Map and Manage the Impact of Diversity

There is a straightforward process a team can use to look at the way differences impact their ability to deliver results. The work is all about understanding:

1. Which differences (kinds of diversity) are relevant to what they are trying to achieve and
2. The impact on performance of the differences concerned - both desired and actual.

When the mapping is complete it creates the opportunity to manage diversity in a way which can most help the team succeed.

If we use an R&D team as a working example, what would we actually do?

1. Define the real Success Factors for the team
This helps ground the diversity thinking in the everyday needs of the team. Most of the success factors will have real implications for including and managing diversity.

2. Relate Success Factors to Diversity needed in the team
For an R&D team, having many different options to get to a solution is probably important. So the team should be familiar with different experimental methods, have wide knowledge of solutions to similar problems, have broad external connections and diverse problem solving approaches. For each success factor - we can identify what kinds of diversity should really make a difference.

3. Understand other Important Differences in the team

There will be other differences in the team which may not be relevant to the task but can still impact performance. An example might be age, nationality, physical ability. It’s helpful to know what these are.

4. Map out Relevance and Impact

Use a simple tool like this to build a picture of the way diversity plays out in the team.


Make a map of what it would look like in the ideal case and then one which is an honest picture of the current state. Involve the team (and other people if appropriate) to build the picture. Overlaying the two will identify opportunities for action to improve the team’s performance.

At worst, those differences with low task relevance should have a neutral impact on performance. Those differences with high task relevance should be managed in a way that they have a positive impact on performance.

5. Highlight Opportunities and Make Improvements

An open appraisal of what is wanted versus current reality should identify the key issues needing to be addressed. Take the example below. Here are two instances with major differences between needed (in green) and actual (in red).

With this kind of “mapping” done - a team can begin to look at ways to improve performance. It may be through building greater diversity of some kind or breaking down barriers which some differences are creating.

Diversity is not a black box. If we use some simple tools and open minds it’s possible to work out how it operates in our teams.

Want help in using this kind of approach to understanding the impact of diversity? Contact me here.