Episode 8 – What does being an inclusive leader mean? And how can we all be inclusive leaders?

The Steps to Change podcast is about highlighting the ways in which people can change their behaviour in the workplace so that everyone feels more valued and included. One of the main causes of both positive and negative workplace culture is leadership. If you have open, clear, and friendly leaders in your workplace, you’re more likely to feel comfortable and accepted in the environment. Inclusive leadership is essential to making sure that everyone is valued in the workplace and encourages diverse ideas. 

During this episode of the podcast, your host Allen Liedkie is joined by Simon Thompson, one of Steps’ client relationship directors, who predominantly handles clients in the USA. The two discuss what it means to be an inclusive leader in the workplace, how inclusive leadership can result in lasting improvements throughout teams, and the steps that people can take to become more inclusive leaders. As you’ll discover, anyone can rise to the challenge of being an inclusive leader in their workplace. 

Inclusive leadership can be a confusing and loaded term for some, as it can be explained in a variety of ways. In short, being an inclusive leader means ensuring that every member of the team is heard, valued, and comfortable whilst at work. Dr Gilliam Shapiro highlights three core competencies that leaders need to have to practice inclusive leadership effectively. These three traits are the ability to adapt, develop diverse talent, and build inclusive relationships. 

People often confuse the topic of inclusive leadership with the management setup in any given workplace. While your company is sure to have some individuals who are in very clear positions of leadership in the hierarchy, it’s important to recognise that anyone can be an inclusive leader. If you are an outspoken voice within your team, and you are comfortable speaking with those who are having issues, you can become an inclusive leader. Having a reliable person to look up to is vital, so don’t be afraid to be the change. 

Being an inclusive leader is about so much more than simply making demands and delegating work. Nobody wants to be ordered around, as a lot of people instead want to be part of a cooperative decision-making process. As an inclusive leader, you can help to make this happen by ensuring that all of your colleagues are heard and appreciated in a suitable manner. It is important to bring together ideas from those of different ages and backgrounds so that they can be improved upon for the benefit of everyone. 

At Steps, we believe that there are several ways in which someone can become an inclusive leader. When working with some companies, we find that many individuals in leadership positions simply want to be told what to do and how to change. However, lasting change must come from developing your own ideas, and the case is no different for improving inclusive leadership practices. We are not here to tell you how to work or act; we want to encourage introspection and reflectiveness. 

One of our most popular methods of carrying out the See It stage of our process, especially when tackling inclusive leadership, is to oversee a Vox Pop. This process sees us take real quotes from employees before presenting them anonymously to your team through a range of delivery methods, most of which involve drama. By showing your staff an undeniable truth about their workplace and work practices, we confront them with the issues that are present concerning inclusive leadership. 

After owning the problems that your existing leadership structure might have, you can then begin got Change It. Our staff encourage staff in leadership positions to be honest with themselves in terms of where they can improve and be open to the feedback of others. It is our goal to help start a conversation amongst employees before disappearing into the background, allowing bright ideas concerning inclusive leadership improvements to be born. 

The final stage of our process is Live It. The aim is that by this point, you will have the tools and understanding that are required to be a more inclusive leader at work. It’s important to remember that you will always be learning from your colleagues and gaining feedback on how you can improve. Being an inclusive leader is a continuous journey, and it is one that you should embrace in all aspects.

One of the major problems that leadership teams face is not being able to implement long-term inclusive leadership. A lot of teams struggle to ensure that inclusive leadership practices become a mainstay of office life and last for a long time. One of the ways that you can help to maintain inclusive leadership in the long term is by keeping a constant and open dialogue with fellow employees. By encouraging conversation of inclusive leadership, you will ensure that the topic remains at the forefront of your efforts. 

Another issue faced by inclusive leadership is ensuring that every aspect of a company, from the top down encourages inclusive leadership. The Steps to Change program highlights the importance of implementing change from the CEO level downwards. Everyone needs to be on the same page in order for effective and lasting change to happen. By opening up conversations about inclusive leadership and making sure that the top is highlighted at work, you will help to ensure that inclusive leadership practices are maintained. 

As the workplace continues to change, more ways in which individuals can emerge as inclusive leaders come to the fore. If you want to make process on your journey to becoming a better leader, be sure to contact the experts at Steps today! You can take advantage of the excellent programs that we offer that specialise in inclusive leadership. Reach out to the Steps team now and find out more about the excellent selection of programs that we have available that tackle inclusive leadership and other workplace issues.