Cognitive diversity is the bringing together of a range of different styles of thinking and different perspectives. These can result from different abilities, opinions, insights, knowledge, socio-economic backgrounds, education and experience.

It is a critical consideration when recruiting for boards to avoid groupthink, but equally important when recruiting for departments and teams—operational and project. Its importance is also not limited by sector or industry.

This may sound like common sense. And it is. Why, is it so difficult to put into practice? Because we’re human and we like to surround ourselves with people who think and express themselves in a similar way. After all, a diversity of views can be messy and uncomfortable.

Here are 5 key recommendations to encourage the recruitment of cognitive diversity into your organisation and its practice:

• Review recruitment criteria—are they all essential? Do they encourage candidates with a certain style of thinking?
• Widen the pool of candidates—consider those who may not meet all the criteria but have a valuable skill or set of experiences
• If you’re working with a recruitment agency, ensure to spell out that cognitive diversity is a requirement of the search
• During the successful candidate’s induction specifically address the importance of the diversity of thinking and perspectives to the organisation and team.
• As a leader, test your team’s thinking, personality and working styles and set aside time to share and reflect on the results and take actions to address any gaps.

In the words of Telle Whitney, senior executive leader and recognised expert on diversity, “Diversity drives innovation—when we limit who can contribute, we in turn limit what problems we can solve.”

Want to speak to a trusted expert on how to include cognitive diversity in your recruitment and search strategy?

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