people, processes, and outcomes.
- Do not be afraid to ask questions or to admit that you need help. EDI is a journey not a sprint.
- Remember, diversity takes a while but Inclusion starts today.
If social change and creating impact on power relations between different populations is of interest to you, then help change the culture and the narrative by adding diversity in executive and board positions.
Trish Mandewo is the co-Founder and CEO of Synergy on Boards Consulting Group (SBCG) – An Indigenous, Black and Visible Minorities (IBVM) Executive and Board search firm located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The company seeks to promote and support the advancement of IBVM subject-matter experts and professionals seeking to take their voices and talents to boardrooms, c-suite and other decision-making tables. SBCG services are available to the entire cross section of organizations that includes nonprofits, crown corporations, private, and publicly held companies.
