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Bridging BoundariesMeeting the Challengeof Workplace Diversity

In todays globally diverse and increasingly interconnected world, social

identity boundaries rub together, pull apart, and collide in the workplace.

When identity divides open up, people look to leaders to bridge the gaps.

By employing four tacticssuspending, reframing, nesting, and weaving

leaders can facilitate positive cross-boundary interactions.

by Chr i stopher Ernst and Je f f rey Yip

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lobalization, rapidlyadvancing technology, changingdemographics, and shifting socialstructures are creating a modernworkplace in which groups of peoplewho have historically remained apartare now working together. This is inturn creating a pressing organizationalchallenge: the need for leaders tobridge social identity boundariesamong groups of people with verydifferent histories, perspectives, val-ues, and cultures. (For a detailed lookat social identity, see Branching Out:Social Identity Comes to theForefront, beginning on page 7.)How can organizations best meet thischallenge of boundary-spanning lead-ership?

Boundaries are an unavoidableaspect of organizational life. Theycan take many forms: they may be

functional, geographic, or cultural,and they may be found at the indi-vidual, group, or organizational lev-els. Such boundaries are reinforcedthrough the strong human tendencyto categorize people into in-groups(people like me) and out-groups(people not like me).

In todays globally diverse andincreasingly interconnected world,identity boundaries rub together, pullapart, and collide in the workplace.Some of these collisions create minorfriction and are quickly resolved; oth-ers reveal deep fault lines and signifi-cantly affect organizational function-ing. Either way, when an identitydivide opens up, people look to lead-ers to bridge the gap.

However, leaders who try to effec-tively bridge identity divides face atleast three major challenges. First,

they are often pulled in various direc-tions among different identity groupsconflicting values, viewpoints, andbeliefs. Second, they are commonlypushed to one side. A leader will be amember of some identity groups andnot a member of others. Despite aleaders best efforts to be impartialand fair, members of identity groupswill form perceptions based solely onhis or her identity group membership.And third, leaders are all too fre-quently caught out of the loop. Thisoccurs in part because people have anatural tendency to filter informationas it moves up the organizationalhierarchy and in part because moreoften than not, leaders are representa-tives of traditionally advantaged anddominant identity groups. Underthese circumstances, leaders oftenlack critical awareness and knowl-edge of the inequities and challengesfaced by less advantaged groups.

FINDING LINKSThe role of boundary-spanning lead-ership is to facilitate cross-boundaryinteractions, thereby creating thelinkages necessary to move ideas,information, people, and resources

where they are needed most. Theirpositional authority allows leaders toestablish a number of these linkagesdirectly through their actions andwords. At the same time, the threechallenges described earlier imposelimitations on this ability of leadersto intervene directly. As a result,boundary-spanning leaders often actindirectly, through enabling or facili-tating the cross-boundary interactionsof others.

Four boundary-spanning tacticssuspending, reframing, nesting, andweavingcan facilitate positivecross-boundary interactions.

Suspending: Creating a ThirdSpace

The tactic of boundary suspendingseeks to create a neutral zone, a thirdspace where social interactions areperson based rather than identity-group based and where individualrelationships can be developed,assumptions can be surfaced, per-sonal values can be safely explored,and new language can be created.This space can be physical (such asan office or other business space),virtual (such as the communicationzone created by e-mailing or telecon-ferencing), mental (such as the com-mon ground opened by shared experi-ences, ideas, and ideals) or anycombination of these three.

Leadership practices that create athird space can be either formal orinformal and can occur as part of workor after-work activities. A humanresource director in Singapore citesusing sports as a third space to facili-tate interaction between ChineseChristian employees and MalayMuslim constituents in the community.These sporting events create a com-mon medium through which ethnicand religious boundaries can be sus-pended and different identity groupscan interact and learn more about eachother on an individual level.

Also consider the case of aJapanese project manager whose job

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required him to work for short stintsin countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. His role demandedthat he quickly build productive andtask-oriented cross-national teams inorder to launch new information tech-nology initiatives. On assignment inKorea, the project manager fre-quently organized opportunities forhis team members from Australia,Indonesia, Korea, and New Zealandto socialize after work, and observedthat these interactions were highlyeffective in developing person-to-per-son relationships.

Establishing such practices is notalways so straightforward, however.In-groups may feel threatened whenbrought into contact with out-groupswith which they have a history oftension or mistrust. An example ofthis is the Japanese project managersexperience while managing a newinitiative in Hong Kong. His effortsto organize after-work activities inthis case were met with resistance.Although his expatriate colleaguesenjoyed going out to a bar or night-club to socialize, his local Chinesecolleagues preferred to have dinnertogether. These differences carriedover to the workplace. Project delaysand behind-the-scenes conversationsbecame the norm. The problem,according to the project manager, wasnot the technical work but that thedifferent national groups were simplynot able to get along.

Bridging entrenched identitydivides is something that few leadershave been trained to do, yet it is anintegral aspect of their leadershiproles. Examples of successful bound-ary-spanning practices include hold-ing storytelling sessions in whichindividuals are encouraged to sharepersonal life events and lessons; set-ting up a war room where cross-boundary teams can construct maps,track progress, and have meetings;organizing creativity labs wherediverse teams can dialogue and solveproblems; and arranging off-siteretreats designed to take advantage of

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Christopher Ernst is

research director of global

leadership at CCLs

Singapore campus. He holds

a Ph.D. degree from North

Carolina State University.

Jeffrey Yip is a research

associate at CCLs Singapore

campus. He holds an M.Ed.

degree from Harvard

University.

A B O U T T H E A U T H O R S

the third-space qualities of a neutrallocation.

Reframing: Activating a SharedIdentity

The tactic of boundary reframing isdesigned to activate a common cate-gory or superordinate identity that isinclusive across identity groups.

In the workplace, boundaryreframing increases the salience, rele-vance, and importance of belongingto the organization as a higher-levelsocial category. Thus the organizationitself and its mission and goalsbecome the all-inclusive identitygroup.

A powerful example of boundaryreframing can be seen at Child Rightsand You (CRY), a nongovernmentalorganization in India that is transform-ing itself from an agency for childrelief to an agency for child rights.This grassroots organization spans sev-enteen of the twenty-eight Indian statesand is a microcosm of the tremendousdiversity of this vast nation and itsintergroup differences in gender, reli-gion, region, language, ethnicity, andcaste. Members of the managementcommittee recognized that the transfor-mation would succeed only if all theidentity groups within the organizationinternalized the change. As one seniorleader put it, We cant create a move-ment with over a billion people inIndia until we first create that move-ment and that understanding withinour own diversity.

Bringing the entire organizationtogether in internalizing the transfor-mation has helped to discourage anus-versus-them mind-set from devel-oping. When regional divisions orrifts between castes become apparent,they can be addressed in the momentrather than externalized. This processallows people to identify commonground and to form new levels oftrust and community.

The compelling missions of non-profit organizations can function asbuilt-in superordinate goals with the

power to bridge gaps between dis-parate identity groups. In the corpo-rate setting, superordinate goals tendto focus on achievements such aswinning market share, beating thecompetition, and reaching collectivefinancial targets that result in bonusesor pay raises. These focuses canbridge social identities by emphasiz-ing interorganizational competitionand what is positive and distinctiveabout the organization compared withits competitors.

For example, in a company thatmanufactures clothing for some ofthe worlds best-known brands, lead-ers draw on the shared need ofemployees for financial security.About 40 percent of the employeesare Jordanians; the remaining 60 per-cent are from India, Sri Lanka,Bangladesh, and China. Effectivelyworking together and meeting pro-duction targets results in collectivefinancial incentives and rewards;causing trouble and not getting alongresults in losing your job.

What these examples have in com-mon is the activation of a sharedvision. The real boundaries that sepa-rate identity groups in these organiza-tions are rooted in group membershipand are charged with emotion andmeaning. Leaders should not ignoresuch powerful differences or attemptto make them go away. Nor shouldthey deliberately put members of iden-tity groups in a position where theymust abandon core aspects of theirsocial identity in deference to theorganizational identity. This practicenot only raises ethical issues but alsoresults in an unsustainable strategy.

Nesting: Embedding GroupsWithin a Larger Whole

The tactic of boundary nesting seeksto structure interactions so that iden-tity groups have distinct roles that areembedded within a larger mission,goal, or objective. It draws on thestrong needs humans have for bothdistinctiveness and belonging.

Common examples of boundarynesting are affinity groups and com-munities of practice, both of whichseek to foster the development of ashared and nested identity whilekeeping groups connected to a largerorganizational identity. Like Russianmatryoshka dolls, smaller subgroupswith unique meaning and integrityare nested within larger groups thatconstitute the whole. A number oforganizations use educational or cul-tural events to bring social identitygroups together.

CRY has adopted an innovativestrategy-planning process that usesthe concept of boundary nesting. ThisNGO wanted a strategy process thatrecognized and valued the distinctregional identities across the organi-zation yet also addressed the need foran integrated long-term plan to pro-vide an overarching blueprint. Theoutcome is a collective processwhereby each region works on thestrategy after having broken it downinto smaller actionable steps. Thefinal version of the strategy thenemerges after the groups cooperate toreconcile their various plans.

A key distinction between bound-ary suspending and boundary nestingis that in the former, leaders seek tofacilitate cross-boundary interactionsbetween individuals, whereas in thelatter, they seek to stimulate interac-tions between groups. Research evi-dence demonstrates that nestinggroups within larger wholes canreduce perceived intergroup threatsand anxiety.

Yet nesting can be difficult to putinto practice. Given that organiza-tional life is often territorial and sta-tus oriented, it is a challenge for lead-ers to ensure in-group cohesion andat the same time to balance it withcross-group identification with theorganization as a whole.

Leaders can manage these tensionsby structuring interdependent tasks sothat each groups expertise is equallyvalued. Another option is a tieredapproach in which subgroup mem-

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group membership and employmentclassifications are intersected so thata persons identity is not correlatedwith his or her employment role orclassification.

Boundary-spanning leaders useweaving tactics to facilitate greaterrepresentation, opportunity, and voicefor identity groups across organiza-tional levels and functions. With theuse of modern communication tech-nology, geographically dispersed orvirtual teams are an increasinglyprevalent mechanism for organiza-tions to use as they seek innovativecross-boundary solutions.

Consider the example of a leaderin an Asian multinational organiza-tion whose job requires her to imple-ment regional information technologysolutions across countries withwidely different technology infra-structures. She composes her teamsto ensure that their members aremixed in terms of both functionalexpertise and social identity. Whatshe has learned is that regional diver-sity is necessary to a deep under-standing of end-user norms and val-ues, whereas functional diversity is avaluable way to identify the appropri-ate technical parameters and solu-tions. She feels that the cross-bound-ary composition of her teams is acritical factor in their ability to gener-ate new ideas, and depart from con-ventional solutions.

Global diversity is the new realityof the workplace. For boundary-span-ning leaders this diversity is notthought of as a challenge to solve butrather as the very means to solve thechallenge. By cross-cutting identitygroups with organizational levels androles, boundary-spanning leaders canunlock the creative potential withinindividuals and the organization.

RIGHT COMBINATIONSIn practice the four boundary-span-ning tactics are closely integrated, asleaders can use different combina-tions for different situations. This is

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demonstrated by the example of OngKeng Yong, former secretary-generalof the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN).

Comprising Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand,and Vietnam, ASEAN is an associa-tion of nation-states that have vastlydiffering economic and political sta-tuses and are home to more than 500million people. The leadership chal-lenge and opportunity faced by Ongwas in working across the variouscultural and political differences rep-resented in ASEAN while moving thegroup toward regional integration.

Ong described ASEAN meetingsas forums where boundaries ofnational identities were suspendedand representatives of member statesengaged in person-to-person dialogueon issues of shared interest. In thesesettings he reframed intergroup dif-ferences by actively staking out thecommon ground. Nesting was seen inthe secretary-generals efforts touphold the distinct traditions of mem-ber nations; during ASEAN meetingsOng ensured that member states weregiven opportunities to contribute theirunique knowledge and experiencetoward ASEAN goals and objectives.Lastly, as a political associationASEAN was noteworthy in its use ofweaving, exemplified in the diverserepresentation and rotation of mem-ber states across levels and roles.

As this example of boundary-spanning leadership illustrates, ifpeople of different identity groups areprovided with opportunities for posi-tive cross-boundary contact in theworkplace, then these experiencescan spill over into local communities.Boundary-spanning leadership hasthe potential to transform long-stand-ing biases and beliefs. The impact isfelt not only within the individualorganization but also in the broadercommunity or society. Through thework of boundary-spanning leaders,organizations can act as levers forpositive societal change.

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bers first engage in activities thataffirm their identity and then the dif-ferent subgroups are brought togetherto work toward a shared understand-ing. Lastly, leaders can deal withthese tensions by actively speakingout concerning the unique perspec-tives brought by various groups andtheir contributions to larger organiza-tional goals.

In Singapore the nations firstprime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, andsubsequent leaders have used theseapproaches to remarkable effect.Since gaining its independence in1965, Singapore, a highly multicul-tural, multiethnic, and multifaith soci-ety, has stressed that the nationsstrength lies in the diversity of its cul-tures. The respective ethnic and reli-gious identities are honored for theirunique traditions and for their concur-rent contributions to the whole of thenation. Such an approach serves toprevent dominant identity groupsfrom asserting their identities aboveothers and protects the unique identi-ties of minority groups.

In Singapore the tactic of bound-ary nesting has been a powerful forceagainst ethnic discrimination. Its suc-cess is evident in the stability ofinterethnic relations in the countryand the ease with which Singaporeansinteract with the rest of the world.

Weaving: Cross-Cutting Roles andIdentity

The final tactic, boundary weaving,seeks to cross and intersect social andorganizational identities in an interde-pendent manner so that they are lesstightly coupled at a limited number ofpoints. Interlacing social identitiesacross various roles and levels in anorganization facilitates opportunitiesfor increased cross-boundary collabo-ration and creativity. Boundary weav-ing is particularly relevant in bridgingthe diversity gap between dominantand minority groups in an organiza-tion. With the weaving of organiza-tional and social identities, minority-