Developing Inclusive Leaders - Exploring Invisible Diversity

Editor's Notes

• #4: Relationships or Strategy? We asked: what is most important to you about a team - the relationships, respect and mutual support among the members OR good strategy, systems and task achievement? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (team relationships are most important to you) and 10 (strategy and task accomplishment is most important to you). This is a dimension of diversity which, as a generalisation, can relate strongly to cultural background and gender. Individual leaders may naturally tend to focus on one of these areas. The challenge is to pay attention to both pieces in order to sustain the satisfaction and commitment of all of the employees in an organisation. If you responded towards one end of the scale or the other, what are some of the things you will need to pay attention to in partnering with someone who has the complementary attitude?
• #5: Preferring to Work Alone or With Other People We asked: when you want to work at your best, do you prefer to be on your own OR working with other people around you? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (strongest possible preference for working alone) and 10 (strongest possible preference for working with others). The diversity within the group is clear to see. As a leader, consider the implications when it comes to creating a work environment and work processes which allow all employees to make their best contribution. How could this difference impact your ability to recognise potential among people with a different preference than your own? If your response was toward one end of the scale or the other - what choices and behaviours will help you ensure that people with the opposite preference will be able to work effectively with you? This difference, between Introverted and Extraverted individuals, is one of four key areas of difference which are assessed by the Myers-Briggs instrument (MBTI). The MBTI is a commonly used team-building tool. Want to find out more? Freddie Alves is certified to administer the MBTI.
• #6: Time Management We asked: do you believe that time cannot be managed, that time commitments are flexible and plans can change at any time OR do you feel that time must be managed efficiently, that time commitments are concrete and that success requires we stick to them? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (time is always flexible) and 10 (time is always fixed and managed). Our attitude towards time can be a major source of conflict when it differs from those we live and work with. A significant diversity of views were seen in this group. What experiences can you recall where different attitudes about time have created challenges at work? What was the impact? If this diversity exists in teams you lead, what might you expect to experience in terms of a range of behaviours? Do you have the flexibility to work with a range of styles while accomplishing results? If your response was at one end of the scale or the other, what can you do to ensure that you are able to create an effective connection with someone who has the complementary preference? This difference is also covered by the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) tool.
• #7: Big Picture or Every Detail? We asked: when people explain something to you, do you prefer getting just the “big picture” and working out the rest for yourself OR would you prefer a briefing on every detail of the project? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (big picture only) and 10 (getting all the details). While this group had a very high number of people over towards the big picture end, a significant number of people like to receive more details. The challenge for leaders and co-workers is to understand the preferences and develop a flexible approach which helps other people be successful. A responsibility also lies with individuals to ensure that their preferences do not become an excuse for not taking action in particular situations - “oh, I've never been any good at details anyway”, “oh, I don't need to understand the big picture”. As a leader how do you know what preferences the individuals in your group have? How can you best support each individual as well as challenge people to develop flexibility in their mindset?
• #8: Harmony or Competition? We asked: do you believe that collaboration among colleagues is key to performance and that personal ambitions hinder success OR do you believe that overall performance comes from competition among peers and individual drive? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (strongest possible preference for harmony) and 10 (strongest possible preference for here competition). This dimension of our diversity is strongly affected by national and regional cultures. Many books and workshops dealing with cultural differences focus specifically on this issue at some point. One might expect East Asian cultures to register a stronger preference for harmony than many cultures in Western Europe or North America. The group showed a bias toward harmony, although significant diversity is seen. Both ends of the spectrum can create good performance in particular environments. Is there a balance that will achieve optimum performance?
• #9: Conflict We asked: “Do you believe that leaders should not be challenged in public and that conflicts should not really be surfaced openly OR that organisational and personal conflicts should be identified and dealt with directly and publicly. Individuals should challenge leaders when necessary. On the 1 -10 scale choose a point between 1 (avoid open conflict) and 10 (expect open challenge). The belief as to whether public conflict is appropriate and helpful is driven very strongly by cultural norms. Placing an individual in a situation where they are unable to ‘save face’ would be considered unpardonable in some cultures. On the other hand, unwillingness to publicly challenge the ideas or behaviours of another could be interpreted as ineffective and a sign of personal weakness in other cultures. Leaders must take particular care to understand this dimension of diversity and manage conflict in a way that supports the success and wellbeing of diverse employees. What real life experiences do you have of the challenges created by this difference between people? If your response was at one end of the scale or the other, what can you do to ensure that you are able to create an effective connection with someone who has the complementary preference?
• #10: Life Outside Work We asked: do you think that peoples lives outside work are entirely their own affair, you don’t want to hear about it and it should not be relevant at work OR do you think that understanding someone’s life outside work is critical, that individual issues should be discussed, addressed and taken into account in decision-making? On the one to ten scale, choose a point somewhere between 1 (life outside work is not relevant) and 10 (life issues outside work should be of primary importance). This wide range of responses is striking. The partnership between a company and its employees is based on enabling both business and personal success. Work/Life issues can significantly impact both areas. There is an increasing expectation that leaders will engage with staff and help find work/life solutions which are successful for all parties. This is an issue which is increasingly affecting the attraction and retention of employees. What can you do to broaden your knowledge of the work/life challenges other people face?
• #11: Trust We asked: should you place your trust only in the people who have proved themselves with you and “earned it” OR trust the intentions of all the people around you at work, even those you have no experience of? On the one to ten scale choose a point between one (trust only those who have earned it) and 10 (trust everyone). We have responses all across the scale. There is an important relationship between trust and inclusion. Have you ever done something with good intentions only to discover that someone felt excluded or disrespected by your actions? What is an example? If you and other people can be exclusive without intending to be, giving and receiving honest feedback is essential to breaking these patterns of exclusive behaviour. Where people trust in the good intentions of others they are more likely to provide them with feedback. If lack of trust results in a lack of feedback then it could also a result in a continuation of unwelcome, exclusive behaviours. In what ways can we each help to build a more trusting environment where people feel safe to provide one another with the honest feedback which will improve our performance and our working environment?
• #12: Feedback We asked: imagine someone at work behaving in a way which causes you or another person to feel excluded or devalued. How likely are you to give the person feedback about the need to change their behaviour in the future? Being willing to both give and receive feedback in an open, constructive way is a critical element of creating an inclusive culture. Nearly three-quarters of the respondents said they would give feedback rarely or only sometimes. Without feedback, patterns of exclusive behaviour will continue - to the detriment of the business and individuals. What are the challenges you face in giving feedback? What would help you be more willing and able to provide feedback? Are you genuinely willing to listen to constructive feedback about your own leadership behaviours and choices?