Very few of us are hired by our employers as “individual performers.” Most of us are part of a team – a “collective.”
With this in mind, when I have hired people in the past, I think about their individual merit and what they will contribute to the collective.
Last semester, I provided students in one of my classes with the following scenario and questions:
The Board of Directors of a public company has ten people – all white men. There are two openings to add to this Board. The Search Committee brings five candidates to the Board. They are all different, but all meet the qualifications to serve on the Board. None of them provide a skill the board is lacking. The only real difference between them is their gender, race, and therefore – of course – their lived experiences. There are two white men, one White woman, one African American woman, and one Hispanic man.
What might be some upsides and downsides of selecting one or two of the white men?
What might be some upsides and downsides of selecting one or two of the non-white men?
The students were not asked who they would choose, nor did I tell them what I would do. We discussed the tradeoffs. The students were clear that the benefits of selecting the non-white men – given that their “individual merit” was equivalent – included that shareholders, employees, and customers who were women and people of color might feel that their perspectives would be better represented. Students also thought that the lived experiences of the people of color and women could lead to better decision-making by the Board.
Perhaps “Collective Merit” is what President Ronald Reagan had in mind when he appointed Sandra Day O’Connor to the Supreme Court in 1981. She was the first woman appointed to the Court. Many white men objected and said that they were more qualified than she was. But many women said they appreciated having a woman’s view represented there.
Since that time, Presidents of both political parties have appointed non-white men to the Court. I’m sure that there were always white men who felt they were more qualified. And while many people may not like some of the Court’s decisions from time to time, you would have to agree that the Court looks a lot more like America than it did in 1965 when it was all white men.
Much is being said these days about the elimination of DEI: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. Regardless of what you call it, organizations will continue to do hiring, promotions, compensation, and professional development. They will need to build teams who feel connected with one another and are committed to the mission. And they will want teams that are staffed for high performance. Hiring for a combination of individual merit and “Collective Merit” would be a wise thing for organizations to keep in mind.
