Birds of a Feather May Be Turkeys

Birds of a Feather May Be Turkeys
By Gene Griessman, PhD

 Birds of a feather do flock together. It's true. Given a choice, most of us will seek out people who think like
we do, people with whom we feel comfortable, those we won't quarrel with. Visit any company cafeteria and you will notice
that the people at the tables will be in groupings from the same discipline, department or ethnic group.
 As a general rule, relationships do not usually thrive when there are profound differences in values, abilities,
temperaments or lifestyle. Differences attract, but -- more often -- they repel. Individuals sometimes get involved in
relationships with unlike individuals, occasionally even conflict-ridden ones. These may be
exciting for a while -- but unless the principals agree on core values, such relationships
become artificially polite or unravel over time.
 Ways to work together. This general rule, however, needs fine tuning when it comes to science, engineering and
business. Skillful managers often deliberately create teams comprised of very different kinds of people. They are willing
to forego the comfortable, easy feelings associated with clone-like groups in order to bring diverse skills to bear upon
a problem. Such a team might include designers, engineers, physicists, marketing people, social scientists and lawyers.
 Managing diversity is not easy. Accountants, engineers, computer specialists, lawyers, psychologists and marketing
people do not speak the same occupational language. Each field has its argot, its own version of alphabet soup. Specialization
always produces groups with proprietary feelings about concepts and terminology. Even if two members of a team are engineers,
there will still not be one-to-one correspondence. They will have some problems with vocabulary if one is an electrical
engineer and the other is a mechanical engineer. But those vocabulary problems are minuscule compared with the ones that
occur when accountants talk to engineers or designers. A skillful manager will be needed.
 Cultural chasms need bridging. The differences go beyond vocabulary: values, goals and objectives many be different
too. As more businesses globalize, team members are more likely to come from different cultures. They will differ not just
in the way they approach a technical or marketing problem, but in the way they view the world. We will have more of this,
not less. Unfortunately, what we know about managing diversity is more an art than a science.
 If managing diversity is so difficult and so potentially stressful -- even disrupting -- is it worth doing? Absolutely.
Warm, comfortable, birds-of-a-feather groupings may actually be dysfunctional in business, science and engineering.
 If you want to do the job right, consider choosing people with different languages, experiences and perspectives.
The group may be hard to manage and the outcomes difficult to predict, but such a strategy offers the potential for
unexpected brilliant solutions. When everybody behaves as a clone, someone is probably unnecessary and the group may come
to resemble a flock of turkeys.

Gene Griessman, PhD is an Atlanta-based motivational speaker, author and time management expert. His books include Time
Tactics of Very Successful People and The Words Lincoln Lived By: 52 Timeless Principles to Light Your Path. To learn
more about Dr. Griessman's products and speaking engagements, visit him online at www.presidentlincoln.com.

Latest News


Reuters

Lehman Private-Equity Arm Gains New Investment
Wall Street Journal - 8 hours ago
The business has $4.5 billion under management, and holds stakes in more than a dozen portfolio companies including a Spanish railcar manufacturer to a US ...
Lehman Deal Spins Off Part of Private Equity Unit Into Independent ... New York Times
Lehman Said to Weigh Sale of Merchant-Banking Fund to Managers Bloomberg
Lehman deal on private equity close: source Reuters
RTT News - MarketWatch
all 74 news articles

Wal-Mart disappoints analysts, Walgreen chops management team
Bizjournals.com, NC - 14 hours ago
(NYSE:WAG) announced plans to offer early retirement and severance programs to some 1000 corporate and field management employees, or 9 percent of those ...
Retailers report dismal December sales Connecticut Post
AP Business NewsBrief at 11:14 am EST TMCnet
all 2,072 news articles

Information Builders Partners With Tagetik to Deliver Corporate ...
MSNBC - 5 hours ago
"Customers often require two solutions, an executive dashboard and an operational system to manage their performance management requirements," said Gerald ...

Boston Globe

Walgreen will cut 1000 management jobs in 2009
The Associated Press - 11 hours ago
NEW YORK (AP) — Drugstore operator Walgreen Co. said Thursday it will cut 1000 jobs by mid-year, or about 9 percent of corporate management, through a ...
US drugstore chain Walgreens to cut 1000 management jobs Economic Times
Walgreen to cut about 1000 corporate and field management jobs RTT News
Walgreens Announces Reduction in Corporate and Field Management ... WELT ONLINE
Crain's Chicago Business - Chicago Tribune
all 280 news articles

Z-Wave Alliance Showcases Brand-New Energy Management, Home ...
MSNBC - 1 hour ago
Alliance member companies will showcase for the first time new, affordable energy management, home security and home control solutions in the Alliance booth ...

Uptown men's shelter will stay open under new management
Chicago Tribune, United States - 56 minutes ago
Johnson declined to elaborate on the funding and management changes, but said, "We are very satisfied with the outcome of what has happened. ...

Brookfield Asset Management 2008 Year End Conference Call ...
MSNBC - 17 hours ago
You are invited to participate in Brookfield Asset Management's 2008 Year End Conference Call & Webcast on Friday, February 13, 2009 at 11:00 am (ET) to ...
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners LP 2008 Year End Conference ... MSNBC
all 2 news articles

Paragon Wealth Management Offers Free Portfolio Reviews
MSNBC - 17 hours ago
PROVO, UT - Paragon Wealth Management is offering free portfolio reviews to investors to help them know where to allocate their portfolios in 2009. ...

BBC News

Gary Berntsen Thinks CIA Needs 'Leadership Not Management'
FOXNews - Jan 7, 2009
CIA COVERT OFFICER : Actually, we need leadership, not management at CIA. That person who's going to be in charge of CIA is in charge of our fight, ...
Video: Analyst Weighs in on Obama's CIA Pick AssociatedPress
Obama's intel picks short on direct experience The Associated Press
Obama Is Under Fire Over Panetta Selection Washington Post
GovExec.com - Foreign Policy (subscription)
all 2,546 news articles

Telegraph.co.uk

Microsoft Touts Power Management in Windows 7
Redmond Channel Partner, CA - 8 hours ago
Improved power management got briefly mentioned among the expected benefits of Windows 7 on Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show. ...
Microsoft releases Windows Server 2008 R2 beta VNUNet.com
all 1,182 news articles

Resources