ABSTRACT
Management teams often discuss problems that involve different opinions, interests, and values, and it may be difficult to find and agree on the best solutions. After members have become familiar with each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are aware of the differences among them, the question for the team is how to interact in a way that turns these differences into an asset for the team, as opposed to a source of irritation and conflict. A possible solution to the challenge of capitalizing on the diversity of a management team is to create a climate for discussion characterized by high tolerance for the expression of differences of opinion. An alternative approach to capitalizing on the diversity in the management team is to balance clear and direct speech with curious exploration of each other’s views, perspectives, and reasoning when discussing controversial and complex issues.
