Business leaders in serviced offices in Northampton may wish to ensure their board of directors has a wide variety of different outlooks.
During a BBC Radio 4 in Business podcast, financial services secretary to the Treasury between 2008 and 2010 Lord Paul Myners said if these staff "all read the same newspapers, have the same political views [and] have the same perspectives on society", then the management of a firm is lacking.
The gender or racial mix of the group is less relevant than its "diversity of perspective", he continued, noting that currently only a small community of people are chosen for these leadership positions.
Lord Myners claimed a group-think mentality and a lack of original thought was "at the heart of the problem with UK banks".
However, he admitted it can be hard for individuals to persistently argue and challenge the majority while supporting their ambitions.
This echoes the views of occupational psychologist Kim Stephenson, who called a wide range of viewpoints in a board of directors "cognitive diversity".
