Research Corner: Leadership Affects Tie Between Diversity, Voluntary Turnover: Common sense suggests that leadership should affect the relation between diversity and group performance, but common sense is frequently wrong and invariably imprecise. Fortunately, scientific research can be used to evaluate conclusions based on common sense. A nice illustration is provided in a recent paper by Lisa Nishii of Cornell University and David Mayer of the University of Michigan.
As Nishii and Mayer point out, past research has found inconsistent relations between group diversity and performance. They propose that this inconsistency is due in part to differences in leader behavior.
Specifically, when managers develop good relationships with all their subordinates, the negative effects of diversity are diminished, eliminated or reversed.
