Understanding Diversity and Team Dynamics in Organizations

Diversity tension (Goldsmith)

-the stress and strain that accompanies mixtures of differences and similarities.

-leaders should use tension of diversity as a positive, rather than viewing differences as negative

Business case for diversity (Page)

Diverse teams can outperform teams of the most individually skilled problem solvers under certain conditions: problem is difficult, all problem solvers are smart, there's room for improvement, reasonably big team chosen from large pool

Diversity Prediction Theorem

Prediction diversity matters just as much as individual prediction accuracy.

Heuristics

Methods or tools used to find solutions; diverse heuristics lead individuals to approach problems and their potential solutions differently.

Superadditivity

The concept that combining diverse perspectives and heuristics can lead to outcomes greater than the sum of individual contributions.

Informational diversity (Philips)

People who are different from one another in race, gender and other dimensions bring unique information and experiences to bear on the task at hand.

Financial benefits of diversity

The advantages gained from having gender and racial diversity within organizations.

benefits of diversity (Philips)

-when we hear dissent from someone who is different from us, it provokes more thought than when it comes from someone who looks like us

- adding social diversity to a group makes people believe that differences of perspective might exist among them, and that belief makes people change their behavior

Social Identity Theory (SIT)

people tend to classify themselves and others into various social categories, this social classification serves two functions: first, it segments and orders the social environment, providing the person with a systematic way of defining others, second is to enable the individual to locate or define him- or herself in the social environment.

Identity pyramid

A model that consists of universal humanity at the bottom, group or social identity in the middle, and unique person at the top.

Master status/foreground identity

Race, sex, and age, which are seen as the most noticeable in groups.

Stereotype threat

A fear of confirming a negative opinion held of the group they are seen to belong to, which can impair their performance.

Surface level differences

Differences such as age, gender, and race that are quickly perceived and used to make judgments, fading over time.

Deep level differences

Differences in personality, values, and attitudes that are mostly hidden but surface more clearly over time.

Interpersonal congruence

When member evaluations of one another align with self-assessments on dimensions relevant to team functioning.

IAT

implicit association test, studies unconscious bias through reaction time

implicit bias

automatic reaction to people that can be based on stereotypes and attitudes

In-group favoritism

by favoring one group over another, it leads to discrimination, it also erodes the bottom line

Illusion of objectivity

were free of the very biases were so quick to identify in others

Conflict of interest

bias that favors those who can benefit you, distorts decision making

veil of ignorance

concept which posits that only a person ignorant of his own identity is capable of a truly ethical decision

Tendency to overclaim credit

people consider themselves to be above average on a host of measures

Banaji's workplace diversity training

- Gather empirical (observed) data, not intuitive data

- Reshape the environment with an audit, looking for unintended bias

- Recognize the power of priming (ability to disrupt bias)

- Achieve the concept of the "veil of ignorance,"

vigilance

watchfulness - continual awareness of the forces that can cause decision making to veer from its intended course and continual adjustments to counteract them

power of priming

ability to disrupt bias

Successful teams misconceptions

Six common misconceptions: harmony helps, it's good to mix it up, bigger is better, face to face is unnecessary, it all depends on the leader, teamwork is magical

Successful team (Katzenbach and Smith)

small number, complementary skills, common purpose, common set of specific performance goals, commonly agreed upon working approach, mutual accountability

Team vs. Workgroup: Team

shared leadership, discussion, problem solving, collective work products, does real work together

Team vs. Workgroup: Workgroup

one leader, individual accountability, delegates individual work

Stages of group development

forming, storming, norming, performing, adjourning

Forming

Sorting out who, what, and when of group tasks and membership roles; conflict is avoided, pleasant but not a lot gets done, trust building leads to cohesiveness.

Storming

serious issues need to be addressed in order to clarify tasks and roles; Stage 2 can be unpleasant as groups face fear of conflict and move through it successfully. communication leads to decision

Norming

Group members begin to grow more comfortable and want to create and hang on to newly established routines; norms are established and practiced, organization leads to action plan

Performing

Members are known; trust allows independent activity and flexibility of roles; group identity, loyalty and morale are high, collaboration leads to results

Adjourning

task completion; member disengagement; shared sense of loss; important to celebrate success.

Carmill Model of Team Development

Constructive and destructive cycles found in the storming phase.

Constructive Cycle

Shared objectives, trust building, communication, organization, collaboration.

Destructive Cycle

Private objectives, disorganized, division, disinterest, distrust.

Confrontation

Disagreements on both ends.

Conformity

Rational agreement but emotional disagreement.

Disagreement

Rational disagreement, but emotional agreement.

Unity

Agreements on both ends.

Transactional Leader

Unites team around extrinsic objectives, AKA rewards.

Transforming Leader

Unites team around goals that are extrinsic and intrinsic.

Transcendent Leader

Unites team around extrinsic, intrinsic, and transcendent goals, brings instrumental, emotional, and structural cohesion.

Constructive Roles

Contributor, communicator, questioner, collaborator.

Debilitating Roles

Doubter, distracted, diplomat, dominator, defeatist.

Pentland's Research on Successful Teams

Three aspects of communication: energy, engagement, exploration.

Successful Teams (Pentland)

Everyone talks and listens equally, members face each other, energetic, connect with each other, take breaks.

Social Signals

Energy, engagement, mimicry.

Jerk-o-meter

Measured the engagement of people on the phone.

Patterns of Success

Engagement and exploration, need to build a healthy/successful community.

Project Aristotle

Google's initiative to study hundreds of teams and figure out what makes them perfect, found that teams need conversational turn-taking and empathy

Conversational Turn-Taking

Members spoke in roughly the same proportion.

Psychological Safety

The belief that one will not be rejected or humiliated in a particular setting or role.

Order of importance

psychological safety > dependability > structure > meaning > impact

Separation diversity

Differences in position or opinion among group members reflecting disagreement or opposition—dissimilarity in an attitude or value, for example, especially with regard to group goals or processes

variety diversity

differences in a certain type or category, including group members' expertise, knowledge, or functional background

disparity diversity

differences in concentration of valuable assets (e.g. authority, pay, status)

Fearless Organization (Christensen)

Has an aspiration that is slightly out of reach, everyone is more interested in contributing to shared goals.

Leader Toolkit

Set the stage by framing the work and emphasizing purpose, invite participation by asking questions and providing guidelines.

Situational Humility

This involves making people feel that the invitation to participate is genuine., Remain confident in your overall abilities yet be open about your shortcomings in certain areas and interest in learning more

Humble Listening

Truly listening with curiosity, interest and absorption.

Building the Right Environment (Bresman, Henrik and Edmondson)

Framing, inquiry, bridging boundaries.

Framing

frame meetings as opportunities for information sharing, frame differences as a source of value

Inquiry

the best way to help people contribute their thoughts is to ask them to do so, the most effective questions lack a predetermined answer and are motivated by a desire to learn

Bridging Boundaries

figure out each other's hopes, goals, resources, skills, concerns, and obstacles

Apathy Zone

Neither accountability nor psychological safety.

Anxiety Zone

Only accountability.

Comfort Zone

Only psychological safety.

Learning Zone

High performing teams (both psychological safety and accountability).