zlacker

Diversity is a competitive advantage.

>>worik+(OP)
The competitive advantage is hard to quantify though, whereas the disadvantage can be felt directly and immediately if you aren't careful. If someone gets burned, it's hard to see how a vague notion of some intangible advantage would push them to risk a repeat.

As a white male from a poor southern family (not very tolerant) I've had to learn a few hard lessons on similar fronts. I know I don't have a good gauge for what is and isn't ok, even now. Given that in many occasions even mirroring words or behaviors can be a no-no, the only way I've learned that is 100% effective at not causing problems is shutting up, which I'm generally pretty bad at. Luckily I've had mostly understanding and light hearted coworkers, so I haven't been outright ruined yet, but I can think of more than one occasion that likely would have turned my life upside down if the audience was less sensitive to my intent.

>>worik+(OP)
Apparently the research on that is sketchy. It is only an advantage if specifically sought out and used. It requires work. Otherwise it can just lead to bad communication and less team spirit. (I am paraphrasing a recent article from somewhere)

>>worik+(OP)
I disagree.

Diversity CAN BE a competitive advantage if everyone else is carving out a strict path. But if everyone is extremely diverse then heterogeneity could actually be the competitive advantage, allowing a business to specialize more or take advantage of certain economies of scale etc. etc.

Also, I find that more often than not, too much diversity leads to internal conflict because ideas differ too much, which can turn into a competitive disadvantage.