On diversity and workplace interactions

We all come with our unique set of characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and life experiences.

This is true in almost every environment in life, especially the office environment, where employees have to cooperate with each other in a way that brings out positive results.

When you consider age, cultural, religious and gender differences, just to name a few, things may get a bit difficult; however, this can also create an opportunity for diversity, empathy, connection and innovation.

But how can we learn from these diverse individuals in order to create the optimal work culture for all?

Unfortunately, we tend to assume that others interact and think the same way we do; most of the times, this can’t be further from reality! In fact, the only assumption we should be making is that communication and management styles that work for one person may not work for another; and what motivates and inspires one person isn't the same for others; and to effectively lead a team, you must understand what makes each member tick.

Now, there is no shortage of psychometric and evaluation tests that exist in the world today, from the Myers-Briggs, the DISC, the Big 5 just to name a few. Each of these methods will provide some insights about your team members:

- The extroverted who tend to be more outgoing and sociable, good at networking and relationship building and more expressive and vocal about their opinions and ideas.

- The introverted who tend to be more reserved and prefer to work independently, in quieter environments.

- The individuals who tend to be detail-orientated and methodical and highly organized,

- The creative individuals who tend to be innovative and imaginative, generating new ideas and solutions, comfortable taking risks and trying new approaches;

- The self-assured individuals who are comfortable taking charge and making decisions.

However, that is not enough! It is equally important to recognize that different cultures have different ways of interacting and communicating and avoid misinterpretations. For example, making a joke at the expense of another is a way of expressing camaraderie for some, while for others, it can be considered inappropriate and leaves the individual feeling bullied.

Also, employees not fully versed in a specific language or communicating in their non-native language might end up saying offensive things, as they don’t fully understand the implied meaning of their words.

Understanding and managing different personalities at work is a vital skill in creating high-performing teams.

By doing that, we can choose tasks and jobs suited to each person’s unique traits within your business, and if that is not possible, at least understand their strengths and weaknesses, what they excel at and what they may need support with. This understanding or encouragement creates more space for clear communication, reduced conflict, and collaborative and synergetic teams.

And most importantly think of people as individuals, and treat them respectfully as individuals without any bias, negative labeling or judgment.