Inclusive Leadership - what is it!?
I recently attended a conference that (for once) had nothing to do with my usual specialism of personnel development or HR. I struck up a conversation with a white man in his mid to late 60s with over 35 impressive years of professional experience. As a manager, he already had many years of experience in people management and employee development - far more than my own management experience in my mid-30s. We got talking about my professional field - counselling and training in the area of diversity and inclusion. He assured me how important ‘it’ was for him and his company, but couldn't give me any specific examples of what was being implemented or what exactly the benefits were from his point of view. He literally stuttered and seemed a little uncomfortable not knowing exactly what I was talking about. I was baffled: this seasoned executive, with far more experience in leadership and working life in general than myself, was unsure what I was talking about or how he should comment on the topic of diversity and inclusion.
How is this possible?
Actually, this is not very surprising as it is a relatively ‘new’ topic (at least since the 90s, Gardenswartz and Rowe have laid important foundations for Diversity & Inclusion). It is also a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant among the newer generations, such as Generation Z and the millennials. Of course, my interviewee did not work in HR and therefore had little contact with the topic. So I ask myself: do they know what it is about in broad terms and what implications it has for their day-to-day management?
“Can we expect managers today to be familiar with the topic of diversity and inclusion?”
A rhetorical question, of course - I think we can expect this from people who take on responsibility for others through their leadership role. And the chances are high that the employees are not necessarily of the same gender, age, origin, religion or sexual orientation as you are. And that's where it gets exciting. Because the first maxim of leadership is well known:
“Lead others the way THEY want to be led, not the way YOU want to be led”
And at this point, it is crucial to understand what makes my employees different. What religion do they belong to? Do they have a disability? Do they have caring responsibilities for other people? And what does all this mean for teamwork?
Understanding that not all people are the same and have different needs and possibilities is one of the most important principles of diversity and inclusion. Incidentally, the relevance and level of knowledge on the subject varies in different cultures. Another colleague of a similar age had previously assured me that ‘anti-discrimination’ training is standard day 1 when onboarding new employees in the USA.
So what is inclusive leadership?
Inclusive leadership means recognising, valuing and promoting diversity in the team. It is about creating a working environment in which all employees feel respected and valued. Managers who lead inclusively are actively committed to breaking down barriers and strengthening collaboration. The goal of inclusive leadership and an inclusive organisational culture is to create a working environment of belonging and psychological safety in the workplace in order to be able to work productively and efficiently. The basis, really. How would you rate yourself? What would your employees say about you? In a half-day or full-day training course, they learn to assess their own competences in this respect.
“People who lead inclusively are characterised by 6 special traits: They are courageous, committed, recognise their own bias, demonstrate intercultural competence, are curious and value collaboration.”
the Inclusive Leadership Training
It is precisely this knowledge that is taught in the ‘Inclusive Leadership’ day training in four modules - on the three important levels that make behavioural change possible:
Knowledge: Managers learn about the basic concepts and mechanisms surrounding diversity, equality and inclusion. The aim is also to develop a confident way of speaking about the topic so that I don't stammer when my employees ask me about it.
Attitude: Managers understand the relevance and benefits of diversity and inclusion. They reflect on their own skills and recognise potential gaps in their abilities. Tools such as virtual reality are used to broaden their own perspective and increase empathy through immersion.
Transfer: Managers apply the principles of inclusive leadership in their teams, implement new measures and are able to explain the benefits and relevance of these measures to their team.
what participants say
“I would never have noticed that before, but now I suddenly see homogeneous groups of “Thomas” everywhere! ”
Modell 6 C’s for Inclusive Leadership (Juliet Bourke, Deloitte 2016)
Who is the training programme for?
Especially for people who have had little or no exposure to the topic. A basic understanding of the principles of diversity and inclusion is created in order to then assess one's own competencies and discuss concrete next steps for oneself, the team and the organisation.
Do you believe that everyone in your team is treated equally anyway and that all people are welcome in the organisation? Learn why this sentence is a red flag for diversity & inclusion experts and what you should say instead in the Inclusive Leadership Training.
“Without the great training, I would not have become aware of this interesting topic and would not be involved in the DEI committee of our company!’”