You're leading a team with diverse work styles. How do you foster collaboration and understanding among them?

I do it by mapping individual work styles, Observing strengths, Sharing perspectives, Identifying common goals, and Sparking creative connections. By doing so, team members understand and appreciate their differences, leveraging their unique strengths to achieve shared objectives. This approach creates a vibrant, inclusive, and high-performing team culture."

At the outset we must change how we view situations. In complex situations I change my approach by setting aside my own opinion and stepping into the other person's perspective. If we do it right, we can empathize with anyone and start on a common ground. Thereby allowing everyone to share their thoughts openly without being afraid of being judged. That is when people open up and share ideas which may feel dumb in an environment where diversity is not embraced openly.

To foster collaboration and understanding in a team with diverse work styles, Here are some strategies to consider: Open Communication: Promote regular check-ins and open discussions to share ideas and challenges. Identify & leverage Strengths: Assign tasks based on each member's strengths and preferences. Promote Flexibility: Allow team members to approach tasks in ways that suit their work styles. Facilitate Team Building: Organize activities that build trust and mutual respect among team members Set Clear Goals: Ensure everyone understands the common objectives and how their roles contribute. This approach balances individual work styles with team goals, fostering a collaborative and more productive environment.

I have found that having a consistent methodology for mentoring, coaching and goal setting achieves a high level of performance and leads to the development of high performance teams.

Set expectations and step in to help when required as humans we all have reservations and limitations having someone watch out and offering to help sometimes gets things going.

Setting expectations is like giving a roadmap to your team—without it, everyone might end up in different places! As servant leaders, it’s our responsibility to make sure everyone knows where we’re headed and how to get there (Amos 3:3). Clearly outline roles, responsibilities, and goals, and don’t be afraid to revisit them. Just like Paul’s letters to the churches, clarity and repetition build unity. When everyone’s on the same page, misunderstandings fade, and accountability flourishes. Remember, setting expectations isn’t about being rigid—it’s about paving the way for success. Plus, it saves you from having to answer, “Are we there yet?” every five minutes!

Good communication is the bedrock of success in any teamwork. Clarity in objectives or goals imbues team members with the knowledge to align and function effectively in assigned roles or responsibilities. This is achievable through patterned communication like reports, meetings, seminars, workshops and conferences. There should be clarity in the work ethics built around mutual respect, flexibility in challenges, feedback, conflict management, accountability in human output and evaluation.All these are necessary for achieving successful goals.

When working with cross-functional teams, it's important to have a mutual understanding of the project objective, desired results, and each team member's responsibility. To do so, I undergo a RACI chart workshop session to ensure everyone is clear on who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. Which helps set a clear expectation.

La escucha activa es el punto de partida para fomentar el entendimiento entre los miembros del equipo, y conocer así sus puntos de vista, compartir los propios, analizar la complementariedad, la convergencia y divergencia, el grado de homogeneidad del conocimiento del equipo en aras de un propósito común…. Un círculo virtuoso que no tiene límites.

For collaboration among the team, the team needs to be able to communicate. Leaders should emulate clear and open communication and lead by example to encourage the team to do the same! That’s the beginning of collaboration!

Fostering communication is like keeping the lines open on a group road trip—everyone needs to know when to stop for gas and where the next destination is! As servant leaders, we’re called to be bridge-builders (Ephesians 4:29), ensuring that open dialogue flows freely among team members. Regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins are your pit stops, keeping everyone fueled and focused. Encourage active listening and constructive feedback—because it’s not just about talking, but truly hearing one another. When communication thrives, differences in work styles become opportunities for growth, not roadblocks.

As a servant leader, taking time to know and understand your team is crucial to any type of collaborative effort. Being able to find the strengths of each individual and have the team bring their strengths to the table while leaving egos at the door takes great communication skills.

Constant communication with the team and client is key. I use the following ceremonies and tools to aid frequent communication among stakeholders: -Daily standup: 15-30 minutes daily to discuss the team’s focus and blockers. -Backlog Refinement: Every 2-3 weeks for 1 hour to prioritize work. -Sprint Review: Every 2-3 weeks for 1 hour to share progress with clients and stakeholders. -Sprint Retrospective: Every 2-3 weeks for 1 hour to reflect on team effectiveness. -Quarterly Business Review: Quarterly health check to gather client feedback and plan for the future. -Status Update: Every 2 weeks with executive stakeholders to discuss budget, scope, time, and risks Tools to communicate. Jira, Confluence, Sharepoint, Slack, Teams, Zoom.

Building trust is like laying the bricks of a solid foundation—without it, everything else wobbles. As servant leaders, we model Christ’s example of entrusting His disciples with important tasks (Matthew 28:19-20). Show your team that you trust their abilities by delegating tasks with confidence and stepping back from the micromanaging urge—because no one likes a backseat driver! When team members know they’re trusted, they’re more motivated to own their work and contribute to the team. Transparency in decision-making reinforces fairness, making trust a two-way street. After all, trust isn’t just earned—it’s built, one brick at a time.

Lately I joined the New Team and in a private Conversation I faced a Situation where I was uncomfortable to answer. I could choose to lie Abt it, was almost intrigued but I choose to answer faithfully to start my new Work Relations trustfull and strong for a uncompromised Work Live Balance. It is worth it, try it u would be surprised how easy your Trust is build one you did.

Without the trust of your team, you're know different from a piece of paper blowing in the wind. You can end up anywhere. Building trust is imperative in order to be successful in a any collaborative event, and it starts with communication and understanding.

To foster collaboration among a team with diverse work styles, I would start by making sure everyone talks to each other a lot, so they know how everyone likes to work. I’d let people do things their own way as long as the job gets done, but make sure everyone knows what’s expected. I’d also try to help them learn from each other by sharing tips and tricks. We’d have some fun team activities to build trust, and I’d always remind them that we’re all working towards the same goal. It’s about balancing flexibility with clear communication.

Encouraging adaptability in teamwork is very paramount for psychological safety. The work environment should be a safe space for growing knowledge, encouraging flexibility and learning without stopping. Peaceful and supportive learning space encourages a collective mindset for growth if there is the culture of mutual respect. This creates a supportive culture that opens up exploration, new approaches and quests for solutions among team members. As a leader, I enjoy leading by example because actions speak louder in communication. I encourage new skills, enjoy feedback and adaptation to new trends.

My main goal within a team as a servant leader is to get them to a performing stage where I'm guiding from the side with minimal intervention. To get the teams to this stage, Tuckman models say the teams have to go through different stages of development which encourages adaptability. The first stage which is - Forming encourages socializing with the team. -Storming is where the team is resistant due to differences in opinions. -Norming is where the purpose and goals are understood within teams. -Performing is where the team has demonstrated interdependence and self-management. These stages of team development encourage adaptability and you can tell how well a mature team is from their mindset and their ability to adjust.

Encouraging adaptability is like teaching your team to be skilled acrobats—ready to leap, balance, and adjust with grace. As servant leaders, we know that life and work require flexibility, just as Paul became “all things to all people” to fulfill his mission (1 Corinthians 9:22). Promote a mindset of continuous learning and remind your team that adaptability isn’t a sign of weakness but of strength. It’s like upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone—it might be uncomfortable at first, but soon, you’re wondering how you lived without it! With flexibility, your team won’t just survive challenges—they’ll thrive through them, ready for whatever comes next.

Lastly, celebrating successes together is like adding the cherry on top of your team’s collaborative sundae! As servant leaders, we’re called to encourage and build one another up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Whether it’s a simple shout-out during a meeting or a more formal celebration, acknowledging both individual and team achievements is powerful. It’s like throwing a party where everyone gets a slice of the victory cake. Celebrating not only boosts morale but also highlights the beauty of diverse work styles coming together for a common goal. When everyone feels valued and appreciated, collaboration becomes second nature—because who doesn’t love to celebrate wins together?

All of the mentioned suggestions require you, as a leader, to embrace the belief that decision-making needs to be distributed and that intervention in team decisions leads to learned helplessness. Without this belief, I do not think the suggestions will enhance your team's self-organizational skills to their full potential.

Who doesn't want the Incentive to to the Islands, but neither the less start celebrating the small stuffs, enjoy the lunches and dinners, and your and your Teams Performance will significantly grow and rise, maybe to the Islands. Aloha

Celebrating the team's joint success not only improves team morale but showcases what we can achieve together as a team. I've always made sure to acknowledge my team's success making it known they did a great job by sending an email acknowledging the team's efforts bringing awareness to the C-suite executives of the team's hard work and dedication or making it known in our town hall meetings by giving a congratulatory shoutout.