Bringing Inclusive Leadership to the Table
By Heidi Sadecky, MA,PCC – Executive Coach & Director, Townsend Leadership Program
Creating an inclusive workplace for all individuals won’t just happen on its own. It requires a willingness to take the first step and bring more people to the table.
I absolutely hate feeling stuck on a problem without a clear path forward. It feels like running into a brick wall over and over. Sometimes, no matter how you might look at it, certain obstacles seem like they just can’t be overcome. Whenever a challenge becomes that much of a headache, it’s a sign that you need to bring in a teammate who can look at the problem with a new perspective.
This is why it’s so valuable to maintain a diverse team. People with different backgrounds, experiences, and specialties will each take different approaches to solve the same problem. Having multiple perspectives on the same team will help catch more errors and improve problem-solving.
Creating a culture of inclusive leadership is vital for success with diverse teams. It takes more than just talk; having an inclusive workplace requires clear and deliberate actions from leaders. Here are a few tips to make sure you’re promoting inclusivity:
Allow individuals to do what they do best. A diverse team will naturally have a diversity of strengths and weaknesses. Your leadership and inclusivity will improve greatly if you learn your team’s strengths and use that knowledge to assign roles. People love to do things when they’re great at those tasks, and you’ll create a more efficient workplace by playing to their strengths. Then, in turn, effective leadership coaching can help bolster your team’s weaknesses.
Learn to listen well. As an executive leadership coach, I cannot overstress the importance of good listening skills. Giving someone a say in your team is about more than just letting them share an opinion. It’s about creating an environment where each person feels able to speak up. This means, as a leader, you should be willing to act on the perspectives and viewpoints your colleagues share. Or, if you can’t work on those ideas, take the time to explain and help others understand why you can’t.
Engage people who think differently. You can’t always expect the right person with the correct answer to come to you. Often, you’ll have to seek these people out for yourself. You can show people that you value their thoughts by earnestly asking for their perspectives on the challenges you’re facing. Not only do you create a more inclusive workplace, but you may just find the answer you’ve been looking for in an unexpected place.
Taking these steps and others will help to set the right kind of boundaries and expectations to create a more inclusive workplace. Being inclusive isn’t just a state of mind; it’s a reflection of the planning and actions taken by leadership to set up a healthy and diverse corporate culture. Executive leadership coaching can help you take these efforts a step further, making sure your organization openly communicates creating a welcoming space for everyone to bring their best to the table.
Heidi Sadecky is a highly-trained executive coach with over 30 years of combined corporate and coaching experience. She helps her clients operate at a higher level, overcome workplace challenges and achieve measurable results.
She is an in-demand facilitator of the only Townsend Leadership Program, a unique and highly effective group coaching program located in the North East United States.
In-person, virtual and hybrid leadership groups are now forming.