Between the presentations the participants have the opportunity for discussing their perspectives on the subjects… The following is a few of the subjects discussed at one table - and rethought once more before written here…
- How do you define diversity? All though according to Jack Cohen we are biologically very similar, actually all human beings are very different. Human beings will naturally tend to interact on their similarities and create bonding and relations that way. Could we make a social experiment where we would only highlight the differences in each other in stead of the similarities?
- From participants - and practitioners - perspectives a lot of the functioning of groups is actually about "chemistry" - whether you can function together as persons. But what is this "chemistry" about?
- Constrains will often foster the innovation process - and so will thinking from the ideal situation. When can you use constrains and when can you use ideal thinking in creative and innovative processes?
- According to practitioners it is important to make teams according to different personality types and disciplinary skills - but in reality what often happens is that the people available will be the people in the group….
- It is good to work with different systems for personality types for several reasons: It gives a better insight in one self and it gives a better understanding of the others. And it is a tool for understanding differences in preferences, thinking styles and working modes and not least a tool for talking about these differences and moving on with the work.
What are your experiences of and reflections on diversity of people in groups or other settings?
When does a difference make a difference?
One comment so far
I think it starts when you notice there is a difference.
Recognition is the first step. The next step is up to you.
If you are open to dialog and conversation, then discussion of the difference can begin. Where the discussion will lead to is open as it will be dependent upon the two individuals involved in the discussion (and to a certain extent the nature of the difference itself).