Photo by geralt
Organisational leadership self-selects for homogeneity.
It is in our nature to seek out those who are most similar to us. Organisational leaders are no different. The “old boys/girls club” is a default setting of our psyche.
Diversity is easy to say and hard to do.
Can you imagine the board of a bank recruiting new members from lower-socioeconomic backgrounds? How about an elite school recruiting board members who have experienced learning difficulties? Or a church recruiting atheists to sit on their leadership team?
Imagine the rich diversity of viewpoints and breakthrough learning that such situations could engender!
Sadly, I cannot imagine too many leaders daring to embrace diversity in such a visceral and immediate manner.
He/she who hesitates loses in the long run. But stays comfortable in the short run.
On a personal level, how many of us actively seek to engage with, if not befriend, people who are different from us? What does that say about our ability to see and think outside of our bubbles?
