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The 2020 pandemic has brought lots of changes, including remote work. I see many interesting opportunities for social leaders in this new era. One of them is the chance to use remote work to add diversity to their team. You can now collaborate just as easily with someone who lives halfway around the world. This is the moment to include people who live far away or could not attend meetings before because of work and home commitments. So, let’s explore the possibilities.

Diversity Expands Your Capacity for Innovation

I call this the “Mickey Ears Rule”. Why? Here’s a screenshot of a course I recently took. HBS Professor Frances Frei was explaining the benefits of inclusion.

In her sample 3-person team, the black space represents capacity and perspective. Who has the greatest capacity? Inclusive, authentically diverse teams. Thus, the “Mickey Ears Rule”!

Analyze Your Blind Spots

What type of diversity are you missing? Take stock of your team. Look at all areas of your organization. Here are some possible dimensions to consider:

Age

Genders

Ethnicity

Sexual orientation

Functional and cognitive diversity

Socioeconomic status

Education

Stakeholder groups

Experience

Expertise

Geography

Have Inclusive Remote Meetings

It used to be hard to convince people to have meetings online. Now, they have no choice. Therefore, it doesn’t matter if people live next door or a 2,000 miles away. What a wonderful opportunity to shake things up! Still, make sure you really include your new team members. They need to feel cherished. So, nurture belonging by giving everyone the space to speak. Celebrate dissident voices. Ask your team to consider various viewpoints. Also, keep old inside jokes to a minimum. You may want to check in with people individually to see how they are adjusting.

Remember…

As with any new team member, I recommend “dating before marriage“. Get to know them in a lower stake project to see if they are a cultural fit. The goal is to have people with many “different minds, but the same heart”.

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