There is a human tendency to surround ourselves with people who are just like us. We like being friends with people who are similar to us. Even though we claim “opposites attract,” those people generally aren’t polar opposites–they’re slightly different. So when we’re building teams, we have a tendency to build teams who are like us. The last thing a quiet, demure, introverted personality wants is to work with the loud, aggressive and socially demanding type A people. But that can cause a problem.
The secret to building great teams is diversity. As individuals, we can’t be well rounded. We can’t be good at everything. Teams are made for that. Great leaders of companies, countries, armies, churches… even of self, surround themselves with diverse people that fill in the gaps where they’re lacking and provide the skills and insight they might be missing. Weak leaders of self and others are afraid of conflict and of being challenged, so they’ll ignore and distance themselves from diversity. Strong leaders seek that out because they know they’ll be better for it. Jim Rohn is famous for noting that “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This applies to your team and your personal life!
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Great leaders create a culture in which people feel safe and courageous enough to speak their mind, express their ideas, and take a risk. As the “H” of Human Strategies™ (five core principals of effective leadership, communication and decision making) states: Most people don’t need to be right. Most people just want to be heard. Can you surround yourself with people who are willing to speak, even if they disagree with you, so that you can get the full picture, the bigger picture, and make powerful, empowered, informed, and creative decisions?
