Diversity in change - alternative perspectives on criteria for success webinar, 14th April 2016 Thursday 14th April 2016 Presented by Sarah Coleman and Kent Thomson

1. Diversity in Change - alternative
perspectives on criteria for success
Webinar
Thursday 14th April 2016
Sarah Coleman and Kent Thomson
Enabling Change SIG and
Women in Project
Management SIG

2. Women in Project Management SIG
Diversity in Change: Alternative
perspectives on criteria for success
SIG Introduction by Teri Okoro
Director TOCA, Chair APM WIPM SIG
14 April 2016
Joint webinar with the APM Enabling Change SIG

3. WIPM SIG - Overview
WIPM addresses the development and
promotion of women working in project
management environments and works to
maximise the availability of expertise in
the project management profession.
…….actively promote investment in
gender diversity …so… all project
managers have potential to develop a
highly rewarding career,
…….supporting both men and women to
maintain a balance …….. whilst striving
to retain their own identity.
• Developing a powerful
profile
• Promoting a no barriers
culture
• Engaging & responding
• Collaboration
Events
National WIPM Conference
29 September 2016
London + regional events
31 June 2016
Joint events & webinars
Strategy
Resources
Video + factsheets
@apmwipmsig
APM Women in Project
Management SIG email: wipmsig@apm.org.uk

4. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 4
Diversity in P3CM
Sarah Coleman
Fellow & Former Non-Executive Director, APM
Director, Business Evolution Ltd
Author “Project Leadership” (Gower, 2015)

5. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 5

6. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 6
diversity is …..
…. difference, variety, multiformity, experiences,
perspectives, “nature” as well as “nurture”
“…. against everything that makes for a
monotonous and puerile world”
Amin Maalouf “On identity” (2000)

7. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 7

8. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 8
dimensions of diversity …..
Source: IBM Institute for Business Value
• Gender
• Race, ethnicity, family of origin
• Age, generation, seniority
• Size/body type/physical traits
• Geography/home address
• Health status/ (dis)ability
• Voice and accent
• Religious/spiritual practices
• Sexual orientation
• Social class
• Political beliefs
• Educational background
• Professional & life experience
• Psychometric preferences.
Source: Guardian 8 March 2016
Visible & obvious
Less visible & less obvious

9. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 9
poll …..
Question: Which of the following statements applies to you the
strongest? (tick only one)
• Working on a project I seek out different ideas & opinions
• I know what I want so don’t look for other perspectives
• Whenever possible I try to work with other people
• I avoid generalizing behaviours or attitudes of others
• I view those who aren’t like me as a source of learning

10. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 10
diversity makes for good business in a VUCA
world …..
• Reflects client/customer base
• Diverse boards, teams, make better decisions
• War for talent
• Benefits of group problem solving:
o variety of perspectives
o more information about possible alternatives
o better decision reliability
o dampening of unconscious biases
o social presence effects.

11. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 11
value of diversity in P3CM …..
• Moving from tolerance to embracing differences:
moving from an individual focus to high-performing
teams
• Understanding of how strengths, experience, skills
and behaviours can be used to the benefit of the
team and the project/programme/portfolio/change
• Better decision-making, working behaviours:
– Avoid group think, confirmation bias and getting stuck on
“admiring the problem”: increases independent, critical thinking
– Different perspectives provides more choices
– Breaking down barriers between “in-groups” and “out-groups”
– Breaking down mental models, decreasing unconscious bias
and/or (perceived) favouritism, leading to better working
relationships
• Increased understanding of key stakeholder
perspectives: client, sponsor, etc.
Question: what other value do you see in diversity?

12. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 12
“….. we tend to be intuitive and instinctive when making our
judgements on who to trust and who we respect. Those judgements
are often grounded in what we consider to be familiar and safe from
our perspective. ”
Lucy Marcus
Professor of Leadership and Governance at IE
Business School

13. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 13
neurology for intuition and
instinct …..
Source: www.chimpmanagement.com
System 1: Fast, automatic, frequent,
emotional, stereotypic, subconscious
System 2: Slow, effortful, infrequent,
logical, calculating, conscious

14. © 2016 www.businessevolution.co All rights reserved Helping organizations improve performance Slide: 14
Thank you. Questions? Contact
Sarah Coleman
Business Evolution
+44 (0)7999 879870
sarah.coleman@businessevolution.co
www.businessevolution.co
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sjcoleman
@business_evolve

15. Collaborating about change
Elisabeth Goodman
Enabling Change SIG
‘Improving the change
capability of
organisations, teams
and individuals’

16.  Each other
 Events
 Micro-site
(e.g. Methods & Standards)
 Newsletter
 Spark Collaboration
 Contact us!
elisabeth@riverrhee.com
The resources available to help
our 350+ members build their
change capability
16

17. Working Across Cultures
 Diversity in Change - alternative perspectives on criteria for successWebinar

18. My rude
awakening
Working Across Cultures

19. Poll: in our culture how important is it to:
“Read between the lines” for what is not said but meant?
Provide feedback directly and overtly, even developmental
(negative) feedback?
(1-5 where 1 is not important, 5 is extremely important)

20. Reading between the lines

21. Mr. Smith: It looks like we’re going to have to keep the office
open on Saturday.
Mr. Liu: I see.
Mr. Smith: Can you come in on Saturday?
Mr. Liu: Yes. I think so. (with a hesitant tone)
Mr. Smith: That’ll be a big help.
Mr. Liu: Yes. Saturday’s a special day, did you know?
Mr. Smith: Is it?
Mr. Liu: It’s my daughter’s birthday.
Mr. Smith: Oh that’s great! I hope you all enjoy it.
Mr. Liu: Thank you. I appreciate your understanding.
From alearningculture blog
Mr Liu works a Saturday?

22. Poll:What will the employee do now?
Take the day off?
Come in on the Sunday?

23. Reading
between
the lines
- Who
are they?
What they say What they mean What we understand

24. Understanding someone
else’s rules

25. Getting to “Yes” in Japan
Harmony

26. The feedback
sandwich
English and
French

27. But how do you do it?
Create
Rapport, gain
trust
Use all your
senses to see
what’s between
the lines
Focus on your
common
outcomes
Be flexible in your
behaviour and
language

28. Multi national teams - Example Ground Rules
Pause before speaking to allow others to speak
Hold important meetings Monday to Thursday
Be gentle in giving feedback
Give time to reflect before making important decisions
Take time to comment explicitly on our manners.
Titles and position DO matter.
Spend time checking what we mean by each others language.
Pay attention to my non verbal “language”
Yes but how do you do it?

29. Questions and Answers

30. This presentation was delivered
at an APM webinar
To find out more about
upcoming webinars and events
please visit our website
www.apm.org.uk/events