We know that diverse and inclusive organisations perform better and produce better results, and that inclusive leaders are an essential part of this picture. But what makes an inclusive leader?Â
Of course, leaders themselves are very diverse and there is no one model or single correct style of leadership. Having said that, we know that successful and inclusive leaders share certain common traits.
According to HBR, highly inclusive leaders demonstrate:Â
- Visible commitment
- Humility
- Awareness of bias
- Curiosity about other
- Cultural intelligence
- Effective collaboration
Arguably, one of the most important of these is a visible awareness of bias. This means the leader works to become aware of their own blind spots, and shows their team that they are aware of these. They also show that they’re aware of the flaws in the system. Most importantly, their team know that they work hard to overcome these flaws in the interests of fairness.
What do you think is the most important trait of inclusive leaders?Â
Let me know in the comments!
