Inclusive Leadership Must be Trained
Humans are inherently judgmental. It's not really our fault; we're designed to instinctively make judgments about people, places, and things, and quickly.
Unconsciously, we are always on the lookout for a way to have our needs met, feel safe and comfortable. It's a trait that surely helped keep our ancient ancestors alive.
However, when it comes to creating a corporate culture of inclusion and belonging, our perceptions, or lens through which we view the world informs our judgment - and often creates issues.
Here at the top three reasons leaders need training in order to create a culture of inclusion and belonging successfully:
Unconscious Bias
Leaders can be unconsciously biased in many different ways - and all of them can create real problems. Here are some of the ways we can be unconsciously biased as leaders:
Making decisions in a way that confirms something we already believe.
Favoring someone who reminds us of ourselves or a loved one
Favoring someone because of their gender, looks, or age
Favoring someone because we belong to the same "group or subculture"
Decision-making is largely unconscious. The conscious part of decision-making, where we tend to weigh one choice against another, is just our minds trying to justify the decision our unconscious selves have already made.
Generative Listening Skills Are Required
Not all listening skills are created equal. In fact, Otto Scharmer and his team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) defined four separate and distinct types of listening, of which Generative listing is the most desirable - particularly if you are a leader.
Generative listening is foundational to creating inclusive, high-performing teams that operate in harmonious alignment and use both personal and collective strengths to achieve collaborative results.
This type of listening happens when boundaries between individuals begin to break down, and space is held for new thoughts to emerge. Ego is removed, and we comprehend past, present, and future possibilities. We listen from a common goal point of view. Different perspectives are strategically combined to co-creating the way forward.
This specific listening style is something leaders can learn and implement quickly to see almost immediate results and begin to create a culture of inclusion and belonging.
Intentional Daily Action
Leaders need to be trained and practice every day - just like athletes - if they expect to create an inclusive culture with happy team members who feel appreciated and motivated. But the actions are simple and incorporate the leader's intentional use of strengths, self-regulating from the triggers that bombard them daily, and interdependently making things happen.
"A leader needs to know his strengths as a carpenter knows his tools, or as a physician knows the instruments at her disposal. What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths and can call on the right strength at the right time. "
-Dr. Don O. Clifton, Executive, Psychologist, Author, Now Discover Your Strengths (2001)
Now we've made it easier than ever to learn these actions and unlock next-level leadership skills in our fully online course where you can become an Integrated Whole-Self Leader™ in just a few months.
What is an Integrated Whole-Self Leader™?
An Integrated Whole-Self Leader™ develops an authentic leadership style in which they are keenly self-aware, display radical resilience, and operate with a high degree of emotional intelligence. They evoke a courageous and compassionate, inclusive leadership style.
And here's a bonus… creating a culture of inclusion and belonging by becoming an Integrated Whole-Self Leader™ isn't just good for your team and good for your business; it's really good for your leaders, too. When they embrace the journey of transformation, they can't help but become more self-aware and deepen their relationship with their own intuition and authenticity.
How do we do it?
Our science-based process starts with Integrated Whole-Self Discernment™ to access the power that comes from the mind and body's full intelligence. Next, our Integrated Strengths™ framework facilitates leaders to claim, develop, and integrate personal and collective strengths. Finally, our Integrated Whole-Self Leadership Teams™ focus on the organization's performance and intentional culture building.
We specialize in helping teams and organizations understand and implement practices that cultivate the power of interdependence.
The Wellsiliency™ Institute has developed a series of interdependent courses to comprehensively address the knowledge and skills leaders and teams need to build strengths-based values-driven performance cultures where all experience belonging.
Is cultivating a deliberate culture that leaves a lasting legacy of positive impact in the lives of others important to your organization?
Our institute has designed five program pillars to help leaders be well and lead well through a skill progression from Whole-self Intelligence™ integration to boost resilience and confidence, strengths-based wellbeing, strengths-based team building, strengths-based leadership, and psychological safety to unleash collaboration.
We don't believe in providing superficial programs; instead, we strive to become your collaborative partner by equipping your leaders with the skills they need to create meaningful, enduring outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to help you build a legacy of leadership excellence that will make a real difference in your organization's success.
Contact us to request our 4 page FACT SHEET to learn how our comprehensive 5 PILLAR PROGRAM helps leaders create interdependent teams and organizations.
Let’s partner to create a more harmonious and sustainable future, where cooperation and mutual support lead to thriving.