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.
I have had experiences working with diverse persons with different mindset, understanding and ideas. This helps team work easier, makes project efficient.
In my opinion, diverse teams tend to be more innovative and adaptable because members challenge each other assumptions and offer unique insights that might not surface in a more homogeneous group
Yes, diversity aids performance in an organisation because it helps teams work better and more efficiently together because they understand each other better whilst resolving issues amicably and communicate better amongst themselves.
In my opinion diverse teams generally are more multifaceted and more equipped with expertise to carry out project tasks. A combination of this usually results into better results compared to homogeneous teams. However, this correlation may be true, only where the project manager is cognizant of the challenges that are inherent with such teams and devises strategies of better managing them. This is tied to the fact that experts may come with an attitude that is difficult to manage in project teams. Thus resulting into negative performance and financial outcomes of organizations.
One of the most challenging teams to work with in order to achieve high performance on a project are the diversity teams. Often times these experts come with already formed opinions and a rigid mindset of not wanting to learning anything new because they think they know it all, especially in their areas of specialty. This is a big hinderance to achieving high performance and superior work. Thus the project manager must abreast themselves with good management skills to ensure that such teams are a united force towards achieving high performance and superior work.
The challenges that arise when working with highly diverse teams include rigidity to follow project plan, high chances of conflict arising among team members, difficulty in forming collaborations among team members.
Enobong Faith Asanga
I think that highly diverse team work bring about higher success outcome.i have seen that works in so many situations, people in the team and called base on expertise, each is focus on his or her field of engagement, bringing their best to the table.communication and collaboration between the project team is important.so drivers when properly harness brings success.
Diverse teams works better, it’s about bringing together different skills and expertise. But the communication must good, but diverse teams are the best.
I agree with the APM, but in my field as an interior designer and furniture maker, I am not sure how well diversity will play out. this is because we have different sections of work, and there are experts in each of these sections. For instance, some carpenters specialize in making upholstery pieces, such as sofas and beds. Some specialize in making doors, kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, and other furniture pieces. We also have the painters, electricians, tilers, plumbers etc, each of these people with specialties in their fields. I cannot ask a tiler to do carpentry work because he may find it difficult, and vice versa. So yes, while I agree that diversity is good and encourages creativity and proactiveness, I also think that the project manager should endeavor to assign team members to tasks according to their areas of specialization. This will save time, resources, and save the project manager the stress of making too many corrections as a result of errors made by uninformed team members.
Diversity within teams, particularly in knowledge, experience, and perspectives, significantly enhances problem-solving, creativity, and decision-making. As recognized by the APM, diverse teams often outperform homogeneous ones, with positive impacts on both performance and financial outcomes.
In my experience, high-performing teams consistently benefit from a mix of backgrounds and viewpoints. Diverse teams tend to approach challenges more holistically and produce more innovative, well-rounded solutions. This correlation between diversity and performance is especially evident in complex or dynamic project environments.
However, working in highly diverse teams can also present challenges, such as communication barriers, differing working styles, and initial difficulties in building cohesion. These can be mitigated through strong leadership, clear communication, and a culture of inclusion.
Overall, knowledge diversity is a strategic asset that, when effectively managed, drives superior results and long-term success.
Diversity isn’t just about representation , it’s a catalyst for innovation. When people with different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking come together, they challenge assumptions and push boundaries. This often leads to more creative solutions and stronger outcomes. Of course, diversity can also introduce complexity; navigating differing opinions and communication styles takes effort. But with intentional collaboration and openness, these challenges become opportunities for growth, and the team becomes stronger because of it.
Well, I agree that diverse teams tend to perform better. From my experience, working with people from different backgrounds brings fresh perspectives, which leads to better ideas and solutions. It also improves problem-solving because team members approach challenges differently.
For example, in my job as a credit sales team lead, I have been part of diverse teams where we had to brainstorm solutions. Because of our different experiences, we were able to come up with creative and well-rounded strategies that I don’t think a homogenous team would have considered.
That said, diversity comes with challenges. Differences in communication styles, cultural expectations, and work habits can sometimes cause misunderstandings or slow things down. It takes strong leadership, clear communication, and teamwork to make it work smoothly.
Overall, I think the benefits outweigh the challenges. When a diverse team is well-managed, it produces better results because everyone brings something unique to the table.