Feature
PRACTICE
Changing perspectives While the Black Lives Matter movement has pushed diversity onto the board agenda, most organisations will need to take proactive action if the enterprise is to benefit from a meaningful range of perspectives BY IBI ESO
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n the wake of George Floyd’s killing in the US, many of the world’s biggest brands have spoken out in support of black communities. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement has become part of everyday conversation but, while BLM is grabbing the news headlines, it is vital to recognise that diversity is also a much wider issue than skin colour or gender. It is also about having diversity of thought. For most organisations, attaining this ideal will require nothing less than a deep-rooted overhaul of established, previously unquestioned practices. There are no quick fixes. The process must start at the top, from the board of directors down, as only they have the power to effect lasting cultural change. Organisations wanting seriously to achieve diversity of thought cannot simply leave it to chance. They must make an active effort to bring people who look, behave and think differently to the boardroom table. Only by doing so can they avoid the dangers of groupthink – defined as “the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group, resulting typically in unchallenged, poor-quality decision-making”.
Those wanting seriously to achieve diversity of thought cannot simply leave it to chance
Groupthink A commonly cited example of disastrous groupthink is Swissair, the airline that became so powerful and
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Enterprise Risk
