It's one of the words on everyone's lips at the moment, and therefore on everyone's lips and in everyone's thoughts: diversity. A buzz word, you might think.

But it's not quite that simple this time. Diversity is more than just a new filler word for the small-talk rounds of the now digital business get-togethers. And there are good reasons for this.

On the one hand, diversity is deeply rooted in a social movement that is firmly convinced that a diverse coexistence is not only unavoidable nowadays, but also desirable and productive. This includes everything from multicultural approaches and the rejection of the self-milled tunnel vision of a one-dimensional culture to megatrends such as globalization.

On the other hand, scientific findings clearly indicate that an increase in diversity actually leads to better results - and where could this be more measurable than in the business world, where these results are recorded with numerical precision in annual financial statements!

Diversity increases innovative strength

According to a PwC study from 2019, the innovative strength of a diversified company is rated significantly higher. Why is that?

The organizational psychologist Prof. Dr. Peter Kruse, who died in 2015, once described it like this long before the triumph of the buzzword 'diversity': "Build systems that disrupt. Systems that do not disrupt are always stability-oriented systems. Make sure that the complexity and dynamics within the system are at least as great as the complexity and dynamics on the market."

In other words: If you allow your organization to have a monoculture, you need not be surprised if it has nothing to counter the mixed cultures in society, the public and the market except dysfunctional solutions to the wrong problems.

More success through diversity - how to increase diversity

Loosely based on Prof. Kruse: by disrupting your system. Ask yourself: What blind spots do we have? What are the underlying causes of the thought patterns in which we generally operate? Look at the list of possible diversity criteria and ask yourself: Which group of people would we be particularly 'disturbed' by? - Disturbed in the sense of: irritated, questioned, reoriented, not in the sense of annoyed, interrupted, thwarted.

The aforementioned list of possible diversities is long. The proportions in your company are obvious:

• Women,
• people with foreign roots,
• different age groups,
• social origin,
• sexual orientation,
• disability,
• religion,
• city vs. country,
• level of education,
• mindset,
• and, and, and.

Ideally, examine these questions at the various hierarchical levels of your company. You may find that there is a different mix of diversity at the top of the pyramid than at its base.

Creating diversity - here's how!

Remember: there is no toggle switch for diversity. Diversity is a cultural characteristic, and a corporate culture cannot be determined by decree. It wants to take its own direction through well-chosen impulses, which must be able to develop in accordance with its cultural environment.

These impulses need to be accepted - not by everyone, but by everyone. If, for example, you suddenly started hiring only women because they are underrepresented in your company, it would be a natural reaction of the stability-oriented, male-dominated system to view these women more critically and possibly promote them out of the company during their probationary period. Stability orientation can bring out spiteful sides.

Take people with you! Explain to them why you want what you want! Let them participate in this development. Give them the space and opportunity to contribute their own ideas and approaches and thus actively help shape the culture. Take the small steps before you start with the big ones. You will see: The willingness to slowly set a static culture in motion can be increased step by step with manageable impulses, patience and perseverance out of the usual incrustation.

The author

Martin Kruse, Leadership Choices.

© Leadership Choices

Martin Kruse has been coaching executives and managers for many years and has been a partner at Leadership Choices, an international coaching organization, since 2019.