Getting great results from a team isn\u2019t just about everyone getting along or coming to a quick agreement. In fact, when the problems are complex or you need to push the boundaries for innovation, creative abrasion, which comes from diversity of thought and perspectives in the workplace, can make the difference.<\/p>\n
In other words, a team\u2019s diversity can be its biggest advantage. Yet even when teams have that diversity, the fear of conflict or negative repercussions can keep people from contributing their ideas or challenging the prevailing views. If that\u2019s the case, why bother with putting a team together in the first place?<\/p>\n
Avoiding conflict isn\u2019t the key. The goal should be to channel that energy productively.<\/p>\n
Putting Conflict in its Place<\/h2>\n
Diversity of thought, including concepts like open networks and informational diversity, is getting a lot of attention these days, and for good reason. The data is clear: if you want to get more creative, make better decisions or solve problems more effectively, you need all of the perspectives you can get.<\/p>\n
Just as essential, you need to give voice to that diversity. Team members have to be encouraged both to contribute their own thinking and to be open to the ideas and perspectives of those who think differently than they do.<\/p>\n
One of the most effective ways to do this is to kick off team engagements with a discussion about different thinking preferences and how they each add value to the work the team needs to get done.<\/p>\n
Diversity of thought is a particularly effective starting point for discussions about diversity in the workplace because it\u2019s something everyone identifies with and relates to. Everyone has thinking preferences, and everyone can adapt their thinking based on the needs of the situation or of others. Because it\u2019s a nonjudgmental way to view differences, it gives the team new context for how they can tackle the inevitable challenges that come up.<\/p>\n
When we work with teams, these discussions almost always end with \u201caha\u201d moments all around: this person isn\u2019t trying to drive me crazy! They just think differently to me!<\/p>\n
As a professor who uses this approach in MBA team programs says, \u201cOnce they get the concept that we all have brains, we just use them differently and that we need all of those differences to get the job done, they get over the typical quibbling that takes up so much team energy and drags down the team\u2019s effectiveness.\u201d<\/p>\n
Channel Workplace Diversity into a Strategic Advantage<\/h2>\n
Diversity of thought can deliver a powerful strategic advantage when it\u2019s applied to achieve specific business outcomes, but those differences will create disagreement.<\/p>\n
Irritation between team members can signal that the brain has been hijacked by a negative emotion. Rather than avoiding conflict\u2014or on the other end of the spectrum, allowing the team to ignore or belittle different perspectives\u2014channel that energy into creative contention that gets better results:<\/p>\n
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- Give teams the tools to understand and apply their full diversity of thought to get the best results.<\/li>\n
- Have a skilled leader in place to ensure all thinkers have a voice and to help reduce miscommunication.<\/li>\n
- If the problems are complex, don\u2019t prioritise quick agreement over results. Difference takes more time, but the payoff is worth it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Remember, if a team isn\u2019t getting the full benefits of its diversity of thought, then the organisation isn\u2019t getting the advantage of having that team in place. Rethink how you approach team thinking. Click here<\/a> to download our Team Thinking White Paper.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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