Asking better questions builds better teams. Diversity helps us see what we don’t know and avoid costly blind spots before they happen.
I wanted to share this hilarious case study with you. I was recently offered a Gonift certificate through ParkMobile. So naturally, I did what any reasonably curious person does: I went online to find out what Gonift actually is.
And what I found made me laugh out loud. Like, hysterically. Because there are really only two possibilities here—and neither one is great. Before I explain why, here’s what Google helpfully summarizes (and I’m keeping this quote intact for a reason):
"Gonift" can refer to two very different things: a Hebrew/Yiddish term for a thief or swindler, or it can refer to GoNift (Nift), a digital platform that offers personalized gift certificates for products and experiences like food, beauty, and fitness, often through partnerships with other apps. The context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.
1. Goniff (Hebrew/Yiddish)
Meaning: A thief, swindler, cheat, or generally dishonest person.
Pronunciation: GAH-niv.2. GoNift (Nift)
What it is: A service that provides personalized gift cards for various merchants (restaurants, apparel, spas, etc.).
How it works: You receive a code (via email, app, etc.), enter it at GoNift.com, specify your interests, and get matched with a certificate for a local business.
Purpose: To help users discover new local businesses and services.
Now, back to those two possibilities.
Possibility #1: They Knew Exactly What the Word Meant
If the founders or decision-makers knew that “goniff” means thief or swindler in Hebrew/Yiddish and went with it anyway… then I’m not particularly interested in trusting them with my data, my time, or my money.
Even if the business itself is legitimate, that choice signals something important: a comfort with irony that relies on other people not knowing what the word means. That’s not clever branding - it’s a trust problem.
Possibility #2: They Had No One on the Team Who Could Tell Them
This is the more likely, and more instructive, scenario.
It means:
-
No one involved recognized the word AND they didn't bother to google it.
-
No one thought to ask, “Does this name mean something in another language?”
-
Or worse: someone did know and wasn’t listened to
And that is where diversity and critical thinking intersect.
Diversity Isn’t About Checking Boxes. It’s About Catching Blind Spots
This isn’t a story about hurt feelings or cultural sensitivity for its own sake. It’s a story about unknown unknowns.
Critical thinking isn’t just analyzing what’s in front of you. It’s asking:
-
What might we be missing?
-
Who would see something here that I wouldn’t?
-
Who should I ask before we finalize this decision?
If you don’t have people around you with different cultural backgrounds, languages, life experiences, or perspectives, you are far more likely to make avoidable mistakes—and not even realize it.
A five-minute conversation with one Yiddish-speaking or Jewish team member (or consultant, or friend) could have stopped this dead in its tracks.
How Smart Teams Actually Use Diversity
The real value of diversity isn’t representation photos on a website. It’s access to knowledge you don’t personally have.
High-functioning teams:
-
Encourage people to speak up when something feels “off”
-
Reward questions like, “Should we double-check that?”
-
Actively ask people who might know more than they do
That’s not political. That’s good risk management.
Why I’m Not Accepting the Gift Card
At the end of the day, I chose not to accept the Gonift certificate.
Not because I think everyone involved is malicious—but because this naming decision signals either:
-
A comfort with deception, or
-
A lack of curiosity and due diligence
Neither inspires confidence. Seriously - they don't seem to have even - googled the term!
The Takeaway
Diversity matters because you cannot Google what you don’t realize you should question.
Critical thinking requires humility and the willingness to admit:
“There are things I don’t know, and people who know more than I do.”
The smartest organizations don’t just tolerate those people.
They actively seek them out AND listen.
Because sometimes, the difference between a clever brand and an embarrassing mistake is simply having someone in the room who can say:
“Uh… you might want to rethink that name.”
No comments:
Post a Comment