1. Running head: LEADERSHIP AND THE REQUIREMENT OF DIVERSITY 1
Leadership and the Requirement of Diversity
David P. Buda
March 24, 2015

2. LEADERSHIP AND THE REQUIREMENT OF DIVERSITY 2
When one thinks they have ALL of the answers to a particular problem, one is more
likely to be ignorant to the possibilities. In the process of making the best decisions possible, a
person should seek out those with a diversity of background and information. Learning is not
just an educational pursuit it is a lifetime necessity.
("Elephant," n.d., figure 1)
The group should be diverse in nature, diverse meaning not just the in-group but should
include people of various levels who have knowledge about the company or subject being
analyzed. The fable of six blind men describing an elephant is helpful in illustrating the
problem. One man feeling the legs described the elephant like a pillar. Another touching the tail
described it as a swinging rope. The third feeling the ears and feeling the air rush past his face
described it as a big fan. The fourth rubbing the sides of the elephant described it as a wall. The

3. LEADERSHIP AND THE REQUIREMENT OF DIVERSITY 3
fifth touching the trunk described it as a hose. The sixth described it as a solid pipe upon feeling
the tusks. The fact was that they were all right!
Can you imagine the arguing that might have gone on as they argued over the various
facts that each knows to be true? If one person on the team is extremely vocal and or
opinionated, pushing their way on the group, the value of what each person knows diminishes.
Honesty, forthrightness, humility, and even boldness – healthy conflict is necessary. Listening is
a critical skill in the process of learning and leading.

4. LEADERSHIP AND THE REQUIREMENT OF DIVERSITY 4
References
Six blind men describe and Elephant. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. Retrieved 3/24/2015, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant