WEBVTT 00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:11.345 How important is it to select diverse candidates? 00:00:11.494 --> 00:00:14.894 Conventional wisdom says that having team members who are all alike… 00:00:14.919 --> 00:00:18.402 makes working together easier… and that may be true… 00:00:18.427 --> 00:00:21.265 But, when it comes to creative and innovative ideas, 00:00:21.290 --> 00:00:23.515 a diverse team gets better results. 00:00:23.540 --> 00:00:24.690 Why? 00:00:24.700 --> 00:00:28.430 Diverse teams challenge each other with new ideas and perspectives. 00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.550 Studies show the positive impact of diverse teams 00:00:31.575 --> 00:00:34.458 can lead to more innovation and better results. 00:00:34.676 --> 00:00:38.270 As a hiring manager, it can be easy to look for a candidate who is similar 00:00:38.295 --> 00:00:41.070 to existing team members and overlook the skills 00:00:41.080 --> 00:00:43.663 needed for both today and tomorrow. 00:00:44.080 --> 00:00:46.150 To avoid this, ask yourself, 00:00:46.160 --> 00:00:49.770 are these the current and future skills this team needs? 00:00:49.780 --> 00:00:52.080 It’s important to recognize that the candidates 00:00:52.090 --> 00:00:55.760 who have those skills might be very different from the current team. 00:00:55.770 --> 00:00:56.942 And that’s okay. 00:00:57.168 --> 00:00:59.823 So, how do you select your next rock star? 00:01:00.143 --> 00:01:04.570 First, make sure that you have a diverse pool of candidates to choose from. 00:01:04.580 --> 00:01:07.630 Creating a diverse team is not about hiring someone 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:09.730 who isn’t qualified for your role. 00:01:09.917 --> 00:01:12.830 But, having a diverse candidate pool increases the chances 00:01:12.840 --> 00:01:17.052 that the best candidate is also one that brings a diverse perspective. 00:01:17.247 --> 00:01:19.510 Pay attention to how any unconscious bias 00:01:19.520 --> 00:01:22.669 might be impacting how you review resumes. 00:01:22.870 --> 00:01:26.600 Do you select resumes that come from a particular college more than others? 00:01:26.610 --> 00:01:29.320 How about knowing what part of town someone lives in? 00:01:29.330 --> 00:01:32.465 Are you steering clear of names that sound unfamiliar? 00:01:32.692 --> 00:01:36.224 If you answer yes to any of these questions, ask yourself, 00:01:36.575 --> 00:01:38.747 why you are weeding out these resumes? 00:01:38.772 --> 00:01:40.980 If your answer is that you don’t think they will be 00:01:40.990 --> 00:01:43.900 a good “culture fit”, dig deeper and ask: 00:01:43.910 --> 00:01:46.640 Are your assumptions about these candidates keeping you 00:01:46.650 --> 00:01:48.439 from finding the best candidate? 00:01:48.730 --> 00:01:52.955 Are you afraid that some diversity on your team might “rock the boat?” 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.910 If you are willing to broaden your thinking you might find 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:59.380 that an older candidate brings the type of industry experience 00:01:59.390 --> 00:02:01.316 that your younger team needs. 00:02:01.816 --> 00:02:04.000 Or, maybe adding a woman can help you to design your next product 00:02:05.010 --> 00:02:09.735 in a way that resonates with other women… which in turn increases sales. 00:02:10.094 --> 00:02:12.770 As expected, diverse teams can take a bit more time 00:02:12.780 --> 00:02:14.756 and effort to learn how to work together. 00:02:15.030 --> 00:02:19.525 And, yes, some people may be a little uncomfortable at first… but hang in there. 00:02:19.749 --> 00:02:22.430 Your team follows your lead and adding diverse perspectives 00:02:22.440 --> 00:02:26.510 to your team will help you capitalize on new insights and ideas. 00:02:26.861 --> 00:02:30.620 The bottom line here is that diverse teams increase the ability 00:02:30.630 --> 00:02:32.349 to perform at a higher level. 00:02:32.510 --> 00:02:35.361 Diversity helps your team meet their challenges – 00:02:35.386 --> 00:02:39.019 maximizing performance with new ideas and perspectives. 00:02:39.253 --> 00:02:41.960 In the end, isn’t that what we’re all after?