Embracing Inclusive Leadership for a Better Tomorrow

When we imagine a leader, many of us still conjure up an image of a singular all-knowing decision-maker, maintaining a stereotype that has been deeply ingrained in our society. But it’s time for a shift, one that welcomes and promotes inclusive leadership as the way forward.

Inclusive leadership is a transformative force in the modern workplace. It empowers leaders to build an environment where every team member is not only valued and heard but also encouraged to unleash their full potential. 

So, what makes an inclusive leader, and what influence can it have on a workplace?

What Makes for Inclusive Leadership?

At the heart of inclusive leadership lies a profound commitment to diversity, a willingness to acknowledge that leaders don’t have all the answers, and a genuine effort to foster collaboration and diverse perspectives. It is about spending more time listening and empowering others rather than dictating instructions from a seat at the head of the table.

This is just a snippet of what researchers at the Harvard Business Review have discovered, which they’ve defined as the six essential traits of inclusive leadership. These are:

1. Visible commitment
2. Humility
3. Awareness of bias
4. Curiosity about others
5. Cultural intelligence
6. Effective collaboration

While each of these traits retains its own important influence, the researchers found the most important pillar of inclusive leadership is a visible awareness of bias. 

Many organizations have taken steps to address bias in the workplace — including dedicated time educating senior leaders and redeveloping internal practices — but what is missing is the extension of these efforts to all levels of management, whether that be a manager, a direct report, or even a peer. Inclusivity, and the education and learning behind exhibiting inclusivity, should not be confined to the executive level. It should permeate through every level of leadership. 

However, we know that recognizing and acknowledging one’s biases is no easy feat. It’s often a challenge, particularly for leaders, to know where (or admit to where) their own gaps lie. These are often deeply ingrained in our subconscious and can manifest in subtle ways, only exacerbating the challenge. Overcoming this obstacle can be achieved through things like consulting with external experts, engaging with educational resources and, ultimately, committing to what could be a lifelong journey of learning and growth. It’s why humility plays a pivotal role in this process. 

Humility is often overlooked in traditional leadership, but it is deeply powerful. Humility enables leaders to admit when they are wrong, apologize when necessary, and actively seek feedback from their teams. To truly be an inclusive leader, you must understand that you won’t always have all the answers and be willing to listen and learn and show respect, regardless of background or perspective.   

When it comes to curiosity about others, this should not be interpreted as superficial. Inclusive leaders who embody the traits identified by Harvard’s researchers go far beyond that. These leaders are dedicated to an open mindset, driven by a desire to connect with people — both inside and outside of their organizations — who are from diverse backgrounds and carry unique perspectives. This is closely tied to cultural intelligence, which involves an attentiveness to others’ cultures and a willingness to adapt and make changes as required so that every team member’s unique perspective is acknowledged and valued. 

This leads us to collaboration, or more specifically, effective collaboration. What does that mean? An inclusive leader prioritizes collaboration and willingly shares power and the decision-making process with their team. They want to listen to their staff individually and learn from their diverse perspectives rather than telling everyone what to do. They observe their teams to identify employees who may not be at the table or feel comfortable raising questions or providing opinions and actively seek out ways to make collaboration more inclusive to encourage participation from all team members.

These leadership characteristics are part of a culture that we’re hopefully shifting towards, but they still may not be considered the norm of Canada’s corporate world.

The Power Inclusive Leadership Has for Women 

There is no question that inclusive leadership has great power, but from our standpoint, it has a definitive impact on women, women of colour, women with disabilities, and gender-diverse people. It not only has the influence to enhance their skills within their current roles but also serves as a catalyst for their ascent to leadership positions themselves. 

According to the Canadian Prosperity Project Report Card on Gender Diversity and Leadership, women’s representation in the pipeline to senior management roles fell by 11% from 54.8% in 2022 to 42.9% in 2023. That same report found that women from traditionally marginalized groups still remain starkly underrepresented. Women of colour only hold 9.4% of these roles, Indigenous and Black women remain below 1% representation, and women living with disabilities sit at 1.5%. In short, progress has been slow, but there is a role for inclusive leadership in making tangible change.

Further research highlights a concerning trend: Racism gets in the way of women working together for change. Women tend to gravitate towards others who resemble themselves or whom they can relate to the most. White women don’t ally enough with Black women and women of colour to address matters like pay and leadership gaps they all face, but that racialized women face more severely and persistently. It’s imperative that workplaces and workplace leaders foster collaboration and trust among all employees who face gender inequities. By doing so, they can establish a supportive network where women can work together to combat inequalities in promotions and wages, rather than competing against each other. 

Inclusive leaders understand the importance of meeting the needs of all their employees and also acknowledge these needs differ based on where the individual is at in the cycle of their career. Both functional needs – like what you need to succeed in your role, salary, and work-life balance – and emotional needs – such as being respected, encouraged, supported, and valued – all need to be considered. Companies often focus more on functional needs, but research found that women consider their emotional needs more of a priority.  

Understanding the difference between equality and equity is similarly pivotal in supporting systemic change. Equality focuses on treating all employees the exact same way, no matter the differences in cultural background, financial status, gender, or otherwise. Equity focuses on acknowledging the individual needs of each employee and accommodating those needs in the best manner. 

For example, if an executive is considering hiring for a leadership role, they need to ask themselves: “What if a woman with young children wanted this role? What if a woman who is a single parent wanted this role? What would encourage them to apply? What support and resources would help them succeed in the role?”

Many women have shared their experiences with us of aspiring to assume leadership roles while grappling with the significant sacrifices these responsibilities often entail. Hence, it becomes imperative for companies to engage in open dialogues with their women employees, validating their concerns and proactively offering the necessary support systems and resources. Such proactive measures are essential so that leadership roles can become more accessible and inclusive for all, diminishing the barriers that may deter talented women from pursuing these opportunities and ultimately contributing to the success of any organization. 

The Way Forward 

For companies that want to build a workplace culture that meets the individual needs of all their staff — ensuring everyone receives the opportunities to succeed and grow — here are some tools they can consider implementing:

• Establish a women’s leadership group for mentorship and support, fostering career growth and work-life balance

• Offer mentorship programs for all women employees, enabling learning from successful women in the organization

• Implement organization-wide inclusivity training to educate staff on diverse career experiences and provide tools for success

• Encourage staff input to enhance current systems and processes, promoting inclusivity and continuous improvement

• Take proactive action to end gender pay and promotion gaps

Moving toward inclusive leadership practices and models is also essential to accelerate progress, and those steps forward also deserve and require their own structures for success. Companies can consider:

• Offering training, resources, and discussions on these traits to emphasize their role in professional development

• Encouraging staff to reevaluate processes and suggest improvements for inclusivity

• Senior managers can acknowledge and reward staff who exhibit these characteristics

• Revise performance reviews and bonuses to recognize actions aligned with inclusive leadership and concrete results

• Integrate formal KPIs for inclusive leadership and DEI into quarterly or annual goals for measurement and rewards

Companies must grasp the profound value of inclusive leadership and of women’s inclusivity in senior business roles. It transcends mere gender parity; it’s about equipping our organizations with stronger, more diverse, and resilient leadership.