For this blog, I want to illustrate a key aspect for which a leader must be aware. In a past blog, I focused on “True Standardization” and what it really means but this blog will clarify a key related aspect involving Diversity. Let me offer this definition of Diversity:
Differences in cultures, abilities, ideas, philosophies, backgrounds, and histories that exist among individuals
Also let me point out a Key Insight that Diversity is not just one person. It is between 2 people. If person A is Diverse…it means that Person B is also Diverse “from them”.
DIVERSITY IS NOT ONE PERSON…IT IS IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN 2 PEOPLE.
Let me simply highlight a critical point for a leader to gain clarity about and understand.
DIVERSITY and SYNERGISTIC ONENESS are Not Totally Separate
Realize that Diversity and Synergistic Oneness are neither Separate nor Independent. First, let me point out the real benefit and how they can be aligned and then point out the risk for which a leader must be aware.
The Key Benefit of Diversity on the team:
The benefit of this Diversity on the team is much more critical when the team is aligned with Organizational Maneuverability, in an Unpredictable and Rapidly Changing “VUCA” (Variable-Uncertain-Changing-Adaptive) environment or situation.
On a team, different people will sometimes have a different clarity of vision and True Situational Awareness of the real situation the team faces. Diversity might originate from different backgrounds experienced by various individuals on the team.
One member may see one factor before anyone else does because of their leadership & vision development. The other benefit is that if they communicate what they see, other team members may gain an insight that was perhaps unseen but that is applicable in the situation. Additionally, this clarity may clarify in the team a new solution that is most successful that they did not see previously.
In this sense, the diverse team is truly working together and as one and together, they are gaining vision of critical factors and the radical solutions.
The Risks that the leader must be aware of:
Depending on how it is applied, the team must ensure that the Diverse Insight does not have them shut off their brains and go along. It could be that another team member may see another factor that the first diverse one did not see. Therefore, there are a couple of things the leader must not only be aware of but have clarity on how they will model and lead the Oneness Synergy.
They would in part include:
Be aware of when the Diversity is having one person try to take over the control of the team.
Also look at your leadership and to what extent have you built the Team Culture where the Synergy and Synergistic Oneness can come together.
Be aware of when the team members are shutting off their brains to just go through the motions. If that happens, the other members may completely set aside symptoms and the factors that they may be the only one on the team that sees. As such, your team may completely miss the Truly Radical Solution that can lead to radical results.
When you speak of the benefits of this in your team, the TRUST in the team must be high so another risk is anything that causes the team to kill the unified trust as a team.
Again, Diversity and Synergistic Oneness are not separate and can be totally aligned. Lead, Develop and Model for your team such that these two truly come together and avoid the roadblocks that can happen when this is not done well. So let me ask you this as the team’s leader:
As the leader, what is needed to improve yourself and your team to develop the trust and the culture that make this done well for those Organizational Maneuverability aligned and unique situations that can often arise when you are not there to make the decision at a critical time?
- Randy Swaim, Coaching for Relevance, LLC
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