Highly diverse teams do not guarantee better performance.
In fact, research shows that low-diverse teams, on average, outperform high-diverse teams.
The real kicker? Some high-diverse teams achieve remarkable performance--way beyond a low-diverse team's wildest dreams.
The potential of a high-diverse team can only be leveraged when leaders focus on creating an environment where employees feel at ease to speak up and share their unique expertise--known as psychological safety. Without felt permission for candor, high-diverse teams have zero competitive advantage.
High diversity + high psychological safety = more relevant insights for better decision-making and execution.
If your organization is increasing diversity in the workplace, then ask yourself: do we have the leadership skills to create an environment where diversity can thrive?
Source:
Bresman, H. & Edmondson, A. C. (2022). To excel, diverse teams need psychological safety. Harvard Business Review.