One of the ways to look at diversity is to see it as a gift of nature. It’s a reminder, that Nature intended us to help one another.

One of the reasons this will often fail in teams is that it is transformed into an expectation that it needs to happen and that it comes with a demand to make it happen in a specific way.

It becomes a challenge, when the focus moves from the task to the ego.

That is also when conflicts become difficult to handle. The task moves out of sight and cannot be thought about as long as the individual’s needs have not been addressed.

Addressing the need, however, requires untangling it from a want that is most often shown instead. It is noticing how in the effort to deal with the task a want gains presence. It’s the ego’s natural effort to protect one’s vulnerability whenever a need appears.

From the outside, a want can seem rational and can be argued. Determining how a need can be rational is less evident. A need is a reminder that one cannot solve everything on one’s own. Nature’s gift of diversity also means that nature made us depend on one another and needing other people’s help.

When needs appear, there is vulnerability. In this case, vulnerability is noticing how one depends on others. When the vulnerability is too intense, the need is suppressed, and the focus moves to wanting something. Most often something that can be argued within the task.

If those involved can’t get clarity on the need, it is the want that is most present that will determine the outcome and how the task will be adapted. If those involved find it difficult to let go of their unmet need, there will be less acceptance of the changed objective.