Interlinking Diversity Challenges towards Ideal Engagement

Our fingers teach us about cohesiveness. Different in sizes and shapes, the five fingers are synergistically capable of playing beautiful tunes on piano .

The metaphor has enlightened me on how to manage human resources within an organization. Like it or not, every organization should accept the fact that each employee comes with a different set of characteristics. Ranging from different inherited features (such as gender, height, skin color), to nonphysical attributes (such as trait, intellectual, personality). On the other hand, organizations must be able to harmonize the steps of their employees to achieve organizational vision and mission. We should admit that there are a lot of challenges here. 

Soon, the war to win talents in Indonesia will become more challenging and exciting as AEC is implemented
(ASEAN Economic Community)

The challenges currently faced by a leader are not bound to just business competition and organizational alignment, but also talent war. Soon, the war to win talents in Indonesia will become more challenging and exciting as AEC (ASEAN Economic Community) is implemented. Steps taken by leaders of organizations to to succeed in the talent war will become significant as of now. Loyalty towards company may no longer be enough. What are needed now are employees who are strongly engaged to the organization.

Differences, Challenge for All

The challenge to managing differences often times become a matter requiring extra attention. Not only does that apply in a smaller unit such as a married couple, but also in managing dozens, hundreds, or thousands of employees within an organization.

Let us walk down the memory lane, how our love story usually begins. At first, we get to know each other, and then our interest in the other person grows before eventually the chemistry gets deeper. There are personality aspects about the person that attract our hearts. Perhaps the attraction comes from similarities, or it could also be from some differences that you both share. Those who are magnetized by the differences, generally feel that the other person can complement somemissing elements from within, meaning that they already know who they are as individuals and thus feel that the other person may fill
the void. It cannot be denied though, that most couples are drawn towards each other because of the common things they share in their life.

That first connection contributes in making the process of wanting to know much more about the other person possible. And if the relationship continues, some more surprising elements, but tolerable, might be uncovered along the way. Tolerance, acceptance and appreciation towards differences play a massive role here.

A process that is somewhat similar occurs within organizations. Creating synergy among employees usually begins with a spark of attraction that incurs connection. One might say: appreciate how he dresses. I could sense that he must be structured and well organized at work. In other words, the forming of connection since the start does play an important role in triggering people to value differences.

Myers-Briggs Four Dimensions

In the context of understanding and accepting differences at hand between one and another, Myers-Briggs ingeniously proposed a concept that is presently renowned in many parts of the world, which is called the MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator). The concept explains types of personality based on four dimensions: 

• Extraverts get their energy from other people. Their behavior can be revealed by the following several actions, for instance in times of fatigue, they seek company of others to chat instead of allocating their time to rest. In the workplace, an extravert likes to interact, work in team, talk a lot and appear energetic.
• Meanwhile, introverts are the opposite. They conserve energy for themselves. In times of fatigue, for instance, an introvert tends to choose some alone or quiet time. One with introverted personality possesses relatively calmer demeanor compared to an extroverted, contemplates a lot and easily engages within own thoughts. 
• People with thinking personality make decisions based on what seems logical, objective, and they are, in general, firm. If a decision has been made, they will convey it directly. In contrast, those who rely on feeling normally wouldnt rely on logic, but values when they make a decision. They are prone to being gentle, taking considerations thoughtfully. In conveying a decision, these individuals are typically considerate with the feelings of others too.
• Judgers are well organized. They like to make advance preparation. Their principle is to put work above all, only then they can relax. And they stay true to being thorough with what they do, are resultsoriented, and prefer if there is a decision made. On the contrary, perceivers are likely to adhere to flexible and flowing life principles. They favor starting up new projects and are process-oriented.