How can executive coaches help teams leverage diversity?

To begin with, I would like to emphasize that diversity is important, but it is equally important that we are inclusive. Diversity without inclusivity will be counterproductive. Diversity inspires creativity and innovation. It is critical that the team view this as a strength. One of the ways to assess the team's diversity is to facilitate identifying individual team members strengths using  'Gallup strength assessment'. The assessment has 34 themes, representing what people do best. And once we have the individual top 5 strengths, the executive coach facilitates workshops and discussions with leaders and team members as to how the strengths can be leveraged for better performance and innovation for the organization

Of course diversity is important, but it is an effect, not a cause, of great teamwork. What is more significant is EQUITY, where every person is valued for their skills, talents and energy, plus a sense of 'humanity'. After all, we all belong to the same human family; we all have something to give. The great coach brings out the best in everyone, discovers where their contribution might best be of use, and opens up personal paths for growth.

Leaders often don't know how to handle diverse teams because they themselves are not comfortable with difference or feel overwhelmed in the current climate. If you've ever moved to another country where the language and culture are significantly different, you'll know that making connections is a process that takes time. The best approach for leaders here is to get to know individual team members and build connection. It's key to ask them questions rather than explaining. This leads to trust and empathy on both sides and models the behavior for others. Team members who feel connected to each other and to their leader are far more likely to trust each other, bring great ideas and feel empowered to implement them. And, it's just more fun.

True diversity comes from understanding that we all are different individuals with different personalities, values, needs, communication styles etc. My experience is that team excellence is not only about delivering results - its about who we are being in co-creation that is important since it creates an environment where the team members can thrive and deliver beyond excellence.

A similar question came to me during a coaching session. “I had hired people from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, hoping that they would bring new ideas and perspectives to the table. But instead of creating a synergy, they created a cacophony. They did not understand each other, or me. They did not trust each other, or me. They did not respect each other, or me.” As an executive coach, what will you do to help your leader in such a scenario? How can executive coaches help teams leverage diversity? Coaching skills can help leaders and teams: - Recognize and overcome their biases. - Build trust and psychological safety. - Leverage diverse strengths and perspectives. - Foster a sense of belonging.

Executive Coaches can help Leaders step outside of their norms and consider how what they say resonates across a wide range of perspectives. Take the time to think about the variety of viewpoints and backgrounds of their team members and how their message will be received. They can coach Leaders to see their message through the eyes of their team. This will help Leaders broaden their outlook and support team members to feel valued for their skills, talents, and contributions and not excluded or overlooked for their differences.

Good communicators change the world. If we are to amplify diverse voices, we must enthusiastically encourage communication from those who have been historically silenced. As an executive coach, one thing I do is shine a light on my client's/their team's blindspots. To make meaningful progress in terms of diversity and inclusion, everyone must be more self-aware. In most cases, that doesn't happen unless it's pointed out and made a priority. That's my job.

Everyone has a unique communication style, and with varying backgrounds (language, area, industry experience, and opinions), there is certain to be more. As executive coaches, one thing we can do is create self-awareness of individual communication styles, which include speaking as well as listening. Once people have self-awareness, the next step is to show them what good looks and practice with them, provide feedback, and encourage them to come up with their ways of working and call out the don'ts (as they are sometimes more important to ensure inclusivity).

One of my favorite aspects of diversity is diversity of thought. Having different perspectives and sharing experiences with others the think differently and see the world in a different way is essential to gaining perspective and having valuable context to make informed decisions. Fostering communication between people who have valuable and varied thought to add an any conversation is for me a must when talking about diversity

As coaches, we have learnt that the skill of listening is critical to communication in any context. Many times, because of the prior experiences with team members, communication on the workplace is influenced by assumptions, defensiveness and a reluctance to be truthful with feedback. If the team will learn to listen objectively, and accept feedback as the opinion to which the other party has a right, it will greatly improve the coaching process and facilitate effective communication. The team will also learn to trust one another, adapt to diversity, and be more inclusive.

I agree, but before jump into learnings and development, it is crucial to work with mindset change. The focus should be how to support the team to move from a fixed to a growth mindset. An executive coach has all the tools and expertise to develop and reinforce the growth mindset in the team, which is by the way, key to understand and accept diverse perspectives.

Creating regular routines which incorporate diversity in addition to having a programmatic approach to improving diversity of the team is important. A coach is helpful, but the main onus is on the team members and leader to ensure that they allow ideas to bloom and not shoot them down immediately

It's important to showcase patterns so that teams truly understand that a lack of diversity does impact outcomes. Example: Run surveys showing hypothetical scenarios. Have the team or company vote on what the proper response should be. Cross reference that with the employee diversity metrics. You'll definitely see certain patterns emerge. This then becomes a ripe opportunity to ask questions that foster awareness and learning. "80% of the people who voted for this option are _____." "Why do we think that is?"

Incorporating diverse thinking into their everyday work helps teams create a culture where everyone's input is valued, leading to a more inclusive, respectful, and collaborative environment. This not only improves teamwork but also taps into the true strength of diversity.

Instilling a continuous learning culture is the peg of sustained growth and innovation. Let's talk about feedback, normalizing, and encouraging people to ask for it not only expecting it is vital. Let's talk about sharing knowledge, everyone possesses unique backgrounds, insights, experiences, and skills, that can bring benefit to other members of the team. Let's talk about reflection, not only personal reflection but team reflection allows space for deeper understanding and extraction of valuable lessons. And let's talk about experimentation, with an open mindset, the team can capitalize on true innovation, with no fear of failure but a celebration of trying new and different things. The coach fosters creativity and adaptability.

Coaches don't resolve conflicts. The coach's role is to help create space for teams to resolve issues on their own. The coach doesn't establish ground rules either. That is part of the team's work. A coach helps the team clarify what the values and norms are of the team, but the output must be owned by the team as a whole.

Conflict among the team will happen, but if a leader has created a culture of trust and respect, conflict can be healthy. If the leader has not created that environment, then conflict is detrimental. So, it's not about resolving the conflict, it's about creating the culture where they can do it the right way.

I'm not sure it is the coach's responsibility to resolve conflicts. However, as a coach, I support my clients to learn and practice ways in which to speak up and have their voices heard. It is for all of us to learn compassionate ways to communicate our needs and wants in the work space. A coach can help strengthen the individual's sense and awareness of self. Increase confidence, help support and facilitate more meaningful and open conversations within the team.

As well, through facilitating "De Ontwikkelcirkel" (the development circle), we favilitate teams to learn to cherish differences, address and benefit from conflicting ideas and beliefs. A key skill for teams to survive in the complexity of most organisations.

It seems to me that this is so true. Sometimes, people can't see what they are really good at, since those characteristics seem given, too natural to be noticed. A coach can help people recognize those unnoticed capabilities. Furthermore, diversity doesn't always mean a mix of differences. Even within one person, there are various aspects contributing to achievements, and a coach can identify that diversity within them. A coach can mirror how they realize achievements, especially focusing on their uniqueness in each.

Note that sometimes the biggest achievements can be subtle, especially if it's cultural shift towards more awareness. Leverage personal stories. Ask your team to highlight the major changes they've noticed within themselves because of diversity. What changes have come about since? What have they started doing? What have they stopped? Where have they learned to show compassion for others? What about themselves?

All too often we can be quick to move on, often we don not appreciate how much our individual contribution has made to the success of the team as a whole. Taking time to look back and see how far we have come, both from a personal and professional point of view can be inspirational.

Presença na ausência, já ouviu esta frase? O coach executivo é alguém capaz de orientar as pessoas de forma dedicada na direção certa, enfocando na percepção e no planejamento antes mesmo de agir. As vantagens disso são evidentes, uma vez que se consegue fazer mais com menos, otimizando recursos e minimizando o gasto de energia. Qual é o principal desafio? No Brasil, muitas vezes adotamos uma cultura de "apagar incêndios", em que pouca atenção é dada à prevenção. Às vezes, parece que a única maneira de ser um excelente coach executivo é realizando atos heroicos. O valor do coach executivo reside em sua capacidade de preveni-los. O principal desafio com sua equipe é: Presença na ausência!

High-Performing teams are built on foundational pillars of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. They foster open communication on the basis of trust! Most often, you will also notice that the members of such teams suspend bias and judgment to appreciate and incorporate different perspectives, resulting in more innovative solutions and better decision-making.

A coach can help the team to understand the necessity and benefit of diversity. There is a chinese saying of "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Development is a process of starting from a known point and going in steps to a desired point. The coach can assist the team in understanding the presence and finding the aim.

If using a coach to leverage team diversity, it is important that the coach does not represent the majority of the team in terms of demographic profile. When diversity is lacking, the lived experiences of the coach can help to shine a light on the blind spots that the team may not be aware of because of a lack of diversity.

Note: Only diversity is not enough. Diversity is only the first step. The next step is belonging. Belonging is the feeling that everyone in your team matters, that everyone in your team has a voice, that everyone in your team has a place. Belonging is the feeling that you are not alone, that you are part of something bigger than yourself, that you are valued for who you are. Teams also need inclusion, which means creating a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. Belonging is the responsibility of the leader.

An often overlooked quality for a leader is self-awareness. Without self-awareness a leader will find it difficult to build trust with any team, especially a diverse team. A coach can help a leader understand their blind spots and their baggage - both personal baggage and any dominant-culture identity baggage. Awareness of how they show up can help a leader to build trust through authenticity and self-management. This is especially important with a diverse team who will be accessing whether it is safe to be their authentic selves at work.

Executive coaches can play a crucial role in helping teams leverage diversity by fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment. They achieve this by focusing on developing leadership skills that promote inclusivity. Leaders who are aware of their own biases and committed to creating an inclusive culture can guide their teams in embracing diversity. Executive coaches contribute by assisting leaders in identifying and addressing any unconscious biases that may impact decision-making.

Encourage teams to embrace not just diverse backgrounds but also diverse thinking styles. Executive coaches can help teams recognize that diversity isn't just about appearances but also about the unique perspectives and experiences each team member brings to the table. Appreciate the value of different thinking styles, such as analytical, creative, and strategic methods. By recognizing and leveraging these cognitive differences, teams can harness the full potential of diversity to solve problems.