Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds
Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/510478
d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m S u m m e r 2 0 1 5 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N 21 What is it, and why is it gaining so much traction? Take the Lead By Ruchika Tulshyan F or many years, technology com- pany SAP has practiced diversity and inclusion through an active D&I; pro- gram. Recently, the company realized that with employees representing more than 90 nation- alities, the b u s i n e s s - as-usual D&I; practices were not enough. Instead, SAP has begun embracing a trend in the D&I; feld—diversity of thought—in which innovative ideas come from dissimilar teams. For Anka Wittenberg, SAP chief D&I; ofcer, diversity of thought is more than just a trending idea. It is emerging as a powerful new way to align business goals with diversity initiatives. "Some of our best teams combine Mil- lennials with older employees, people who speak diferent languages, have dif- ferent backgrounds and education," says Wittenberg. "We have found that this drives both innovation and employee en- gagement." What Is Diversity of Thought? Te idea that our thinking is shaped by our culture, background, experiences, and personalities is core to the concept of diverse thought. Companies that bring together people who think diferently from one another—for example, analyti- cal types with creative ones, "big-picture" folks with the detail-oriented ones—can create conversations that stimulate new ideas and drive efciency. "Diversity of thought goes beyond the afrmation of equality—simply recog- nizing diferences and responding to them," states a 2013 study by Deloitte Consulting. "Instead, the focus is on real- izing the full potential of people, and in turn the organization, by acknowledging and appreciating the potential promise of each person's unique perspective and dif- ferent way of thinking." Leaders and organizations must accept that there's not just one right way to get things done. To be truly innovative—and inclusive—companies must focus on harnessing employees' diferent view- points and opinions. "Too many organizations try to engage employees around their commonalities, but instead they should focus on what We Mean Business > THINKSTOCKPHOTOS Diversity of Thought