The Conscious Art of Diverse Thinking
The Conscious Art of Diverse Thinking
In today’s online interconnected world we are increasingly exposed to a world full of diversity. We are able to engage and connect with people across the world, across different cultures and social contexts. However, it does not necessarily follow that we as individuals leverage the potential of this great vast expanse of diverse interactions. Technology has made it possible, but evolution operates on a different timescale. Individuals must still learn to interpret and cope with social challenges that come with more diversity.
Shining a light and bringing an awareness to thoughts of unconscious bias is critical to developing a diverse thinking mindset, and this mindset will help us be better at work, better at leadership and generally be better people!
Taking for instance the huge potential of our interconnected online world; as a means of battling these biases and educating ourselves on different perspectives and becoming more empathetic to the opinions of others, it’s an imperative that we first become more aware of internet algorithms favouring ‘like attracts like’ therefore deliberately designing a world where we only look at more of the same.
Educate Yourself
There are plenty of materials out there where you can educate yourself around what constitutes the main barriers to diverse thinking. To get started, why not read this article written by one of Alumni’s chartered psychologists which outlines the main types of bias that we all tend to suffer from.
Using the Heart & Mind
It is easy to be preparing your answer in your mind, whilst half listening to a work colleague speak, particularly if you have had a strong gut reaction to what they are saying. To bring a balance we all need to practice active listening - really hearing what they have to say and then taking a moment to reflect before responding. Place yourself in their position and see things from their point of view before replying. If you feel you need more time to do this it is always ok to say “Can I just think about this for a small time and come back to you?”. Considered responses can be far more productive than reflex responses. In order to be inclusive in your thinking you need to find a balance between your instinct and your intellect.
“Decisions based on a gut feeling can often serve you well when past experiences weigh heavy. But in the context of wanting to change something and alter behaviours, we need to practice conscious decision-making, based on data to successful navigate.”
Critical Analysis
We should all be making more of an effort to uncover the facts behind the statements we hear. All of us can feel a visceral pang when we hear a statement that stirs our emotions, and we need to learn to temper this initial response by analysing the truth behind the statement. Conducting our own fact-finding exercises more regularly, and making more informed responses is more conducive to diverse thinking than taking a decision off the cuff.
Similarly, we can all be guilty of disliking a statement because we feel other, or distant, to the person making it. An unlikeable person, might still be talking sense when we take time to analyse the facts.
Practice, Practice, Practice
It is very easy for us all to fall back to the patterns of thinking and responding that we may well have had for years. Embedding diverse thinking into our work (and personal) lives will take constant practice and self-monitoring. Be aware that bias recognition, being empathetic and fact checking before responding will take days and months of conscious practice before becoming our default setting.
Alumni
Alumni has more than 30 years’ experience in making leaders and their teams the best that they can be. Self-awareness, empathy and bias training are fundamental to avoiding groupthink, creating an inclusive culture and reaping the benefits of diversity in the workplace. If you are curious to learn more about how we advise our clients and work with organisational diversity we would love to hear from you!
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Perspectives
Keeping bias in check
Perspectives
Inclusion as the true foundation to supporting organisational diversity
Perspectives
Across the ages