“Diversity is often regarded as a politically correct distraction, an issue of morality and social justice, but not of performance and innovation“
Matthew Syed delves into the power of diverse thinking with a deep body of research delivered via page-turning narrative. Thought provoking and inspiring for both organisations and individuals alike.
Syed looks at how ‘cognitive diversity’ can be a game-changer when solving complex problems. Here, he holds up a mirror, showing us how we only look for ‘idea’ support’ in areas we know we will find positives. How the internet has fuelled such false confirmation and how we must allow the different voices of others to be heard if we are to truly benefit from their engagement in problem solving.
“Think how comforting it is to be surrounded by people who think in the same way, who mirror our perspectives, who confirm our prejudices. It makes us feel smarter. It validates our world view.. these dangers are as ancient as mankind itself.”
Although the book reviews past decisions of such scale as to impact the entire planet, the text also manages to be an incredibly useful trigger to different thought process in a team of any size.
https://www.waterstones.com/book/rebel-ideas/matthew-syed/9781473613911