Culture

Diversity takes the courage to accept diverse opinions

A guest comment by Tijen Onaran

Editor Tijen Onaran (Gastkommentatorin) Reading time: 2 Minutes

I was recently asked what I thought was the secret of successful entrepreneurs and managers. Initially I wanted to list my usual pieces of advice – a good network, visibility and also passion. But as I began to list these, it slowly dawned on me that one element had always been present in my jobs: the courage to accept diverse opinions. First of all the courage of my respective male and female bosses to tolerate diversity of opinion, even when this was uncomfortable for them to begin with – and then their courage to admit and integrate ideas and perspectives divergent from their own in the end.

Friction generates heat – and the best results

Entrepreneur, moderator, speaker & founder of the initiative Global Digital Women

Permitting and putting up with diversity of opinion is no easy matter. Of course, at first glance it may look easier to surround yourself with individuals who constantly give you an approving pat on the back, or who always agree to anyone else’s opinion. However, only where there’s friction is heat generated – and only where there is a genuine exchange of opinions are the best results achieved. When I was invited to join a delegates’ trip last year and travelled with 47 female entrepreneurs from 47 countries for three weeks through the USA, there were frequently moments when I thought: “Diversity can be pretty strenuous too.” When 47 mentalities with differing socio-political and economic world views encounter one another, consensus can occasionally break down into chaos. But chaos is worth it – because this is the only way that ideas arise that we would otherwise never have come up with. And that’s how it was on this trip: while we discussed project ideas and our differing experiences of various countries, we shed light on new aspects and above all realised that it was precisely the differences that brought us all together and made us more successful as a team. Many studies also provide evidence that diverse teams are more successful – one of these was a survey carried out by McKinsey whose results show that diversity in very widely differing aspects also leads to success, whether these facets are intercultural or multi-gender. Those companies that have a diverse workforce also produce better economic results.

Criticism drives your own success

Diversity is often avoided because at first glance it appears to be easier to work together with people who have a similar world view to our own. The more diverse teams are, the more probable it is that there will not only be differing perspectives but also critics of one’s own opinion. But it’s exactly this criticism that drives our own success: only when I am obliged to question my own actions and my own perspectives will I be also able to develop new ideas regarding these. At the end of the day it’s immaterial whether the criticism was justified or not – every challenge expands our own horizon and makes us stronger.

Above all, diversity means leaving our own comfort zone, admitting diversity of opinion – and listening hardest when the discussion becomes uncomfortable. This is the only way innovation can take place!

Of course, it may look easier to surround yourself with individuals who constantly give you an approving pat on the back. However, only where there's friction is heat generated and the best results are achieved.
Tijen Onaran , Entrepreneur, moderator, speaker & founder of the initiative Global Digital Women