The Fundamentals of Inclusive Leadership
The Fundamentals of Inclusive Leadership
The implementation of targets has had minimal impact on diversity over the years, especially when looking beyond gender and race; perhaps it is time for a new approach? Leaders who can build a culture of inclusivity in their business can create organic change and build an environment where different voices and perspectives can be heard and made welcome.
“Diversity is being invited to the party, but inclusion is being invited to dance.”
Organisations are increasingly compelled to adapt to diverse customers, markets and talent pools and inclusive leadership can be instrumental in achieving this by focussing more on connection and participation rather than pure representation.
Inclusive leadership goes beyond hitting the KPIs for employing candidates from diverse backgrounds through actively creating a workplace culture that encourages people to bring their whole selves to work. Inclusive leaders create spaces where everyone has the psychological safety to express themselves within an environment where they feel respected regardless of any differences to their peers. This article looks at some of the fundamental principles of being an inclusive leader.
Visible Audible Commitment
Whilst it is given that inclusion and diversity must be a personal priority for inclusive leaders, and that this will take their time and energy - what is less obvious is that this commitment must be made visible through consistent verbalisation and action.
Speaking up and speaking out is a much stronger way to build inclusion than writing a policy. Leaders that encourage discussion around difference, challenge the status quo and actively listen to the voices of others are those that are proactively changing the culture and building teams that feel not only hear but are aligned to a common purpose.
Understanding Bias
Being committed to diversity requires a knowledge of the factors that work against minority groups. Leaders cannot challenge what they don’t know; only through developing an awareness of both their personal and systemic biases can leaders effectively challenge them. The recruitment process highlights this perfectly. There are many ways in which fairness can be built into the process in order to divest it of its inherent bias but knowing what makes it unfair from the outset is the first step.
Cultural awareness
Having exposure to different cultures and developing an awareness of their beliefs and practices is vital for inclusive leadership. It helps to avoid stereotypes and bias whilst facilitating cross-cultural interactions. Leaders should be aware not only of disparate societal norms but also how their own circumstances and upbringing shapes their world view.
For instance, supporting Muslim employees feel seen and accepted will require developing an understanding of their key beliefs and practices. This could create a culture where the business acknowledges Eid, is mindful about scheduling meetings round prayer times and as simple as ensuring that team events consider religious dietary choices.
Build an open two-way dialogue
A culture that builds confidence in its employees to speak without fear of ridicule or repercussion creates collaboration that crosses hierarchies and societal difference that is truly inclusive.
Therefore, empowering others to share their opinions without judgement is fundamental to building inclusion. Demonstrating that alternative points of view are welcome, valid, and truly valued creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable to speak up.
Develop Empathy
Inclusivity relies on enabling employees to be their authentic selves in the workplace. Being aware of how an employee feels is integral to creating connections that are based on trust and understanding and this requires empathy. It can enable leaders to resolve conflicts, build more productive teams, and to improve relationships with co-workers, clients, and customers.
For example, a leader may have a team member who's unable to focus on their work because of a problem at home. It may seem the kind thing to do to tell them they can work from home until the situation is resolved, but work may in fact give them a welcome respite from thinking about something painful. The empathetic leader would ask them which approach they would prefer.
Active listening
Active listening is a surprisingly rare skill to come by, but it’s a crucial ability for all leaders and essential for inclusion. Leaders must be fully present when their team members speak and not just mentally formulating a reply. Ideally, they should also be aware of what isn’t being said in order to gain a complete understanding of others. Employees will feel more valued knowing that they’re being properly heard and will be much more likely to open up and share feedback.
“If you build inclusivity in the workplace, where everyone feels equal and respected for who they are – then diversity will follow because people will want to be a part of it.”
Alumni
Alumni has a proven track record of leadership development and executive search. Alumni places diversity and inclusion at the heart of all its business practices. Effective leaders are one of the most important assets within an organisation and recognising and realising their potential will not only deliver a competitive advantage to aid your business strategy but also improve attraction and retention across all employees. We believe that a thorough understanding of the complex and unique situation of your organisation today and the skills required in the profile of the leader you are seeking in the future, is key to finding you the right person to build your inclusive organisation.
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