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How to maintain individual identity to ease inclusion and team cohesion?

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Gwenola Michaud
Community Champion
Project Manager & Advisor| Geosciences & Monitoring Consulting Milano, Italy

I had the privilege of working in an organization where inclusion was simply how we operated. Differences were acknowledged, but they never overshadowed our shared purpose: delivering results together.

Recently, in a different context, I experienced a situation where references to personal differences — whether through "jokes", defensiveness, or sensitivity — created discomfort within the team and made collaboration more complex.

It made me reflect on the role of leadership and culture in maintaining psychological safety.

As project managers, we are responsible for creating environments where:

  • Differences are respected
  • No one feels diminished
  • And at the same time, no one feels they must walk on eggshells

In your experience: How do you maintain balance between respecting individual identity and preserving team cohesion and equality?
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Mayte Mata Sivera PMO Leader | Speaker | Author Ut, United States
I care a lot about fairness and equality in teams. Inclusion cannot be optional. When equality and fairness are not consistently respected, there is no real space for individuality. Without a foundation of fairness, what looks like “difference” quickly becomes imbalance.

Leadership tone absolutely matters. As project leaders, we are not only responsible for delivery, we are also responsible for setting behavioral standards. Psychological safety is not about avoiding discomfort or walking on eggshells. It is about making respect non-negotiable and ensuring that no one feels diminished.
From my point of view, equality is not a soft value. It is an operational requirement for sustainable team performance.
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Pavan Maddi
Community Champion
Buona Vista, Singapore
Inclusive teams work best when identity is respected without becoming a barrier. I focus on shared purpose first, then create space for individual voices through structured check-ins, clear norms, and calm intervention when humour crosses lines. Consistent modelling of respect, equal airtime, and transparent decision making helps people feel seen without making others feel cautious.
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Amanda Loewy
This question really resonates with me. Inclusion is close to my heart, especially having been part of women’s ERGs throughout my career. Those experiences shaped how I think about leadership and team culture.

As project managers, we are 'boots-on-the-ground' and interacting with people daily, so the tone we set is the "how" of any company policy. I’ve worked in an environment where inclusion wasn’t an initiative, it was simply how we operated on a day-to-day level. Differences were acknowledged respectfully, but they never overshadowed our shared purpose. We were united by delivering results together, and that clarity created natural psychological safety.

For me, balance comes down to a few principles:
  • Anchor the team in a shared purpose. Like I said above, the high performing teams I've been on could acknowledge differences but were far more interested in achieving goals and objectives.
  • Set clear behavioral expectations rooted in respect. Rules of the road, what's OK versus not.
  • Model open and genuine curiosity, as this goes a long way to respecting differences yet having people feel seen.
  • Address tension early, rather than letting it build. Depending on your position on the team, you can either do 1:1 meetings or you can escalate matters to the appropriate supervisor to handle.
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Srikana Ray
Community Champion
IT Project Manager
When working on initiatives with team members from diverse backgrounds, I prioritize creating a respectful communication environment even when opinions or perspectives differ. Healthy disagreement is natural and often valuable, but it must be grounded in mutual respect.

Active listening without judgment is essential. I encourage the team to remain open to different viewpoints and to focus discussions on the shared objective rather than on personal identity or background. Keeping conversations centered on the goal helps maintain both fairness and cohesion.

I also find that rephrasing or simplifying complex statements can make communication more inclusive. This improves understanding but also reinforces professionalism. It shows that we value the message itself rather than highlighting differences in communication styles or backgrounds. This small adjustment can significantly strengthen team cohesion.

Respect is a shared responsibility. As project managers, we should demonstrate ethical behavior, professionalism and establish a standard for the team. At the same time, it is important to address inappropriate behavior or poor conduct promptly and constructively.

Building a comfortable and inclusive workspace leads to stronger collaboration and better outcomes. When team members feel respected and understood, they are more engaged, more confident in contributing ideas and more committed to achieving shared goals.
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Gwenola Michaud
Community Champion
Project Manager & Advisor| Geosciences & Monitoring Consulting Milano, Italy
Thank you so much for your replies. The take aways are:

1. Respect and fairness are the foundation of inclusion
Individual identity can flourish only when fairness, respect, and clear behavioral standards are consistently upheld. Equality is not a soft value, but an operational requirement for healthy and sustainable team performance.

2. Shared purpose creates space for individual voices
Inclusive teams balance collective purpose with individual expression. Anchoring the team around a common goal, encouraging curiosity, and practicing active listening help people feel seen and heard without creating division.

3. Address tension early as respect is non-negotiable
Small tensions should never be ignored. We must intervene calmly and early when boundaries are crossed, making it clear that respectful behavior is non-negotiable. Protecting the team climate is part of responsible leadership.

Thank you!

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