“Last year was a tough one for many organizations, with smaller workforces required to do more with less. The new year looks to be more of the same. How can leaders of such organizations motivate their people as they head into 2010?”

Besides this being somewhat pessimistic about what the year holds in store for us, I found it a pretty broad question with varied answers from the team of business executives chosen to respond. The reply that got my attention came from Beth Brooke with Ernst & Young. She’s also a fellow Corporate Ambassador with Vital Voices. Her answer can be best summed up in her own words: “If cost-cutting wrapped up the last decade, this decade should be launched by innovation stimulated by the friction of diversity.”

She goes on to clarify that she’s about talking diversity not just along the traditional lines of

race and gender, but diversity of thought and experience. And I especially like her use of the word friction because it sounds better than conflict and tends to indicate less hostility. So many thought leaders in management have pointed out (and I learned the hard way) that a team without friction is not likely to be a very innovative team. Why? Because either everyone is thinking alike (not good) or folks are afraid to speak their minds (even worse). Good ideas don’t evolve out of those types of environments.

Instead, out of a confluence of different ideas emerges the next GREAT opportunity when the exchange is handled right. By handled right I mean the different ideas and opinions are productively managed and focused on a positive outcome. Productive conflict.

So the next time you’re in a meeting or talking with a colleague and disagree, remember that it’s a good thing. Diversity of thought can lead to incredible opportunities for innovation.