Am I really inclusive? A self-check for leaders 

6 questions to test inclusivity

1. Does my organization have predefined ideas about the roles of employees?

2. What proactive steps have we taken to make employees from underrepresented groups aware of career options they may not have considered?

3. What training has my senior leadership team (myself included) undergone to address unconscious bias?

4. Do we have objective assessments in place to reveal biases in our processes?

5. How homogenous in terms of education, ethnicity and gender is the organization at every level?

6. Does our workforce truly reflect our customer base and target markets?

6 steps to combat bias

1. Conduct a thorough assessment of current diversity and inclusion practices

• Identify areas for improvement and set specific goals for increasing diversity metrics within teams. This might include implementing bias training, establishing diversity councils, and creating mentorship programs for underrepresented groups.

2. Foster a culture of feedback

One of the most effective strategies to eliminate biases is to foster a culture of feedback. 

• Encourage employees to provide opinions regularly. This will help leaders understand how they are perceived and identify areas for their own improvement.

3. Focus on visibility and advocacy

Look beyond “the usual suspects” when selecting team members for opportunities.

• Actively seek out people for tasks who have not yet had the chance to showcase their abilities and hold regular talent reviews – meetings where managers discuss their people’s strengths, performance, and potential for growth. 

4. Build psychological safety

Psychological safety is crucial to inclusivity.

• Encourage employees to feel safe when speaking up, sharing ideas, and admitting mistakes without fear of retribution, regardless of their background. And actively manage in-group and out-group dynamics, so no one feels excluded or overlooked.

5. Measure success

Simply creating inclusive workspaces is not enough: you also need to track their impact.

• Measure the progression of employees you think have leadership potential by tracking performance, skill development, feedback, and key career milestones against clear, objective criteria; focusing on how different groups are represented in leadership roles. 

6. Eliminate self-serving bias

Failing to address one’s own biases is common in leaders as many believe they are more inclusive than they are. 

• Run programs to understand what inclusive leadership means and the benefits to individuals, teams, and the organization; learn about the types of bias that can impact decisions and behavior; and use diagnostic tools to give managers an insight into their inclusive leadership profile.