Why should we all be hyped about inclusive leadership? — Tereza Iofciu

Inclusive leadership requires understanding that everyone has different needs, perspectives and backgrounds - treat people how they want to be treated, not how you would want to be treated

Most managers (82%) receive no formal leadership training, leading to command-and-control styles that don’t work well with modern diverse teams

Key behaviors of inclusive leaders:

• Lead with influence rather than authority
• Show vulnerability and own mistakes
• Give actionable feedback and remain open to receiving feedback
• Create psychological safety for learning and growth
• Practice curiosity and avoid making assumptions
• Recognize their own biases and privileges

Building inclusive environments means:

• Valuing diverse perspectives and backgrounds
• Avoiding micromanaging
• Making space for everyone to contribute
• Building relationships to understand how people want to be treated
• Creating opportunities for growth and learning

Benefits of inclusive leadership:

• Higher team performance and innovation
• Better employee retention and satisfaction
• More effective cross-functional collaboration
• Stronger relationships and trust
• Competitive advantage through leadership development

Leadership skills must be actively learned and practiced - they don’t automatically come from technical expertise

Being aware of privilege (gender, race, ability etc.) and understanding others’ barriers is crucial for inclusive leadership

Inclusive leaders need emotional intelligence skills to:

• Read people and situations
• Manage conflicts effectively
• Build trust through vulnerability
• Give and receive feedback constructively

Leadership development is a continuous journey of self-awareness, learning about others, and practicing new behaviors

In modern workplaces, command-and-control leadership is becoming obsolete - inclusive approaches are needed to succeed with diverse, cross-functional teams