( This blog is based on Lucian’s blog: Are people seeing the same “blue”? )
Last year, there was a popular picture which created heated discussion of individual perception. As Zane analyzed in his blog, such discussion illustrates that the differences between people are universal, and just because of this, making consistent decisions in a team is difficult.
Based on what Zane said, it is essential to understand members’ perceptions and personalities to improve team work. I strongly agree with his opinion since personality has significant influence on one’s decision making. For example, introverted people may have a conservative style while extroverted people dare to take risks. What is more, I think it is also important to consider people’s experiences and backgrounds when we evaluate their ideas. For instance, to give advice to a technology company, a consultant who graduated from a business school may consider the financial part more, and a consultant who has a degree in engineering may think from technology view. Therefore, understanding teammates is really important for a team’s harmony and efficiency.
For team members, understanding and support may help to deal with differences. Leaders also need to know how to make final decisions from an overall perspective. In the current background of a diverse working environment, differences among individuals brings both uniqueness and conflicts. If we can avoid weakness and make use of advantages, the team will be successful. Thus, leaders are supposed to consider every member’s ability, what clients want and the resources they have, so as to maximize the benefits of the whole group rather than any individuals.
- Zhang, L. (2017, January 14). Are people seeing the same “blue”? [Web log post]. Retrieved from https://blogs.ubc.ca/zanezhang/2017/01/14/are-people-seeing-the-same-blue/