In today's workplace, inclusive leadership is becoming a recognised and essential component of business expansion. A leader that practices inclusive leadership values their team members, welcomes different viewpoints, and fosters an environment where employees believe their ideas and contributions enhance the success of the organisation.
Further defining inclusive leadership, American psychologist Daniel Goleman makes two important claims in his now classic HRB piece, "What Makes a Leader?" First, strong emotional intelligence (EQ) is a trait shared by all successful leaders; second, emotionally intelligent leaders cannot exist without empathy.
In addition to this, Deloitte further defines the following key traits of inclusive leadership:
- Treating people and groups fairly—that is, based on their unique characteristics, rather than on stereotypes
- Personalising individuals—that is, understanding and valuing the uniqueness of diverse others while also accepting them as members of the group
- Leveraging the thinking of diverse groups for smarter ideation and decision-making that reduces the risk of being blindsided.
