Bench Talk

Have you ever noticed that there isn't one fixed hurricane prediction model? Those “cones of error” represent that wide array of assumed courses from many different hurricane models. Each of those models comes with different parameters, algorithms, and input data that leads to different outputs. No model is ever 100% right, but when you discount outliers and find trends among the remaining model, you can get a good enough idea to start making some rational decisions.

Diversity of people in organizations is in many respects the equivalent of predicting a hurricane path using various models. People with different backgrounds will come at a problem with different perspectives based on their unique life experiences. They will read the data differently and offer different solutions, none perhaps 100% perfect, but you will have many possibilities to pick from. As a leader, over time you will know which solutions are based simply on opinion and which ones are based on reasoned logic and expertise. You will know what solutions are more appropriate for the particular set of circumstances you are facing. However, for this to work, you need to have many different options to choose from. Some choices will be closely related; others will be far off. There will be times when the consensus is the right choice. Unlike predicting a hurricane, there will also be times when the outlier is the right choice.

This fact is especially true for those of us who have chosen technology and engineering as our careers. How many times has a superior technology been decimated by a technically inferior but more widely adopted competitor? Betamax, I’m looking at you! Or remember the Microsoft Zune as compared to the pre-iPhone iPods? The point is, sometimes it’s not the tech, engineering, or design that leads to a product failure; sometimes it's nuances in subtler things like failing to understand user experience or how a product fits into a larger ecosystem. It’s a problem that is not just for engineers and designers in the consumer products fields. Industrial products and devices built on contract can also suffer from final products that fail to meet expectations. When this happens there is not just bruised egos, but real-world financial impacts as well. Conversely, there are times when the scrappy underdog startup can deliver something that no entrenched company could have ever dreamed of, let alone deliver to market. This is the equivalent of picking the outlying hurricane model over the group consensus. For investors and businesses that want to keep that startup mentality, the ability to recognize when you have to abandon your golden goose for something new is extremely challenging.

That is why as a leader, encouraging and building a diverse workforce is critical. It is not a guarantee against failure, but it is a risk management strategy to help reduce the likelihood of defeat. It gives you options that you would not otherwise get if you lead a team that is locked into a groupthink mentality, which is symptomatic of a team with little diversity. Leading a diverse team can be challenging, especially if you have a lot of passionate, top-notch talent. Smart people who love what they do should be at odds at times if you are truly taking on unique and uncharted projects. Embrace this - don’t fear it, because in the end, good people know when to compromise, overcome, and get behind a common goal. So get out there and diversify your human capital portfolio! You might be surprised where it takes you.