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Blog 2: The Challenge of Managing Diverse Team

Cultural diversity development within an organization has been an increasing concern among today’s
business. Diversity started to raise awareness among firms since late 1990s, learning lesson from
Morgan Stanley, a financial services firm which reported a $54 million loss, settling its discrimination
claims. (Dobbin and Kalev 2016) Since then, top global companies started to invest more
organizational efforts, developing greater diversity within their workforce. Top performing firms like
P&G, Johnson & Johnson have harvested from their efforts in achieving greater diversity. (The
Diversityinc Top 50 Companies For Diversity 2017)

A diverse team is a workforce including different race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual
orientation and so on.

Characteristics of Diverse Team

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1366&bih=613&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=h5L0WYzUG4nWvASbrDs
&q=diversity&oq=diversity&gs_l=psy-
ab.3..0l2j0i67k1j0l7.5945.9461.0.9754.17.13.4.0.0.0.217.1394.6j5j1.12.0....0...1.1.64.psy-
ab..1.16.1408...0i10k1.0.yRSdDX3OMCk#imgrc=KlYzS4n5G3-KmM:

Good leaders see investment in diversity as a growth strategy rather than a cost. Indeed, a diverse
workforce is crucial for a company’s success.

1. Increased in productivity resulting from diverse skills and knowledge among employees.
2. Rather than understanding and adapting a new culture via theory like Hofstede’s cultural
dimension, Hall’s framework and so on, a diverse team with different backgrounds like
cultures is more crucial in firm’s globalising effort.
3. Diversity provides for a broader, richer, more fertile environment for creative thinking and
innovation. Employees from different backgrounds and experiences would increase creative
ideas and variety of solutions to achieve a common goal.
4. Providing precious opportunity for employees’ development in terms of knowledge,
communication skills, values, ethnics and so on.

Advocated by Bruce Tuckman, there are 5 stages of team development. (Tuckman Forming Storming
Norming Performing Model n.d.)
Tuckman’s Team Forming Model

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=tuckman+model&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj
MxOLcwZPXAhXLLo8KHRo5AwIQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=613#imgrc=Tw_xYslO5LCSkM:

Forming a team by building connection among members is the initial yet crucial stage of all. Literally,
storming means “storm” in the team. This is when conflicts started to arise among the team, often
the stage where many teams fail. Teams came across the storm would started to build stronger
communication with more mutual respect. In other word, norming. Stepping into the mature period
where team’s identity, loyalty and moral are established, leading to quality performance. Last but
not the least, adjourning, the stage when team is disbanded after the completion of mission. This
might not be essential to every team, highly depending on forming objective.

Tuckman’s Team Forming Stage

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=tuckman+model&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj
MxOLcwZPXAhXLLo8KHRo5AwIQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=613#imgrc=qiMTYQjJdm_G5M

The value of Tuckman’s model is to help leaders understanding how teams evolve and thus resolving
issues in different stages.

However, there are certain limitations that shall be taken concern. Tuckman’s model is less effective
in understanding group environment, behaviour and hinder of group formation comparing to
Homans’ Model of group formation. (Homans 1992) Besides, in term of group dynamics, Tuckman’s
model is less detailed comparing to SYMLOG, a sufficient theory in resolving group difficulties via
feedback. (Brennan 1982)
A diverse workforce is an asset and comparative advantage of a firm. However, there are certain
barriers, hindering diversity management. (Llopis 2017)

1. Communication difficulties in terms of language and cultural differences


2. Misunderstanding among employees due to negative cultural stereotypes
3. Difference in requirements, laws, costing of living in the workplace
4. Different understandings of etiquette, values, norms

Ability to manage a diverse team is an essential skill for a good leader especially in today’s business.
(Two Theories Of Diversity Management n.d.) In Johnson & Johnson, top global pharmaceutical firm,
developing a diverse workforce has been a main concern for company’s success. A healthy
organisational culture in Johnson & Johnson where everyone from different backgrounds, cultures,
races and so on are welcoming has created a crucial working environment retaining their diverse
workforce.

https://youtu.be/-Nlt1aB1QW8: Dolores talks about diverse opportunities in Human Resources at


J&J 0108

Besides, they have established Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to encourage the culture of
sharing experiences, perspectives, identities and so on among the organisation. Other than ERGs, a
Centre of Leadership & Learning has been developed to provide multiple leadership skills and
capabilities programs for minorities, enhancing employee development opportunities. Being listed as
the top diversityinc, Johnson & Johnson has played a leading role in 2 key women’s events in 2016:
The Vital Voices VW100 & Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit. (Diverse & Inclusive Workforce |
Johnson & Johnson 2016)

https://youtu.be/7Kb2Yi23EmE :Johnson & Johnson EMEA Development Center: Social Life &
Company Culture

Based on my understanding, to manage a diverse workforce, it is essential to build understanding


among each other and this understanding is the fundamental of respect. For instance, in term of
culture, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension would be a sufficient reference for leaders to understand
different cultures better. (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005, p. 24)
Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension

Source:
https://www.google.com/search?q=hofstede+cultural+dimensions&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&
ved=0ahUKEwiIuuvSwJPXAhUGxbwKHXppCMYQ_AUICygC&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=jbo6-
a3OOdciWM:

In conclusion, managing a diverse team is an essential skill for leaders and improvement in business
shall always be the goal of diversity management. To enhance the management, it is crucial to allow
everyone in the team to feel respected, valued and to have the actualization to contribute to the
common goal. “A successful diverse team does not privilege one group to the disadvantage of
another group.” --- Dr. R. Roosevelt Thomas

Reference

1. A. Kreitz, P. (2007) Best Practices For Managing Organizational Diversity. [online] 5. available
from <https://www.slac.stanford.edu/cgi-wrap/getdoc/slac-pub-12499.pdf> [5 October
2017]
2. Brennan, J. (1982) "Symlog: A System For The Multiple Level Observation Of Groups. By
Robert F. Bales And Stephen P. Cohen. New York: Free Press, 1979. 537 Pp. $24.95". Social
Forces 60 (3), 959-961
3. Diverse & Inclusive Workforce | Johnson & Johnson (2016) available from
<http://healthforhumanityreport.jnj.com/diverse-and-inclusive-workforce> [5 October
2017]
4. Dobbin, F. and Kalev, A. (2016) Why Diversity Programs Fail. [online] available from
<https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail> [3 October 2017]
5. Hofstede, G. and Hofstede, G.J. (2005), Cultures and Organizations. Software of the Mind,
2nd ed.,
6. Homans, G. (1992) The Human Group. New Brunswick, U.S.A.: Transaction Publishers
7. Llopis, G. (2017) Forbes Welcome [online] available from
<https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2017/01/16/5-reasons-diversity-and-inclusion-
fails/#4858a04950df> [28 October 2017]
8. The Diversityinc Top 50 Companies For Diversity (2017) available from
<http://www.diversityinc.com/the-diversityinc-top-50-companies-for-diversity-2017/> [5
October 2017]
9. Tuckman Forming Storming Norming Performing Model (n.d.) available from
<http://www.businessballs.com/team-management/tuckman-forming-storming-norming-
performing-model-234/> [5 October 2017]
10. Two Theories Of Diversity Management (n.d.) available from
<http://thediversitycoach.com/scott-page-r-roosevelt-thomas-jr-two-theories-diversity-
management/> [5 October 2017]

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