In this business era of speed, competition and globalization, innovation rules all.  You never know where the next great product, process or profit builder will originate.

Good Diversity Management and Culturally Intelligent Leadership can make the difference between repeatedly hearing mediocre ideas from the same people, or mining the hidden genius in your organization for breakthrough ideas.

Conversely, not knowing how to access that genius or motivate employees to be creative will eventually make you and your products commodities, competing for lower prices.

I’ve found ten key ways good diversity management can foster innovation. Here is number 1.

1-Be conscious of the way you communicate with employees.    Ask yourself, “Are they comfortable talking to me about their work, asking questions, and giving me suggestions?” If the answer if no, you need to find out why, and if yes, then keep getting better at it.

Innovation can often come from the lower levels, but if you don’t know how to communicate with everyone, they won’t share ideas, nor will they feel invested in the organization.

Make a habit of interacting with the people on your team whom you may not know well, or with whom you are least comfortable. Identify the reasons for your discomfort, so you can move through it.