Why Integrated Diversity Is Valuable

Posted by Frederic Lucas-Conwell

Why Integrated Diversity Is Valuable

Everyone knows that having a baseball team with all catchers on the roster won’t win games.

Working as a team gives us the chance to distribute tasks among team members based on their diverse competencies, skills, abilities, experiences, and interests, as well as their distinct way of performing.

When the work is balanced across a diverse team, there are more diverse viewpoints, competencies, and ways of self-expression that complement rather than compete with each other.

Combining the strengths of two or more different profiles will eventually result in an advantage that is greater than their sum. In this way, you can avoid too much overlap and develop a positive appreciation of the differences between employees.

Teams that embrace members with different backgrounds and behavioral preferences approach projects and problems with fresh perspectives. They are more likely to recognize and apply creative solutions and innovations.

The reverse situation is a uniform team where all members share the same background, characteristics, experiences, diplomas, and more. When we analyze large teams of people who have the same responsibilities—for instance, sales, client service, consulting, legal, or accounting—regardless of their diploma, age, gender, or culture, some typical patterns and commonalities emerge. This happens because their jobs have similar aspects and demands, including behavioral/emotional requirements.

Uniform teams face different challenges than diverse teams, depending on the common characteristics shared by the team and what may be lacking from time to time.

In either case, whether a team is diverse or uniform, its members should be aware of what is expected of each of them as team members, and continuously and efficiently adjust their style and communication.

How? By starting with a more nuanced, accurate and memorable understanding of how we perform: the way we act and become successful in our job, and the energy and support required to make the desired adjustments and grow.


Explore how to provide successful solutions to diversity and inclusion in your team with the GRI. Read chapter 15 of Lead Beyond Intuition: How to Build a High-Performing Organization. Order the book on Amazon today.

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