There is increasing evidence pointing to a high degree of cognitive diversity being  important in generating accelerated learning and performance in the face of new, uncertain, and complex situations. Enhancing individual’s cognitive versatility through developing understanding of the key 21st Century thinking skills allows them to excel in volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments.

A recent Harvard Business Review article by Alison Reynolds and David Lewis (2107)  “Teams Solve Problems Faster When They’re More Cognitively Diverse” cites a direct correlation between team performance and cognitive diversity. Stating that cognitive diversity is the  key factor in driving high performing team, more impactful than gender and ethnic diversity.​They state “If cognitive diversity is what we need to succeed in dealing with new, uncertain, and complex situations, we need to encourage people to reveal and deploy their different modes of thinking. We need to make it safe to try things multiple ways. This means leaders will have to get much better at building their team’s sense of psychological safety. There is much talk of authentic leadership, i.e., being yourself. Perhaps it is even more important that leaders focus on enabling others to be themselves.”

To provide detailed insight into individual and team performance factors we use a combination of cognitive profiling to provide hard data along with our expertise in softer coaching skills to help the team understand their own operating style.   

We use the One Smart 4d-i system in order to map individuals’ styles for creative, analytical and critical thinking. The One Smart World 4D-i® / 4 Dimensions Inventory was developed by a team of organizational psychologists, and maps personal thinking style preferences. The 4D-i cognitive style analytics data is used to maximise human capital.

It is also an all-in-one toolkit to build skills in four dimensions of 21st Century thinking to increase creativity, to deepen understanding, to improve decision-making and to strengthen individual empowerment.  

This increased understanding of self and others allows teams to develop collaborative thinking processes to guide the group in all its’ planning, conflict resolution and problem solving. It also enables individuals working in a team environment to develop a common language, and hence collaborate effectively with others around them. In our experience this enhances individual and collective self awareness.  

Teams and individuals who are required to deliver under pressure in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environments are required to be Agile, Versatile and Adaptable. Our programs aim to embed skills and processes within the individuals and teams which will enhance these capabilities  and maximise their impact under pressure.  

AGILE thinking. Ability to shift from one type of thinking or mindset to another – from seeing a problem to seeing an opportunity, from seeing data to making a decision. An agile mind is nimble and quick, not stiff and stuck, in the moment 

VERSATILE  thinking. Ability to be multi-dimensional, competent enough to perform all the different styles of thinking – to be creative, to be analytical, to be emotionally intelligent, to be critical and to demonstrate initiative and  have a greater sense of agency.  

ADAPTABLE thinking. Adaptability means to being able to shift thinking to match the demands of the task, situation or person. To shift to closure and make a decision. To slow down and understand facts and realities. To explore new ways and options. To step up and take initiative.


Profiling ​
Since 2014 JHC has integrated the One Smart World 4Di- system into our work with individuals, teams and organisations. JHC is the exclusive UK partner for one smart world Inc in the United Kingdom.Together we have been collaborating to develop leaders, build high performing teams and to accelerate innovation. 

The 4D-i®/4 Dimensions Inventory is the world’s first and only online, interactive, research-based, psychometric that combines strategies in thinking, emotional intelligence and resilience into one solution. 

In particular, our work to recruit, develop and support the Team GB Olympic performance services team (Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020) has demonstrated the impact of the 4D-i system within team development. Honing our skills and processes required to work with world class performers and Senior