Why Embracing and Acknowledging Difference Matters for Team Cohesion

In a recent design meeting for an upcoming team planning day, I raised the idea of including a short activity to help team members understand each other’s preferences. One person agreed, it would be a great way for everyone to walk away with insight into how they and others work. But another flagged some caution, concerned about “highlighting difference,” particularly given recent friction in the team following a restructure.

I understood the concern. When teams are under pressure or have gone through change, emotions can run high, and difference can feel like a source of tension. But avoiding difference is a dangerous move.

Here’s why.

Difference is not the problem disconnection is.

Our differences are what help us build stronger ideas, challenge assumptions, and collaborate more creatively. It’s when we ignore our differences or fail to understand what’s behind them that we create barriers.

And by barriers, I don’t just mean how we speak or behave. Communication is much deeper. It’s how we’re motivated, how we make decisions, how we interpret feedback, and how we learn. When we don’t understand the drivers behind someone else’s actions or perspective, we fill the gap with assumptions. That’s where disconnection grows.

At The Growth Collective, we like to use tools like DiSC, Birkman, and Hogan to help teams build this kind of self-awareness. These tools aren’t just about profiling they create a shared language for understanding how we work, how we react under pressure, and how we show up in teams.

Why does this matter?

Because self-aware teams are more productive, more innovative, and more collaborative.
There’s a growing body of research that supports this. Self-aware teams engage more meaningfully with each other. They’re more likely to give and receive feedback, solve problems constructively, and draw on the strengths of their diversity rather than being derailed by it.

So next time you’re in conflict or feeling frustrated by someone’s approach, try this simple question:
“Help me understand your perspective here.”

You might be surprised by what you hear. Understanding difference doesn’t mean agreeing it means being curious about what’s motivating someone else’s view. And when you do, you often find your own perspective expands too.