Different models offer different driving perspectives. For example, transformational leaders help organizations adapt to change, and servant leadership provides role models and guidance for others. However, inclusive leadership can be a component of a leadership model or a standalone concept. At its core, inclusive leadership is about individuals who excel at promoting inclusive cultures in the workplace. Moreover, the challenge in today’s business environments is to sustain growth and maintain competitive advantage. So, in such environments, organizations must foster creative innovation to differentiate their products and services from others. Thus, this is the area in which the inclusive leadership traits play an important and strategic role in building future leaders who achieve growth and progress for the organization.
Critical inclusive leadership traits
1. Curiosity
In the fast-changing business world, if you are not curious, you are not learning, and you have no new ideas, you will be in real trouble. So inclusive leaders seek to learn things from employees and co-workers. They also want to know more about how to form different worldviews and enjoy thinking about other points of view. Thus, an interested leader excels by adopting a proactive attitude to diversity rather than reacting after problems arise. A strong desire to expand knowledge and advance beyond the status quo provides the impetus for promoting an inclusive workplace culture. Ultimately, future leaders who are curious allow space for diverse opinions to be discussed in the workplace, which fuels creativity and innovation.
2. Cultural intelligence
Cultural intelligence means appreciating cultural differences, including but not limited to beliefs and practices associated with race or religion, which allows for stronger interpersonal relationships. As long as an inclusive leader feels comfortable in multicultural environments, having a high cultural IQ enables them to understand how traits and stereotypes can influence interactions and how cultural values and beliefs can influence decision-making. Thus, cultural intelligence helps enhance conflict resolution and idea generation, which enhances inclusive leadership and creates organizational diversity.
3. Humility
Humility makes leaders value the importance of others, and it also helps them practice empathy with employees, as they can better take risks and set aside personal goals for the greater good. When leaders ask for open feedback about their performance and allow others to see their weaknesses, employees are more comfortable sharing personal opinions. Thus, humble leaders can admit mistakes and learn from experience.
4. Collaboration and teamwork
Inclusive leadership values the importance of collaboration and teamwork. They empower others, care about diversity of thinking and psychological well-being, and focus on team cohesion. In addition, cooperation and teamwork can enhance innovation, increase job satisfaction, find solutions to problem-solving, and develop excellent interpersonal skills. It can also promote a healthy and inclusive culture and work environment and have a team whose members have distinctive talents and can work together productively.
5. Commitment to and upholding inclusive values
Leaders must not only create a diverse culture, but they must also commit to supporting and sustaining inclusive values. Moreover, adopting a recruitment program to increase diversity is not sufficient; Leaders must also embrace and adhere to the ideas and viewpoints of employees to give them a sense of belonging. Furthermore, most employees feel empowered to innovate and perform at a higher level when they observe inclusive leadership behaviors with dedication and commitment that promote organizational diversity.
6. Courage in promoting an inclusive environment
Inclusive leadership requires a level of courage to foster an inclusive environment. A brave leader possesses the mental or moral strength for adventure, perseverance, and resistance to danger, fear, or difficulty. It is also an agent of change and the affirmative impact that diversity and inclusion can have through its influence on motivating employees to work towards a common goal. Moreover, leaders who succeed in advancing diversity and inclusion will see failure as opportunities to learn and grow.
7. Self-awareness and awareness of unconscious bias
Inclusive leadership is aware of the unconscious biases that impede inclusive environments in the organization or within leadership. Therefore, they must be mindful that employees have different cultural traits that may affect how they approach their work. Thus inclusive leadership is responsible for creating and enforcing strong, diverse policies to mitigate the effects of unconscious bias in the workplace. This includes recognizing their preferences and taking steps to counteract biases, such as overhauls or seeking advice from other leaders. Ultimately, inclusive leadership demonstrates self-awareness and recognition of unconscious bias at both the personal and organizational levels, establishes policies and practices that combat such discrimination, and works diligently to ensure success and growth.
Essential tips for future leaders on comprehensive leadership actions
- Take the time to understand cultural differences and identify employees’ strengths and challenges.
- Give employees a sense of security by discussing diverse issues with unbiased sensitivity.
- Identify and correct the processes and behaviors that impede performance, including bias and discrimination.
- Seek input from staff on how to make the organization’s policies and procedures more inclusive.
- Encourage interdisciplinary projects to enhance collaboration and teamwork among employees.
- Establish open-door policies encouraging employees to provide honest input and feedback about the team’s goals and performance.
- Act with humility, courage, and curiosity to effect radical change to further the organization’s explicit diversity and inclusion policies.
Now more than ever, it is no longer just a matter of education or experience. So, today’s organizations look closely at their leadership teams and evaluate them according to different criteria. Since diversity and inclusion are associated with enhanced performance, it also makes sense for these organizations to invest in developing inclusive leadership traits. In doing so, it will have ample opportunities to become a leader in its field and maintain long-term success.
-
-
-
-
