 Hello all. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening to all of you. I'm Arfena Dutkar-Passad and I work at IBM as a manager for the Power Systems Information Development Team, where we draw information for the IBM Power Systems Service. I've presented in this conference for a couple of years now on diversity-related topics and today I'm going to talk about the three pillars of a highly engaged communicative team which are engagement and a diverse team. So let's move on. So what is engagement? Engagement in a team is nothing but the right conditions for all the members in the team, keeping in mind their background, personal challenges, and motivating them enough to give in their best to their level of success. So when there is an engaged team, I think each of the team members feel involved, enthusiastic, and of course the communicative level is high and also positive actions are mostly done by the team. So what are the few factors that help to get a highly engaged team? One is of course trust. Trust is an important aspect where you need to be honest, follow through your actions, and also provide support to the team. And a feeling of home then engulfs the team which helps them to really trust you and give in their best. So trust is not only about these things but also about the psychological safety that the team has wherein the experimentation that they do or innovative methods that they come up. In case there is a failure, they know that you're there to support them. So this is about trust. I think the second important aspect is about it being a two-way street and not just one way. Like how you get help from your team members, I think it's very important to help them as well. Each of us work for different motivating factors and we have different teams and different personal aspects that need to be considered. And it's very important for us to do this to have a highly engaged team. The next aspect I would say is bias. It almost trickles down to you unknowingly because bias is many a times done by the unconscious system. Which we need to avoid to have a highly engaged team. And the next factor I would say is feedback and debate. It's very important to give feedback at the right time in the right way to your team members to get the best out of them. So it can be on both sides. There are scenarios where a team member having self-doubt feels that he or she is not doing enough. In that case, you will also have to give them feedback saying that hey, you know what? I think you're doing your best in the given circumstance and you need not worry. That kind of assurance you need to give to your team members when they have self-doubt. At the same time, say there is a team member who is not performing up to the required standards. And then you'll also have to give them a feedback and find out what to follow why. You know, they're not able to give their best. Is there a reason that's troubling them? Is there something you can help them with, right? So feedback, giving feedback is important at the same time the way you give it. And really a practical approach to it helps the team members give them a goal and options and how they can reach those options. What is it that they want to do to improve things and things like these, right? It should be really a discussion and that is why debate comes in. So many times even in feedback cycles, you get to know something that you can improve yourself to, right? And that's where debate also comes in to have a highly engaged team. The team needs to feel that, yes, their aspect will be considered, their opinions will be taken in and then a final decision is to be taken. So when you do all these things, I think a truly engaged team emerges where they understand the organization priorities. And of course it's quick to pitch into any sort of issues that require their expertise and skills, right? And what I've not covered here, one of the things that you should not do for a highly engaged team is to manipulate emotions or give a stop cap solution, right? So that's not really going to help in the long run. So that's one of the important factors that you must avoid. So let's move on to a little more details here for a highly engaged team. One, like I said, is about giving effective feedback. I think many a times when you give feedback, we just get into the issue directly rather than give some kind of background. In fact, ask for permission first, right? Are they really in a good state of mind to take some feedback? Do they want to do it some other time, right? And also state what you observed, explain what the impact is because of what you observed and then give a pause and give them time to really let you know, right? Whether you're on the right track, finally suggest concrete next step, which should be together with them. It shouldn't be something that you suggest it should be concrete that you both come together with. That's about giving effective feedback. And moving on, it's about debates, right? Many a times we avoid debates thinking, oh, it's a difficult conversation. But I think these steps like planning out the conversation and knowing what's the purpose of your conversation, being factual, right? And being open, letting them tell you their opinions as well. Of course, and you need to acknowledge what they say different people have different opinions and it's completely valid and both might be correct, right? What you need to arrive at is whether it suits the current circumstance and that's the debate really, right? So another important is having the debate is not to get too emotional, whether you get emotional or whether you see the team, one of them getting emotional. I think it's very important to get people back to the room if I can say so, the debate room and not get carried away with the emotions, right? And together, I think as a team, you need to consider the options and a successful outcome can come on how you are and what you say, right? I think both these aspects are going to help on a successful outcome. And of course, agree on a path and goal moving forward in any debate. So any debate should not be sort of left incomplete or hanging with no proper goals or path moving forward, right? So that was about debate, how we need to encourage debates in your team for effective engagement. So next item, you know, engagement pillar, I would say is bias. So there are different kinds of bias that, you know, we do in our day to day phrases and almost unknowingly, one is the confirmation bias, wherever somebody conforms to your beliefs, you sort of are biased towards them perception, right? As you see in the picture, you can perceive it as a woman's face or a man blowing a trumpet. So it could be one of these. So it's all about perception and the last one is of course, you know, birds of feather flock together. So we tried, that's the FTP background where we mingle or talk to or engage with only people who are similar to us. So any of these biases are wrong because it sort of puts you on a back foot when it comes to a diverse team. I would say each of the different people bring in things to the team which improve the team, their life as well as organizational goals, right? So it's very important that you have an unbiased approach and work from all sorts of people in your team so that you can get the best result together, right? So yeah, and I think one in all these things, I think one important aspect that that's really going to help us is to ask questions and not a view. So that's one important thing that you could do to avoid getting into the unconscious bias. So yeah, what else can you do on overcoming bias, try to understand where the bias comes from. If you know about it, you will try to avoid it, right? And talk about unconscious bias with others. Tap into diverse networks again, you know, have different kind of people in your friend circle, in your colleague circle, just to know their ideas. That really helps to overcome bias and of course challenge your assumptions with facts and take control over your biases, be aware, right? Say for example, if you see, I mean this you would call it ABC but it could very well be A13, right? This is one simple example and that's nothing but the brain doing it unconscious bias again. Moving on, I think the next aspect I would like to cover today is on communication. So communication as you all know is key to interaction. It's an essential ingredient in your office. It could be written or, you know, face to face communication over the phone, especially now with the virtual times, it's mostly over the phone. And as one expert put it, we listen to a book in a day, right? We speak a book in a week and read the equivalent of a month. So that's the number of words that we use in some format or the other in our lives. And that's how important communication is. And especially in a diverse environment, I would say that, you know, we need to be communication aware like the example I gave you previously. We need to be aware of how we are talking and is it hurting anybody's feelings, right? So again, like the next point bias can seep in almost unknowingly into your concentration to be aware, right? So what communication effectively means is that, you know, you're thinking carefully while you talk, your eyes are focused on the person you're talking to. Doesn't mean you stare of course, but yeah, more or less you need to look at the person when you're talking, unless you're, you know, referring to something else and you want to go back to it sort of a thing. And mouth, of course, talking, sharing ideas, being, you know, open to debate, ears listening. I think that's one of the very key factors to communication. Many a times we are talking without, you know, listening and when somebody else is talking, we are thinking of talking, right? So that's something you need to avoid and be empathetic. And of course, body language plays a role. 80% of communication happens through body language, believe it or not, right? And hands, of course, still need to be still and not sort of wavering and, you know, juggling from here to there. So try to avoid such things and moving a lot on your feet. So these are the things that, you know, really help you, you know, help you be a good communicator, right? So it's not only about making a message clear, but also it's a relationship, right? It is, you communicate with one person again and again. It is very rare that you communicate. It's a one-time communication, right? Even then I think you need to be, you know, talking in empathetic manner and, you know, from your heart, of course, and basically effective communication is actually audience-centered and not self-centered, right? So that's the reason where, you know, listening comes in, which is a very important aspect. So where does communication go wrong, right? Let's see, for example, not listening like I already mentioned and perception, right? I mean, it's either my way or, you know, where people can call a glass of water which is half full or you can even call it half empty, right? So each person thinks differently. So I think selective perception is something we need to avoid. Get facts. Don't assume again, right? And another is information overload. Too much information is just not going to help you put across what you want to, what you want them to go with effectively, right? Too much of clutter, too much of information. This is never going to help. So these are some of the aspects that can get communication going wrong, right? And of course, some common mistakes that we, you know, perform whenever we are communicating is one-size-fits-all concept, right? It's not like that. Like I previously said, communication is about forging relationships and each person is different. So the way you communicate with me might be different from the way you communicate with somebody else. And that's totally fine, right? One-size-does-not-fit-all and positive tone. I think the tone which you speak makes a big difference and the words that you use too, right? And of course, my way or your way is not coming to a win-win situation. I think in communication, you need to try to come to a win-win situation where both of your issues or both of your ideas, both has to be addressed in a appropriate manner, right? So have a mixed path. Avoid gossip. And gossip is one of the key factors that really, you know, are a communication failure kind of thing, almost. So be careful. Sometimes not communicating is better than communicating the wrong things versus, right? Another is closing your mind, thinking that, you know, this is what is my belief and this is how it should be. So these are the factors that actually trickle in while you communicate in your team on a daily basis and they can have really bad impact on the overall team dynamics, right? So that was about communication. And finally, diversity, right? I know I've covered about diversity already in the slides, how they trickle in may be in companies or in engagement. So I would like to, you know, I would like to dwell more into diversity. What do I mean by that? And of course, you all know with the current situation of, you know, Black Lives Matter and things like that. I'm sure it's there to see now it come out in the open and it's good that, you know, people are taking note of it and sitting back and seeing how they can make their communication the way they treat everybody equal. At the end of the day, respect is something that everybody wants, right? So diversity could be based on all these things, race, ethnicity, gender, identity, sexual orientation, age and so on, right? Any of these aspects should not really impact the work relation you have with your team members or your colleagues, right? So you should not be judging anybody based on these things. And what happens is there for the world to see when it comes to, also when it comes to the companies, it's known statistic that when you have gender diversity in your workforce, you can get up to 15 or more persons better profits. And when you have a mix of everybody, for example, you know, who are physically challenged, gender diversity, sexual orientation, I think they, when they are there in your workforce, you get almost 33% or more better profits. So that is about profits other than that companies having diversity and inclusion as part of their work culture is much more with such companies. So I think we should be worried if we are not having diverse set of workforce in our company. So what are the keys when it comes to diversity in the workplace? One is the usability, accessibility, right? When you have a set of workforce, you will bring more usability and accessibility to your products. Building better products also is one of the key factors that get influenced positively due to diversity. And I think we have to make our work culture more inclusive. It might be even the smallest of things like, you know, an idea or discussion or some kind of initiative. I think you need to include different kind of people in each of these to really get the best, right? And of course, take feedback from your team. I know you, we all try to be inclusive, but is it really happening? Is there somewhere you're going wrong and making somebody be out of place? Right? So this is something that you need to give your attention to. There are plenty of, you know, real world problems that have been solved by diversity related initiatives. Say for example, you know, the subway problem where, you know, people have disabilities who can't really walk and need wheelchairs. They have face problems in the subway, including them in a product really helps because you'll know how it's going to help the customer. Right? So a diverse set of workforce is actually the first line of customers. They are a type of customer for you because they'll be able to really guide you on what regular customer can face and how to avoid it. So moving on, I think like I already mentioned how diversity in the workplace helps you better enable to serve diverse customers and communities. Innovation is something that really enhances when you have diversity in these initiatives. It gives you an all round perspective as well. And you have, I'm sorry, it gives you an all round perspective as well when you have diversity in your workplace. And of course, gender diversity also helps, especially in leadership or anywhere. It is automatically tied to higher retards. Right? So together I think engagement, communication and diversity go hand in hand like I earlier mentioned. And this helps to really bring in a very productive work life within the team and your organization. We spend about eight to nine hours in a day at work, either virtually or face to face. And I think improving that quality is very important. And these are the three aspects I would say that will help us get there. So as a summary, what I would like to say is one is, you know, the three is, I would say one is established, another is encouraged and the other is enhanced. So established trust, I would say within your team to start with, encourage transparency, credibility. I mean, this is something about action that you need to really follow through, be unbiased. Right? And of course, establish a facilitator role where it's a two-way street and both people are benefited and it's a win-win situation. Right? And of course, encourage establish inclusive culture within your organization. And what you can encourage is two-way dialogue, healthy debate, right? Being communication aware, I think that's important not only for you, but also for your team members. So do stress on that. Diverse mix and projects and initiatives, like I said, right? Any initiative or project that you want to take up, make sure you have all sorts of, you know, team members there. And of course, encourage innovation and facilitate innovation, right? And what you need to enhance are nothing but ability and accessibility of your products using the methods that we have talked today. Have diverse skills, enhance diverse skills in your team. Openness is something that's also important, encourage debate and feedback. And I think an open culture goes a long way in really following many of our teams and organization problems, right? And of course, enhance your communication skills, encourage others to do so as well. And have feedback cycles. I think these are very important, sometimes even the turning point in your team members' journey. So that's how important feedback is. What is the impact of doing all these things? You have a communication aware, diverse team that is high on engagement. And what more can you ask for to really move your organization towards its goals, right? So that's what I had today and I'm open for any questions and let me know. Thank you.