Many organisations have been conditioned to look for sameness: the "ideal" employee, the "right" way to think, or the "best fit." History repeatedly reminds us that progress rarely comes from people who think exactly like everyone else. Some historians and psychologists have suggested that figures such as Isaac Newton displayed characteristics that today might be associated with neurodivergence. Others point to Adam Smith, whose lifestyle and habits did not always conform to the social expectations of his time. Whether these interpretations are accurate is almost beside the point. The common thread is this: many of the people who have disproportionately shaped our world were anything but conventional.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb makes a related observation throughout his work, particularly in his book, The Black Swan. Systems that optimise for the average often become less resilient and less innovative than those that embrace variation, adaptability, and different ways of thinking. I think one of the most powerful leadership skills is the ability to reframe what we see.
““Human diversity is not a flaw in the system. It is one of the reasons the system evolves.””
