Harnessing Diversity: Lessons from a Design Leader
Yayoi Kusama Infinity Room, LACMA, LA
Resilience isn’t something we’re inherently born with—it’s forged through experience, shaped by challenges, and strengthened by the richness of our identities. As an immigrant and design leader, navigating new environments, adapting to unfamiliar cultures, and seeking opportunities amid uncertainty have been some of my greatest teachers. These experiences have sharpened my ability to identify and empathize with diverse cultural contexts—a foundational skill for creating thoughtful, high-performing teams.
Leading with a cross-cultural lens has equipped me to recognize and bridge differences. It has taught me how to decode cultural nuances, honor varied perspectives, and design environments where all team members feel seen and valued. This perspective fuels my leadership approach, enabling me to cultivate spaces where creativity thrives and resilience becomes a shared practice.
These lessons in adaptability and empathy have profoundly shaped both my personal growth and professional journey.
They guide me in building teams that not only tackle challenges head-on but also innovate and perform at their highest potential by leveraging the power of diverse voices and experiences. Here are three tips for managers to harness the strength of diverse perspectives while developing high-performance teams:
Create Equitable Platforms for Input: Ensure that every team member, regardless of their background, has access to share ideas and contribute. This could involve rotating meeting facilitators or using anonymous feedback tools.
Recognize and Amplify Unique Strengths: Acknowledge the distinct skills and perspectives each individual brings. Highlight contributions publicly to reinforce the value of diversity.
Facilitate Cross-Cultural Learning: Organize team activities or sessions where members can share aspects of their backgrounds, whether through storytelling, workshops, or cultural showcases. This builds mutual understanding and fosters deeper connections.
A Masterclass in Leading with Curiosity
When I moved to the United States from India, I left behind familiar traditions, people, and norms. Adapting to a new environment taught me to keep my biases in check and approach the unfamiliar with curiosity—a practice that has become essential in my professional life.
In matrixed organizations, this mindset helps me navigate complexity, align diverse perspectives, and foster collaboration. By leading with curiosity, I uncover motivations, reduce misunderstandings, and create space for innovative solutions. Checking biases isn’t just about bridging differences; it’s about building trust and driving impactful results. This approach transforms ambiguity into opportunity, enabling teams to thrive in dynamic environments. Here are three tips for managers to lead with curiosity while developing high-performance teams:
Facilitate Open Conversations: Create spaces where team members feel safe to share ideas without judgment. Use tools like structured brainstorms or anonymous input sessions to ensure all voices are heard.
Encourage Continuous Feedback: Implement regular one-on-ones and team check-ins to understand individual motivations and challenges. Actively listening to feedback helps managers align team goals with individual growth.
Model a Growth Mindset: Demonstrate openness to learning by admitting when you don’t have all the answers. This fosters a culture where experimentation and innovation are embraced.
Resilience Through Reinvention
I see resilience as something that emerges from change and adaptation—not as a challenge, but as an opportunity to pay attention to details and manage expectations. Moving to a new culture wasn’t just a change of scenery—it was an invitation to reflect on where I was and where I wanted to go. I had to navigate how to preserve the parts of my identity that defined me while embracing the expectations of a completely different society. This process of reinvention taught me one of life’s most valuable lessons: resilience—the ability to adapt, endure, and grow. Finding the balance between where I come from and what I’m becoming a part of is an incredible opportunity to evolve.
In my career, this resilience has become a cornerstone of how I lead. It allows me to quickly integrate into organizations, decode cultural cues, and understand the myths and rituals that shape team dynamics. I’ve learned how to build teams that honor what matters most to them while introducing small yet impactful tools that enable them to thrive. By focusing on details and managing expectations, I’ve been able to foster environments where collaboration and growth flourish. Here are three tips for managers to build resilience while developing high-performance teams:
Set Clear Expectations: Help team members understand their roles and how their contributions fit into the bigger picture. This clarity reduces ambiguity and builds confidence. Use your weekly 1:1’s to check-in on their emotional well-being.
Celebrate Incremental Wins: Recognize progress, no matter how small. Celebrating milestones fosters a sense of achievement and keeps teams motivated during transitions.
Promote Cross-Team Collaboration: Encourage teams to learn from one another by sharing best practices, successes, and lessons learned. This builds adaptability and strengthens resilience across the organization.
