Strategic Teams and Diversity

There are clear advantages for strategic teams built from Talent Blocks and Beams with at least some expressed diversity. What we have in diverse teams is the blending of perspectives, expertise, principles, and experiences. And while diversity in organizations can be measured and gauged in different ways, the value-added potential of diversity in strategic teams accrues in forward planning, decision making, risk management, and problem solving. We just need to develop that potential and sustain it as a driver of competitive advantage and stewardship.

So far, so good. But how can we build up that advantage?

Part of our research for Strategic Teams and Development explored the many facets of diversity relative to individuals, teams, and the broader organization. We have examined the nature and relevance of diversity in four areas:

• Cultural Diversity
  • Conventional and emergent challenges

• Gender/Generational Diversity
  • Appreciation, learning and integration

• Cognitive Diversity
  • Knowledge, attention and consideration

• Role/Construction Diversity
  • Interdependence of talent; Work to be done

Organizations tend to pay more attention to cultural diversity matters, along with the many facets of gender/generational diversity. These subjects are important for many reasons. Organizations tend to address cognitive diversity with less focus and urgency. They also tend to deal less urgently with the everyday concerns of role/construction diversity. However, the forward trends are positive.

When we look at the bigger picture of diversity in organizations, the value-added from and around diversity in strategic teams is tied to the blending of:

• Perspectives, Views and Opinions, Assumptions
  • Informed by Background, Experiences

• Expertise, Subject Matter Knowledge, Credentials
  • Shaped by Specific Learning and Development

• Principles, Standards, Character, Behavior
  • Curated in the Context of Enterprise Values

• Experiences, Awareness, Influence, Confidence
  • Reflections, Tensions of Development

Disciplined assembly and support of strategic team diversity helps the broader organization rough-out ideas, build options, deal with the unknown and sense risks. Diversity also powers teams as they craft plans, solve problems, design solutions, frame scenarios, draw resources, bridge gaps, sort choices, drive change, enhance performance … and create new streams of economic and strategic value. That, in so many words, is the real essence and rationale of strategic team diversity. That is how diversity shapes competitive advantage, economic performance and enterprise stewardship.

What to Score on Diversity

Beyond the obvious issues of strategic team diversity, we think that more attention is owed to the Talent Blocks and Beams that comprise project groups and individuals, working together. A couple of steps are in order here:

• First, the Charter of the Strategic Team

What is the purpose of the team, and what resources and processes does the team have at its disposal to address the key priorities and targets assigned? What indirect outcomes and impact markers are part of the charter?

• Second, Put Diversity into the Team Formula

Obviously – cultural and gender/generational blending, with crisp attention to cognitive and role/construction differences, as this is the bigger picture of diversity. Build meaningful focus with individuals who can plug in their mix of technical, analytic, creative, resource, solution, and relational competencies with the strategic team’s charter of work to be done, experience to be  built, progress to be made, people to be engaged, impact to be nailed, and the progress to be sustained.

Diversity is a pretty big deal for strategic teams. Practical differences in culture, gender and generational mindset, cognition and functional values are valuable by their very nature, if allowed to prosper. That takes readiness and influence.

The Wealth of the Nation, Seymour Fogel

As with everything today, things can get complicated and noisy, conflicted, and stressed. The opportunity with strategic team diversity is really quite abundant, if we are respectful and open to influence, prepared and resolved, steady at the wheel.

The ideas defined above are the subject of our new fieldbook entitled Strategic Teams and Development planned for release at the end of the year.  The fieldbook is designed as a resource for individuals and teams at every level of the enterprise.  From every angle, Strategic Teams and Development speaks to the ideas that contribute to better, stronger, smarter, faster teams that are focused on results, and on making strategy happen, taking care of today and getting ready for tomorrow.

Daniel Wolf is the President of Dewar Sloan, a consulting group with expertise in strategy and governance.  He is the author of Strategic Teams and Development — as well as Prepared and Resolved: The Strategic Agenda for Growth, Performance and Change.

 www.dewarsloan.com

www.preparedandresolved.com