Proactive preparation enhances leaders' abilities to use team members' strengths and avoid their weaknesses, getting the most out of their teams. Preparation is especially important when you have a diverse team, with team members who may have very different perspectives, work styles, and communication skills.
| Strategy | Techniques | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Build diversity awareness | Perform a self-assessment | Examine your response Review your assumptions Check the reality of your assumptions Find common ground |
Before you can manage people in a diverse team, you have to know what your values, perceptions, and expectations are – for yourself, and for them. A diversity self-assessment is a four-step process. |
| Build diversity awareness | Assess your team | Patterns of behavior Unique strengths Communication styles |
To assess a team, consider the patterns of behavior that are exhibited by the more diverse members, and what patterns others exhibit toward those members. Also examine the unique strengths various members contribute, and how each person's communication style differs. |
| Understand employees' diversity issues | Consider the issues that impact your diverse team | Values Perceptions Expectations |
For a diverse team to function smoothly, you need to learn as much as you can about the team members. Values include work ethics; views of authority or individualism; and how feelings are expressed. Varying perceptions of situations may determine what team members expect from themselves and from others. |
| Reinforce group norms | Reinforce your team's positive norms | Set ground rules Remind the team of the ground rules Lead by example |
Team norms are the generally understood rules and practices that guide the way a team functions. As a manager, you need to reinforce positive group norms and follow and enforce the diversity ground rules. |