The Power of Data-Driven Diversity and The Collective Narrative

The Power of Data-Driven Diversity and The Collective Narrative

The world is full of stories, and we all see ourselves as protagonists moving through our own stories, progressing from one plot point to another to achieve our ultimate desires. Similarly, organizations need to see themselves as part of a larger, grander narrative that is the unravelling of the whole of creation. This is where the power of data-driven diversity comes in. By using process metrics, organizations can pinpoint problems in employee-management processes such as hiring, evaluation, promotion, and executive sponsorship, and use this information to bring about meaningful change. Process metrics can also help locate “tightrope bias,” which rewards white men for being authoritative and ambitious but often penalizes members of other groups for behaving in the same way.

It is important for leaders to understand the power of the collective narrative. The leader must see how the bond between fellow storytellers is strengthened or weakened. He must be able to pull these threads together so he can knit it tighter and lead the entire organization towards the climax of its collective narrative. Scholars have found that gender diversity predicts higher collective intelligence, and when groups are racially mixed, they engage in less groupthink and work harder. All companies should think carefully about which data to share widely and which to hold closer to the vest.

To make progress towards diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, organizations can start small. Pilots should be overseen by a cross-disciplinary change-management team that has a clear mandate, specific goals, and a limited time frame. That team will need an engaged executive sponsor and a manager who is a diversity champion. Scholars have also found that a team’s collective intelligence is more than twice as important as individual members’ intelligence in determining how well the team performs.

In conclusion, organizations need to use data-driven diversity to pinpoint problems in employee-management processes, and leaders must understand the power of the collective narrative to lead the entire organization towards the climax of its collective narrative. Companies can start small with pilots overseen by a cross-disciplinary change-management team and think carefully about which data to share widely and which to hold closer to the vest. By doing so, organizations can make progress towards their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, and create a stronger bond between fellow storytellers.