Archives for February 24, 2025

In merit-based systems, fairness should be manifested in all aspects of organizational life. But while the ideal of a merit-based society is attractive, research shows that bias in promotions and reward distribution is just as prevalent as bias in hiring, exacerbating and multiplying rather than reducing unfairness in the span of our careers. In the world we live in, true meritocracy, where everyone plays on an even field, requires the removal of many unfair barriers. It requires inclusion. By removing systemic barriers, organizations can create environments where inclusion enhances meritocracy and merit mechanisms enhance inclusion, ensuring that talent and effort genuinely determine success.

What does it mean to add value? Adding value arises not just from solving a problem, but from solving the right problem, in ways that no one expected, to arrive at an even better outcome. These kinds of solutions don’t come from our everyday ways of thinking. They come from expert thinking , critical thinking , strategic thinking , and systems thinking —skills that consistently make it on those ubiquitous lists of things leaders at every level have to be really good at to meet the challenges of the future. If you’re a leader looking for your company to add value for clients and customers, or a manager looking for ways your team can add value, you need to be building these skills in your people. The problem for many leaders and managers, however, is that when we use terms like expert, critical, strategic, or systems thinking, too often we don’t know when to apply or even how to define them. The authors explore these four distinct types of thinking skills in depth, including what they mean and when they should be used, along with some tips for using AI tools as a thinking partner.