How do you develop a strong and diverse team culture in a start-up?

Intentionality. As founding executive director at The Garage at Northwestern, we knew we wanted to build a diverse community of student entrepreneurs. This meant bringing in diverse mentors and guest speakers. It also meant creating programs to attract underrepresented groups. For us this was women, Black students and lower income students. We built a program for each group with input from students with that identity. As a leader, you set the culture and often the culture is a reflection of you. So if you make diversity a priority, so will your org.

I would add that part of building a strong and diverse and engaged team culture is to clarify the PURPOSE, the WHY of the company. This helps align the people on the team with something bigger than them, the company purpose. Purpose, mission and values that are clearly articulated and embodied/modeled on a daily basis by everyone helps bring the culture in alignment with the purpose.

Also, you can establish inclusive policies & practices, beyond hiring practices. E.G. Offer flexible work arrangements to accommodate different needs, establish a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination or harassment, & create diverse & inclusive committees to drive decision-making processes.

I'll offer an alternative view to the content above. Startups are not the right place to establish clear organizational roles. Clear expectations and goals, yes. But in early stage startups, role definition can slow down progress rather than speeding it up. I'd counter that the team should starts with goal (derived from the mission), and leaders must communicate relentlessly about the results to be achieved and the values that should be maintained while achieving the goal. Then let the team work to define their own roles on each project. Step in if there are areas where lack of definition is causing interpersonal conflict. But outside of that, let the team work together without the constraining yoke of defined organizational roles.

At techstars (340 employees at the time I left), I had proposed to setup a rotating 15min stand-up with 5 VP level members (within 3min each) to share their wins, goals, blockers. There were 42 VPs at the time and having 2 standups a week enabled each person to have a standup once a month. A written summary would be shared on the slack channel. In a remote first culture sharing what people are working on for awareness is key in a company this size it's very doable.

Defer judgement - this simple rule will encourage collaboration and communication. Startups often have to brainstorm and ideate on the fly. Everyone may have to chip in with their thoughts to generate rapid solutions. In an environment like this, if people feel that their ideas are not heard or are held to lofty standards, they will limit their input. The best way to overcome that is to have idea-logging sessions where everyone contributes without filtering. Raw ideas are welcome. Later have a refining session where the path forward is chosen weighing pros and cons of each. Communicate to all why a particular path was chosen and what we expect. Listening to all contributions is the best way to increase communication and collaboration.

Ideally, rather than merely providing resources to the team members you provide an interactive, dynamic and asynchronous training platform where team members learn from each other, identify ways to demonstrate the learning in the team environment and share successes as well as what isn't working for a more open, curious and inclusive learning environment.

To be flexible, agile, resilient and innovative it is critical to provide Emotional Intelligence training for the team. You can't just say "Be more agile". There needs to be a path toward growing these skills with clear outcomes of what that looks like. As a new organization is growing and changing, clarity in communication is essential while also building team members' EQ skills.

All valid and insightful perspectives - thank you for sharing. From my perspective a start-up has one, initial, primary mission that precedes culture, diversity, and every other consideration: REVENUE. The vast majority of start-ups fail and the overwhelming cause is lack of revenue. What I want from the people involved with a start-up (leaders; employees; contractors; even customers) is a focused effort to generate revenue. I believe it was Mark Cuban who coined, "Sales cure all.". Thx, GAP

1. Start with MVVP (Mission Vision Values Purpose) 2. Align on Market, Customer, Capabilities, Strategy & Priorities 3. Design your Operating Model, Ways of Working and Structure with agility in mind 4. Give shape to your processes, technology and teams that enable your organization to get results 5. Assess often and adjust as needed, aligning each piece and part of the system as you go.

I've worked with over 100 startups in my two-plus decades in a finance & accounting role, and I have nine unicorns (over $1B valuation) under my belt. I helped one unicorn, Lime Bikes, get nearly half a billion in funding. So I've seen what works and what doesn't. I recently reviewed a book called Unicorn Tears that describes what it takes to not just succeed (92% of startups fail), but to become a unicorn. Here's my review: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/book-review-unicorn-tears-why-startups-fail-how-avoid-kimberly-lain I highly recommend it. Let me know if you have any questions. :-)

Lead by example: Your actions & behaviors set the tone for the team. Embody the values you want to promote & demonstrate inclusivity, open-mindedness,& fairness in your interactions w/team members. Provide equal opportunities for growth: Ensure that opportunities for growth & development are available to all. Offer training, mentorship programs, & resources that support individual career goals. Provide constructive feedback & recognize achievements to motivate & empower your team.

Lead by example: As a leader, my actions reflect the culture I wish to create. I have to show commitment to the values I preach. Invest in team building: Regular team building activities can strengthen bonds and boost morale. In my startups in India, we had frequent team outings and cultural celebrations. Provide growth opportunities: Encourage personal and professional development. When people feel they're growing, they're more likely to feel engaged and committed. Recognize and reward: Acknowledge team members' contributions. It motivates them and reinforces the behaviors you want to see.