4. How to define what inclusive leadership
means in your organization
• Inclusive leaders get the best out of all their
people, helping their organizations to succeed
in today’s complex, diverse national and
global environment.
• By building strong relationships and diverse
teams, inclusive leaders are able to increase
productivity, performance, innovation and
engagement with staff and customers.
5. Inclusion – the essential dimension for
today’s leaders
• Leading inclusively – motivating and inspiring not only
those that are similar to yourself but also those who are
different – prepares a leader to excel and meet the realities
and challenges facing organisations today.
• Unless leaders are able to work effectively across multiple
differences, organisations risk only getting the best
performance, ideas and potential from a fraction of the
available workforce or failing to win and keep customers
and clients or establish effective working relationships
across different organisational boundaries and with
6. 3 key competencies of a great inclusive
leader
• In our 2011 research, ‘Inclusive Leadership – from pioneer
to mainstream’, the essential skills, knowledge and
behaviours of inclusive leadership were identified.
Following are three core inclusive leadership
competencies.
INCLUSIVE
LEADERSHIP
Adapt
ability
Devel
oping
divers
e
talent
Buildi
ng
inclusi
ve
relatio
nships
7. Adaptability
Highly aware of differences and
similarities amongst the people
you work with, regarding this as a
strength and opportunity
Seeks out ways of adapting
organisational systems and
processes that do not support
inclusion
Capable of adapting to and
leading different & flexible
approaches to work organisation
Capable of flexing your own style
& behaviours to match different
styles and cultures of others
Seeks out ways of adapting
organisational systems and
processes that do not support
inclusion
Developing
diverse talent
Understands the importance of
diversity in maximising team &
organisational performance
Aware of your own role and take
responsibility for seeking out and
supporting the development of the
best talent from a range of
backgrounds
Provides mentoring, coaching and
sponsorship of diverse talent tailored
to the individual’s needs
Is constructive and supportive to
others, enabling them to improve
their impact and performance,
increase their visibility and networks
and reach their career goals
Has open, non-judgemental career
conversations with others, seeking to
understand how their career
aspirations can fit with the context of
their (sometimes changing) personal
Building
inclusive
relationships
Demonstrates a genuine interest in
and respect of differences in other
people. Values time spent in getting
to know the different drivers,
aspirations & development needs of
individual team members
Aware of your own biases and
preferences and capable of
minimising the impact of these in
leading others, building
relationships and making decisions
Does not let hierarchy be a barrier
in forming an honest and open
working relationship
Being trusting of others,
trustworthy and honest – avoiding
saying one thing but doing another
Creates an environment where
individuals feel safe, motivated and
empowered to go the extra mile,
make improvements and be
innovative
8. Qualities of an Inclusive Leader….
• Empathy
• Trustworthiness
• Humility
• Inquisitiveness
• Courage
• Self-discipline
9. Inclusive leadership stories
Hearing from other inclusive leaders and from people
who talk about their inclusive leader helps to bring the
competencies to life.
In our research, we asked:
‘Tell me about a leader that was for you, a great inclusive
leader, what did she/he do that made them inclusive and
stand out from other managers and leaders?
What impact did they have on your performance and
career?
Use this question in focus groups to help build a picture
10. Inclusive leaders in action
‘I was more motivated – I didn’t
mind working longer and harder
in the office. She shared
information and helped me raise
my profile – to build me up – it
improved the quality of my work.
I had all the necessary
information – not on a need to
know basis.’ (female)
‘My boss really challenged me on my career
plans. We discussed what happens if I want to
start a family – I was always taught not to bring
it up...We talked openly about them and how I
could fit my personal life with my career
aspirations. He taught me to ask for what I
want – increased my self-belief and my
confidence. The family thing came up because
I was being asked about overseas assignments
and I was giving bland responses and avoiding
things. He said ‘ I want to support you – I
understand it’s important.’ He didn’t dismiss me
– he encouraged me. I’m now openly gay with
my managers – it’s taken time – I’m trying to be
more so. People know you’re hiding something
– it’s easier to be out.’ (female)
‘Before this happened and he
gave me this support I felt I
wasn’t being recognised for what
I’m contributing to the firm. I’m
not an outgoing person – I don’t
go to people and I often get
overlooked. I’m too shy to
promote myself. The best
months of the year have been the
last two months since his
sponsorship because I feel
valued and more motivated. I got
called in to two top guys – before
I was always overlooked – they’d
never spoken to me before. He
knew about all the stuff I’d been
doing – my sponsor had filled
them in.’
‘My whole team don’t fit the mould.
When I built the team – what I
inherited was very male dominated
– so I set out to look for different
people. I’ve turned this male
dominated geeky team into a more
balanced highly effective team of
men and women with different
skills.’
11. Defining inclusive leadership in your
organisation
• Have you gathered inclusive leadership stories to help
define the right competency descriptors for your
organisation?
• Does the elevator pitch for inclusive leadership grab
people’s attention and is it understood in your
organisation? How might you need to tailor it to fit your
culture, context and priorities?
• Are the three inclusive leadership competencies explicitly
set out in your own leadership competency framework?
Should any of the inclusive leadership competencies be
