Inclusive Leadership - Why Inclusion Matters

Catalyst Europe Allyson Zimmermann,

Executive Director

© Catalyst 2015 Slovenia, 5 February 2015

About Catalyst

Our VISION

Changing

workplaces.

Changing lives.

Our MISSION

Expanding

opportunities for

women and

business

Our VALUES

Connect

Engage

Inspire

Impact

Catalyst is the leading nonprofit membership organization working

globally with businesses and the professions to build inclusive

workplaces and expand opportunities for women and business.

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New Demands Facing 21st Century

• Globalization, legislation in Europe, demographic shifts

• Skills and competencies for leading diverse people and

groups are a core part of the 21st century leadership

repertoire

– Emerging evidence show that leaders who are more skilled at

inclusion score higher on overall effectiveness as a leader

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Failure to Meet these Demands is Costly

Organizations that fail to create inclusive

environments see….

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Higher levels

of conflict

I Quit!!

Higher turnover Lower employee

satisfaction Lowered

Aspirations

Failure to Meet these Demands is Costly

For countries too - exclusion in labor markets contributes

to decreasing labor forces and lowers productivity.

By closing gender gaps in employment, many countries

could see economic boosts.

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Inclusive Leadership:

The View from Six Countries

‣ India, US, Australia, China,

Mexico and Germany. ‣ Equal men & women

‣Companies with 1000 or more

employees

‣On average, respondents had

worked three or more years with

a manager

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Uniqueness + Belonging

= Inclusion

Inclusive Leadership Defined

Perceptions of inclusion Belongingness

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Perceptions of inclusion Uniqueness

UnUn

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

Inclusion makes a difference

The more employees felt included the more they reported:

• Innovating—suggesting novel product ideas, and ways of

doing work

• Being a team player—going “above and beyond” the

call of duty, pitching in to help their managers and team

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What are the leadership traits of an inclusive leader?

Pulse Check

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

We found that four leadership traits predicted

employee perceptions of inclusion:

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

– Empowerment

• My manager gives me the

information I need to do

my work well

• My manager helps me to

further develop myself

• My manager encourages

his/her staff to come up

with new ideas

• My manager enables me to

solve problems myself

instead of just telling me

what to do

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

– Humility

• My manager is open

about his/her

limitations and

weaknesses

• My manager learns

from criticism

• My manager learns

from the different

views and opinions of

others

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

– Courage

• My manager takes risks

even when he/she is

not certain of the

support from his/her

own manager

• My manager shows

his/her true feelings to

his/her staff

• My manager takes risks

and does what needs to

be done in his/her view

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Findings

– Accountability

• My manager holds me

and my colleagues

responsible for the way

we handle a job

• My manager holds me

responsible for the

work I carry out

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Inclusive Leadership Study—

Conclusions

– Altruistic (selfless) behaviors are an important part

of repertoire of inclusive leaders

• Employees who experience their managers as selfless or

altruistic feel more included

– By increasing inclusion, altruistic leadership can help

enhance team performance and innovation

– Both women AND men respond to altruistic leaders

– Leaders may not need very different inclusion “tool-

kits” for every culture

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Putting it all Together—

Becoming an Inclusive Leader

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Inclusive Leadership Strategies to Drive Change

Engaging Others

Through Dialogue

Breaking Norms That

Inhibit Inclusion

Role-Modeling and

Building Self-

Awareness

Building Alliances

Initiate and engage in

difficult conversations due

to difference.

Identify and interrupt

practices that negatively

impact people,

partnerships, and work

cultures.

Build awareness of cultural

assumptions and values and

role-model this behavior

for others.

Build connections across

the organization to

increase and amplify

inclusion.

Enabling Inclusive Leadership Behaviors:

Empowerment

Accountability

Courage

Humility

More opportunities to learn…

• Are you an inclusive leader? Take the quiz at

www.catalyst.org

• Are you interested in Inclusive Leadership

Training? The first online (free) course starts

Feb. 18, 2015.

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Questions?

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