Inclusive Leadership Is Everything
An organization where every employee has a seat at the table will thrive, but managers need to put in the work.
Inclusive leadership is more than just a buzzword or a passing trend; it’s a vital skill that can significantly enhance an organization’s success and culture.
But what exactly is an inclusive leader? Inclusive leaders actively seek to understand and value diverse perspectives and then incorporate them into policies and practices. They create and foster environments where everyone can thrive.
There are many advantages to this type of leadership:
- For starters, inclusive leadership brings enhanced innovation and creativity. Diverse perspectives lead to more creative solutions. The team feels empowered by an inclusive leader to bring their unique perspectives and unconventional solutions and take more creative risks.
- Inclusive leadership strengthens employee engagement and retention. When employees feel their voice matters and that they are respected, they are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work. An environment where everyone feels they have a seat at the table increases job satisfaction, morale, and loyalty.
- Inclusive leaders seek input from many different perspectives, which can lead to better decision-making. Ensuring that all voices are heard mitigates groupthink by incorporating a range of perspectives.
- Talented professionals are more likely to choose employers that prioritize inclusivity. A 2020 Glassdoor survey found that 67% of job seekers said that a diverse workforce is an important factor when looking at a potential employee.
- Inclusive leaders create a culture of respect and belonging. This culture leads to stronger relationships, better collaboration, and more effective communication, all of which support mental and emotional well-being.
Being an inclusive leader is no longer optional. It is essential for the success and growth of any organization.
An inclusive leader shows the way by calling out inappropriate comments or actions and holding team members accountable for their actions. It is important to approach these situations with empathy and an understanding that biases are often unconscious.
What does it take to be an inclusive leader? It’s not just about having good intentions. It’s about taking actions that create a more equitable, collaborative, and innovative work environment.
Here are ways to be a more inclusive leader:
- Commit to continuous learning. Minette Norman, in her 2023 book The Boldly Inclusive Leader, says inclusive leadership takes commitment. An important step is acknowledging that you won’t always have the answers. It is important to recognize your own biases and how your background and experiences shape your views, decisions, and interactions. Inclusive leaders are open to feedback from colleagues, and they stay curious about and are receptive to diverse experiences.
- Promote a culture of belonging. That means ensuring every team member feels they are integral to the team’s success. Ways to do this include regularly checking in with employees and giving them opportunities to share their thoughts on a project or procedure, or even how well the team is collaborating. Validating their contributions goes a long way to making people feel recognized and valued. Use meetings to share information, foster new ideas, and build psychological safety.
- Lead with empathy. Empathy is a cornerstone of inclusive leadership. Empathetic leaders prioritize understanding, connecting with and genuinely caring about the emotions and perspectives of team members. They seek to understand others’ experiences and take time to listen. Listening transforms relationships when practiced with genuine curiosity and understanding. It’s an essential skill for building trust and demonstrating respect.
- Encourage diverse perspectives. An inclusive leader creates spaces where diverse voices are not just heard but actively sought out. Norman cautions against sanctioning or humiliating others for asking questions, sharing ideas, or admitting errors. She encourages nurturing psychological safety to ensure employees feel comfortable posing questions, offering new, potentially risky ideas, and discussing mistakes. “When team members don’t feel safe, you cannot leverage their diverse experiences, perspectives and ways of thinking.”
- Address bias and discrimination head on. An inclusive leader shows the way by calling out inappropriate comments or actions and holding team members accountable for their actions. It is important to approach these situations with empathy and an understanding that biases are often unconscious. Confronting biased behavior in a constructive manner enables an event to become a teaching moment for both the individual and the team.
Listening transforms relationships when practiced with genuine curiosity and understanding. It’s an essential skill for building trust and demonstrating respect.
On your journey to becoming an inclusive leader, keep in mind that you must manage your fear of inadvertently acting or speaking inappropriately. “Even with a high level of self-awareness and a strong commitment to being an inclusive leader, you will inevitably do something or say something that another person finds hurtful, offensive or damaging,” Norman writes. Being aware of this discomfort and confronting your insecurities openly is the first step to fostering trust and your willingness to embrace different perspectives. Like any skill, inclusive leadership involves practice, making mistakes, and continuous improvement.
In today’s globalized, multicultural, and highly diverse work environment, inclusive leadership is more critical than ever. The true mark of such a leader is not how many voices they listen to but how many voices they make room for at the table. Always keep in mind that being an inclusive leader is not an endpoint—it’s a journey. Bon voyage!
