Healthy Business

Inclusive leadership: the management of the future?

These days it’s becoming more common for companies to seek input from all levels when it comes to business decision making – with everyone from junior staff to senior managers being invited to have their say. And as the workplace becomes more diverse, is a more inclusive management style the way forward?

Recent research by business diversity campaign organisation Opportunity Now suggests that it could be time for change, with 66% of survey respondents believing that fewer than half the managers in their organisation are ‘great inclusive leaders’. Inclusive leadership is described by Opportunity Now as ‘a leadership style which embraces, encourages and taps into the creativity and ideas which come about in non homogeneous groups’.

The report – Inclusive Leadership – from Pioneer to Mainstream lists the main qualities of a great inclusive leader as one who is adaptable, skilled in building  a diverse talent pipeline, and innovative. The organisation’s research has suggested that this type of leader makes staff feel more valued, while increasing employees’ self belief, thereby helping create opportunities for advancement.

Gillian Shapiro, the co-author of the report, believes that businesses can benefit from increased productivity and performance through this style of leadership. She says ‘the time to act and close the UK inclusive leadership gap is now.’

Does your organisation have a framework in place to help promote inclusivity? Please let us know your thoughts and stories in the comments below.

1 Comment

1. Very nice article and straight to the point.

   Career advice

   December 10, 2011 at 6:33 pm

   Reply