Leading Diverse Project Teams Using the Democratic Leadership Model

Leading Diverse Project Teams Using the Democratic Leadership Model

Introduction

Diversity is more than a corporate buzzword today as the concept defines the challenges faced by managers as they try to create and sustain synergies within teams composed of different people. The notion also denotes the potential from which an organization may benefit if it successfully leverages the various skills and interests involved. Today’s project teams have evolved; thus, managers are required to lead teams made of persons from different ethnic extractions, religious backgrounds, values, and ages, among others (Rahman 2019). The rising number of mergers, joint ventures, and planned treaties is bringing people from different cultures and corporations together. Consequently, in the twenty-first century, organizational leaders are concerned with managing diversity in establishments (Shaban 2016). Overall, diversity provides both possible costs and benefits for an entity. Furthermore, when managed in the right way, these multifarious teams can provide innovative solutions to the organization’s problems. However, the success of such management efforts is significantly dependent on the leadership style adopted by the enterprise (Shaban 2016). Whereas various leadership theories are applied in organizations for leading diverse project teams, wide talent pools are best managed by democratic leadership approaches as the model encourages every employee to participate in decision-making, thus enhancing self-motivation.

Diversity in Project Teams

Whereas diversity is considered a source of strength to most organizations, other firms consider it a weakness (Shaban 2016). Project team diversity can entail the recognition, understanding, and acceptance of all team members regardless of their sex, gender, ethnicity, marital status, and race, among others. Notably, two dimensions of diversity exist. The first one is the primary dimension, which focuses on the major differences in individuals, such as age, gender, and sexual orientation (Patrick & Kumar 2012). These primary differences are the easiest to notice and often act as the basis upon which people view the world. Subsequently, there is a secondary dimension focusing on factors such as educational background, religion, political views, and income status, among others (Patrick & Kumar 2012). These secondary factors are not easily noticed and often come out after prolonged periods of interaction. Over the past century, advancements in transport and information technology have facilitated the exchange of ideas among people from across the world. Indeed, today’s marketplace is characterized by increased labour competition by employees from various continents. Therefore, this diversity can benefit an organization if managed properly or lead to its total destruction. Granted, research has shown that the most effective model for managing a cross-cultural workforce is by adopting an empathetic leadership style, which prioritizes the cultivation of trust and collectivism in a project team (Ochieng & Price 2010). Nevertheless, managing diversity remains a problem with which most enterprises struggle to contend. Therefore, most organizations have invested in retraining their managers on leading multicultural workforces.

Two theories are fundamental to understanding the importance of diversity in the workplace. The first is concerned with the fundamental idea that businesses must embrace multiculturalism as a matter of social justice. At the heart of social justice is the notion that equality and justice are essential issues, and every single person bears a set of ultimate human rights, hence should be treated equally. With respect to workplace diversity, social justice demands that every employee should be accorded equal respect and dignity. Hence, organizations are expected to guarantee their workers full and equitable participation in the day-to-day running of their operations and eliminate discriminatory existential barriers. The second theory suggests that diversity is an organizational function that can be leveraged to increase economic wealth through human capital (Legas & Sims 2011). The models support the idea that if a business builds multicultural teams, it will appeal to new audiences, who can be converted into essential sources of revenue. Undeniably, all these theories encourage the atmosphere of trust that can be created in a diverse workplace by ensuring the recognition of the basic rights and responsibilities of each employee.

Leadership Styles and Diversity

Leadership is one of the essential functions of any organization. However, technological advancements and globalization are changing not only how people communicate within project teams but also how they conduct business (Dávideková & Greguš 2016). As the demand for knowledge-based firms increase, organizations are compelled to source for the most qualified employees from different regions of the globe. Executives today have the highest responsibility for enhancing the learning and development of their workforces. Although some organizations have been taking the lead in this area by sending their senior manager on cross-cultural pieces of training, the move alone is not enough. Building the interpersonal skills needed to navigate the conflicts that occur in a multicultural work environment requires more than just a few development sessions on cultural-sensitivity. A smooth workplace with a diverse workforce requires the embedding of multicultural values within an already existing leadership framework.

The Theory of Democratic Leadership

The successful management of diverse project teams must take four key factors into consideration. First, all employees should be equally involved in the decision-making processes of the organization. Secondly, the leader must consistently motivate his/ or her employees through empowerment and participation. Third, the manager must occupy a position of high moral standing among his or her employees, which will allow the leader to mediate emerging disputes successfully. Finally, the leader must learn to respond to the various environmental changes affecting the enterprise by leveraging the ideas and inputs of his/her project team members. Ultimately, leading diverse teams requires an environment of harmony, mutual respect, and joint effort (Salahuddin 2010). The only leadership theory that embodies the aforementioned attributes is the democratic style.

Figure 1: Functions of Democratic Leadership in a Diverse Project Team

Before delving into the democratic leadership theory, an overview presentation of the leadership as a general concept is essential. Leadership involves the modification of the functioning of an organization to achieve more favorable outcomes (Battilana, Gilmartin, Sengul, Pache & Alexander 2010). From this definition, any member of a group can demonstrate some elements of leadership. Markedly, this conceptualization runs contrary to the great man theory, which espouses the idea that leaders are naturally-born (Mostovicz, Kakabadse & Kakabadse 2009). Under the great man belief, leaders are often portrayed as heroes and mythical figures –individuals who are born with just the right amount of confidence, charisma, and intelligence. Nothing could be further from the truth. When interactions take place between one or more members of a group, any member of that group has the ability to structure and restructure the expectations of the other members.

Therefore, leadership should only carry positive connotations, an aspect that means organizations must look at management as an instrument for the realization of particular objectives. In this regard, democratic leadership should be viewed from the prism of its unconstructive and constructive variants. Undemocratic leadership is the polar opposite of the democratic approach that often results in a variety of unpleasant outcomes such as social strife and aggression in the workplace, dependent and apathetic employees, low support from workers, the production of low-quality policies, and inefficiencies in the implementation of those policies. From the characteristics of the undemocratic leadership style, one can infer the attributes of the democratic approach. First, the model is defined by the active involvement of all members of a project team in the adoption and implementation of project. Secondly, democratic leaders embrace group decision-making and always consult other team members before reaching a conclusion on core issues affecting the organization. Third, democratic leadership styles are characterized by a strong sense of camaraderie among team members, thus enhancing collaboration (Sohmen 2013). Simply put, democratic leadership is a management approach that influences employees in a manner that is consistent with the democratic principles of deliberation, equal participation, and inclusiveness.

Diverse Project Teams and the Need for Equal Involvement in Decision-Making

Advances in information and communication technology, coupled with the accelerating pace of globalization, means that workplaces are becoming more culturally-diverse by the day. Today, managers find themselves leading teams composed of workers of varying ages, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, and political ideologies, among others. Nonetheless, a few organizations offer this diverse pool of talent the opportunity to participate in the decision-making processes that drive them fully. Most of these categories of employees are viewed as nothing more than mere executors of the instructions of project managers. Thus, organizational leaders need to acknowledge that all human beings have an intrinsic value. This realization has been advanced by philosophers such as Kant, who believes that humans should be treated as an end in themselves –not a means to an end (Guest & Woodrow 2012). Given this rationalization of the inherent value of every individual, it would be utterly wrong for project managers to view their team members as persons expected to provide uncorked consent to every piece of instruction coming down from management.

Away from the intrinsic worth of employees as a key motivator for involving them in decision making, the democratic model of leadership encourages employees to be viewed as crucial stakeholders in the organization. A fundamental component of the stakeholder theory is that organizations must meet all the needs and interests of their customers, workers, stockholders, and the wider communities in which they exist (Faleye &Trahan 2010). Remarkably, employees invest significant resources in the organizations for which they work. By way of example, workers often make painful career changes, sacrifice family demands, and embark on costly training and development to be of more benefit to their employers. The relationship between employers and employees –project managers and project team members –is often characterized as a simple transaction where labor power is exchanged for a salary. From an economic perspective, this relationship may appear adequate. However, from an ethical position, labour cannot be reduced to a simple commodity that follows the principles of sales and purchase. Thus, labor-power cannot be detached from the person providing it. An employee will always remain a human being worthy of respect, and a project manager cannot do with him or her as he or she pleases.

From the conceptualization of employees using the Kantian and stakeholder theories, two important issues emerge. First, project managers should inform members of the project team of the tasks they are required to execute and the rules with which they are expected to abide in the execution of the said responsibilities (Sankaran, Okay, Chroust, Berg & Karlsen 2014). Secondly, the members of the project teams should be given room to add their voice to the instructions coming from the project managers (Sankaran et al. 2014). This diversity of ideas, from the project managers to the members of the diverse teams they lead, adds richness to overall organizational processes, thus leading to organizational innovation. Therefore, those organizations that have implemented the democratic leadership model can benefit from these described issues in boosting project team innovativeness.

Democratic Leadership Style and the Need to Leverage Employee Engagement

Team engagement and project performance are concepts that cannot exist independently. Team engagement entails the level of commitment workers demonstrate for their jobs. Therefore, project management involves the exceptional art of maintaining and leveraging team engagement in all aspects of the project to increase overall performance. Five primary focus areas result in a stronger sense of engagement in project teams: consistent communication, putting the team members first, giving challenging tasks, regular feedback, and according to the team members, the freedom to express their ideas and make decisions. The exchange of information from the manager to the project team, through dialogue and deliberation, can impede overall workflow if not handled correctly (Raelin 2012). Moreover, the information flow can also be obstructed if the project manager puts himself or herself before the project team rather than being accountable to the members’ wants and needs. Moreover, giving workers challenging tasks is a useful strategy for developing and exploiting their engagement. Indeed, members of a project team given the opportunity to develop new skills end up becoming incredibly motivated and productive. The productiveness is significantly improved if project managers take time to inspire and stimulate their workers by giving regular feedback (Farooq & Khan 2011). Overall, fostering employee engagement is incumbent on cultivating a relaxing atmosphere that encourages workers to be the best.

The critical components of successful project team engagement, as described above, find the perfect embodiment in the democratic style of leadership. Remarkably, a democratic leader constantly shares information with members of his or her project team, thus strengthening existential mutual relationships (Bhatti, Maitlo, Shaikh, Hashmi & Shaikh 2012). Democratic managers also motivate their project team members to bring their best to the table. Furthermore, the leaders are interested in their workers developing new knowledge and competencies by involving them in challenging tasks (Bhatti et al. 2012). Suffice to say that democratic managers take active steps to reinforce weaknesses that may emerge in the performance of their teams by giving regular, well-founded, and transparent feedback (Bhatti et al. 2012). This sense of independence that the leadership style fosters makes it the most suitable for managing diverse project teams.

Democratic Leadership Style and Project Team Motivation

Even teams that are thoroughly involved and engaged in every aspect of the organization need motivation. The democratic leadership style advocates various strategies through which project managers can rely to keep their teams properly motivated. Giving praise where it is due is, perhaps, the easiest way to keep a project team motivated. Democratic leaders understand that employees’ desire recognition when they perform well, which maintains upholds morale and a steady level of work ((Fiaz, Su & Saqib 2017). It not only makes them feel good about themselves but also inspires them to keep up the same standard of work. Regular meetings have also been discussed as an effective method for providing feedback. Democratic managers utilize both agile and traditional methods to discuss the progress made by project teams and rectify any deviation from project deliverables. The other way to motivate project teams is by keeping criticism away. It should be remembered that managing a project can turn out to be quite demanding, especially when deadlines are looming, or when the project has exceeded the budget set aside for its completion. Such times can be difficult for managers and push them to criticize members of their teams. Nonetheless, a democratic leader will try to push their teams to learn from previous mistakes rather than expressing frustration and anger (Fiaz et al. 2017). The final way to keep project teams motivated is by organizing fun events. Such occasions not only allow employees to relax from the pressure of their jobs but also boosts their psyche. Democratic managers will always find ways of infusing fun into their projects and celebrate the milestones attained by their teams. Although keeping teams satisfied is a significant function that is often overlooked, it can easily be achieved by having a positive outlook of the project

Democratic Leadership and Conflict Mediation

Conflict is unavoidable, particularly when managing diverse project teams. The pressure to deliver particular results within short periods sometimes cause cracks even to the most cohesive project teams. In such instances, team leaders are expected to utilize available conflict resolution techniques as they steer employees back to the established project objectives. Compromise remains one of the most effective mechanisms for addressing conflicts in the workplace (Kassim & Ibrahim 2014). A fundamental tenet of democratic leadership involves paying close attention to the concerns of all the members of a project team. Therefore, democratic leaders believe that team members have the capacity to cooperate and resolve their conflicts in a manner that demonstrates a culture of mutual respect (Gelfand, Leslie, Keller & de Dreu, 2012). The other suitable approach to resolving conflict within a project team is by exercising power. Although this approach carries significant risks, issuing commands can restore order in a chaotic environment. Democratic leaders involve all workers in the decision-making processes of an organization. Nevertheless, the managers also know that they wield positions of authority, and the buck ultimately stops with them. During crises, the leaders exercise this authority to address the problems facing the organization through open and heated debate. Finally, conflict can be solved through delegation. Project managers often have a responsibility to take care of and may be unable to pay attention to every conflict that emerges within their teams. By exercising democratic leadership, project managers may delegate conflict resolution to a trusted employee and, in the process, expose that employee to growth opportunities.

Conclusion

Advancements in information and communication technology, coupled with the accelerated pace of globalization is resulting in more diverse workplaces. Project managers often find themselves in charge of teams of workers from different genders, ages, religious beliefs, and political inclinations, among others. A diverse project team offers tremendous benefits to an organization. However, such teams may also turn out to be chaotic if not managed properly. In the past few years, organizational theorists have developed various leadership models that can be utilized by organizations to drive enterprises towards profitability. Among these methodologies is the democratic leadership style, which aims at influencing employees in a manner consistent with the democratic principles of deliberation, equal participation, and inclusiveness. Four conditions need to be fulfilled by leaders managing diverse project teams. First, the project team members should be equally involved in the decision-making processes of the organization. Second, the project leader must consistently motivate his or her employees through empowerment and participation. Third, the project manager must occupy a position of high moral standing among his or her employees, which will allow him or her to successfully mediate emerging disputes. Finally, the leader must learn to respond to the various environmental changes affecting the enterprise by leveraging the ideas and inputs of his or her project team members. A critical examination of these attributes reveals a level of compatibility with the democratic leadership model. Therefore, diverse project teams are best managed by democratic leaders who encourage the involvement of all members in the day-to-day running of operations.