Chapter 9: Diverse Teams

What is diversity? - social categorizations -perspective and style -power

-dividing people into social categories that people view as relevant -different perspectives that team members bring to the group -dynamics and barriers that result form the power structure

Advantages of diverse teams

1. effectiveness on tasks 2.effectiveness on creative and judgemental decision making 3. diverse external networks 4. enhanced learning 5. continuous improvement

structural barriers

artificial barriers to advancement that affect some groups in the organization more than others

The diversity dilemma

greater risk of dysfunctional dynamics including cultural ignorance and bias, marginalization, inability of team members to identify with the team

disadvantages of diverse teams

more stress reduced group cohesion more difficulty coordinating misperceptions about teams performance

similarity attraction

people tend to like people who are more similar to them