How to – Get Diverse Team Members to Connect When teams are made up of homogeneous members, creating connections happens automatically. But when the members of your team are different from each other, you’ve got a challenge.

When you are the one who is different, connecting right from the start, developing rapport, showing credibility, creating a safe place to learn, reading and responding to cues and clues, and adjusting your behavior based on feedback are all challenges that must be dealt with. As a leader, you should help team members connect to one another and create a cohesive team culture. If you believe that everyone is unique, then all teams are comprised of members
who are different from one another.

When people join a group they wonder:
• Will this be a valuable experience?
• Will this be a safe place to learn?
• Will we develop as a community?
• Who are the other members? What will they think of me and what will I think about them?
• Will I find a way to fit into the group?
• Will this be worth my time?

Once these questions are answered, people’s behaviors and contributions will follow. The goal for the leader is to create an awareness of differences and celebrate them as well as leverage them.

As a leader, you need to:
• Make sure each person’s voice is heard
• Highlight and welcome differences in an observable way.
• Create a level playing field.

Assure members who may be less knowledgeable in specific areas that they have a valuable
role to play. Connect them to members who will assist them in developing where it is needed. In this way, learning becomes part of the environment, making the team a developmental opportunity for every member.  6:32 PM •