Consensus Building

Diversity within teams has several benefits, including increased creativity and the opportunity to incorporate broader perspectives and viewpoints, all of which lead to more informed decisions and improved results.

We are quick to perceive physical differences, such as race, ethnicity, and gender; however, so much more makes us unique, such as our lifestyle, education, values, cultural backgrounds, skills, experiences, and thoughts. As noted in the Harvard Business Review, "Nonhomogenous teams are simply smarter. Working with people who are different from you may challenge your brain to overcome its stale ways of thinking and sharpen its performance."

Explore these resources on diversity.

Leadership is the ability to guide others while setting the direction with end goals in mind. Some qualities of good leaders include awareness, honesty, and being a team player.

A true leader helps motivate and inspire others.

Explore these resources on leadership.

An important life skill, conflict resolution is agreeing to disagree. Through prioritizing what is most important, it is the art of coming to an agreement when one may not fully embrace the outcome.

Successful groups often take a proactive approach to conflict resolution, identifying the root causes of their differences and working to de-escalate conflict when it arises. Understanding that conflict is not a competition to be won at any cost, members embrace compromise and negotiation while not taking issues personally.

Explore these resources on conflict resolution.

Decision making is about gathering information. Within your group, it entails deciding how things will get done, responsibilities of each member, outcomes, and timelines. Decision making is also about cooperating within your group, making that commitment to be a fully engaged team member.

Explore these resources on decision making.