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Practicing Inclusive Leadership

LeaHERship Conference

September 18^th, 2021

Wei Zheng, Ph.D.

Associate Professor & Richard R. Roscitt Chair in Leadership

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What’s your experience?

What makes you feel included at work?

What makes you feel NOT included at work?

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What is inclusion?

Belongingness
Integral part of a group
Uniqueness
Authenticity
Being valued
Being respected
Mattering
Authentic voice
Full participation

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Diverse teams

Performance

Homogeneous teams

Diverse teams

Visual adapted from DeepSee Consulting

Meta-analyses suggested mixed relationships between diversity and performance, some positive, some negative, some with no relationship

(Horwitz & Horwitz, 2007; Joshi & Roh, 2009; Webber & Donahue, 2001)

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What is the impact of inclusive leadership?

Inclusive Leadership

Voice, proactivity, wellbeing

Creativity, innovation, & problem-solving

Commitment, intention to stay

Job satisfaction, engagement, helping

Travis et al. (2019) reported that, in a multinational sample of 2,164 from 15 companies, 45% of the variance in employee experience of inclusion—how valued, trusted, authentic, and psychologically safe they felt—was predicted by the degree to which their supervisors behaved inclusively

Nishii (2013) showed that teams with greater gender diversity had lower turnover and absenteeism but only if the teams had an inclusive climate.

In a study of Canadian professionals, among those experiencing high levels of inclusion at work, as defined by the co-occurrence of belongingness and uniqueness, more than 75% reported satisfaction with their overall work and advancement (Thorpe-Moscon, 2015)

Travis and colleagues (2019) also found that employees’ overall experience of inclusion (defined by feeling valued, feeling trusted, able to be authentic, and feeling a sense of psychological safety: latitude and risk-taking) explained 35% of employee engagement, 49% of team problem-solving, 20% of employee intent to stay, and 18% of employee innovation.

High levels of inclusion are associated with greater innovation and cooperation (Salib & Shi, 2017).

team members will be willing to go beyond their job requirements to help team members achieve objectives for the greater good of the workgroup (Prime & Salib, 2014)

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Differentiation

Inclusion

Exclusion

Assimilation

High Uniqueness

Low Uniqueness

Low Belongingness

High Belongingness

Shore et al., 2011

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Principles of Inclusive Leadership

Dyadic: focused on individuals

Group: focused on group norms

Organizational: focused on

organizational policies and practices

Go beyond the one story of others
Individualized validation, affirmation, and support

Invite divergent perspectives and full participation
Elevate transparency
Disrupt biases and micro-inequities

Set inclusion goals and accountability
Enhance system flexibility

One story:

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

-my example of teaching diversity in the US while Chinese, too young to be a professor; daughter: the only girl and they’re all better than me.

-Need humility, curiosity

- Example actions: join an ERG that’s different from my cultural background,

Individualized validation, affirmation, and support: my study of IL,

Invite divergent perspectives and act on them – sustain full participation: utilize, synthesize, respond: easy to do with apple and pizza guy; when it’s not easy when there are oppositions; draw to someone’s identity that’s not highly pried at the workplace: Halloween; skills related, e.g., marriage amendments.

Elevate transparency: info in organizations is never symmetric. Some people have more than others, a position opening up, salary range, what’s important in the hiring manager’s mind, etc. inclusion means some people have information others don’t: e.g., giving women range of salary, or even tell them how many people are applying, women applicants increased

Accountability:

Talk about unconscious biases before the recruitment and hiring process. We also debriefed after meetings to ensure transparency, fairness and, objectivity
Implemented a series of team building activities resulting in improved teamwork, communication, and inclusion.
Joined Division D&I Committee (or Lab D&I Council) to review current policies, practices, and procedures. Currently in the process of reviewing and making recommendations to senior management.

Disrupt biases and micro-inequities: takes courage, amplify someone else’s voice, forwarding information/email, inviting someone to party, suggest alternative party times, meeting modes

System flexibility: key decision-making, what our business is about – change business to include English only cases, incorporate more qualitative approach to consulting, etc. how we do our work - make meeting times earlier,

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What would you do?

In a group meeting, most of the team agrees on a new approach to your project, but one team member hasn’t said anything.

Your team has been split on a controversial issue, and they can’t reach agreement.

A member of your team comes up with a unique idea for a project that she’s really excited about but that has never been tried before. You think it’s promising, but it goes outside of what works around here and you think the higher-ups will be critical of this approach.

Catalyst

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What would you do?

As a team leader, you have enhanced the ethnic and gender diversity of the team. Team members seem to work well together, and they have met quarterly goals. But you just received feedback that some team members feel uncomfortable offering new or different ideas.

shrm.org

Catalyst

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Micro Behaviors of Inclusive Leadership

Dyadic: focused on individuals

Group: focused on group norms

Organizational: focused on

organizational policies and practices

Go beyond the one story of others
Individualized validation, affirmation, and support

Invite divergent perspectives and full participation
Elevate transparency
Disrupt biases and micro-inequities

Set inclusion goals and accountability
Enhance system flexibility

Greet someone warmly by their name
Discover individuals’ multiple stories
Join a group that’s different from our own background
Ask for feedback

One story:

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

-my example of teaching diversity in the US while Chinese, too young to be a professor; daughter: the only girl and they’re all better than me.

-Need humility, curiosity

- Example actions: join an ERG that’s different from my cultural background,

Individualized validation, affirmation, and support: my study of IL,

Invite divergent perspectives and act on them – sustain full participation: utilize, synthesize, respond: easy to do with apple and pizza guy; when it’s not easy when there are oppositions; draw to someone’s identity that’s not highly pried at the workplace: Halloween; skills related, e.g., marriage amendments.

Elevate transparency: info in organizations is never symmetric. Some people have more than others, a position opening up, salary range, what’s important in the hiring manager’s mind, etc. inclusion means some people have information others don’t: e.g., giving women range of salary, or even tell them how many people are applying, women applicants increased

Accountability:

Talk about unconscious biases before the recruitment and hiring process. We also debriefed after meetings to ensure transparency, fairness and, objectivity
Implemented a series of team building activities resulting in improved teamwork, communication, and inclusion.
Joined Division D&I Committee (or Lab D&I Council) to review current policies, practices, and procedures. Currently in the process of reviewing and making recommendations to senior management.

Disrupt biases and micro-inequities: takes courage, amplify someone else’s voice, forwarding information/email, inviting someone to party, suggest alternative party times, meeting modes

System flexibility: key decision-making, what our business is about – change business to include English only cases, incorporate more qualitative approach to consulting, etc. how we do our work - make meeting times earlier,

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Micro Behaviors of Inclusive Leadership

Group: focused on group norms

Organizational: focused on

organizational policies and practices

Invite divergent perspectives and full participation
Elevate transparency
Disrupt biases and micro-inequities

Invite divergent perspectives and full participation
Elevate transparency
Disrupt biases and micro-inequities

Set inclusion goals and accountability
Enhance system flexibility

Invite someone to join the conversation when quiet
Thank someone for sharing a different view
Amplify someone’s perspective that is ignored or misattributed to someone else
Include people in decision-making email exchanges

One story:

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

-my example of teaching diversity in the US while Chinese, too young to be a professor; daughter: the only girl and they’re all better than me.

-Need humility, curiosity

- Example actions: join an ERG that’s different from my cultural background,

Individualized validation, affirmation, and support: my study of IL,

Invite divergent perspectives and act on them – sustain full participation: utilize, synthesize, respond: easy to do with apple and pizza guy; when it’s not easy when there are oppositions; draw to someone’s identity that’s not highly pried at the workplace: Halloween; skills related, e.g., marriage amendments.

Elevate transparency: info in organizations is never symmetric. Some people have more than others, a position opening up, salary range, what’s important in the hiring manager’s mind, etc. inclusion means some people have information others don’t: e.g., giving women range of salary, or even tell them how many people are applying, women applicants increased

Accountability:

Talk about unconscious biases before the recruitment and hiring process. We also debriefed after meetings to ensure transparency, fairness and, objectivity
Implemented a series of team building activities resulting in improved teamwork, communication, and inclusion.
Joined Division D&I Committee (or Lab D&I Council) to review current policies, practices, and procedures. Currently in the process of reviewing and making recommendations to senior management.

Disrupt biases and micro-inequities: takes courage, amplify someone else’s voice, forwarding information/email, inviting someone to party, suggest alternative party times, meeting modes

System flexibility: key decision-making, what our business is about – change business to include English only cases, incorporate more qualitative approach to consulting, etc. how we do our work - make meeting times earlier,

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Micro Behaviors of Inclusive Leadership

Organizational: focused on

organizational policies and

practices

Group: focused on group norms

Organizational: focused on

organizational policies and practices

Set inclusion goals and accountability
Enhance system flexibility

Invite divergent perspectives and full participation
Elevate transparency
Disrupt biases and micro-inequities

Set inclusion goals and accountability
Enhance system flexibility

Set personal inclusion goals and reporting mechanisms (awareness, conversations, actions)
Use pictures and objects that reflect diversity in the environment
Join a committee to review organizational practices and procedures for inclusiveness

One story:

-Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

-my example of teaching diversity in the US while Chinese, too young to be a professor; daughter: the only girl and they’re all better than me.

-Need humility, curiosity

- Example actions: join an ERG that’s different from my cultural background,

Individualized validation, affirmation, and support: my study of IL,

Invite divergent perspectives and act on them – sustain full participation: utilize, synthesize, respond: easy to do with apple and pizza guy; when it’s not easy when there are oppositions; draw to someone’s identity that’s not highly pried at the workplace: Halloween; skills related, e.g., marriage amendments.

Elevate transparency: info in organizations is never symmetric. Some people have more than others, a position opening up, salary range, what’s important in the hiring manager’s mind, etc. inclusion means some people have information others don’t: e.g., giving women range of salary, or even tell them how many people are applying, women applicants increased

Accountability:

Talk about unconscious biases before the recruitment and hiring process. We also debriefed after meetings to ensure transparency, fairness and, objectivity
Implemented a series of team building activities resulting in improved teamwork, communication, and inclusion.
Joined Division D&I Committee (or Lab D&I Council) to review current policies, practices, and procedures. Currently in the process of reviewing and making recommendations to senior management.

Disrupt biases and micro-inequities: takes courage, amplify someone else’s voice, forwarding information/email, inviting someone to party, suggest alternative party times, meeting modes

System flexibility: key decision-making, what our business is about – change business to include English only cases, incorporate more qualitative approach to consulting, etc. how we do our work - make meeting times earlier,

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Action Planning

What is one person you’d like to seek out more stories about? How do you plan to do that?

What behaviors make your coworkers feel excluded and included?

What is one new micro-behavior do you plan to adopt?

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4 Panel Discussions on Inclusive Leadership

Inclusive conversations: Oct 1, at 11am
Inclusive relationships: Oct 21, at 12pm
Inclusive teams
Inclusive organizations

Connect with me on LinkedIn or via email: wei.zheng@stevens.edu