Building diverse teams

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Created on Monday, 28 November 2011 00:00

Ever wonder why some people just “get” your thinking while others don’t seem to get it at all? Generally, we avoid that second group, but research suggests they may be the very people we need to solve problems most effectively.

There’s strength in diversity, especially when it comes to cognitive diversity. Studies show that, while homogenous teams are more compatible (i.e. they “get” each other), diverse teams are more effective at solving complex problems over time.

So how do you build a diverse team that “gets” each other?

One way is to surface people’s unique thinking styles and to make the differences explicit—and positive.

People are prone, perhaps even wired, to sniff out differences. We can sense when someone is not like us. And in the absence of positive labels, we tend to see those differences as "bad." The human default setting appears to be: If it's different, I don't like it. So we tend to gravitate toward “people like us.”

Assessments like FourSight intentionally highlight differences. They actually produce a numerical and graphical representation of how people are different in their thinking preferences. The results can come as a revelation to a team, confirming their suspicions, but in a positive sense, since each profile contributes something unique to innovation.

So suddenly, where you felt Fred was holding up the team’s momentum by obsessing on the research, you now see that Fred is a high Clarifier. His strong preference for using data to gain insight into a challenge is his way to make sure your team is on track, solving the right problem. Now you can appreciate Fred's preference and tap him whenever the team needs energy around data collection and factual analysis. And when the team moves beyond that stage, Fred now has the self-awareness and the reassurance to move along with them. He knows he’s got the tools—and teammates—to buoy him through the rest of the process.

Armed with this insight, the members of this diverse team can “get” each other and make the most of their unique strengths. Together, they can consciously build their team and manage their process to achieve outstanding results. — S. Thurber (December 2011)

Click on the sidebar to learn more about research conducted by IBM that reveals the power of FourSight teams.

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