A team meeting about diversity

A team meeting about diversity

Listen to a team meeting about diversity to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Nina: As you know, our team has grown a lot in the past year and we feel we need to address the diversity in the team.

Brenda: How do you mean, 'address the diversity'?

Nina: Well, we all know that diversity in teams is a good thing, but it can also be a challenge for some people to respect and value people's differences. We've got a really diverse team here – people of different nationalities, backgrounds, religions, ages … and sometimes I don't feel we make the most of this.

Stefano: Yes, and even if it isn't specifically challenging, many people are simply unaware of the isolation that some team members may feel because they are different.

Brenda: So, what does this mean? What are we going to do?

Nina: Well, we need to create a workplace charter. You know, one that promotes equality, diversity and inclusion.

Brenda: That sounds like a good idea. But will people just see it as something the management team has created? Maybe they won't even pay attention to it.

Nina: I know. That's why we're going to involve everyone in creating it.

Stefano: That's a good idea. We could run some workshops and get ideas from the employees about how we can create a more inclusive workplace.

Nina: Exactly. I was thinking that before that we could run some team-building sessions so they can experience the value of diversity for themselves.

Brenda: Yes, I like that. Many people see diversity as something negative, often because there are different opinions or ways of doing things.

Nina: Yes, I know, but if there's no diversity, then the risk is that we all work in the same way, think the same and see the world the same. This makes it hard to be creative and to innovate.

Stefano: I completely agree, Nina. OK. So, what do you want us to do?

Nina: Stefano, can you look for a successful trainer who specialises in running workshops and team-building sessions on diversity and inclusion?

Stefano: Sure. I'll be happy to.

Nina: And Brenda, can you find a fun venue? Somewhere that is quite diverse itself. Something that's not the usual seminar-style environment?

Brenda: Sure. That'll be fun.

Nina: And I'm going to do some further research into how other organisations are benefiting from their diversity. I can share this with the whole team.

Task 1

Task 2

Discussion

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Submitted by elesca on Mon, 11/03/2024 - 20:45

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My workplace is full of diversity...it is a school! 

I think that diversity is one of the daily charging for a teacher if he/she wants to do his/her work in the best possibility way. Children are different, their interests are so different and a teacher has to think about it when he writes down ideas for his lesson plan. 

Surprise is also the key to success: who learns to accept something new and unusual, he will become smarter and successful in every kind of team he have to work.

So I think that diversity is the target for humans so the sooner you starter, the better is and children are great!

Submitted by Winnie0900 on Wed, 28/02/2024 - 19:05

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My workplace isn't diverse because it's just me! But I strongly believe that diversity is a good thing because it allows us to know different opinions.

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Submitted by Namimath on Sun, 18/02/2024 - 18:12

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How diverse is your workplace? How can diversity benefit your team?
My workplace as a school is full of diversity. When I consider my students in the class diversity has benefited as an embark our discussion in the class. I am a dialogic teacher who works on learning in dialogue and have a classroom dialogue, know carefully that diversity is significant.

Submitted by Jim34 on Fri, 16/02/2024 - 17:31

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How diverse is your workplace? How can diversity benefit your team? Diversity is very present in my workplace, and it's very interesting and beneficial to work with people who have different ideas and opinions because you can see the world from other perspectives.

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Submitted by ltampu81 on Fri, 02/02/2024 - 05:38

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My workplace is fairly diverse. Dissents are often happened. However, final decision is on leader's hand.

Submitted by DzhusAngela on Wed, 31/01/2024 - 11:07

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I completely agree with sentences in this text that when you don't have diverse in your team everyone think the same and see the world the same. This makes it hard to be creative and to innovate.

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Submitted by alessandro.it on Thu, 25/01/2024 - 20:55

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My workplace divers a lot, in fact the employees are diverse for nationality, religion, education and age. I think diversity is a good thing because I like to talk to people with different culture and traditions from mine, and learn something new about that. The management team wrote a charter in order to promote inclusion and diversity, but I believe it would be great and if a workshop could be organised.

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Submitted by natinnatnat on Thu, 25/01/2024 - 20:12

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My workplace isn't too diverse, because we are a very small team.

Submitted by noura-elkhwanky on Fri, 08/12/2023 - 23:08

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In fact my workplace full of diversity. We’ve got coworkers from different ages ,nationalities,backgrounds .so I suppose we’ve got lots of advantages. The most significant futures of diversity are we all have several ideas, thinking that mean lots of innovations and inspire.that make us feel inclusion. In addition we know several things about many cultures. Also work with divers people enhance our relationships moreover we can make the most of this.