Acknowledge your differences.
I recently had an opportunity to speak at the 2017 National Diversity Conference, where I shared some of the ways I've learned to embrace my differences in a diverse workplace and community.
In my presentation, I emphasized the importance of acknowledging our differences so we can work together as a community. We all bring different skills, knowledge, experiences, and perspectives to the table.
STEP 1: Acknowledge Your Differences
The first step is to acknowledge how your differences benefit you and the company. For example, if you're a sales person, you may have a lot more experience selling to large corporations, while others in the room might have a lot more experience working with small businesses.
This diversity can help you understand your client's problems and their needs better. You'll also have a richer pool of resources to tap into.
STEP 2: Get Together to Discuss
Once you acknowledge your differences, take the next step by bringing your team together to discuss how you can work together effectively. This is especially important for teams that are geographically distributed. You might have a marketing person in San Francisco, a development person in Boston, and a customer support person in New York. Even though these people may share some similarities in their roles, their knowledge and skill sets are likely very different.
When you bring these individuals together, you're able to gain a deeper understanding of how the team works together, and you can learn from each other. This is why it's crucial to acknowledge your differences.
STEP 3: Create an Effective Team
After getting together to talk about how to best work together, make sure you've created an effective team. Make sure you have a shared understanding of the company's goals and vision, and you're committed to a common set of values.
The benefits of working as a team are clear. You will all be able to offer a wider range of skills and experiences. You will also have more ideas and perspectives. It's important to recognize the value of working as a team, because it's the foundation for building a strong community.