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Tips and questions about Values Diversity on teams:
– What does it mean to Value Diversity on this team? What are the benefits?– Train the team in listening for the different points of view. Celebrate the range and variety.
– Notice if listening for diversity is actually happening or if expressing diversity is happening more. Discuss the relationship between listening and valuing diversity. Notice the impact on valuing diversity when listening and expressing are more equally balanced.
– Encourage teams to listen for the voices on the fringe. They don’t have to accommodate every voice by giving it voting rights or veto, but the simple act of listening and letting those voices know they have been heard/attended to is often enough.
– Some teams consciously ask for the unpopular voices in meetings along the lines of, “what is not being said, or asked? What is the voice no one has spoken for?”
– If a team notices they want more diversity they might assign the role of “Devil’s Advocate” to stretch their perspectives.
– Play this game. “If __________ were here, he/she would say…” Then fill in the blank with people everyone knows that would have a distinct opinion or point of view. Could be a real person in the organization (the CEO, the head of R&D), or anyone alive or dead, real or fictional. If Genghis Kahn were here … If Snow White were here …
Activity – The Benefits of Diversity at Work
– Print the letter “V“ in a big bold font in the middle of an 8 ½ x 11 piece of paper.
– Distribute a copy to each participant and ask everyone to draw something that incorporates the symbol “V” without looking at the drawing of the other persons next to them. If colored markers are available, you can also let them know that they can incorporate color in their drawing if they wish.
– Once everyone has finished, ask them to post their drawing on a wall at the front of the room for everyone to see.
– Allow for sufficient time for participants to notice how different everyone else’s drawing is.
– Ask: “What are you noticing?”
There will be many different drawings, some depicting the same concept but drawn very differently. If none of the team members voice that observation, the coach can point it out.The coach can also point out that everyone heard the exact same instructions at the exact same time in the same way yet each drawing is different.
– Ask: “What do you believe contributes to the diversity of these drawings?” (answer: culture, past experiences, preferences, etc.)
– Ask: “How do you believe this diversity impacts the work of this team?”
– Ask: “How can you leverage this diversity to improve your team’s results?”
Notes:
• This activity can be adapted by including another symbol (other than the letter V). What is important is that the symbol be very simple to allow for freedom and creativity.
• This activity can also be done “on the fly” by simply asking team members to draw a big letter “V” on a piece of paper.
• This activity could also be useful for other positivity elements during ongoing coaching sessions (“respect” and “communication”)FROM THE POSITIVITY WHEEL TO THE ALLOPHILLIA´S WHEEL
For diversity to become a vertible force within a team´s skillset, it has occurred to me that using The Positivity Wheel protocol can be of great use; however, swapping (or changing) the positivity factors (as outlined in this very exercise) for positive attitudes towards diversity: affection, comfort, kinship, engagement and enthusiasm.
I believe this exercise can reveal to the system which positive attitudes can reinforce the team as a whole; that is, how they could amplify the team´s strength. Conversely, this exercise can also serve to reveal which attitudes toward diversity challenge the team´s strengths in efforts to improve work outflow.
Allophilia is a term coined by Todd Pittinsky to classify and designate the human repertoire of positive attitudes that we have towards groups that are different from ours. This new word in English is derived from Greek allo (different, other) and philia (friendship, affection, sympathy). The positive attitudes classified under this term are affection, comfort, kinship, engagement and enthusiasm.
For more information about the research on Allophilia refer to: Us Plus Them: Tapping the Positive Power of Difference (By Todd Pittinsky)
I was recently reminded of a very entertaining and insightful TED talk about the power of attention. Generally, we can only see one thing at a time. Appollo Robbin’s TED talk gives a striking demonstration of this phenomenon through his talents as a pickpocket!
Follow-up questions:
–What can I see or pay attention to from position on the team that others might now?
–What can others see or pay attention to that I might not?
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