Inclusive Leadership
We live in a very diverse world. Not only do companies offer a lot of variability in their business, there is also diversity in work teams, the content that is advertised, and in the customers being interacted with.
Inclusive leadership is vital to balance out all of these elements by easily adapting to varying perspectives with an open mindset to bring on the best results possible.
With companies increasingly optimizing their DEI initiatives, inclusive leadership creates an atmosphere where people feel their opinions and contributions improve the company’s well-being.
In this article, we discuss:
What is Inclusive Leadership?
Inclusive leadership is the management style where their core set of values and actions are founded on the promotion of diversity, equity and inclusion at work through inclusive hiring practices, creating diversity strategies and communicating DEI policies.
Inclusive leaders take the time to thoroughly understand what makes each team member unique and supports them in being their best selves at work.
This creates a positive work environment that has everyone feeling heard, valued, and appreciated. Inclusive leaders are individuals who are aware of their own biases and willingly educate themselves about different perspectives to inform their decision-making with others.
Inclusive leaders promote a sense of belonging among all employees, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, or any other characteristic. They recognize and value the differences among employees and work to create an environment where all employees feel valued and respected.
Through DEI training, mentoring, listening to employees' concerns and being both advocates and active allies to those being treated unfairly, employees, including those from diverse backgrounds, realize that they have the power and skillset to let their unique experiences shine.
Characteristics of Inclusive Leaders
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: Inclusive leaders possess high levels of empathy and emotional intelligence. They understand and relate to the experiences and perspectives of others, which allows them to create a culture of inclusion.
Open-Mindedness and a Willingness to Learn: Inclusive leaders are open-minded and willing to learn. They seek out and listen to diverse perspectives and ideas, which helps them make more informed decisions and create a more inclusive workplace.
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion: Inclusive leaders are committed to diversity and inclusion. They recognize the value of diversity and work to create an environment where all employees feel valued and respected.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Inclusive leaders promote collaboration and teamwork. They recognize that diverse perspectives can lead to better outcomes and encourage employees to work together to achieve common goals
Transparency and Communication: Inclusive leaders are transparent and communicate openly with employees. They provide feedback and information in a clear and timely manner, which helps build trust and fosters a culture of inclusion.
Courage and the Ability to Take Action: Inclusive leaders have the courage and ability to take action when necessary. They recognize and address bias and discrimination in the workplace and take steps to create a more inclusive environment.
Champion of DEI: Creating diversity initiatives and affinity groups, advocating for structural changes, acting as role models, and holding other leaders accountable for increasing the pipeline of underrepresented talent.
Invested in Long Term Outcomes: They are continuously driving and managing changes that make the organization more inclusive and diverse.
Why is Inclusive Leadership Important?
Inclusive leadership encourages colleagues to speak their minds, strengthens collaborative teamwork, and advocates for innovation and growth.
These types of executives also help to provide employees from underrepresented communities with additional support. These historically-marginalized people may feel discouraged and have doubts about reaching their full potential at work.
Employees benefit from knowing they have higher chances of success with the multiple strategies from senior leaders.
Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to be engaged and productive, which can lead to increased organizational performance.
Helps organizations attract and retain top talent from diverse backgrounds. Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to stay with an organization, reducing turnover rates and recruitment costs.
Inclusive leadership can enhance an organization's brand reputation and customer loyalty. Customers are more likely to support organizations that demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The 5 Leadership Styles
Leadership styles can be broadly categorized based on a set of characteristics, including things like autonomy and flexibility. Here are the 5 most common types of leadership seen in the workplace and how they can influence a company’s success:
Democratic Leadership
Also commonly known as participative, democratic leadership focuses on letting multiple people participate in the decision-making process. Leaders with a democratic mindset appreciate the opinions of others and open up decisions and ideas for debate before anything gets finalized. This helps ensure all employees feel respected, knowing that their viewpoints are considered.
Authoritarian Leadership
In contrast, an authoritarian leader makes decisions with little input from colleagues. Authoritarian leaders can make decisions promptly and confidently, especially during a strict deadline. They focus on finding the right balance between forming executive decisions and putting a lot of trust in your team to give feedback after decisions are made.
Delegative Leadership
Often referred to as “laissez-faire”, a delegative leader assigns responsibility and gives authority to other colleagues. Team members direct their own judgements and have more freedom in decision-making. Delegative leaders might assign tasks to colleagues who are adept and qualified to do so or give each employee the ability to guide their own work. While delegative leaders may not participate in every decision, they often provide resources their teams need and take responsibility for outcomes.
Transactional Leadership
A transactional leader values order and structure. They set goals for the team and highlight both the rewards and penalties associated with the goals. Transactional leadership emphasizes trust and clarity between colleagues and allows for a high degree of control over actions, which leads to anticipated and dependable results.
Transformational Leadership
Transformational leaders motivate, inspire, and encourage employees to be innovative and create effective ways to shape the company's future success. This is done by setting examples, being a strong advocate, showing employee ownership, and gaining independence in the workplace.
How to Become an Inclusive Leader
Understand and Embrace Diversity
Diversity generates creativity and community growth. Colleagues that view the same thing differently are more likely to get a wider range of perspectives, improving the workforce's productivity.
To understand and embrace diversity, leaders must pay attention to every team member and then ensure that every member has equitable access to resources and opportunities.
Leaders need to create conditions where diverse viewpoints are represented, appropriately communicate with those with opposing views, and proactively identify progressive opportunities for all.
Communicate Openly and Actively Listen
When communication is effective, it leaves everyone involved satisfied and feeling accomplished.
By becoming an inclusive leader and inviting other thoughts and suggestions instead of just your own, you also show your team that you value their insights into forming new ideas and solving problems.
This helps employees view themselves as an integral part of the company and instills a greater sense of ownership.
Support and Empower Team Members
Empowerment enables team members to be confident and own their own work. Leaders who empower make team members feel more invested in their company's mission and are more likely to make contributions that can lead to meaningful change.
Furthermore, the ties you make as a leader with fellow colleagues can connect them with useful resources, broaden your network, and help open up future career opportunities. Those who have positive relationships with co-workers often have better physical and mental health and a lower risk of burnout.
Promote Accessibility Initiatives
Ensure that people with disabilities are able to participate fully in all aspects of society, including education, employment, and social activities. Examples of accessibility initiatives include:
Website accessibility: Ensuring that websites are designed and coded in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities, such as by providing alternative text for images, captions for videos, and clear navigation.
Physical accessibility: Ensuring that physical spaces, such as offices, stores, and public buildings, are designed to accommodate people with disabilities, such as by providing wheelchair ramps, accessible bathrooms, and Braille signage.
Product and service accessibility: Ensuring that products and services are designed to be accessible to people with disabilities, such as by providing closed captioning for videos, text-to-speech options, and adjustable font sizes.
Training and education: Providing training and education to employees and stakeholders on accessibility issues, such as how to communicate effectively with people with disabilities and how to use assistive technologies.
Benefits of Inclusive Leadership
The benefits of inclusive leadership are not only for the employees but also for their companies’ success rate. Inclusive leadership may happen daily, and some may not even be aware that they are implementing DEI initiatives while doing so.
According to this study from Deloitte, organizations that promote an inclusive culture are:
2x more likely to reach or surpass financial targets
3x more likely to perform at a higher level
6x more likely to be adaptive and innovative
8x more likely to produce better business results
Positive Impact on Employee Morale and Engagement
Inclusive leadership has a positive impact on employee morale and engagement. Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to be engaged and productive.
Improved Team Performance and Productivity
Inclusive leadership can improve team performance and productivity. Diverse teams bring a variety of perspectives and ideas to the table, which can lead to better outcomes.
Increased Innovation and Creativity
Inclusive leadership can increase innovation and creativity. Employees who feel comfortable sharing their perspectives and ideas are more likely to come up with new and innovative solutions.
Reduced Turnover Rates and Recruitment Costs
Inclusive leadership can reduce turnover rates and recruitment costs. Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to stay with an organization, reducing turnover rates and recruitment costs.
Enhanced Brand Reputation and Customer Loyalty
Inclusive leadership can enhance an organization's brand reputation and customer loyalty. Organizations that demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion are more likely to attract and retain customers who value these principles.
Positive Impact on Society and the Wider Community
Inclusive leadership can have a positive impact on society and the wider community. Organizations that prioritize diversity and inclusion are more likely to engage in socially responsible practices and initiatives that benefit their communities.
Examples of Inclusive Leadership in Action
Microsoft
Microsoft is a leader in inclusive leadership. The company has implemented several initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, including the Autism Hiring Program, which aims to hire more employees on the autism spectrum, and the Inclusive Design Toolkit, which provides resources to help teams create more inclusive products and services.
Starbucks
Starbucks is a great example of an organization that has demonstrated a commitment to inclusive leadership. The company launched the Race Together campaign in 2015 to promote dialogue and understanding about race in the United States.
In 2018, Starbucks closed its stores for an afternoon to provide anti-bias training to its employees. The training was designed to help employees understand and address implicit bias in the workplace.
Unilever
Unilever is a global consumer goods company that has made a commitment to sustainable living and inclusive leadership. The company's Sustainable Living Plan aims to reduce its environmental impact and improve the lives of its employees and customers.
Unilever has also made a commitment to diversity and inclusion, with a goal to have a gender-balanced workforce and increase the number of employees from underrepresented groups.
How to Develop Inclusive Leadership Skills
Educate Yourself on Diversity and Inclusion Issues
One of the first steps to developing inclusive leadership skills is to educate yourself on diversity and inclusion issues. There are many resources available, including books, articles, and training programs, that can help you develop a deeper understanding of these issues.
Develop Emotional Intelligence and Empathy
Inclusive leaders possess high levels of emotional intelligence and empathy which help to better understand and relate to the experiences and perspectives of others.
Foster a Culture of Collaboration
Inclusive leaders promote teamwork and can help create an environment where all employees feel valued and included.
Practice Transparency and Effective Communication
Inclusive leaders are transparent and communicate openly with employees by providing feedback and information in a clear and timely manner.
Take Action and Lead by Example
Inclusive leaders have the courage and ability to take action when necessary. Identify and address bias and discrimination in the workplace, and take steps to create a more inclusive environment. Lead by example by demonstrating inclusive behaviors and encouraging others to do the same.