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Brain Circuits
The good, the bad, and the ugly of inclusive leadership
Making all employees feel heard and valued is the mark of a truly inclusive leader – but it’s easier said than done. Take this short test to see where you are on the spectrum of great, good, or frankly inadequate leaders when it comes to including everyone in the organization.
To what extent do you prioritize efficiency, control, and task completion over individual and relationship concerns?
a. Never – the whole won’t work unless all parts are in good working order.
b. It depends – recognizing the diverse needs and challenges of individuals is important, but you need time and space to do it.
c. Always – getting the job done has to be the priority in all circumstances.
What behavior best characterizes your approach to inclusivity?
a. Proactive and detailed – you actively support all individuals, canvas input in decisions, and distribute information and resources equally.
b. Ad hoc – you are sympathetic to the needs of non-mainstream individuals and provide help when called upon on a case-by-case basis, within the established channels.
c. General and high-level – you address equity concerns and tackle bias incidents by referring to organization policy and gather input to decisions en masse through group emails and surveys.
You notice that some team members habitually do not participate in meetings when important decisions are being made. How do you respond?
a. You put structured processes in place to gather input from every individual (such as round robins, pro-con discussions, and anonymous polls), and seek input from quieter members outside of meetings through one-on-one discussions and direct email exchanges.
b. To encourage participation from quieter team members, you make a point of calling on them to share their thoughts and opinions when they do not speak up.
c. You respect their seeming preference not to participate and choose not to intervene, proceeding to make decisions based on the input of those who have no problem making their views known.
Check your answers
Mostly As: Keep up the great work – you understand the importance of taking everyone with you and can deservedly think of yourself as a truly inclusive leader.
Mostly Bs: Good but could do better. Inclusion is not a switch that can be turned on when you find the time: people either feel included or not. And, if they don’t, they feel excluded, which undermines all your work – so turn that light on everyone and leave it on!
Mostly Cs: Must try harder – much harder. You set a high priority on organizational performance, but don’t understand that truly inclusive leadership drives up work engagement and creativity – and, ultimately, organizational performance. Time to go back to the drawing board, beginning with the suggested readings below!
Key takeaways
Great inclusive leadership follows four behavioral principles:
- Affirming differences – assuming differences among individuals and affirming their unique value
- Striving for full participation – enabling actual participation of all members, not just members of the majority
- Adopting systematic approaches – using structured processes and group-level interventions to normalize inclusive practices
- Maximizing flexibility – leveraging a variety of formal and informal approaches to solicit perspectives and build relationships.
Further reading
Five everyday scenarios that call for inclusive leadership – and how to go about it
Five steps to drive a DE&I movement in your company
Is it time to think differently about difference?
Potential or performance? We should value and reward both
… and listening
‘You have to bring hearts and minds with you’
From Boomers to Gen Z: Managing generational dynamics in the workplace
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