What is inclusive leadership? What are the characteristics of inclusive leadership?

Inclusive leadership and the characteristics of inclusive leadership

An inclusive leader uses EACH attributes (Empowerment, Accountability, Courage, and Humility) to both increase awareness of these challenges and to overcome them with appropriate action. The components of EACH support inclusion by valuing people's individuality and finding common ground:

• Empowerment allows people to do things their way.
• Accountability holds people responsible for their own actions.
• Courage helps people put group interests above personal ones.
• Humility fosters connections by encouraging people to learn from one another and demonstrate vulnerability and trust.

Characteristics of inclusive leaderships:

• Leadership is about influencing others to achieve a common goal.
• Often, leadership is not as complicated as we think it is.
• Anyone can lead- whether you have authority over others or not. No matter where you are in your career or whatever your status or position, you can lead.
• Leadership requires simple action that anyone can do-for example, be willing to stand out from the crowd or support a new idea or ask a difficult question when no one else is asking.
• And most notably, "followers" are also leaders. The first follower turns a lone nut into a leader! Followers are leaders in their own right and in fact, inclusive leaders make space for others to lead, by following them.
• Inclusive leadership positively impacts everyone-on matter whether you are a man or a woman, old or young or of a particular race, color or nationality. Anyone can be an inclusive leader and everyone benefits from inclusion.
• Inclusive leaders value the diverse talents and experiences of people they influence or who are their teams.
• Inclusive leaders do not stereotype or alienate people they influence or who are on their teams or make them feel reluctant to share ideas that set them apart, which can lead to group think.
• When inclusive leadership is effective, people feel more included and are more likely to go above and beyond call of duty, snuggest new ideas and ways of getting work done.
• Inclusive leader are aware of their own biases and assumptions, taken action and execute the EACH method: Empower your direct reports and team members, hold them Accountable, be Courageous, and show Humility as a leader.
   

Inclusion values both:

• Uniqueness: Standing out from the crowd (coworkers, colleagues, team members, peers) and being and feeling recognized for what's distinct about you.
• Belongingness: Being and feeling accepted as part of the crowd, regardless of your differences or similarities with others.