The Power of Diversity of Thought
How can you recognize and tap into the strengths of each person on your team?
Diversity in the workplace goes much deeper than what you can see with your eyes
- race, gender, age, job title. The best, most productive leaders discover how their team members think, what drives them, and where their strengths shine. Leaders light the way by making this kind of inquiry a priority, and by creating the tools and processes that allow people to see one another in a new light.
The Gallup organization studies employee engagement and the impact on the workplace. It has been shown that the more your employees get to do the work they do best, the more satisfied, creative, and productive they are - and the more likely they are to be retained by the company.
How do you effectively assess diversity of thought? I use the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI®) to help everyone on the team understand and capitalize on the work they do best (using the Work Elements component of the HBDI). When we debrief their individual and team results, we discuss how they can use what they have learned to redistribute the work of the team to ensure that everyone gets to do more of the work they do best and less of the work they don't do as well.
And when they are putting together a new project team? Make sure you take into account the work to be done on the team and team members' preferences from the Work Elements.
Don't have the time to have everyone complete the HBDI right now? Here’s a practical application to illuminate diversity on your team and reap benefits from it. At the close of a week, gather your team together. Give each person ten minutes to make two lists :
- List #1 - Three work activities from the past week that felt draining or tedious.
- List #2 - Three job activities from the past week that felt enjoyable and invigorating.
Briefly discuss the lists as a group. Consider repeating the exercise several more times over the next 30 days to look for patterns.
At the month’s close, convene a team meeting. During the meeting, have them talk about one regular activity they dislike and one they find draining. Discuss ways you may want to reshuffle a few tasks or open avenues for team members to volunteer their strengths in new ways.
