The document provides guidance for managers on fostering inclusion in the workplace. It discusses the importance of inclusion and a manager's role in setting the tone. It outlines key steps managers can take to lead inclusively, such as communicating consciously, embracing individuality, building trust, and turning off "auto-drive" in meetings. Managers are encouraged to slow down and thoughtfully apply these tips to assess their own leadership against six traits of inclusive leadership: commitment, courage, awareness of bias, curiosity, cultural intelligence, and collaboration. The document aims to help managers create an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and empowered.

1. THE
WORKPLACE
DANCE
A MANAGER’S GUIDE
TO INCLUSION
K E L L Y S C O T T M A D I S O N | 2 0 2 0

2. You've heard the phrase coined by Vernā Myers,
“Diversity is being invited to the party;
inclusion is being asked to dance.”
The Workplace Dance guides Managers
on how to foster inclusion within a team.
WELCOME TO
THE WORKPLACE
DANCE
WHY WE DANCE
HOW TO LEAD THE DANCE
GRAB YOUR DANCING SHOES
The importance of inclusion and your role as a manager
Learn where to focus your energy + impactful action items
Rate yourself against the six signature traits of inclusive
leadership, and create an action plan
SUPPLEMENTAL RESOURCES

3. WHY WE DANCE

4. What is Inclusion
SHRM describes inclusion as the extent to which each person in an organization feels welcomed,
respected, supported, and valued as a team member.
Inclusion is the action behind diversity. It requires people from diverse backgrounds to
communicate and work together, and to understand one another's needs and perspectives.
The Business Case
NeuroLeadership Institute found that employees perform best when they feel valued, empowered,
and respected; our most productive, innovative, and collaborative times at work are when we feel
like we’re a part of the team. When we feel included and respected, our bodies create hormones
and healthy energy that raise our performance.
Your Role
As manager, you set the tone. Your words and actions have the power to bring people in or push
them away. This is a significant responsibility which requires intentional effort and heightened
consciousness.
T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F I N C L U S I O N
WHY WE DANCE
Sources: SHRM, NeuroLeadership Institute

5. HOW TO LEAD
THE DANCE

6. THE FIRST STEP
S L O W D O W N
In a world where we’re accustomed to moving at
an amazingly fast pace, it might seem radical to
recommend slowing down. But here’s the thing:
speed and spontaneity are rarely inclusive
as they rely on ingrained habits, not empathy
and understanding.
So, allow yourself to fully absorb the tips that follow
and then consider your next steps. A few minutes of
intentional planning and thought can go a long way.
Source: Pantheon

7. 1
Communicate consciously
2
Embrace the individual
3
Build trust
4
Turn auto-drive off in meetings
5
Set ground rules
6
Commit with courage
7
Lean in from afar
KEY DANCE STEPS
O V E R V I E W

8. COMMUNICATE
CONSCIOUSLY
1. Use inclusive language: Choose your words wisely; ensure your message is respectful,
sensitive to differences, and free from stereotypes and discrimination
2. Avoid micro-aggressions: Subtle slights or insults that accumulate over time; can make
employees feel unappreciated, under-valued, or invisible
3. Use micro-affirmations: Small acknowledgments that show value to others (e.g., make
eye-contact, nod to show you see them, greet them by name, recognize their good work);
can uplift employees, have a ripple effect, and require minimal effort
4. Don’t make assumptions: Don’t assume you know more than others by explaining
concepts they may already understand, also known as “mansplaining” when done by
men to women
5. Share: Offer as much information as you can about goals, expectations, and initiatives
6. Hold office hours: Offer a consistent opportunity for Q&A to ensure employees get the
answers and information they need
7. Open your door: Signal that you welcome spontaneous conversation and that you’re
interested in social contact
8. Use technology: Explore tools like yes/no voting and polls to account for introverts and
employees who may be less likely to speak up for whatever reason
9. Stay connected: Check-in daily with each team member
Sources: SHRM, YW Boston, LinkedIn Learning

9. EMBRACE THE
INDIVIDUAL
BUILD TRUST
1. Get personal: Learn about team members’ preferences, interests, and
ways of working
2. Show interest: Inquire about topics they care about; recall personal
things that were mentioned previously and follow-up in a thoughtful way
3. Show you care: Hold regular 1:1s and dedicate time for informal
personal catch-up; check-in on their well-being
4. Recognize and celebrate: Acknowledge birthdays (unless they
specifically ask you not to), milestones, and achievements
5. Ask: Don’t assume anything about their well-being, opinions, needs, etc.
6. Share the wealth: Keep track of employees’ goals; when an opportunity
arises, review the list before jumping to the same high performer
1. Give and take ownership: Take less credit for the wins and more
accountability for the mistakes
2. Empower them: Let them take risks and fail
3. Be an advocate: Manage up on their behalf and plant seeds
4. Share: Keep everyone informed so each person gets a sense of
what everyone else is doing and the value they bring
5. Be kind: Don’t embarrass or retaliate against them
6. Defend: Have their back (and they’ll be more likely to have yours)
7. Celebrate uniqueness: Make them feel comfortable being
themselves and encourage authenticity
8. Make it safe, easy, and rewarding: Enable them to share honest
feedback
Sources: SHRM, McKinsey & Company

10. TURN AUTO-DRIVE
OFF IN MEETINGS
1. Represent all POVs: Confirm if you are missing any diverse or dissenting POVs
2. Prep: Distribute meeting materials in advance and share questions to be discussed
3. Acknowledge everyone: Greet each participant warmly by name so all feel welcome
4. Keep track: Who’s talking and who’s not? Prevent anyone from dominating or derailing
5. Pause: Ask questions and pause so that others are given the opportunity to speak
6. Structure participation: Consider strategies such as a round-robin or ask every
participant for their opinion directly at least once
7. No interruptions: Step in quickly when interruptions occur and ask the original speaker
to continue their thought
8. Listen with your eyes and ears: Demonstrate that you’re interested in what the
speaker is saying
9. Lead with humility: Don’t assume you know more than others; solicit other perspectives
10. Play musical chairs: When meeting in your office, move away from the desk and/or sit
on the same side to indicate that you’re working together
11. Give credit where it’s due: When a team member is recognized for an idea that
someone else mentioned previously, point out who shared the idea originally
12. Follow-up: Thank participants for attending and ask for their feedback
Sources: SHRM, Harvard Business Review, LinkedIn, McKinsey & Company

11. SET GROUND
RULES
COMMIT WITH
COURAGE
1. Give the floor and listen: Give others an opportunity to speak
and listen actively, empathetically, and openly—no interruptions
2. Enforce zero tolerance: Prohibit exclusionary behavior,
badmouthing, and offensive comments
3. Assume positive intentions: Give the benefit of the doubt
4. It’s ok to disagree: Let people express and defend themselves
and use conflicting POVs to drive creativity; ensure employees
aren’t agreeing just because they feel like they should
5. Say thank you: Acknowledge contributions and input, especially
those that differ from yours
1. Be an ally: Don't allow colleagues to say offensive things without
intercepting them; speak up and take action
2. Rewire: Acknowledge your unconscious biases (especially affinity
bias) and rewire your brain to respond differently
3. Educate yourself: Diversify your social media feeds; learn more
about underrepresented communities
4. Get uncomfortable: Go somewhere you’re the minority; get a
taste of how your diverse team members feel
5. Don’t be defensive: When reacting, focus on impact over intent
Sources: The Muse, Inside Hook

12. LEAN IN FROM AFAR
1. Leverage video to strengthen team connection:
1. Non-verbal cues: Up to 10,000 nonverbal cues occur in a 1-minute interaction, and
these can be lost on the phone and cause misunderstandings
2. Communication: Seeing your team helps ensure everyone is on the same page
3. Human touch: Inviting others into your home offers a different side of you
2. Set an example: Turn on your camera for every meeting and embrace interruptions to
make others comfortable doing the same, otherwise they may go unseen and unheard
3. Acknowledge unmutes: Check-in on anyone who unmutes their audio but hasn’t
spoken up; they might have something to share
4. Use in-app features: Utilize the “hand raise” feature, breakout rooms, and others to
ensure everyone who wants to speak has an opportunity to do so
5. Offer nonverbal signals: Give a thumbs up or make a heart with your hands to signal
support while someone expresses their point of view
6. Inquire and accommodate: Ask remote employees about their daily routines and agree
on times when everyone can be available
7. Don’t judge: Respect the diversity of personal circumstances; lead with trust and
empathy over speculation and judgement
8. Remove the pressure: Assure remote employees that they don’t constantly need to be
visible and responsive online to prove that work is getting done
9. Be flexible: Rotate meeting times if you have employees in different time zones
10. Ensure setup: Make sure that everyone has access to quality tools (e.g., a laptop,
reliable internet connection, etc.) and request them for team members in need.
Sources: SHRM, New York Times, Inklusiiv

13. GRAB YOUR
DANCING SHOES

14. Read about the “6 Cs” below and on the next slide:
1. COMMITMENT: They have a high level of commitment to diversity and inclusion that inspires others
and shows they care
2. COURAGE: They recognize their own shortcomings and are willing to admit to their mistakes
3. COGNIZANCE OF BIAS: They understand that personal and organizational biases narrow their field of
vision and preclude them from being objective
4. CURIOSITY: They refrain from making quick judgments that stifle the flow of ideas; they synthesize a
range of ideas, making people feel valued, respected, and that they belong
5. CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE: They are adept at functioning effectively in different cultural settings;
they adapt while also maintaining their own cultural authenticity
6. COLLABORATION: They know that diversity of thought is key to effective collaboration, which drives
team performance and success; they pay close attention to team composition and team processes
THE “6 CS” OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP
O V E R V I E W & D E S C R I P T I O N S
Dr. Shirley Davis, a 20-year diversity and inclusion officer and HR veteran, explains the “6 Cs” as the essential qualities that show “an openness
to different ways of doing things, leaning into some discomfort, and demonstrating courage to embrace the unknown and the unf amiliar.”
Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning

15. THE “6 CS” OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP
P R O M P T S F O R S E L F - A S S E S S M E N T ( N E X T P A G E )
1 | Commitment
Do you articulate an authentic
commitment to D&I and make it
a personal priority? Do you
visibly support people’s
uniqueness? Do you attend
optional D&I forums? Do you
identify as an ally?
2 | Courage
Do you challenge the status
quo and speak up about
beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors
that foster homogeneity? Do
you admit mistakes and create
a safe place for others to do the
same?
5 | Cultural Intelligence
Do you understand how your
own culture impacts your
worldview? Do you recognize
how cultural stereotypes
influence your expectations of
others? Are you attentive to
others’ cultures?
3 | Cognizance of Bias
Do you make a deliberate effort
to identify your biases and strive
to prevent them from influencing
talent decisions? Do you work
hard to ensure a meritocracy?
6 | Collaboration
Do you create a safe space for all
to express their opinions freely
without judgment or retribution
and focus on team cohesion? Do
you empower others and promote
diversity of thought and
psychological safety?
4 | Curiosity
Do you have an open mind and
a hunger for other perspectives
to minimize your blind spots? Do
you engage in respectful
questioning and active listening
without judgment? Do you seek
to understand and empathize
with others?
Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning

16. SELF ASSESSMENT &
ACTION PLAN
Rate yourself against each of the “6 Cs” on a scale of
1-5: [1 = not effective at all, 5 = very effective]. Then:
1. Identify at least one behavior in each category that you can
improve upon
2. From that list, commit to start doing 2 things today to be more
inclusive
(Refer to slides 7-11 for suggested action items)
3. Focus on those 2 items for one month
4. Revisit your list monthly and repeat steps 1-3
Sources: Deloitte, LinkedIn Learning

17. SUPPLEMENTAL
RESOURCES

18. SUPPLEMENTAL
RESOURCES
Inclusive Leadership *
(LinkedIn Learning)
Communicating About Culturally Sensitive Issues *
(LinkedIn Learning)
The Six Signature Traits of Inclusive Leadership
(Deloitte University Press)
Inclusive Language Guide
(Counseling@Northwestern)
Guidelines for Inclusive Language
(Linguistic Society of America)
* Requires a LinkedIn Learning subscription

19. THIS DANCE IS NEVER
GOING OUT OF STYLE,
SO GRAB YOUR TEAM
AND GROOVE!