Diversity

Continuing a thought: As monocultures are brittle, diversity is to be seen as a positive.

Unfortunately, it is too often the fact that the form of diversity that organizations look for is limited to “box checking” diversity, diversity based upon sex or gender identification, diversity based upon ancestry, diversity based upon whatever kinds of demographics are easily recorded on appropriate forms and can be committed to PowerPoint presentations.

Do not for a moment think that I mean to imply that these are not important considerations. They most certainly are. As one who has been (mostly) a member of a historically over-represented group I am aware of the benefits associated with that status. (I’ve also been writing code for so long that I remember a time before things got way out of whack.) Assembling a team that looks like the greater society is a definite good.

There is, however, another thing to consider: If you build a team where everyone thinks alike, you are subject to the brittleness the same way you are if a team all looks alike. We’re not looking for conflict; we’re looking for differing perspectives. We’re looking to ask the question “what can you add?”. It may be harder to quantify. It will certainly be harder to show off when extolling your own virtues.

But it will make you more resilient.