On Belonging - TD#127

You should never assume intention when looking at people's behavior. If you notice something off, you better address it early on.

In 2011, I worked as a marketing manager. The company's top executives invited me to an offsite meeting, so I went.

At the meeting, we discussed new strategies to increase the company's profits in the future. As a new executive, I felt hesitant to voice my thoughts.

My direct manager, the CMO, and the CEO were in the room. Their presence made me more careful about speaking up, as I was highly conscious of the hierarchy.

Later in the week, the company's top executives gave me harsh feedback. They believed I wasn't fully contributing to the success of the meetings, while I was under the impression that speaking up would be perceived as a lack of respect towards the top managers.

In my career, I've faced many instances where cultural differences led to conflicts.

As a manager, I learned you should never assume intention when looking at people's behavior. If you notice something off, you better address it early on.

I needed to speak up and offer my best contributions. However, my manager should have identified the cultural differences. He should have adjusted the mismatched expectations during the meeting, not after it.

On April 4th, 2024, I'll join a live event. Maria Glazunova and I will be on Linkedin Live. We will discuss a specific topic: “Tactics to enhance team participation beyond language.”

People often fail to contribute fully to their team's efforts. Most times, this isn't about language.

Are you a team manager? Do you oversee a project? Or lead a company? Don't let this chance slip by. You'll definitely find something of interest.

Additional Resources

Tracking Compensation and Promotion Inequity

Plenty of tech companies are attempting to diversify their pipeline of candidates. However, an organization won’t succeed in recruiting more diverse employees unless its leaders know its existing internal inclusion and equity issues. Unless leadership has already started tackling these issues, these new hires will likely enter an environment they won’t want to stay in for long.

This is a great article, you should not miss.

On Using Pronouns

I am a white/cis/male. I grew up in Italy during the ‘80s and ’90s. No one ever questioned my identity; I never felt unheard, and before my 30s, no one ever took the time to introduce me to the concept of privilege.

Adding your pronouns to the signatures of your emails, online profiles, and business cards is not the definitive solution for inclusion. Still, it signals respect, dignity, and alliance toward those who have to fight for their existence.

If you want to understand more, check out my essay on the importance of using pronouns.

Unraveling the Effects of Cultural Diversity in Teams

This comprehensive study focuses on diversity in the workplace, and it demands careful attention. Essentially, it shows that diversity significantly enhances our workplaces.

Diversity has a significant benefit. However, it also introduces conflict. Organizations that can solve this conflict become more creative, resilient, and productive.

Take your time and read it thoroughly. It's absolutely worth it.

Better Decisions Through Diversity

In diverse settings, people tend to view conversations as a potential source of conflict that can breed negative emotions, and it is these emotions that can blind people to diversity’s upsides: new ideas can emerge, individuals can learn from one another, and they may discover the solution to a problem in the process.

Homogeneous groups, on the other hand, were more confident in their decisions, even though they were more often wrong in their conclusions.

Don't miss this great article about the importance of diversity when making decisions.