Available research evidence demonstrates that one of the critical challenges that leaders face today is how to deal with the very powerful and emotional issue of diversity, particularly in the context of how it can be used not only as a critical component to the long-term organisational success, but also as a strategic lever that propels innovative ideas and solutions across the organisation (McCuiston, Wooldridge, & Pierce, 2004; Visagie, Linde, & Havenga, 2011).
Globalization coupled with an increasingly diverse demographics in most countries are forcing leaders to nurture certain personal traits, behaviours, skills, values, and knowledge perceived to be of importance in diverse or multicultural work environments (McCuiston et al., 2004). This section illuminates some of the most important diversity competencies for leaders.
As acknowledged by Visagie and Linde (2010), “managing diversity incorporates planning, organising, and leading of individuals with differences or diversity in the workplace, to achieve the strategic goal of the organisation” (p. 390). Drawing from this definition, cultural empathy ranks as one of the most important diversity competencies for leaders charged with the responsibility of leading or managing multicultural work environments.
This diversity competency demands that a leader should not only demonstrate cultural awareness and cultural understanding while dealing with people/employees of diverse backgrounds, but must also treat them as individuals, respect their values, and demonstrate an adequate understanding of their diverse cultural perspectives (Visagie et al., 2011).
As demonstrated in the diversity and leadership scholarship, communication competence, creation of resonance, and emotional stability are key diversity competencies for leaders in situations whereby the conditions for multicultural or multi-dimensional dynamics are presented (Visagie & Linde, 2010; Visagie et al., 2011).
Communication competence deals with issues of listening to people/employees, exercising an open-door policy, communicating with a clear expression, and having knowledge of other languages as well as non-verbal nuances used by employees within the organisational context. Leaders must also have the capacity to create resonance, significance or meaning in their interactions with people/employees of diverse backgrounds, not mentioning that they must demonstrate emotional intelligence and stability.
In their empirical study, Visagie and Linde (2010) found that “managing diversity requires business leaders to adopt an approach to diversity management that is sensitive not only to race and ethnic differences, but also to the background and values of all individuals at work” (p. 381). In addition to being sensitive, leaders of diversity groups or work environments must have the capacity to constructively deal with conflict and display critical interactive and motivation competencies geared toward effectively managing a diverse workforce.
Within this framework of diversity competencies, leaders in multicultural settings must demonstrate high and balanced conflict resolution skills, tolerance for ambiguity, capability to empathise with individuals, capability to collect and use appropriate information, collaboration skills, and willingness to change one’s own perspectives about diversity (Visagie et al 2011).
Owing to the fact that diversity drives creativity and performance in organisations, it is of immense importance for leaders to maintain an open approach while at the same time demonstrating the ability to identify diversity-related issues and understand related tensions that could undermine individual or team creativity and performance (McCuiston et al., 2004).
Other diversity competencies for leaders, according to Visagie et al (2011), include capability to express respect and appreciation, openness to learning about other individuals who are different, capability to educate others on how to build and nurture diverse people skills, and capability to provide appropriate responses.
References
McCuiston, V.E., Wooldridge, B.R., & Pierce, C.K. (2004). Leading the diverse workforce: Profit, prospects and progress. The Leadership & Organisation Development Journal, 25(1), 73-92.
Visagie, J.C., & Linde, H. (2010). Evolving role and nature of workplace leaders and diversity: A theoretical and empirical approach. Managing Global Transitions: International Research Journal, 8(4), 381-403.
Visagie, J., Linde, H., & Havenga, W. (2011). Leadership competencies for managing diversity. Managing Global Transitions: International Research Journal, 9(3), 225-247.