BetterUp research has identified six behaviors of inclusive leaders. The first, best, practice for organizations is to provide support, through coaching and peer support, to leaders and managers at all levels in developing those inclusive behaviors.
Individual leaders and managers can adopt these practices in their day-to-day work. When it comes to inclusion — every interaction matters, and consistency matters, for an employee to experience feeling included.
How to become a more inclusive leader
Develop basic skills that will position diversity as a competitive advantage
Coach and create strong synergy out of diverse, and even opposite individual elements.
The challenge is less about attracting diverse talent than it is about ensuring they are treated fairly and respected.
Ideally, differences are not just tolerated but celebrated. This may not happen if the focus is on hiring for a “culture fit,” unless that culture values uniqueness.
Focus on the hiring process
Make sure that you can select leaders who embody the right values and have a track record of leading diverse teams.
Have a plan
Work from a well-documented plan of action, complete with goals and objectives. However, don’t get carried away with plans and metrics — inclusion is about people and what they experience every day.
Inclusive practices must be integrated into product development, communications, training, professional development, recruitment, retention, and overall leadership, not to mention management practices.
Create opportunities for diverse work teams and interactions
Invest in team-building and leadership skills, as they can truly benefit from diversity and inclusion.
Reward and promote the kind of collaboration and results you would like to see.
Mind the middle
While some organizations show slow progress on the diversity journey due to the lack of support from senior leadership, many organizations find that it’s their middle management who's derailing progress.
Often middle managers have little preparation or guidance beyond a few canned training sessions. Hold them accountable for the degree to which people on their teams feel included, but, also provide significant support to help managers get there.
Recognize your unconscious bias
Work to understand your own unconscious bias regarding what you assume about others.
Having assumptions isn’t wrong or bad: it’s part of how all people fast-track understanding. Problems arise when you’re not even aware that you’re making assumptions.
One way to stop making unconscious assumptions is to learn more about different types of people and expose yourself to more diverse cultures and experiences. The goal isn’t to learn any one thing but to gain greater awareness and appreciation for the vast variety of human experiences.
Don’t overlook the “small” stuff
When you witness someone being rude or dismissive to someone else, call it out.
Don’t focus on finding fault, but state what you notice and suggest alternatives that include everyone.
Believe that all people have potential, not that they are the same
Inclusive leaders are able to notice and talk about differences without making anyone feel objectified or singled out.
To boot, managers are more successful when they see the unique qualities of each individual on the team.
