An Introduction to Inclusive Leadership for Emerging Leaders

“Deep listening involves suspending one's assumptions, judgements and preconceived notions to genuinely hear and understand others. Dialogue creates spaces for diverse perspectives to emerge, facilitating collective intelligence and creative problem-solving.”

Being agile in leadership means more than just reacting swiftly to challenges; it involves a mindset and a set of practices that enable leaders to thrive in an increasingly dynamic world.

“You didn't see me on television. You didn't see news stories about me. The kind of role that I tried to play was to pick up pieces or put together pieces out of which I hoped organization might come. My theory is, strong people don't need strong leaders.”

In Feb 1966, Bobbi Smith received a response letter from the Boston Marathon organisers. It categorically stated that women were “not physiologically able to run a marathon.” Bobbi was undeterred by the deeply biased and non-scientific response and snuck herself into the marathon. She hid behind a forsythia bush and joined the marathon dressed in her brother’s hoodie and shorts. She completed it in 3 hours and 21 minutes, putting her in the top third of all runners. Bobbi Smith’s bold act of defiance was the first unofficial participation of a woman in a marathon.

In my coaching with senior executives rarely do we explicitly talk about DEI strategies. Primarily because it is not my area of expertise, but secondarily I believe that it is important to understand the culture (shared beliefs and assumptions) and even before that, the climate (shared perceptions and attitudes) before delving into the intricacies of DEI.

Lots of speaking in store for 2024. Keynotes. Masterclasses. Fireside chats. Podcasts and so much more. Let’s go

There’s a common misconception that networking only happens at “networking events”. And it can be that pressure and expectation that often puts people off or makes them anxious about networking. Networking can happen anywhere. Any event (formal or informal) where more than two humans meet is an opportunity for networking and building connections. Heck, I have made some good connections at weddings and funerals.

I am sitting at my desk sometime after one of the most powerful days in my life. Reflecting on the result of something I took a chance on earlier in the year. A summit of speakers, workshop leaders and conversations to encourage leaders and those who are considering treading the path of leadership to be braver.

I have worked with companies and organisations across the finance, tech, law and media industries. The one thing they all had in common was a relatively homogenous leadership bench and a willingness to want to rectify that effectively.

To effectively lead people and navigate the various internal and external scenarios that await all leaders, we must be present in the moments that matter. Knowing when to sit and listen. Being fully aware of our environment so we know when to take action. Allowing headspace to digest what’s being communicated.

We put our money (and energy) where our mouth is. We realise that many diversity initiatives, funds, and support services aimed at reducing the funding and profitability gaps, including our own, may have flaws, but it is a game of inches. We play the long game. Understanding that our efforts to create corporate and, subsequently, generational wealth is a concerted and joined-up work. We respect those in the Black community and those outisde of it who see this business case as none of their concern, but for those of us who, in the spirit of pardna and susu, realise that collective wealth is more than just money but trust, collaboration and support, we press on.

The challenge will always be getting people to see wider and make bold and brave decisions when they don’t feel they have the power to. The challenge to leaders: why don’t people feel they have this agency?

I say this all to say that, way too often, people think they need to dumb down their intelligence. There could be several reasons for this; peer pressure from colleagues, misguided instruction from a manager, or just needing a clearer understanding of your audience. But pause for a second.

While a host of us are reading books on purpose, happiness and inclusion, leaders who emulate Musk are reading books about war, power and dominance. Surely it makes sense to be aware of what such leaders are doing, especially if we want to offer a counter-narrative.

I realised that we, established entrepreneurs and business folk, are often so excited by the prospects for new and young entrepreneurs and are eager to see them get something going that we fail to provide a compass or any guardrails to help them on this (at times treacherous) journey