05/24/2023

Why Melding of Minds Supersedes Homogenous Thinking

Often, great minds don't think alike

As someone with more than 50 years of experience in both industry and academia who also happens to be a person with autism, managers in charge of DEI at major corporations often invite me to give lectures. These companies range from steel, pharmaceuticals, computers and consumer products to cattle and livestock handling, transportation and social media. I always get asked the same basic question from management: What do they need to do to make their workforce more inclusive?

It’s a big step forward that corporations are striving to make their workforces more diverse with respect to race, gender equity and people with disabilities. Now it’s time to apply these same strategies to different kinds of minds. Doing so will increase creativity, ignite problem solving, and lead to more cohesive workplaces.

Different Kinds of Thinkers in the Workplace

First, leaders simply need to increase their awareness about the different types of thinking that exist and how we all benefit from these different minds and the skills that go along with them. This may sound basic, but in our verbally dominant culture, visual thinkers often get left behind.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.