Adam Grant: The goal of a great discussion isn’t to land on the same page. It’s to explore different views. Nods and smiles stroke your ego and close your mind. Thoughtful questions stoke your curiosity and stretch your thinking. Consensus makes you comfortable. Dissent makes you smarter.
Many modern management textbooks emphasise the importance of team diversity for work efficiency and company success. I personally agree with this viewpoint. A company can achieve rapid development across various fronts when leaders learn to appreciate and fully leverage the potential inherent in the diversity of their employees.
What are the benefits of embracing diversity?
A variety of experiences, diverse competencies, and independent perspectives contribute to the same project. This results in a collection of unconventional solutions and a creative approach to task execution. However, this can also pose a challenge for a leader who must keep an open mind and manage different personalities within the team effectively. However, by appreciating diverse viewpoints, we can achieve well-executed projects and foster a cohesive team where everyone respects each other’s opinions, is open to new ideas, and works efficiently towards common success.
A diverse team can lead to:
- Increased innovation: my team has a greater ability to generate new ideas, solve problems, and create innovative solutions. The diverse viewpoints of team members provide fresh perspectives on a given issue, leading to creative solutions. By avoiding groupthink traps and narrow viewpoints, we can achieve better results. Diversity is important as it stimulates creativity, teaches compromise, and fosters respect.
- Improved decision-making: thanks to the diverse perspectives and knowledge of my team members, as well as their willingness to share experiences, I am able to consider multiple viewpoints. This enables me to make more informed and accurate decisions. I am confident that every opportunity and risk will be thoroughly discussed.
- Increased effectiveness: my team can solve problems and achieve goals more effectively if I give them space and appreciate the different skills of individual members. Collaboration among people with diverse skills and knowledge leads to an exchange of ideas, which fosters the creation of innovative products and services.
- Improved understanding of customers and the market: by working with clients, we gain valuable insights into the needs and preferences of different groups. This allows us to build better services tailored to different audiences, meeting their expectations and keeping up with the changing market.
- Improved employee engagement: employees feel valued and appreciated when their ideas are integrated into the team’s strategy. This leads to increased engagement and willingness to participate in projects, even if they require extra effort.
- Effective communication: I must admit that communication in a diverse team is challenging but also an opportunity for growth. We all need to develop listening skills as well as express our thoughts clearly and understandably to everyone. My role is to develop a communication style that enables more effective collaboration and information exchange.
I do not have an ideal recipe for a team, but I have found that being open to accepting different perspectives fosters an atmosphere of trust and respect. This enables every member of my team to express their opinions and contribute value.
I have learned to effectively utilize diverse perspectives, resulting in more efficient development of better solutions for clients. This approach is our competitive advantage, leading to greater work efficiency and better company results.
Magdalena Marciniak
Partner and Shareholder in MDDP
E: [email protected]
