62 | PERSPECTIVES
Changes occur at a high rate, innovations spread rapidly and knowledge is just a search word away. Individual approaches and assessments are not sufficient to deal with new and complex phenomena, different points of departure are needed to identify opportunities and solve problems. Wisdom of crowds is a well-known term and is also the title of James
not usually questioned, one assumes that a certain point of departure is the only right one (often the majority opinion and/or the generally accepted ‘truth’). Challenging an assumption is not always popular but could be necessary in order to leave the status quo and move on. Examining different perspectives reduces the risk of relying on subjec-
“Only being interested in issues within your own sphere of expertise or role is not enough” Surowiecki’s book on the subject. The implication is that many people together know more than one person alone. This is relevant to meetings because in them, people can collaborate and utilise the group’s collective and broader field of view. Louise stressed the importance of examining different perspectives. Diversity is of particular importance for this vital phase. Different personalities, interests, backgrounds, education, knowledge and experience make people see things from different angles. From one perspective, a problem could seem easy to solve, from another, quite impossible. From one angle you see possibilities, from another you see difficulties. If the introduction to the task is right then chances are the rest will fall into place. If not then the opposite applies, and with only one perspective you run the risk of getting stuck on the same things. Examining different perspectives is a way of finding out if assumptions are correct or not. Assumptions are MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL No. 16 2015
tive views and gut feelings (usually the case) and instead basing things on current, real and relevant data. Confirmation bias is a very common thinking trap. It means searching for information to confirm an assumption rather than facts that may disprove an hypothesis. In today’s abundance of readily available information, it is easy to find support for a particular position; to find proof to the contrary you have to ask other questions. Another common thinking trap is unshaken belief in your own knowledge: ‘I know I’m right’. Examining things from different perspectives can reduce the risk for typical thinking traps. When looking at things from different angles you also discover imperfections, misinterpretations and risks. It is easy to see the value of diversity, but accommodating it at a meeting is a different thing altogether. If a meeting’s participants have similar jobs within the same field then this will limit the number of approaches used. It is so much easier to interact with
people who are on the same wavelength. This is where the importance of the ‘right chemistry’ and ‘perfect fit in the team’ is usually stressed. Even if a meeting contains plenty of diversity there is no guarantee that it will be put to good use. Many factors can stop people from contributing with their ideas and opinions. A packed agenda is a common and, unfortunately, effective obstacle. Time must be allocated to presenting perspectives, listening to viewpoints and discussing different options. Stress and time constraints limit the depth and breadth of debate and assessments. A complex and demanding task should therefore be the only item on the agenda. A great deal of research has been conducted into group psychology, behaviour and dynamics. Studies have highlighted the effects that diversity could have on different factors, such as information management, analysis and problem solving. Other examples include creativity, idea generation and learning, likewise assessments, decisions and implementations. Research has also been conducted into the meaning of ‘sense of security’ and the role that conflicts play. Different factors can support or counteract each other. Groups usually tend to discuss things they already know, that is to say shared knowledge. Unique and undivided knowledge possessed by only a few people remains that way for some time and only comes out on direct request (or not at all). Participants could think that their views are not important or of interest to others. They could be afraid that their views will be seen as criticism and lead to conflicts. And they might not want to waste the meeting’s time. There are several mechanisms at work that stop views, opinions and assessments that differ from the majority view from