Maya sits in her office, tapping her pen against the wooden surface of her desk—a nervous habit she has never quite been able to kick. She will soon be scheduling one-on-ones for her team, and as their manager, she wants to encourage each of them to be more open about their uniqueness and the strengths brought about by their individuality. After all, Maya is well aware of the competitive advantage that embracing diversity provides, even during economic downturns. Her current trouble?
She simply doesn’t know how to encourage her team members. What can she say to get through to them that she values their individuality?
Today, I will walk through five tips managers can consider when seeking to motivate their teams to embrace their unique selves and challenge conformity, be it during a one-on-one or even a group meeting! Are we ready to begin?
1. Emphasize the Value of Individuality
If we seek to encourage our team members to challenge conformity, the first step is to establish the inherent value that their individuality brings to the table. By doing so, we demonstrate that conformity is a hindrance both to workplace productivity and to mental well-being. Consider the following simple but powerful means of emphasis:
“Your unique perspectives and ideas are invaluable to our team. Embrace your differences—don’t leave them at the door!”
“I appreciate the unique strengths and qualities that each of you brings to the table. Let’s leverage the advantage of your individuality to achieve our goals as a team.”
“Your diverse backgrounds and experiences are an asset to our team! The more you share your unique insights, the more we can learn from each other.”
“Remember, different is not just ‘okay’—different is great. Your differences make you stand out and bring fresh perspectives to our projects.”
Inspiring, if you ask me!
2. Encourage the Application of Difference
Once the value of individuality is established, it is crucial to emphasize how that value can be applied in the workplace. Simply put, we should encourage our teams to let their diversity and individuality stand out in their work! We can remind them not to hesitate to offer suggestions or to complete their tasks in a way that feels most comfortable and efficient for them as individuals. Specifically, we might say the following:
“Your differences are not something to be hidden or changed. Embrace them wholeheartedly and let them shine in your work!”
Delightfully straightforward, right?
3. Highlight Opportunities for New Approaches
Beyond simply encouraging the expression of diversity in our team’s work, managers can also remind their teams to embrace out-of-the-box approaches! Individuality brings about new ideas, new paths, and overall broadens the scope of possibility for getting assignments done. The importance of this innovation can be emphasized through the following:
“I encourage all of us to challenge the status quo and think outside the box. Your diversity and individuality give us a competitive edge in finding innovative solutions.”
“Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new approaches! Your uniqueness gives you the freedom to explore uncharted territories and discover new possibilities.”
Individuality leads to innovation leads to success—a highly motivating chain.
4. Create an Inclusive Environment
While it is crucial to state the value of individuality, it is also imperative that we create an environment where team members feel comfortable and confident expressing their differences. In other words, managers should embrace inclusivity and seek to make their workplace one where individuality is the default. How can we do so? I offer the following verbal affirmations to share with our teams:
“I want to create a safe and inclusive environment where everyone feels comfortable expressing their ideas. Your diversity and unique perspectives are inherently valuable contributions to our team.”
“I celebrate your individuality and want you to feel empowered to be your true selves as a part of my team. Let’s create an environment where we can all thrive and embrace our differences!”
To challenge conformity, we must first create a welcoming environment, one where our team members see that the status quo is made to be challenged.
5. Emphasize the Value of Collaboration
The crucial next step to embracing our differences is to put our individuality side by side and utilize it as a team. After all, the value of our uniqueness is best seen through collaboration! Working together allows us not just to combine our strengths but to receive support from others where we may be lacking. “Teamwork makes the dream work” might be an amusing phrase from our childhood, but I believe managers can communicate the core of this message to their team through the following:
“I encourage us to collaborate and learn from one another. By combining our individuality and unique advantages, I am confident that we will achieve great things as a team!”
It may be a cliché, but I believe we are never stronger than when we work together.
To conclude: expressing these sentiments to their teams will allow managers to foster an inclusive, supportive workplace environment that encourages everyone to embrace their individuality and intentionally apply their differences to their work. After all, if managers give their teams permission to tap into their uniqueness, they will find an increase in creative thinking and in the achievement of exceptional results!
Dima Ghawi is the founder of a global talent development company with a primary mission for advancing individuals in leadership. Through keynote speeches, training programs and executive coaching, Dima has empowered thousands of professionals across the globe to expand their leadership potential. In addition, she provides guidance to business executives to develop diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and to implement a multi-year plan for advancing quality leaders from within the organization. Reach her at DimaGhawi.com and BreakingVases.com.
