Kaiser Permanente
National Diversity Conference
CULTURE CLASH:
EFFECTIVELY MANAGING
DIVERSE TEAMS
Anita Rowe, Ph.D.
Gardenswartz & Rowe
12658 W. Washington Blvd. Suite 105
Los Angeles, California 90066
310/823-2466 FAX 310/823-3923
www.gardenswartzrowe.com
HOW DIVERSE TEAMS BUILD
Task:
Product Focus
Process
Intervention
Shoulder
to Shoulder
Relationship:
Human-Dynamic Focus
Diverse Teams at Work, Lee Gardenswartz & Anita Rowe SHRM, 2003
DIVERSITY ON THE TEAM
1. Select two dimensions that have the biggest positive impact team relationships
and interactions. How do they play out on the team?
2. Select two dimensions that create barriers and exclusion?
3. Select the two dimensions around which it is easiest for you to connect with
others on the team. How does this influence your behavior and interactions at
work?
4. Select the two dimensions around which you feel the least comfortable with
coworkers or patients different from you. How does that influence your behavior
and interactions at work? What could you do to increase your comfort and
enhance your interactions with people in this group?
GETTING TO KNOW YOU AND ME
1. I was born in …
2. The most important teaching I got from my parents is …
3. What I like best about where I grew up is …
4. What I wish people understood about my culture is …
5. Things that bring me joy are …
6. I show stress by …
7. Some strengths I bring to this team are …
8. Some skills, talents or personality traits I’d like to develop are …
9. What I most need from other team members is …
10. What you can most expect to get from me is …
11. When we have problems, I wish we would …
12. My hero/heroine is …
because…
The Diversity Tool Kit, © Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe, Irwin Professional Publishing, 1994
DIVERSITY PROBLEM SOLVING
STEP I:
Identify the Problem from
Each Person’s Perspective
• What are the underlying assumptions made by each?
• How does each see the situation?
STEP II:
Determine Common Ground
• Where do both sides overlap?
• What goals do they share?
STEP III:
Find a Mutually Satisfying Solution
• What adaptations is each person will to make in
order to find a satisfactory alternative?
• What solution(s) would meet the needs of both?
Example 1
You manage a multicultural team of professionals who have a record of giving excellent
care. They serve a member population made up of a large percentage of elderly
patients. Some of these patients have refused to be treated by members of your staff
because of their ethnicity and or race. In fact, their comments are laced with stereotypes
and slurs. While you want to provide good care and know your staff will be rated by
patients on satisfaction surveys, you cannot condone this blatant prejudice and you
want to support your team members.
Example 2
You are a manager of a department t made up of two major groups, old timers and
newcomers. What makes it more complicated is that most of the old timers belong to
one ethnic group, while most of the newcomers belong to another. The staff has begun
to split into two distinct camps with complaints coming from both sides. The old timers
feel they are being pushed out, while the newcomers complain that they don’t get a fair
chance at promotions. This conflict is impacting teamwork and morale and you know
you need to address this problem.
Example 3
You manage a multicultural team. Everyone can speak English, yet members of one
subgroup often speak their native language with one another in front of others, staff and
patients, who do not understand. Some team members have complained that they feel
left out and wonder if they are being talked about. You notice tension building and team
members acting and more uncomfortable with each other and what’s worse, staff is
beginning to polarize around this issue and divide into warring camps.
ACTION STEPS FOR MANAGING DIVERSE TEAMS
Relationships

Start each team meeting with a personally relevant warm up.

Have celebrations for team members (e.g., birthdays) and team
accomplishments.

Have potlucks where team members can share their cultures through
food.

Show and discuss member feedback scores on a regular basis.

Share and discuss examples of cultural learnings regarding patient care
and service.

Spend time at team meetings focusing on problem solving culture clash
situations.
Task
Process Intervention

Spend time on team building at every team meeting, huddle and/or
report.

Take time to review the team’s accomplishments and needs periodically
at staff meetings.

Spend time at team meetings with cultural show and tell, giving team
members an opportunity to learn about cultural differences on the team
by sharing with and learning from each other.
Shoulder-to-Shoulder

Intentionally group staff across lines of difference for tasks.

Make sure task forces and project teams have diverse membership.

Send diverse pairs to conferences and learning experiences.