How can leaders effectively work with and lead people who are different from them? Kevin welcomes Kelly McDonald to explore the challenges and benefits of leading diverse teams and how embracing different perspectives can drive better business outcomes. She explains why the term "diversity" has become a challenge in workplaces and offers practical strategies for leaders to navigate workplace differences, such as using the powerful phrases "Tell me more about that" and "I need your help" to foster understanding and collaboration. She also shares why diverse teams consistently outperform homogeneous ones across all business metrics, even though working with different perspectives can feel more challenging. McDonald emphasizes that friction and disagreement in diverse teams are part of the process that leads to better outcomes.

Listen For

00:00 Introduction Why This Topic Matters 00:34 About The Remarkable Leadership Podcast 01:19 How to Join Live Podcast Recordings 02:02 Kevin's New Book Flexible Leadership 02:34 Welcoming Kelly McDonald 03:24 How Kelly’s Journey Led to Diversity Work 06:18 The Business Case for Understanding Changing Demographics 10:07 Why Kelly’s 2017 Book Is Still Relevant Today 10:46 Why the Word Diversity Makes People Uncomfortable 14:49 The Problem with Traditional Diversity Training 16:23 The Benefits of Working with People Who Are Different 20:35 The Murder Mystery Study Why Diversity Feels Hard 23:32 Do I Have to Like My Colleagues 24:10 How to Focus on the Person Not the Difference 25:29 The Power of Tell Me More About That 26:47 Why I Need Your Help is a Game Changing Phrase 29:35 How Leaders Can Address Prejudice on Their Teams 34:40 Kelly’s Hobbies Cello Boxing and Pickleball 35:30 What Kelly is Reading Right Now 37:02 Where to Learn More About Kelly McDonald 37:55 Kevin’s Final Question Now What

Kelly's Story: Kelly McDonald is the author of four bestselling books on customer experience, leadership, and marketing -- all from the standpoint of working with people "not like you". Her book, How to Work With and Lead People Not Like You has been on two bestseller lists. She is the president of McDonald Marketing and an acclaimed speaker who specializes in consumer trends and changing demographics. She has been featured on CNBC, in Forbes Magazine, BusinessWeek, Fast Company, on CNNMoney.com, and on SiriusXM Radio. Her client experience includes iconic brands such as Toyota, State Farm, Nike, Harley-Davidson, Miller-Coors and Sherwin-Williams, Great Clips and NASA.

This Episode is brought to you by...

Flexible Leadership is every leader’s guide to greater success in a world of increasing complexity and chaos. 

 

Book Recommendations

• How to Work With and Lead People Not Like You: Practical Solutions for Today's Diverse Workplace by Kelly McDonald
• Outthink. Outperform.: Transform Your Organization Through Behavioral Marketing by Roger Hurni
• Innovation is Everybody's Business by Tamara Ghandour
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Like this?

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