Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Project Teams

Diversity and inclusion are now mainstay focuses for organizations—but it can be challenging to find the right strategies to achieve diverse and inclusive team environments. We discuss this with: 

Victoria Toney-Robinson, PMP, senior program manager at Google in Hamburg: Toney-Robinson discusses how a team’s diversity and inclusion affect not only the team environment but also the solutions the team develops, which strategies and practices she’s found are the most effective for building diversity and inclusion into team culture, and how the Black Googler Network, which she co-chairs, helps create not only better products but also a more inclusive environment at Google.  

Nikky Chen, PMI-ACP, PMP, previously a group manager in the project management department at Rakuten in Tokyo: A 2023 Future 50 leader, Chen discusses why project professionals should promote diverse and inclusive team environments, how a diverse team improved communication on a project, how active listening and empathy can boost inclusivity and why she’s passionate about DE&I.

Key themes 

[02:01] How team diversity affects products’ inclusivity

[04:43] Strategies to create diverse and inclusive team environments

[06:32] The role of the Black Googler Network 

[09:43] How project professionals can advocate for diverse teams

[14:48] What is at risk if project teams lack diversity

[16:32] How team diversity boosted communication on a project

[18:11] Boosting inclusion with active listening and empathy