Inclusive Leadership Is
“I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could've been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change”
- Michael Jackson.
These lyrics from Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror” hit home when we think about Inclusive Leadership. It is easy to point fingers and blame leadership styles on those who have gone before us, circumstances, those who are more senior than us, and the list goes on. But in all honesty, Inclusive Leadership really DOES start with the man (woman) in the mirror. As the childish saying goes, “if you point a finger at someone, three fingers are pointing back at you”.
But what IS Inclusive Leadership, and how do we DO it?
Leadership is one of the most critical levers for succeeding in inclusion and diversity efforts. Teams with inclusive leaders are 17% more likely to report high performance, 20% more likely to say they make high-quality decisions, and 29% more likely to report behaving collaboratively (Reference: https://hbr.org/2019/03/why-inclusive-leaders-are-good-for-organizations-and-how-to-become-one )
“Inclusive leadership is a style of leadership where leaders seek collaboration and communication with colleagues to carry out effective decision-making and problem-solving in the workplace”
- Indeed Editorial Team
But inclusive leadership is not only a leadership style; it is also who we are as leaders, our character, our curiosity, and how we build and foster relationships.
Who you are matters.
It’s not who you are; it’s WHO you are that matters. You could be highly skilled or hold a superior title or position, but you cannot be an inclusive leader if you lack humility, courage or empathy - character matters.
Inclusive leaders are constantly seeking, learning and wanting to grow. They are curious about different perspectives and opinions.
Inclusive leadership is all about building relationships. One can only be an inclusive leader by connecting with each team member and getting to know them on every level, including their strengths, weaknesses, desires, dreams and uniqueness. Trust and care are fundamental to good relationships and staying connected.
An inclusive leader is known for their conduct. One can only be an inclusive leader by conducting oneself in an inclusive way. This is why leaders should live out inclusive behaviors every day.
So what are these Inclusive Behaviours?
Inclusive leaders bring out the brilliance in their people. They support their employees as individuals, promote diversity, empower their employees and contribute to their employee’s learning and development. By finding and fostering their employee’s individuality, leaders become more inclusive. People who feel seen and heard automatically feel part of the team.
Inclusive leaders create a home for their people by strengthening a sense of belonging within their teams. Belonging ensures equity, builds relationships and shares decision-making while fostering healthy connectedness within teams and between the team leader and its members.
Inclusive leaders champion their people and recognize the efforts and contributions of their employees. A leader’s reactions to achievements and efforts will determine how inclusive that leader is.
Inclusive leaders display behaviours that support and assist their organization’s strategies and views on inclusive change.
At Inclusionem, we are passionate about Inclusive Leadership and would love to partner with you in creating space for change within your leadership style.
If you want to know more about our Inclusive Leadership services, click here.
Inclusionem is a global Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy based in Dubai. We specialize in measuring inclusion, diversity and inclusion strategy, inclusive leadership training programs and inclusive communication. Our diversity and inclusion consultants create an impact daily and help to build inclusive organizations in Dubai, the Middle East and all over the world.
