How to Be a More Inclusive Leader

As the recent Gallup highlights many employees struggling with isolation and loneliness on the job.

Overall, Gallup found 20% of working men and women saying they felt lonely “a lot of the day” at work the previous day. That number ticked slightly upward among workers younger than 35, with 22% of employees in that age group saying they experienced loneliness throughout much of the previous day. Job level seemed to have little connection to on-the-job loneliness, according to Gallup.

The survey found that when managers are engaged employees are more likely to be engaged. I find that what leaders say and do makes up the difference as to whether an individual reports feeling included. And this really matters because the more people feel included, the more they speak up, go the extra mile, and collaborate — all of which ultimately lifts organizational performance.

Here are some ways we can become more inclusive in the way we lead our teams:

1) Make visible commitments

We need to be visibly talking about inclusivity and diversity and go beyond the rhetoric. Challenging the status quo is an important mindset to have if we are going to make inroads against the way things have always been.

2) Have a degree of humility

We cannot know all the answers, and there is no disgrace in saying we need help. If you make a mistake or don’t know, ask others for help and really listen deeply to those who may have ideas for us.

3) Be aware of any unconscious biases that may exist

We all have blind spots, so becoming aware of them helps us and others to deal with issues without them staying in the background. If we can identify what may constitute our biases, we stand a greater chance of moving away from poor judgement and getting better results.

4) Maintain a curious nature

Being open-minded and great listeners embody a good quality inclusive leader, and it’s vital that these aspects turn into strengths for us. Show empathy on a regular basis, building quality learning attributes that allow you to show quality attributes at all times.

5) Effective collaboration

Empower others, encourage them to share their ideas, pay attention to diversity of thinking and psychological safety, and focus on team cohesion. As an inclusive leader, you need to actively encourage everyone to share their ideas and to work together. A good way to start doing this is by asking for some help on something you're working on. If you lead by example and encourage team collaboration, others begin to follow.

Building a culture of inclusion isn’t like turning on a light switch. It takes deliberate actions, starting with you demonstrating inclusive leadership behaviors. There will always be ways to increase diversity. Culture is ever-changing and inclusive leaders want to ensure that change is positive for their workers, company and themselves. Becoming a more inclusive leader is an ongoing process that doesn’t end. The journey to inclusive leadership is not one you have to take alone. In fact, the more people who acknowledge and accept your ideas, the better.