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.
Victor Anita
I would say more diverse terms work better and are productive cause they came from did races and has a different ideas about things so coming together they share ideas and see it progress but then it tends to be difficult from the start cause they are set of new individuals and they may some barriers wanting to understand each other.
I agree that diversity of individuals coming for a project is more effective. While I was a student we gathered to clean a location we were diverse in every way and as we came together we cleaned and we were so organized and flowed well together
Yes, this perspective aligns closely with my personal experience. In teams I’ve worked with—whether in education, hospitality, or project environments—diversity has often contributed to more innovative solutions, broader perspectives, and increased adaptability. People from different cultural, academic, or professional backgrounds tend to approach problems in unique ways, which can lead to richer discussions and more effective decision-making.
For instance, during a recent collaborative project in my project in my school, our group included members from various countries and disciplines. This diversity enabled us to anticipate challenges from multiple angles and come up with a solution that was both creative and practical. The variety of viewpoints led to better critical thinking and risk identification.
However, working in highly diverse teams does come with challenges. Communication styles can differ, sometimes causing misunderstandings. Cultural norms may also influence expectations around hierarchy, deadlines, and feedback, which need to be navigated carefully. In some cases, team cohesion takes longer to build.
Still, when managed well—with clear communication, mutual respect, and inclusive leadership—diverse teams can definitely outperform more homogeneous ones.
The link between diversity and performance is multifaceted, and there’s no straightforward answer. However, research suggests that teams with greater diversity in aspects like race, gender, age, and other traits often outperform more homogeneous teams. This advantage stems from the variety of perspectives and experiences that diverse teams bring, which can foster more innovative solutions and enhance decision-making. Nevertheless, diversity alone isn’t enough, effective communication and strong collaboration are also essential for success.
One of the main challenges in highly diverse teams is overcoming communication barriers. Team members may come from different cultural backgrounds or speak different languages, which can hinder understanding. Even when a common language is used, varying communication styles can still cause confusion or misinterpretations. Another significant challenge is creating an environment where everyone feels included, valued, and heard. This can be particularly tough when there are cultural differences or imbalances in power within the team.
Yes, many times they do. When individuals with different backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs come together, they often bring fresh ideas and new perspectives. This can lead to;
. More innovative thinking
. Smarter choices
. Better understanding of different clients
. And greater team enthusiasm
The possible challenges that might arise includes;
. tension and disagreement from crashing views
. Delays in decision making as the team adjusts
. Risks of exclusion if everyone is not included fairly
However, diverse teams can succeed through:
. Strong and inclusive leadership
. Open and clear communication
A sense of belonging and trust for all team members
. And of course, staying focused on a common goal.
Diverse teams often outperform others because they bring a mix of perspectives, which fuels creativity, problem-solving, and inclusiveness. But to truly thrive, they need strong communication, cultural awareness, and a sense of psychological safety otherwise, differences can turn into divisions.
Yes! There’s a positive relationship between diversity and performance in various contexts,
Business: diverse teams can drive innovation, creativity and better decision-making.
Workplace: diversity and inclusion can enhance employee engagement, retention and productivity.
Education: diverse learning environment can foster critical thinking, empathy and cultural competence.
YES! more diverse teams do better work in many cases;
* Innovation
* Problem-solving
* Decision-making
* Creativity
* Better representation.
CHALLENGES;
Communication barriers
Conflict
Biases
In conclusion, diverse teams can do better work when managed effectively, fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment.
I am Uko Samuel Johnson from Team 5. From my experience been a soccer team coach having a team of diverse set of players actually played a good role in ensuring we won matches because in most cases as such, the players are usually highly motivated and there is eagerness to perform as well as impress.
Adebayo Funke Blessing
18 June,2025 at 8:20pm
I prefer diverse team in a project as everyone get to bring in different ideas in the project that ensure smooth success whereas homogeneous team to some extent lead to sentiment when working on a project
Reply
I’ve worked in a simple and diverse team setting before and I can say that working with diverse team is really more effective because we only need to know a little about ourselves which might not be more than names and roles in the project. With that everyone just want to get down and get their task done but when we’re familiar with each other, we tend not to be fully serious and distractions will set in.
Well in my own opinion I believe that diversity works well than homogeneous because in diversity we don’t know each other before we just met and believe in each other every bodies we like to work to prove not to betray each other so the work will move on than the homogeneous where some people will take things for granted which can affect the team
THE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, IDEAS AND EXPERIENCE BY MEMBERS OF A DIVERSE TEAM HELP TACKLED CHALLENGES IN A PROJECT BETTER. THERE IS ALSO A HIGH LEVEL OF CREATIVITY DISPLAYED IN SUCH TEAMS. ALTHOUGH IT TAKES A LONGER TIME TO UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER TO HELP COMMUNICATION AMONG TEAM MEMBERS