A Practical Guide to Becoming an Inclusive Leader

Diversity & Inclusion

A Practical Guide to Becoming an Inclusive Leader

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The bedrock principle of inclusive leadership is hearing and valuing as many perspectives as possible. Using that as a starting point, Stevens School of Business professors Wei Zheng, Haoying Xu and Peter Dominick cast a wide net in their latest research project.

The result, "Five everyday scenarios that call for inclusive leadership - and how to go about it," published on the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) website and soon to be featured in the organization's magazine, uses the experience of 104 diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) experts from various industries across the United States to highlight when inclusive leadership is most needed. The more practical format can serve as an interactive guide for readers to evaluate their behaviors, including a survey at the end of the magazine version.

"Based on the article, IMD developed a short questionnaire that asks readers about their actions," Zheng, the principal investigator, said. "Managers can self-assess and t check where they are in their inclusiveness. It's more like a development tool based on the content we provide. By using this format, we hope a lot more people can use the information to ramp up their effectiveness, and we have high hopes of using the scenarios and the leader responses for leadership development for our students and industry partners."

The most common scenarios centered around themes and issues covering team decision-making, transgressions, uneven participation, the conflict of member needs and mainstream practices, and launching organization-wide DE&I initiatives. The article also offers responses indicative of "insufficient," "good" and "great" inclusive leadership in hypothetical scenarios.

"What inspired me is the difference between good and great inclusive leadership," Xu said. "For instance, if a working mother expresses concerns about joining a significant project due to family responsibilities, an inclusive leader might acknowledge her concerns but fail to address the systemic barriers that limit working mothers' participation in such projects and their overall success in the workplace."

"We found that leaders can go to another level," he continued. "For instance, they can affirm the employee's needs and express genuine compassion. Over time, leaders can also develop systems that provide greater flexibility and social support, ensuring employees don't miss out on critical projects or opportunities. For example, a leader might establish a peer support system where employees are paired with colleagues in buddy groups, enabling them to assist each other during absences. This approach not only fosters inclusion but also helps the team build a strong, collaborative culture."

The article emphasizes the role of inclusion in everyday operations, not just when bias or discrimination is involved.

"I think the survey highlighted the significance of creating systems and processes," Dominick said. "The DE&I initiatives are important, but the bulk of the responses were about more day-to-day issues. It's things like making decisions in which people feel engaged and committed and making sure people are part of the decision process. We shouldn't downplay diversity and equity initiatives, but I hope this gives people an appreciation that inclusion and belonging aren't just about changing the overall system in an organization. They're about what we do every day to be open to what our team members and colleagues can contribute."

While most of the current research into inclusive leadership focuses on how to react to specific incidents, the Stevens trio hopes to bring a more proactive approach to the field.

"Inclusive leadership usually deals with intervention," Zheng said. "Here's a bias incident. You should intervene. Some people made comments that made others feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. You should intervene. It's more along the lines of advocacy. But we are saying maybe it should be more proactive. Don't wait until a bias or a conflict occurs before you step in because it's too late. We can prevent some of those issues and long-term consequences by including and listening to everyone. It also helps prevent bottom-line issues like product defects, customer dissatisfaction and the cost of people leaving the organization."

Learn more about the inclusive leadership programBack to School of Business News