Experts have a clear understanding of the potential advantages that diversity brings to teams and organizations.
APM acknowledges that diverse teams generally outperform homogeneous ones. This correlation is increasingly evident in the performance and financial outcomes of organizations.
Does this align with your personal experience?
In a previous section, you explored exceptional and high-performing teams. Based on your own observations, do you see a connection between diversity and performance? Do teams with greater diversity produce superior work? Additionally, what challenges arise when working in highly diverse teams?
We are genuinely interested in hearing about your experiences and thoughts regarding these questions in the discussion section.
A great thinker (AMADOU AMPATE BA) from my region used to say that the beauty of a carpet lies in the variety of its colours.
I would say that the strength of a good team also depends on the diversity of its members.
The diversity of the group is both a challenge and a major asset that the project manager must absolutely succeed in achieving.
Diverse teams have advantages and disadvantages just like homogeneous teams but in my own analysis diverse teams do better work due to there variety of experience and perspective which brings creative and innovation to the project at hand.
The challenges are namely
1. Communication barriers- speaking different languages and may come from different backgrounds
2. Different style of work- they may encounter different way of carrying out a project.
Diverse teams and Homogeneous teams both have their advantages and disadvantages .
From experience one with get to understand that in diverse teams every one comes to a new stage with their A-game and rolled up sleeves to work. For starters there are no social attachments that could cause to much deliberations,because it is expected that every one on board is an expert in their field of assignment. So their diversity their is just one end goal, to achieve the set target which is to complete the project .l, no unnecessary distractions and mischief. Collaborations, creativity , innovative solutions and experience all play a key role in meeting the set target. Diverse teams could also on a disadvantage base on the fact that almost all team members are new and this may cause friction in communication, deliberations, understanding and execution of projects.
In Homogeneous teams, these people are already familiar with each others roles and specialities this could be an advantage or a disadvantage, It is advantageous because teams would simply spring to action to save time because everyone already understands their roles and duties and not much deliberations is needed. On the other hand familiarity could cause delay ..
A diverse team consists of people from varying expertise,age,skills/knowledge, and experience and as a result
tends to produce a outstanding result.Unlike with homogenous teams,diversity team tends to produce better output as
they are more focussed onset as there is no preknowledge of each other or social attachment.Their major goal is to have the goal achieve
and task delivered.
Embracing diversity brings numerous benefits, such as better team collaboration, increased creativity and problem-solving, broader perspective in viewing matter
personal development boosting. However, issues like communication barrier (in international project),conflict management and trust could pose
as challenge within such team especially if the PM is not experienced enough.
Familua Adeniyi
Cohort 15,Team 1
From personal experience I’ve observed that when a diverse team is put together, because of little to no social interaction, these people don’t really know themselves and so don’t want to misrepresent themselves to new people.
I wouldn’t want to hold up a project or be seen to be the reason for the team’s inability to perform well. I believe that this is the thinking of everybody in a diverse team hence the desire to do their best work.
There’s also the part where the diversity comes with it a wider range of knowledge and skills as opposed to a homogenous team where the areas of expertise are most likely closely related. Again, in a homogenous team, social interaction may become a distraction to the project at hand.
Knowledge, skills, and ideas are put together from different individuals when working with divers team and it takes time for understanding to be built in team work.
Based on my experience, I realized that a diverse team has a higher performance rate than a homogenous team because each comes different ideas, culture and way of seeing things and these really helps when it comes to project performance.
Teams with Greater diversity produces superior work because everybody will be ready to learn a new thing compare to a homogenous team that sometimes, we don’t what each other has to offer.
The challenges that arises with working with highly diverse team is that it takes some time before trust and effective communication can be achieved because each member will want to prove that what they have to offer is better than the other and this will eventually create chaos and loss of reasonable time that was meant in achieving the task ahead.
I love this part of this teaching, so relatable for me.
Based on experience over the years, I have realized that a diverse team has a higher performance rate than a homogenous team. In my experience, working with a range of unfamiliar but skilled people places me on my feet from wanting to deliver my part of the bargain on time to not wanting to delay the team and avoid backlash of any sort. Most importantly, I always want to present and represent myself well on the team.
On the other hand, my experience is different with a homogenous team – I am always a bit relaxed as team members are usually familiar, and perhaps I have been with a few on past projects. While we aim at getting the work done as a team, the work environment is usually not formally strict as there are a lot of see finishes everywhere.
So again, a mixed and diverse team will have a higher performance rate than a homogenous team.
Thank you
Mary Ayo
Working with divers team is of great benefit. Knowledge, skills, and ideas are put together from different individuals
While it’s time effective. Most diverse team make sure they all work hand in hand until the project is well done.
Inasmuch as these, there are still few disadvantages or setbacks such as location, communication barrier which occurs as a result of the the large number of people involved; thus, making communication cut across everyone in the team.
Research has consistently shown
that there is great positive relationship between diversity and performance. And it is also good to note that more diverse teams tend to outperform less diverse teams in various aspects, such as:
1. Diverse teams bring unique perspectives, ideas, and experiences, leading to more innovative solutions.
2. Diverse teams are better equipped to tackle complex problems, as they can approach challenges from multiple angles.
3. Diverse teams tend to make more informed decisions, as they consider a wider range of viewpoints.
4. Diverse teams stimulate creativity, as team members learn from and build upon each other’s strengths.
5. Diverse teams often lead to higher employee satisfaction and engagement, as team members feel valued and included.
Challenges that arises when working in highly diverse teams
1. Communication barriers: Language and cultural differences can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication.
2. Difference in work styles: Team members from diverse backgrounds may have different work habits, priorities, and expectations.
3. Unconscious biases and conflicting perspectives: This can lead to tension and conflict within the team.
4. Integration and inclusion: Ensuring that all team members feel valued, included, and supported can be a challenge, because sometimes your methods of doing this can be perceived as being bias
5. Leaders must be skilled in managing and harnessing diversity to maximize its benefits.
To overcome these challenges, teams can employ strategies like:
1. Active listening and open communication
2. Cross-cultural training and awareness programs
3. Establishing clear goals and expectations
4. Fostering an inclusive team culture
5. Encouraging feedback and constructive conflict resolution
By embracing and effectively managing diversity, teams can unlock the benefits of diverse perspectives, leading to better performance, innovation, and success.