Introduction

We live in a world that is made up of different cultures, religious affiliation, personalities,

and genders and generations (age group); therefore, it would be impossible for everyone to act,
behave and think the same. It is essential for organizations to recognize and foster diversity and
inclusion.

In order to be effective as a group and work harmoniously to reach the common

goal, it is important that group members communicate. The lack of diversity within an
organization can make the work environment very challenging and create obstacles that prevent
group members from communicating effectively. There are quite a few benefits associated with
fostering diversity and inclusion in group setting. This paper will examine the advantages
associated with gender, generational and cultural diversity in groups such as increased
productivity, motivation, moral and better decision making.
Gender and diversity
There always seem to be a battle of the sexes between men and women in the workplace
where the communication style for men is to be aggressor and asserter, while the women are
more caring, nurturing and comforting. According to Tannen (1995), women are more likely to
be considered less confident, not heard in group conversations, and passed over for promotions
than men because of a difference in communication style (pg. 13). This type of attitude towards
women can cause communication apprehension. Communication apprehension is when group
members feel a certain fear or anxiety associated with communication with a person or persons
(Engleberg & Wynn, 2013, pg. 57). Although a woman may sometimes not be heard verbally,
there are many ways in which women contribute in the workplace. Women can use their
communication style as an advantage to build trust and long-term relationships, resolve conflicts
and make ethical decisions within groups.
One important element of communication is the ability to interact with group members
interpersonally. Interpersonal skills are needed inside and outside the workplace to build

relationships through communication and interaction. According to the PMI (2013), in order to
develop a project team, interpersonal skills are needed to communicate, resolving conflicts,
negotiate, motivate and influence, team building and group facilitating (pg. 275). Being a caring,
nurturing and comforting individual requires interpersonal skills. A group can definitely benefit
from both a man and a womans communicative style, especially when the group is diverse.
Women are often stereotyped because of their communicative style. According to Tannen
(1995), women are less likely to boast and more likely to downplay their certainty while men are
the opposite (pg. 7). It is time to focus on the talent, skills, education and knowledge of women
rather than who can talk the loudest. In order to achieve a high team performance and meet
objectives and goals, management has to avoid stereotypes. Stereotypes can bring down the
morale of the team and cause conflict among team members. Equality should be promoted and
emphasized among team members, or risk losing the best and talented employees to the
competitors.
Generation (age) and diversity
There are four generational dimensions to be aware of: Traditionalist, Baby Boomers,
Generation Xers and Millennials. The Traditionalists are born 1900 to 1945, Baby Boomers are
born 1946 to 1964, Generation Xers are born 165 to 1980 and Millennials are born 1981 to 1999
(Engleberg &Wynn, 2013, pg. 89 90). Generation is an important factor to consider when
developing a project team because of the diversity it brings According to Engleberg and Wynn
(2013), the Traditionalists are faithful to their institutions, Baby Boomers are familiar with the
political climate in the workplace, Generation Xers are technologically savvy and Millennials are
confident and have high self-esteem (pg. 89 90). Fostering generational diversity in groups is a
great way for group members to share information and learn from each other which can enhance
the dynamics of the group. Acquiring new knowledge and skills from group members can be

very rewarding and motivating, especially when that new acquired information is put to use
within the group.
A group with different generations brings experiences, different perspective, ideas and
information about a variety of issues. This enriches the groups knowledge base and allows the
group to make informed and better decisions as well as enhance problem solving skills
(Engleberg and Wynn, 2013, pg. 9). Generation diversity offers superior resources and learning
which will ultimately increase member satisfaction, productivity and performance. According to
Umlas (2006), acknowledgement builds intimacy and creates powerful interactions (pg. 31).
In a group setting where generational diversity exists, acknowledgement can go a long way.
Acknowledging group members for the resources provided to the group will motivate members
to want to share more knowledge, instead of hoarding knowledge. When groups are cohesive, it
increases the chances of achieving the common goal.
Culture and diversity
It is quite easy to misunderstand people when working in groups because of obstacles
such as ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination. It is important to respect
ones culture. One of the ways to respect a culture is by learning about the culture. According to
Engleberg and Wynn 2013), there are six cultural dimensions that can be utilized by group
members to adapt in a culturally diverse group: individualism-collectivism, power distance, and
masculine-feminine as well as high-context and low-context, and monochromic-polychronic time
(pg. 82). Cultural diversity is especially important to organizations that do business on a global
level; therefore; it is necessary to learn and adapt to cultural differences.
Learning and adapting to cultural differences is pivotal for management. According to
Engleberg and Wynn (2013), a successful multicultural leader has the ability to communicate,
interact, motivate and inspire group members of all race, gender, age, social attitudes and

lifestyles (pg. 118). Understanding and respecting the differences in group members can be very
rewarding for a person in a leadership role.
Working in a group where there is cultural diversity can be very challenging; however, by
creating a dynamic, cohesive and collaborative team culture, improving feelings of trust and
agreement, and improving knowledge and skills will increase performance and productivity,
raise morale, and lower conflict (PMI, 2013, pg. 274).
The values and ethical standards that many of us grew up learning are carried over into
our personal lives. Many of us were taught to do onto others as you would have them to do
unto you. By simply putting yourself in someone elses shoes, it is possible to treat them as you
would want to be treated. An important interpersonal skill that is often useful in understanding
people is emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence lets you put yourself in someone elses
shoes to empathize with that person. In addition, emotional intelligence allows you to control
your emotions so that you can efficiently make decisions and solve problems. Emotional
intelligence is a great communication tool to utilize when dealing with groups that differ
culturally.
Conclusion
We live in a very diverse world where we come in contact with people of different
cultures, generations, genders, personalities and religions. We must take the time to respect and
learn about the differences in people in order to avoid misunderstandings and confusion. When
working in groups, it is absolutely necessary to be mindful and thoughtful about that which is
different. Getting a handle on diversity can be very challenging; however, it is necessary.
Diversity increases team spirit and improves collaboration as well as build knowledge and skills

and improves performance and productivity. In addition, working together in a diverse

environment can motivate, inspire, and build trust among team members.

References
Engleberg, I. N., & Wynn, D. R. (2013). Working in groups. (6th ed.). Saddle River, NJ: Pearson
Education, Inc.
Project Management Institute. (2013). A guide to the project management body of knowledge
(PMBOK guide) (5th ed.). Newtown Square, Pa: Project Management Institute.
Umlas, J. N. (2009). The power of acknowledgement. New York, NY: IIL Learning.