Driven by Difference

Diversity alone won’t magically spur innovation—it’s just the first step.

Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before. But despite new perspectives and talents, the promise of increased innovation rarely materializes. Why are so few businesses seeing results?

Studies show that diverse teams are more creative than homogenous ones—but only when they are managed effectively. The secret is to minimize conflict while maximizing the informational diversity found in varied values and experiences. To do this, both leaders and team members need a high level of cultural intelligence, or CQ.

Drawing on success stories from Google, Alibaba, Novartis, and other groundbreaking companies, Driven by Difference identifies the management practices necessary to guide multicultural teams to innovation, including how to:

Create an optimal environment • Build trust • Fuse differing perspectives • Align goals and expectations • Generate fresh ideas • Consider the various audiences when selecting and selling an idea • Design and test for different users

Cultural differences can lead to gridlock, or they can catalyze innovation and growth. This research-based plan turns diversity’s potential into economic reality.

About the Author
DAVID LIVERMORE, PH.D., is President and Partner at the Cultural Intelligence Center, a consultancy at the forefront of CQ assessment and development. The author of Leading with Cultural Intelligence, he has been cited by The Economist, Forbes, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.