This article was originally written for and published by Chief Learning Officer.
If your organization is making a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and your teams are becoming more diverse, you are well on your way to accomplishing two very important steps in the DEI journey.
Now, for the next step: What does it take for managers to leverage the power of these diverse teams? And, how can you ensure they get the support they need to create an environment that makes employees want to stay? The answer is in cultivating inclusive management practices throughout your organization. In this article, I will dive into what this means, why it’s important and the guidance you can provide to managers to make it happen.
Diverse and inclusive teams have higher performance
But first, let’s be clear about why we’re doing this. As Moira Alexander, the author of “LEAD or LAG: Linking Strategic Project Management & Thought Leadership, ” says in her article for CIO magazine: “High-performing teams don’t just happen. They require keen recruitment, staffing, and training strategies—all of which should focus on creating a diverse and inclusive (D&I) culture.” But the effort is well worth it, citing this compelling research:
- Research shows that inclusive teams perform up to 30 percent better in high-diversity environments, according to Gartner.
- Employee performance in diverse organizations is 12 percent higher than in companies with no inclusivity efforts.
- It’s estimated that diverse and inclusive companies are 60 percent more likely to outperform their peers where decision-making is concerned.
And if your organization has a strong focus on retaining and developing talent then be aware that according to research from Glassdoor, “more than three in four employees and job seekers (76 percent) report a diverse workforce is an important factor when evaluating companies and job offers.”
What is an inclusive culture, and why are managers so important?
In an inclusive culture, employees feel like they have a voice, that their opinion matters — and that different identities and varied points of view are seen as an asset. They believe decisions and processes are equitable and fair. They have a sense of belonging — and they see concrete evidence that diversity is valued and integrated into the very fabric of the organization, making the organization stronger and more resilient.
And when it comes to creating an inclusive culture, there’s one group that’s more important than any other—managers. Why? Because they are a primary organizational conduit, yielding influence in multiple directions—their team, senior leaders and peers. And they are in a position to make a real difference. Research from Gartner shows that organizations with managers who put diversity, equity and inclusion into practice are three times more likely to be high performers, 1.5 times more likely to continue working for their employer and nearly three times more likely to feel included.
The bottom line: Managers can either play a crucial role in creating a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment, or they can become a significant detractor to real progress — the difference is in whether they are empowered with the guidance they need.
How to support managers to become more inclusive
Because managers are in a powerful position to make a difference, consider them your highest priority. Helping them become more inclusive means providing them with support that is suited to their unique needs. That includes working with them to set an educational foundation that enables a broad understanding of the advantages that can come from having a more diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment — and then equipping them with specific tools and concrete learning points they can use to apply inclusive management practices. Eighty-seven percent of employees are likely to make better decisions when in a more inclusive environment.
7 steps to managing diverse teams
As you work to help managers become more inclusive, here are seven steps that every manager can take to manage diverse teams more effectively.
1. Gain self-awareness and examine your own biases
Managing a diverse team starts with gaining a better understanding of yourself and becoming aware of your own personal biases. Remember that no one is immune from having biases. If you’ve lived a life, you have biases that are based on what you’ve heard, seen and your own experiences. The point of examining them is to weed out those that may be harmful to others and that may hold you back from enabling the full potential of your team. Take full advantage of educational opportunities available from your organization and intersperse this with moments of self-reflection to contemplate and reinforce what you’ve learned. And as you make your own self-discoveries, you’ll be in a better position to coach your team members to do the same.
2. Be aware that diversity is not always what you see
Sometimes diversity is apparent, but not always. Things that make us different may be unseen, such as sexual preferences, religious beliefs, physical health conditions, mental health and certain disabilities. The way around this is to become aware of and sensitive to each person’s unique identity. Gain a better understanding of what each individual team member needs to succeed and aim to provide any needed accommodation whenever possible. Remember that as a leader, you are a critical conduit in your organization, and you are also in a position to be the most powerful advocate for your employees.
3. Consider diversity to be a team asset, because it is
The statistics listed earlier in this article offer a compelling case for the value of diversity, but let’s look at the reasons behind them. When you have a diverse team, you get the benefit of different perspectives. Yes, this can sometimes be challenging to manage, but it’s also very valuable. That’s because different perspectives can enrich conversations, put faulty processes into question, spur new thinking and prompt innovations. Your job as a manager is to harness the power of diverse thinking and channel it to craft innovative solutions and create new opportunities for your organization.
4. Hone your skills as an empathetic manager and make all employees feel understood
Research shows that empathy is one of the most important leadership skills a manager can have. It’s also critical for managing diverse teams. Today’s employees put a premium on ensuring that their work complements their life. To enable that to happen, create a safe space for employees to confide in you, so that you are fully aware of what’s working for them, and what’s not. Keep an ongoing pulse on your employees and consider such questions as: Do they feel included in the team and the organization as a whole? Do they have what they need to do their job well? Are they getting burned out and if so, what can you do to help? Use what you learn to engage and protect them, as they are your organization’s most valuable resource.
5. Seek out education in inclusive management practices
There are specific approaches to inclusive management that require education. It’s easy to say that you want to become more inclusive, but you as a manager have a unique set of needs that require you to have special strategies, tools and guidance. Such education (both through the organization and your own study) can help you know when you need to intervene in a situation, what changes you may need to make to your own behavior and how to cultivate an inclusive management team environment where everyone can thrive. To successfully manage diverse teams, you will need to be well-versed in inclusive management practices, such as recruiting and hiring, facilitating team meetings, resolving conflicts, evaluating internal candidates and creating equitable advancement.
6. Provide employees with leadership development opportunities
As part of your aim to appreciate and leverage the unique identities and qualities of your employees, take the time you need to better understand their career aspirations. This will enable you to work with everyone on their personal career track. As you do that, assess where there may be opportunities in your organization for an employee to take on an increased leadership role. Consider cross-functional team opportunities around specific efforts. Providing employees with a chance to take on a new role will help them (and you) to better understand their areas of strength and opportunities for skill-building.
7. Become an active listener and seek out feedback
Perhaps the most important quality of managing diverse teams is to be an active listener. The days of managers barking out orders are long over. Managing diverse teams means creating an environment where people learn from each other, each person is heard, all opinions are welcome and collaboration is enhanced by canvassing different ideas and approaches. Finally, managing diverse teams is more effective when managers are not just open to receiving feedback, but are actively seeking it out. The best combination is to do this both informally (regular check-ins with individuals as well as the whole group) and more formally (through pulse surveys and 360 evaluations).
Concluding thoughts on supporting managers
Lastly, it’s important to know that inclusive management and specifically managing diverse teams may not always be easy—but it will always be worth the energy, time and effort it takes to do it effectively.
Moreover, like anything else, it takes practice to become an inclusive manager. And there will be a certain amount of trial and error, which is a normal part of the process. Work with your managers to help them cultivate a sense of empathy and humility, give them the guidance they need to fix their mistakes and instill a willingness to always keep trying.
