Why High-Performing Teams Need Diversity of Thinking

Want to improve your team’s business decisions up to 87% of the time? You need diverse thinking styles. Forbes shared research detailing the power of cognitive diversity. When teams have diverse perspectives and thinking styles, they perform better, engage more deeply, and contribute to creating company cultures that matter. 

Here’s everything you need to know about diversity of thinking. 

What is Diversity of Thinking? 

Diversity of thinking is the range of problem-solving styles, motivations, and approaches that people bring to the table. 

It goes beyond demographics and taps into how individuals process information, communicate, and generate ideas.

So, how does diversity of thinking benefit teams? 

Make Conflict Productive

While conflict is inevitable in the workplace, it can be a tool for growth and positive momentum. Having a diverse group of thinkers on your team means they’ll have different perspectives, priorities, and motivations. They’re going to want different things, and that’s a good thing. 

When those differences make themselves known, turn any potential conflict into an opportunity to have a conversation and dig into the reason behind the reaction. Use the lens of behavioral styles to gain a better understanding of how teammates think and what they need in their roles. Learning from one another will prevent future conflicts while uncovering underlying opportunities. 

Find More Innovative Outcomes 

When everyone on a team thinks similarly and agrees with approaches, processes, and outcomes, you can lose creative tension. Dr. Ron Bonnstetter describes this as a “delicate balance…stretching like a rubber band between where you are and where you want to be.”

Diverse perspectives make that stretch happen. That’s where innovation occurs and true change is made. 

If your entire team is similar, teammates might make assumptions about what their peers think or need, since “it’s what I would want.” Having a team of diverse thinkers will outline new ways forward instead, pushing growth mindsets and more innovative solutions.

Attract Top Talent 

Diversity isn’t just about visible traits and differences. It includes different backgrounds, skillsets, and points of view within a team. That’s a significant draw for job seekers; Glassdoor reported that more than three out of four job seekers and employees believe a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating job offers and organizations. Other research shows that inclusive teams outperform their peers by 80% in team-based assessments.

The numbers don’t lie! Diversity of thinking attracts top talent with creative, inclusive environments. Talented, ambitious professionals are seeking growth and impact; a high-performing team that values collaboration and innovation will appeal to the kind of talent you need to move the needle. 

Putting Diversity of Thinking Into Practice

To unlock these benefits for higher performing teams, workers need to do more than just acknowledge different perspectives—they need to actively cultivate and integrate them. A few strategies include:

Encouraging Open Dialogue

Create psychological safety in the workplace so employees feel comfortable voicing new ideas or disagreeing during problem-solving.

This kind of comfort starts with leaders and can transform company culture, opening up new opportunities for engagement and connection. 

Leveraging Assessments

Use the right tools to uncover the unique ways people behave, communicate, and stay motivated.

When you use assessments, you create a shared language on teams and have real data to back up decisions and development.

Balancing Teams Intentionally

Build project groups with a mix of styles and approaches rather than clustering “like-minded” people.

If you use the right tools, you can eventually build this balance into your hiring and selection strategy to build balanced teams through talent acquisition.

Model Curiosity

Asking for diversity of thought from teams is one thing, but truly encouraging it requires active participation. 

Leaders should ask questions, seek feedback, and show that different perspectives are welcome. This curiosity will influence and encourage high-performing teams. 

High-performing teams don’t just happen; they’re built with intention. Diversity of thinking unlocks collaboration, fuels innovation, and creates workplaces where people want to contribute their best. 

Want the tools you need to build a high-performing team? We can help. Get started now. 

Author: Jaime Faulkner

Jaime believes authenticity and storytelling are the keys to successful marketing. As a graduate from the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, she loves finding and connecting narratives. When she's not at work, she's psychoanalyzing contestants on The Bachelor, painting, listening to podcasts, or playing tabletop RPGs.