CULTURE DRIVEN GROWTH
SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL FOR FORWARD THINKING ORGANIZATIONS
Is Your Organisation Ready to Elevate Diversity?
Almost every organization experiences nowadays some level of cultural diversity. We want to invite you to reflect on your organizational approach to diversity to create a more effective, comfortable and therefore productive work environment. Have you ever wondered:
Does your organisation view cultural diversity as a challenge or an opportunity?
In what ways are you addressing cultural diversity? in a constructive and productive way?
What purpose, processes and processes do you have in place to effectively manage and develop it?
Would you like to embark on a journey to leverage cultural diversity for your company with us?
This self-assessment tool is designed to help you explore these questions and evaluate your organisation’s approach to the challenges and opportunities that come with cultural diversity. Today’s organisations must navigate a landscape shaped by national, regional, professional, generational, industry, and organisational cultures, all of which influence collaboration, innovation, resilience and impact.
Why Diversity Matters – The Business Case and Beyond
Why Diversity Matters – The Business Case and Beyond
Diversity in organizations is far more than a strategic advantage — it is a foundation for learning, innovation, resilience, and human dignity. Research has repeatedly demonstrated the benefits of diversity for teams and organizations:
Yet, research also highlights that diversity can be a “double-edged sword” (Stahl & Tung, 2015). Without inclusive leadership and effective collaboration, diverse teams may experience communication barriers, conflict, and reduced cohesion. The difference between success and failure lies in how diversity is managed.
A major study by the BCG Henderson Institute (Harnoss et al., 2022) found that companies are innovative because they are diverse — not the other way around. The overall results of their study show that the most innovative companies were much more diverse many years earlier than others. Diversity must be seen as a driver of innovation, not just an outcome of success.
Finally, Ely and Thomas (2021) remind us that diversity should not need constant justification through financial performance. True inclusion means valuing people for who they are and not for the profit they might bring. As they put it: “Why should anyone need an economic rationale for affirming the agency and dignity of any group of human beings?” (Ely & Thomas, 2021).
In short, diversity matters beyond the business case because it strengthens our organizations and our communities. It is about learning, creativity, and shared humanity — not just results. Effective leadership and management means creating spaces where different perspectives can connect, learn, and grow together.
Why Use This Self-assessment Tool and How it works
This tool offers a structured way to:
- Map your organisation’s current reality
- Identify existing practices and mindsets
- Determine your growth zones
- Reflect critically and plan for improvement
- Start a discussion and journey with the relevant stakeholders in your company
It is a starting point for a continuous learning and development journey. Every organisation operates within its own environment, and this tool is your invitation to take a closer look at how you’re managing and leveraging your unique cultural realities.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our tool is built on practical research and focuses on three core categories—each with its own subcategories:
For each subcategory, you’ll assess your organisation’s approach across three developmental stages:
Stage: Recognize
Diversity is noticed and understood mainly as a challenge to be managed. At this stage, your organization recognizes and understands that it is composed of diverse groups (e.g., national, professional, generational, industry cultures, etc.). This diversity is generally viewed as a potential source of misunderstandings and conflicts between internal and external stakeholders
Stage: Connect
Diversity is seen as a source of creativity and people actively seek to build bridges. At this stage, your organization acknowledges that multiple cultures coexist within the company. Cultural diversity is seen not only as a challenge but also as a valuable opportunity and a source of added value. It is understood that people are equipped with different types of knowledge, which - when combined - can lead to creative and innovative solutions.
Stage: Leverage
Diversity is fully valued and used as a source of innovation; people create new shared practices and meaning across cultures. At this stage, your organization fully recognizes, acknowledges, and values different cultures (e.g., national, professional, generational, industry cultures, etc.). It actively encourages the emergence of new commonalities across internal and external stakeholders and groups, grounded in shared experiences of their members and reflected in understanding and action. Your organization fosters a sense of belonging and continuously engages with, learns from, and connects through cultural diversity.
Your Role in This Process
You are passionate about — or responsible for — leveraging diversity in your organization. Your role is to facilitate and moderate this journey by engaging the right people and departments in using this self-assessment tool. All instructions regarding introducing the self assessment process to the organization are available in a facilitators manual that you can download below.
This process will be a starting point for meaningful dialogue and collective growth. With that tool you will be able to show that diversity is not just an HR initiative — it is a strategic, organization-wide priority that strengthens innovation, collaboration, and long-term success.
Let’s start together shaping more open, inclusive and future ready organizations.
What comes next?
After completing your self-assessment, we recommend organizing a joint workshop with all relevant stakeholders. Review your findings together and discuss:
Where do we currently stand?
What are our next best steps to grow? Which areas need improvement?
Which best practices already exist that we can build upon?
To support this process, we have prepared a reflection guide with questions that help identify concrete, actionable steps for your company’s next stage in advancing diversity.