Diversity Mandates - Good or Not Good?
This is an interesting article about a Senator from Nevada who wants to mandate “diversity” quotas for Congressional staff and committees.
Diversity certainly is important. It has been shown to improve the quality of decisions a group makes – both from bringing new ideas to the tables as well as from pointing out weak sports and strengths that might otherwise not be seen. It also sends a message to stakeholders (whether that’s constituents for a Representative or customers for an employer) that you value a wide swath of ideas, beliefs, and people – not just a narrow band. They can believe that you understand them and their needs – and will meet those needs.
I disagree that mandating diversity is a good idea, largely because it’s likely that diversity will then just be a box to check rather than a value to embrace. But I do like the idea of raising the issue and starting a dialogue around how best to address it.
How diverse is your company? In what facets do you consider diversity? Are you looking to expand your recruiting or customer base?
How do you create a welcoming environment for differing thoughts and ideas? How do you support dialogue and even conflict or dissent? What happens when someone on the team disagrees?