During the last two weeks, many conversations about diversity got me thinking.
At a recent board meeting in a DAX-listed company, I talked to the male board members about this topic. The men on the board spoke about the “open door.” They said there needed to be more female executives. Unfortunately, the consensus was that not enough women want to go through this door.
During our “She’s Negotiator” event at the China Club Berlin, I discussed this statement with 25 female executives. Why, I asked, do so few female executives take advantage of this “open door”?
There were no accusations against “the” men. However, according to the feedback, it takes incredible strength and energy to exist as the only woman in an all-male world.
Negotiation Tip:
Too little diversity in a negotiation team can be recognized by the fact that at a certain point during the preparation, all team members share the same opinion.
In a like-minded negotiation team, opinions and beliefs are not challenged anymore but rather become generally accepted. As a result, no other perspectives are proposed and therefore no further options are discussed.
Diverse negotiation teams achieve better negotiation results.
It takes women and men, young and old, different cultures, and different social classes to form a strong negotiation team.
And it takes not just one woman but more women or people with different perspectives.
Follow us on LinkedIn for more insights.
