The Diversity Advantage: Beyond the Smartest Person

Most leaders think innovation comes from hiring the smartest person in the room,

but Matthew Syed's research on collective intelligence proves that's completely backwards. The real breakthrough

happens when you combine diverse perspectives, not individual genius. Here's the problem though:

leaders keep building teams of people who think exactly like them, creating what Syed

calls cognitive clones. This kills innovation faster than anything else. The solution is

deliberately uncomfortable diversity. First, when hiring, actively seek people who will disagree

with your methods. Second, create a rotation system where team members from different

departments solve problems together monthly. Syed's book Rebel Ideas shows that