It is a fact; leaders are tasked to develop a high performing team and in today’s workplace, all while being inclusive and rightly so.
Last year saw the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter campaign ignited, then #metoo increased this year with accusations posted online of how teenagers had been victims of sexual harassment.
It’s a sad realisation of how the lack of DEI can impact our lives if we sit back and take no action.
So, what do you need to know and understand about being an inclusive leader for today’s changing workforce and place?
Inclusion is Important and Here is Why
Let us start with a scary stat that really should be obvious.
In a recent post on Harvard Business Review, the author shared that what leaders say and do makes nearly a 70% difference to whether an employee feels included.
For an employee to feel like they ‘belong’ in an organisation starts with an alignment to the company’s mission and vision, which I shared in our last post here.
This is the groundwork, of course, and critically how a leader communicates is vital because the more people feel included, the more they speak up, go the extra mile, and collaborate, which naturally up-levels performance across the board.
If you want to be a standout inclusive leader, have a look at these five traits to master.
1. The Inclusive Journey Starts with Self Awareness
2021 did not start particularly easily in the U.K. with another national lockdown. However, the T.V. and a strange royal interview kept us both entertained and embarrassed.
In February, Prince Harry and Megan Markle revealed in an Oprah interview that a member of the royal family had speculated what colour the new baby might be.
Many social media warriors took to their keyboards to say it was a reasonable question to ask.
Maybe?
Though it demonstrates how unconscious many people are about their hidden bias, change always starts with self-awareness and the commitment to remove outdated or hidden beliefs that do not serve the team members we want to include.
Ask yourself an honest question: what unconscious and outdated beliefs are you still following?
2. Build a Diverse Team
Being inclusive starts with building a diverse team. This can happen in many ways, and as a first start, invest in inclusive recruitment training and processes. Work with a recruitment partner who understands the importance of DEI; look for APSCo and REC members, national bodies for recruitment companies in the U.K., as this is part of their code of ethics.
If new hires see colleagues and leaders in their workplace who reflect their own cultures or characteristics, they will start to feel like they belong. As a reminder, this needs to happen at all levels of the organisation, and the following uncomfortable facts explain why.
Are you aware that there are only four black Fortune 500 CEOs and that less than ten percent of FTSE companies have a woman at the helm?
We have a long way to go, don’t we?
3. Be Attentive to Culture and Customs
Do your research and understand cultures and customs; it is not that hard.
A recent conversation with colleagues unearthed some shameful practices where, quite frankly, the individual leaders should have known better.
A sales manager who rewarded her team with bottles of wine had a good intention at her core. Though giving a bottle of Merlot to a Muslim who did not drink… really?
Then there was a paintball team building event (never a good idea in the first place) where the female members of the team were not invited.
The list went on.
Being inclusive in this way is not hard.
As I write this post, we have just experienced Gay Pride month to celebrate a group of human beings who still are not fully respected or included.
What did your company do to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community actively? Hint: Putting the rainbow flag on your LinkedIn company page is only the start.
4. Be Curious About Your People
Though I have just shared some ‘face palm’ examples of lack of thought, there is an easy way to remedy this.
First, take the time to find out more. More than 177 million web pages reference Black Lives Matter and 6,330 million that talk about the #metoo movement.
Research, read, and listen with an open mind while getting to know your people.
Demonstrate that you have an open mind by actively listening to your team members – whether through 1-2-1s or group meetings – and empathising when they speak up about the issues they care about.
5. Create a Safe Place to Learn and Grow
Safe workplaces allow people to feel supported and to make mistakes as they grow and develop.
Being the only black manager or transgender employee in a company will not be easy so allow team members to make mistakes, take risks, share their opinions, and speak up.
Safe, inclusive teams are more innovative and motivated because they feel understood and trusted by their leaders.
What will you now do to be a more inclusive leader?
Until next time,
Julia
How We Can Help Become an Inclusive Leader
In a changing workplace, being an inclusive leader is more important than ever. In our range of leadership development programmes, we focus on developing your skills as a leader.
Managers and their teams will improve vital communication, collaboration and influencing skills over six months – developing all participants into high performing virtual team members. Click here for a full programme description or call one of our team on 0845 548 0833.
About Zestfor
Zestfor specialises in developing leadership Training programmes and resources scientifically tailored for technical markets – including Pharmaceutical, I.T., and Life Sciences.
Our blend of in-classroom, online, and virtual live-stream delivery methods will engage and assure even the most introverted team members from the first meeting – whether face-to-face or virtually. So, to have a brief chat, call us on 0845 548 0833.
