Managing Diverse Perspectives in Team Projects

Teams are often dysfunctional. For six reasons, not five. In his 2002 book "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team," Patrick Lencioni suggested that genuine teamwork is rare, and that organizations often unknowingly fall prey to five interrelated dysfunctions that hinder team effectiveness. These dysfunctions form an inverted pyramid, each one leading to the next: - Absence of Trust: Team members are unwilling to be vulnerable, leading to... - Fear of Conflict: Inability to engage in unfiltered, passionate debate of ideas, leading to... - Lack of Commitment: Feigning agreement during meetings, leading to... - Avoidance of Accountability: Hesitation to call peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive, leading to... - Inattention to Results: Putting individual needs above the collective goals of the team. Lencioni emphasizes that while these concepts are simple in theory, they require significant discipline and persistence to overcome in practice. He also writes that the leader plays a crucial role by demonstrating vulnerability first, setting the tone for the team to follow. I very much agree with his take. Based on my experience working with diverse teams across the globe, though, I would add another dysfunction: 6. Misunderstanding the Power of Difference: Diverse teams bring unique perspectives and strengths, but misunderstanding or underestimating these differences can lead to missed opportunities and great resentment. Here's how to address this dysfunction: - Acknowledge, understand and value differences. - Foster inclusive, candid communication. - Don't blame difference when things go wrong (since difference is usually not to blame). Whatever the line of difference—identity, role, or geographical location—effective teams manage differences proactively and thoughtfully. When they don't, misunderstandings and misinterpretations due to differences in language, cultural norms, and communication styles can hinder their effectiveness. When we recognize and harness differences, we unlock the full potential of teams, driving exceptional results. #Collaboration #Teams #HumanResources #Leadership #Innovation #Difference #Communication

🌍 The Real Reason Your Team Isn’t Connecting Might Surprise You 🛑 You’ve built a diverse team. Communication seems clear. Everyone speaks the same language. So why do projects stall? Why does feedback get misread? Why do brilliant employees feel misunderstood? Because what you’re facing isn’t a language barrier—it’s a cultural one. 🤔 Here’s what that looks like in real life: ✳ A team member from a collectivist culture avoids challenging a group decision, even when they disagree. ✳ A manager from a direct feedback culture gets labeled “harsh.” ✳ An employee doesn’t speak up in meetings—not because they don’t have ideas, but because interrupting feels disrespectful in their culture. These aren't missteps—they’re misalignments. And they can quietly erode trust, engagement, and performance. 💡 So how do we fix it? Here are 5 ways to reduce misalignments and build stronger, more inclusive teams: 🧭 1. Train for Cultural Competence—Not Just Diversity Don’t stop at DEI 101. Offer immersive training that helps employees navigate different communication styles, values, and worldviews. 🗣 2. Clarify Team Norms Make the invisible visible. Talk about what “respectful communication” means across cultures. Set expectations before conflicts arise. 🛎 3. Slow Down Decision-Making Fast-paced environments often leave diverse perspectives unheard. Build in time to reflect, revisit, and invite global input. 🌍 4. Encourage Curiosity Over Judgment When something feels off, ask: Could this be cultural? This small shift creates room for empathy and deeper connection. 📊 5. Audit Systems for Cultural Bias Review how you evaluate performance, give feedback, and promote leadership. Are your systems inclusive, or unintentionally favoring one style? 🎯 Cultural differences shouldn’t divide your team—they should drive your innovation. If you’re ready to create a workplace where every team member can thrive, I’d love to help. 📅 Book a complimentary call and let’s talk about what cultural competence could look like in your organization. The link is on my profile. Because when we understand each other, we work better together. 💬 #CulturalCompetence #GlobalTeams #InclusiveLeadership #CrossCulturalCommunication #DEIStrategy

𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁. 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁. And somehow, decisions keep going in circles. 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿? It’s one of the biggest reasons projects stall— not because people lack ideas, but because some voices never get heard. Over the last 17 years of coaching leaders across industries, I’ve seen this happen again and again: ✅ Strong contributors stay quiet ✅ Brilliant ideas get buried under loud opinions ✅ Leaders think they’re being inclusive—when in fact, they’re just listening to the confident few 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗱: If you don’t create space for every voice, you’re not leading a team— you’re managing a tug of war. That’s why I created this simple but powerful framework: 👇👇👇 📌 “Framework to Turn Diverse Opinions into Shared Outcome” (It’s in the infographic below) You’ll find 4 practical shifts that leaders can make—starting today—to: • Hear from every single voice in the room    • Prevent meetings from becoming monologues    • Move from debate → decisions    • Build trust across silos and seniority levels Every point includes a real-life phrase or action you can use right away. 🧠 If you're an executive, project manager, or team lead—this framework will help you: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Lead with calm, clarity, and respect Turn friction into progress 🔔 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀? Subscribe to my free newsletter and get access to the 🎁 “DNA of Influence™” framework — a step-by-step system to increase your influence, presence, and authority at work. 🔗 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. (You’ll also get weekly insights, tools, and case studies to level up your executive presence.) 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲. #leadership #peakimpactmentorship  #communication #remotework #dnaofinfluence

On the best teams, people don’t feel pressure to fit in. They feel valued for what makes them stand out. Here are a few ways to create a culture where diverse perspectives are encouraged and celebrated. 🤝 To prevent groupthink and make it easier for everyone to chime in, split into duos for discussions and then do share outs with the larger group. 💬 If you see someone get interrupted, jump in and ask them to continue sharing. This sets a norm of letting people finish their full trains of thought. ✅ Make an “It’s okay to…” list. As a group, write down things teammates should not hesitate to do. Think, "Ask why, and why not" or "Flag a potential problem." And remember: If everyone on your team agrees on everything, all the time, you're probably not coming up with innovative, broadly accessible solutions.