How is Leadership Affected by a Diverse Workforce?

The below response was to a question posted on "Diversity-A World of Change", which is a Linkedin group. I liked this response so much I wanted to ad it to my blog. Feel free to comment.

"I am very intrigued by your question: How is leadership affected by our diverse workforce? I would reframe the question to ask: How are bottom-line organizational results affected by the way a leader engages, motivates and inspires an increasingly diverse workforce. The implied objective is that better results can be achieved when everyone is fully engaged, acknowledged and rewarded. And, It starts with leadership and a culture of inclusion.

I have been working with leaders within our company to discuss raise awareness and skill in understanding how leadership behavior impacts engagement, productivity and organizational outcomes. What we have learned from our internal analysis is that inclusive behaviors focused on building trust, expanding circles of influence, demonstrating personal leadership commitment, and providing equitable development for all employees have a significant effect on the engagement and motivation of the workforce.

A diverse workforce will make it an imperative that leaders understand and appreciate the differences that the new workforce brings. Having a better grounding in cultural competence, generational differences, and a better understanding of one’s own leadership skills and personal biases is a start. The bottom line however is about organizational results and outcomes. Innovation, productivity, engagement and retention are more likely achieved when a leader has a more expansive rather than restrictive view of human differences." (Effenus Henderson)

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/How-is-Leadership-affected-our-56579%2ES%2E89762007?view=&gid=56579&type=member&item=89762007&report%2Esuccess=62WUlrnddR6bgwSqXhj6sMCTLzs-Mtpi3fLJWbNsWtuooxKwgTL8r5xsvgkbozKwEkXBakadko

Is perception really reality?

Scholars agree that all communication is transactional with the roles of sender and receiver alternating within the communication process. We're constantly sending, receiving, and interpreting messages consciously and unconsciously through verbal and nonverbal modes. Scholars also agree that through this process shared meaning is created. However, while one might deduce as a result of this that the responsibility for accurate communication rests on all those involved in the message to both send and interpret messages accurately, business does not seem to have caught up. Business communications for effective change are top-down; not bottom-up endeavors. Thus, the "perception is reality" cliche is alive and well in business. As a result, be deliberate in your crafting of messages, elevator speeches, memos, body language, and do not make it too complicated for your target audience to interpret. They simply will not put in the effort, but will rather take the path of least resistance. Make it simple for others to arrive at the conclusion you want them to arrive at by crafting your messages in a way that allows them to not put in too much effort.

Your Boss IS NOT your Friend.

While this seems to be a no-brainer, many of us take the wrong path in managing work relationships and confuse political schmoozing with friendship. This is a huge mistake. Weather your interacting with a coworker, subordinate, or superior, remember that it is always a work relationship first. Any information you give about yourself will inevitably be applied within a professional context. Period.

Now, this can get dicey. Because we all lead very busy professional lives, many of our friends start out as business aquaintances. So, how do you navigate this particular ocean? It's about steps and mutual interaction in communications. As you divulge small and seemingly insignificant pieces of information about yourself, pay close attention and see if they are reciprocated in kind. This kind of interaction and social play can help build a foundation for a long and solid professional and personal friendship.

However, many times, in the excitement of a connection, we go too far. Providing details about ourselves that boarder on the inappropriate, within a business context. Then when that information rears it's head in an annual review, for example, we're horrified and feel betrayed. So, the moral of this particular diatribe is this: " Know your audience." I know, this is information we all get in first year college classes; but it is fundamental rules like these that we often ignore, and are stunned when they reveal the consequences of our failure to acknowledge them.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my views....Please leave a comment, if you're so inclined.

Making Your Point with a Question

We've all heard it, time and again, that one should make every effort to avoid being negative. In meetings, or team interactions, giving feedback is important, as ideas are developed and advanced. Being a critical part of that development team and making significant contributions, can create plenty of fodder for inter-team conflict and paralysis that can derail a team, and your career. So, how does one tell a team member that their idea is stupid? Well, you don't. You make them say it, if only to themselves, but in a way that makes them withdraw their position. And you do it with questions. Innocent questions, structured in a way that asks the person to address some of the weaknesses you see. They will either answer your questions to your satisfaction, or they will see your point in turn. In any case, you avoid being negative and saying, "That's a stupid idea, and it will never work", as well as saving a business relationship that might be a recommendation for a future job, after you're laid off because the economy tanked...........Hello.

People, Communications, and Business

The most important thing in the world is people. They are more important than profits, more important than margins, more important than just about anything. When you interact with people let them know that they are important. Let them know that you recognize them as people first, with emotions, family, and a whole host of facets that make them human. They will appreciate the breather, and they will appreciate you. Once that happens, real communication can begin. Until that happens, there is nothing that will remove all of the barriers that will prevent you from connecting on the most personal and fundamental of levels. Communication is people. It is reaching out and touching someone with words, gestures and expressions. Now go out and communicate. Go out and touch someone and never forget to let them know that you know, they are human, just like you.

I'm Listening...

Most competitive business people love their ideas to be heard and want others to buy into our point of view. The common approach is to make your point, listen for feedback, and then respond to the feedback directly, in an attempt to counter any objections to our ideas. Some things to remember:

Communication is as much about being able to receive and critically assimilate it as it is about sending you message and being heard. So, instead of responding immediately to the feedback, ask a few questions. Get the person to expound on their ideas, and encourage them to continue. Paraphrase what they’ve said to let them know they’ve been heard. In doing so, you will have shown the respect of listening—remember we all love to be heard—and you just might learn something you did not know, even if you don’t know that you don’t know!