session on cognitive diversity delivered by joe gerstandt at the 2012 American Farm Bureau Federation in Honolulu Hi

1. differences

2. joegerstandt.com
twitter.com/joegerstandt
linkedin.com/in/joegerstandt
facebook.com/joegerstandt
youtube.com/joegerstandt
joegerstandt.com/blog
slideshare.net/joeg

5. MT
engineers

6. MT
engineers
MT
management

7. MT
engineers
NASA
management
MT
management

8. MT
engineers
NASA
management
MT
management

9. MT
engineers
NASA
management
MT
management

10. Tuesday
morning
January
28th
1986

11. MT
engineers
NASA
management
MT
management

12. NASA
management
MT
management

13. consider What
decision makes it
making… 1 - 10 better?

14. What looks like
resistance is
often a lack of
clarity.
-Switch, Dan and Chip Heath

15. diversity…

16. diversity…
difference

17. di·ver·si·ty
[dih-vur-si-tee]
noun, plural –ties
1.the state or fact of being
diverse; difference; unlikeness.
2.variety; multiformity.
3.a point of difference.

18. diversity…
difference
takes
many forms

20. diversity…
difference
takes
many forms
relational

22. diversity…
difference
takes
many forms
relational
disruptive

23. ↑diversity =
↑variance in
performance
groups with more diversity
perform better or worse than
groups with less diversity

24. inclusion:
Our ability to include difference and to
utilize the resources that we have access
to.
• fairness of employment practices
• openness to difference
• inclusion in decision making
• integration of networks

25. inclusion:
“…being at home…”
“…belonging…”
“…able to bring my whole self to work…”
“…feeling that my unique contribution
was valued…”
“…my perspective is always
considered…”
“…I have a say in what happens…”

26. identity diversity:
Differences in our social
identities.
cognitive diversity:
Differences in how we think and
solve problems.

27. d
i i
d v
e e
n r
t s
i i
t t
y y

28. cognitive diversity
The extent to which the group
reflects differences in
knowledge, including beliefs,
preferences and perspectives.
-Miller, et al (1998) Strategic Management Journal

29. analytical risk taker
rational creative
realistic flexible
factual synthesizer
logical conceptual
definitive intuitive
persistent passionate
planner cooperative
organized empathetic
disciplined expressive
detailed harmonizing
practical responsive

30. Cerebral Mode (abstract & intellectual thought)
ANALYZE STRATEGIZE
Joys Joys
Solving technical problems Conceptualizing
Analyzing complex issues Innovating
Logical approach Seeing the big picture
Frustrations Frustrations
Interpersonal aspects of situations Routine Meetings
Ice breakers Details
Right Mode
Socializing in meetings Structure
Left Mode
Joys Joys
Implementing ideas Expressing ideas
Developing plans Understanding group dynamics
Follow-up and completion Team building
Frustrations Frustrations
“Blue Sky” thinking Logic ahead of feelings
Not following the rules No interaction with people
ORGANIZE PERSONALIZE
Limbic Mode (concrete and emotional processing)

31. analytical risk taker
rational creative
realistic flexible
factual synthesizer
logical conceptual
definitive intuitive
persistent passionate
planner cooperative
organized empathetic
disciplined expressive
detailed harmonizing
practical responsive

32. MBA
Harvard University
100 people

33. team #1
MBA
Harvard University
100 people

34. team #1
MBA
Harvard University
100 people
team #2

35. team #1
friends
with
cognitive
benefits MBA
Harvard University
100 people
team #2

37. who
how

39. dysfunction

40. dysfunctional dysfunctional
agreement disagreement

42. also
dysfunction

43. dysfunctional
dysfunctional dysfunctional
agreement
agreement disagreement

44. always
disagree lack of
trust
dysfunctional
dysfunctional dysfunctional
agreement
agreement disagreement
us vs.
them personal
conflict

45. always
always
agree
lack of disagree lack of
honesty trust
dysfunctional
dysfunctional dysfunctional
agreement
agreement disagreement
avoid
us vs.
conflict meeting them personal
after the conflict
meeting

46. dysfunctional dysfunctional
dysfunctionalsweet
agreement disagreement
agreement
spot

48. Groups often fail to
outperform individuals
because they prematurely
move to consensus, with
dissenting opinions being
suppressed or dismissed.
-Hackman, Morris (1975) Advances in Experimental
Social Psychology

49. Minority dissent, even dissent
that is wrong, stimulates
divergent thought. Issues
and problems are considered
from more perspectives and
group members find more
correct answers.
-Nemeth, Staw (1989) Advances in Experimental
Social Psychology

50. Where do good ideas come
from? That is simple…from
differences. Creativity comes
from unlikely juxtapositions.
The best way to maximize
differences is to mix ages,
cultures and disciplines.
-Nicolas Negroponte, founder MIT Media Lab

52. stereotype
An idea or image; a mental
framework that contains our
knowledge, beliefs,
expectations and feelings
about a social group.
Stereotypes allow for no
individuality.

53. stereotype
waitress librarian

54. smoke
bowl
eat hamburgers

55. smoke knit
bowl wear glasses
eat hamburgers eat salad

56. confirmation bias
Our tendency to search for or
interpret new information in
a way that confirms
preconceptions and avoids
information and
interpretations which
contradict prior beliefs.

57. fundamental attribution error
An unjustified tendency to
assume that a person’s
actions depend on what kind
of person that person is
rather than on the social
environmental forces
influencing the person.

59. how

60. high low
difference difference
high learning celebration
growth reinforcement
interaction self-organization energy
stress low productivity
conflict wasted energy
exhaustion factions
low reflection comfort
safety belonging
interaction clearing the decks rest and recovery
isolation boredom
misunderstanding stagnation
Difference Matrix
Glenda Eoyang HSDI frustration death

61. high low
difference difference
high move to low difference: move to low
Tell a joke. interaction:
interaction State a shared value or Stop communicating.
belief. Leave the area.
Share personal experience. Explain yourself.
Pick a low difference topic. Pick a low
communication topic.
low move to high move to high
interaction: difference:
interaction Ask a question. Amplify little
Use another medium. differences
Listen more. Play devils advocate
Pick a high communication Pick a high difference
Difference Matrix topic. topic
Glenda Eoyang HSDI

62. who

63. personal network analysis
From time to time people discuss
important matters with other
people. Looking back over the
past six months, who are the
people with whom you discussed
matters important to you?

64. personal network analysis
Consider the people you
communicate with in order to get
your work done. Of all the
people you have communicated
with during the last six months,
who has been the most important
for getting your work done?

65. personal network analysis
Consider an important project or
initiative that you are involved in.
Consider the people who would be
influential for getting it approved
or obtaining the resources you
need. Who would you talk to, to
get the support you need?

66. personal network analysis
Who do you socialize with?
(spending time with people after
work hours, visiting one another at
home, going to social events, out
for meals and so on) Over the last
6 months, who are the main people
with whom you have socialized
informally?

67. thank you!

68. www.joegerstandt.com
joe.gerstandt@gmail.com
www.twitter.com/joegerstandt
www.linkedin.com/in/joegerstandt
www.facebook.com/joegerstandt
402.740.7081

69. resources
• The Difference: How the Power of Diversity
Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and
Societies | Scott Page
• The Wisdom of Crowds | James Surowiecki
• A Whole New Mind | Daniel Pink
• The Medici Effect | Frans Johansson
• The Geography of Thought | Richard Nisbett

70. resources
• Achieving Success Through Social
Capital: Tapping Hidden Resources in
Your Personal and Business Network |
Wayne E. Baker
• The Whole Brain Business Book
Ned Herrmann
• Competitive Advantage Through People:
Unleashing the Power of the Work Force |
Jeffrey Pfeffer