What do you do if your leadership team lacks diverse perspectives and backgrounds?

While constructing a diverse team, it is essential to focus on more than just surface-level characteristics. Deep-level diversity of experience and perspective is where the real value lies. By exploring and bringing to the surface the diverse experiences and perspectives of your team, you can enhance performance and create a more inclusive environment for future team members. Remember, the value of diversity lies not in someone's census answers but in the unique perspective that their differences bring. Let's strive to create a workplace where everyone's voice is heard and valued.

To cultivate a diverse leadership team, start by identifying current gaps, such as a predominance of a specific demographic or a uniformity in professional backgrounds. An earnest evaluation will reveal the aspects of diversity that are absent. This insight serves as the groundwork for formulating a plan to address these discrepancies. Approach this task with openness and a genuine intent to implement substantial changes that enhance your team's diversity and, by extension, its overall effectiveness.

Organizational awareness of the gap is the absolute foundation to solving this issue. Especially amongst the leadership team itself. Any problem or issue can be solved if an organization has a clear set of values. It can help identify and adapt to any real time gap. Without values any amount of conventions and town halls don’t drive action. Inspirational leadership that is vulnerable, self aware and seeks active feedback from all stakeholders can make the necessary changes to rapidly augment the team with the right representation that mirrors society itself - an organization that is not inclusive and does not mirror society in its make up cannot succeed in serving its mission and customers!

Investment in training is very important for leadership teams. Currently there are consulting companies focused on excellence and opening new horizons with incredible results. It′s essential have a team leaders prepared for the many challenges because they will be faced with unexpected situations every day. An exercise that I apply very regularly to my leadership teams, these are internal sessions with me and the leaders where we share personal and professional experiences and explain how we deal with the each situation. It is also my procedure to carry out fictitious sessions with simulations to develop specific leadership skills, based on the profile of each leader and give feedback after with the main points to improve.

While we often focus on demographic groups when we think about constructing "diverse teams," there is so much more to diversity than surface demographic characteristics. The "deep-level" diversity of teams is where the value comes from, and sometimes it maps onto surface-level characteristics, but it doesn't always. Digging into a team's diversity of experience and perspective, and bringing that to the surface, can help improve performance now and set the stage to be more open to additional diverse members as you grow the team. This approach to diversity allows you to draw more value too -- the important part of someone being from a different demographic group isn't their census answers but the perspective that difference has given them.

Strategic reverse-mentorships can be really helpful in closing the gaps of diversity. This is a regular discussion where executives meet 1on1 to gather diverse perspectives to inform their decisions. The reason they are called reverse-mentorships is because the mentoring comes from people who are lower in the hierarchy of their business. This is a great strategy to employ regardless of the executive team because the further that leaders get from the front lines of their business, the less accurate information they have.

If you don't have it, you definitely need it & for that you have to something different, which you haven't so far. Which includes but not limited to listening to others & seeking inputs from team & other leaders. If you gather intelligence as to how others are doing it, you will be able to make those changes to have a diverse group yourself

Now, put yourself in the shoes of someone who feels ignored or pushed aside. Imagine how it feels to have great ideas but never get a chance to share them. It's frustrating and unfair. And it's not just about the individual—it's about what the whole team is missing out on because they're not listening to everyone.

As a leader of my organization, I ALSO like to ask my team for feedback of ME, and my co-founders! "We don't know what we don't know". Therefore, I love to seek input on what we cannot see, and I don't wait for someone to come to me with their concerns. My team typically has monthly 121s, where we meet individually on a personal level. It is during these private sessions that I ask them directly – "What are some of the blind spots you see in our leadership team?" or "How can we improve the diversity of thought and experience around here?" To me, these are valuable information that can help me chart a course for improvement.

Depois de identificar as lacunas em sua equipe de lideran?a, o próximo passo é buscar a contribui??o de várias partes interessadas. Isso inclui funcionários em diferentes níveis, clientes e até consultores externos. Seus insights podem ajudá-lo a entender o impacto de uma equipe de lideran?a n?o diversificada em sua organiza??o e orientá-lo sobre como atrair e reter talentos diversos. Ouvir é uma habilidade chave de lideran?a e, nesse contexto, permitirá que você reúna uma riqueza de perspectivas que podem informar suas iniciativas de diversidade.

Organizations can utilize inclusive hiring practices to increase diversity within the leadership team. It is crucial to obtain the support and commitment of the leadership team in order to effectively promote diversity within the leadership team. Next, thoroughly review and modify job descriptions and requirements to eliminate any biases and ensuring inclusivity. Organizations should also broaden their recruitment strategies to attract a more diverse range of candidates from various backgrounds. In addition, implementing blind resume screening and diverse interview panels can help minimize unconscious biases. Finally, providing diversity and inclusion training to all employees can cultivate a work environment that is more inclusive.

If your team is lacking people from diverse backgrounds and perspectives , try to recruit more people. People from different backgrounds, with different skills and different perspectives. Expand your professional network to get better members. A wide range network will help you find good members .

But there's hope. Imagine being brave enough to speak up and say, "We need to change." It's not easy, but it's necessary. Because when we embrace diversity, we're not just making our workplaces better—we're making the world better.

If my leadership team lacks diverse perspectives and backgrounds, I expand recruitment efforts to attract candidates from a broader range of backgrounds and experiences. I collaborate with HR to implement inclusive hiring practices and reach out to diverse networks and communities. By casting a wider net and actively seeking out candidates with diverse perspectives, we ensure that our leadership team reflects the diversity of our organization and the communities we serve. This proactive approach not only enriches our team but also strengthens our ability to connect with a wider range of stakeholders and drive innovation.

Beyond demographics, consider other dimensions of diversity, such as neurodiversity or age. Someone, who is on the spectrum or an individual shifting careers later in life can bring valuable perspectives to your leadership team.

Inclusivity says, even if they’re not 100% capacitated we will give them an opportunity. Inclusivity says we know they’re others more equipped but we will give these ones a chance. Inclusivity says, we have to create an environment that will accommodate the marginalised and the minority to have access to equal opportunities. It is a deliberate decision that perpetuates the inclusion of everyone without segregation and allowing women a place at the table and also recognizing that they may do it the way it has been done but perhaps they will be innovative enough to bring a new perspective…. I hope one day as leaders we can beat our chests and say, I am glad we have built an inclusive society that allows women and men to thrive together??

Don't think of fostering inclusion as something you do after you hire a diverse team. Inclusion must be an ongoing part of any culture, and candidates will shy away from non-inclusive working environments. Take a hard look at who gets listened to, who gets promoted, who gets stretch assignments, who gets sponsorship, who has time with the executives. Pay attention to how you run meetings. Are all voices truly welcome, or do a few voices dominate the conversations? Who gets ignored? Who gets interrupted? Whose ideas are ignored until someone with more power shares the idea? Think about how you accommodate different communication styles. Let people share ideas in writing, asynchronously, not only in meetings.

A lot can be said here, but leaders need to keep it real. Let’s face it, if your leadership team lacks diverse perspectives, it’s because they don’t value them. That’s quite likely because they don’t believe you truly value it. It starts at the top and you can’t fake it. Fostering it? Here’s an idea: promote people who are known to make environments inclusive. Beware managers who are surrounded by a lack of diversity and loyalists. Is your environment inclusive? Do your teams: -feel valued? -enjoy a genuine sense of belonging? -bring their whole selves to work? (This means women should not feel the need to act like men, LGBT colleagues not act straight, mothers not pretend they don’t have kids…) -speak up without fear of reprisal?

As someone who has teammates from different countries, I truly appreciate the importance of INCLUSION. I know that if voices aren't being heard and valued, conflicts WILL arise. To promote inclusion, I make sure everyone in the team feels comfortable speaking up in meetings, regardless of their seniority or background. Furthermore, I recognize and appreciate the unique experiences and contributions that each team member brings to the table.

Picture a future where every leader, no matter who they are, feels welcomed and respected. Imagine how that would change things for the better, not just at work but everywhere. That's the kind of world we should strive for—one where everyone's voice is heard and everyone feels like they belong.

If you don't want to have to replace your team but you are still missing diversity - you can assign one person in every meeting to play devil's advocate or to advocate for one niche stakeholder. Like your customers or your staff. Sometimes you will need to pick the person who is the most outspoken, and the person who is always game for a challenge. If you have NO people like that... woof. Time to do some replacements..

Provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training and resources to help your leadership team understand unconscious biases and foster a more inclusive work environment.

Leaders should review individual development plans (IDP) holistically and with each individual regularly. Leaders can then identify development opportunities that span their team and can identify an approach for the team to learn together, i.e. attending a conference or hosting a workshop. At the same time leaders should be meeting with individuals to discuss their IDPs. Conversations around future goals - professionally and personally, and the learning and experiences needed can help guide individuals to the best approach for achieving their development goals. Leaders should be aware of the company resources and should coach individuals but avoid transferring their beliefs/plans onto the individual.

Consider enabling the opportunity for your leadership team to directly engage in an in-formal setting with the leadership team of one of your partners or customers. Your team members can benefit from the interaction in a trusted environment with peers outside of your leadership team. Ideally the leadership team of your partner or customer will be diverse. This approach can be used ongoing with different partner and customer leadership teams, to gain the benefit of diversity as you go through the building process to bring more diversity into your own leadership team.

If my leadership team lacks diverse perspectives and backgrounds, I prioritize encouraging development to broaden our team's skill set and perspectives. I support ongoing learning and professional growth opportunities that expose team members to new ideas and experiences. By investing in training programs, mentorship, and networking opportunities, we empower individuals to expand their horizons and bring fresh insights to our leadership discussions. This proactive approach not only enhances the diversity of thought within our team but also cultivates a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

One practical approach to fostering diversity is implementing blind recruitment processes. This involves removing identifying information such as names, genders, or ethnicities from job applications and resumes before they are reviewed by hiring managers. By focusing solely on candidates' qualifications and experience, you can minimize unconscious bias and ensure that individuals are selected based on merit. For instance, in my previous role, we adopted blind recruitment for entry-level positions, resulting in a more diverse pool of candidates being considered for advancement opportunities.

If my leadership team lacks diverse perspectives and backgrounds, I prioritize measuring progress towards diversity and inclusion goals. I establish key metrics to track our efforts, such as the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership positions and employee satisfaction surveys regarding inclusivity. Regularly reviewing these metrics allows us to assess our progress, identify areas for improvement, and celebrate successes. By holding ourselves accountable and transparently communicating our progress, we demonstrate our commitment to fostering a more diverse and inclusive leadership team.

Definitivamente, medir o progresso em dire??o à constru??o de uma equipe de lideran?a diversificada é essencial. Estabelecer metas e métricas claras para acompanhar as melhorias em diversidade e inclus?o dentro da organiza??o é fundamental. A análise regular dessas métricas permite avaliar a eficácia das iniciativas e identificar áreas que precisam de ajustes. é importante lembrar que construir uma equipe de lideran?a diversificada é um processo contínuo que demanda comprometimento e esfor?o constante. A avalia??o constante do progresso é crucial para garantir que a organiza??o esteja avan?ando na dire??o certa em termos de diversidade e inclus?o.

A couple of years ago, during a pitch meeting with an agency, a senior leader had said something on the lines of: “we have xyz on the team now as she is a woman, see we believe in diversity!” I was gobsmacked! There is a huge gap in understanding what diversity, equity and inclusion means for so many organisations especially in India, let alone them adhering to such needs. Diversity in teams means inclusive work culture, encouraging different perspectives from people across backgrounds, cultures, race, age, gender identities and orientations, among others. Hire and advise hiring decision-makers and leaders who encourage and foster inclusive work ethics and environment without pre-existing biases. Foster accountability and transparency.

Es muy importante tener conciencia de la etapa en que se encuentra el grupo humano y eso conlleva a aceptar la necesidad de formación de las personas, en base a eso se puede co-crear múltiples acciones de desarrollo: - Programa de mentores: para promover la inclusión y capacitación del equipo. - Worshops: programa de trabajo colaborativo con un objetivo en común, etc

Pair senior leaders with employees from diverse backgrounds to stimulate mutual learning, break down barriers, and enrich the leadership team with diverse viewpoints. Additionally, demystifying uncomfortable conversations through open dialogue, guidance, and reinforcing their value will help you promote growth and understanding within the team.

This is a very sensitive subject. There can be historical biases and unconscious bias too. Diversity is vital to the health of any company but diverse hires for the sake of box checking doesn’t do anyone any favours either. The best thing to do is start with an HR expert either in the company or outsource.

When addressing a lack of diversity in leadership, consider mentorship programs that pair leaders with diverse employees to gain fresh perspectives. Invest in training that challenges unconscious biases and fosters cross-cultural competencies. Promote a culture where different viewpoints are not just accepted but celebrated. Explore partnerships with diverse professional organizations to broaden your network. Remember, diversity isn’t just a metric to reach—it’s a continuous commitment to enriching your organization’s understanding and innovation.