At The Waymakers Change Group, we believe that inclusive leadership is a series of conscious choices and behaviors great leaders make and exhibit to unlock the potential of their workforce. We also believe that leadership without inclusivity is not leadership at all. Every leader should want to give their best to the people on their teams and get the best from their people—every one of those people—in return.
Inclusive leadership, then, is a means to an end. But how do we define that end? What is the point of inclusive leadership? Why is it critical? What are the benefits?
The benefits of inclusive leadership on our work cultures and systems are endless, but they can be grouped into these 4 categories:
- Community
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Contribution
Inclusive leadership creates community. You build trust, share goals. You cultivate connections. You ensure people feel seen and heard. Inclusive leadership leaves no room for people to feel isolated or invisible.
Creativity flourishes within teams with more inclusive leaders. There’s psychological safety. People are unafraid to offer new ideas, new solutions, to challenge the status quote, to push for innovation.
Collaboration is a benefit of inclusive leadership—respect, co-creation, interdependence, partnering effectively, respectful pushing and questioning and challenging to arrive at the best solutions.
Heightened contribution is the hallmark of inclusive teams. Teams led by inclusive leaders acquire more skills, give more discretionary effort, are more engaged and have greater impact on the company’s culture and bottom line.
Think about your work life. When have you felt you were firing on all cylinders? When have you wanted to do more, give more, BE more for your team and the company? What was the team like when you experienced that? What did leaders do to bring out the best in you? Better yet, have you ever been in an environment like this? If not, why not? What needed to be different for you to show up differently and contribute more meaningfully?
Waymakers are inclusive leaders. We fully accept the accountability for leading inclusively as our role and no one else’s. We intentionally build meaningful relationships across differences so that every one can benefit from the gifts of inclusive leadership and our organizations can thrive.
