Inclusion is more than just a buzzword or a checkbox. It is a mindset and a practice that can enhance your team's performance, creativity, and engagement. As a team leader, you have a key role in fostering a culture of inclusion, where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported. Here are some tips on how you can do that.
We all have unconscious biases that can affect how we perceive and interact with others. These biases can create barriers to inclusion, such as stereotyping, favoritism, or microaggressions. To foster inclusion, you need to be aware of your own biases and challenge them. You can do this by taking online tests, seeking feedback, or exposing yourself to different perspectives and experiences.
As you move in your professional journey you need to keep on practicing on how you can get more inclusive . Exposing to different situation & keeping your open to feedback is very much part of this process. After all one need to be constantly trying to remain unbiassed while dealing with people . It is easier to judge others but not yourself but one to be honest to judge oneself constantly & throughout the journey .
Communication is essential for building trust and rapport with your team members. To communicate with empathy, you need to listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and show genuine interest and curiosity. You also need to be mindful of your tone, body language, and word choice, and avoid any assumptions or judgments. By communicating with empathy, you can create a safe and supportive space for your team members to express themselves and share their ideas.
Communication is essential for building trust and rapport with your team members. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. When you communicate with empathy, you are putting yourself in the other person's shoes and trying to see things from their perspective.
Inclusion means giving everyone a voice and a chance to contribute. As a team leader, you can encourage participation and collaboration by inviting feedback, soliciting input, and delegating tasks and responsibilities. You can also use tools and techniques, such as brainstorming, icebreakers, or polls, to facilitate group discussions and decision making. By encouraging participation and collaboration, you can foster a sense of belonging and ownership among your team members.
One thing I've found helpful is creating an atmosphere for team members to express themselves. An example was when I told my team members about avoiding personality clashes while encouraging a clash of ideas. My intention was that they focus on refining ideas together, co-creating and collaborating. Team members need to know that the Leader listens and takes their thoughts seriously - this brings them into a zone called ACT (actively contributing to team)
Diversity is the richness of differences that make your team unique and valuable. As a team leader, you can recognize and celebrate diversity by acknowledging and appreciating the diverse backgrounds, skills, and perspectives of your team members. You can also create opportunities for learning and sharing, such as mentoring, coaching, or cross-cultural events. By recognizing and celebrating diversity, you can enhance your team's creativity and innovation.
Inclusion means supporting your team members to grow and develop as professionals and individuals. As a team leader, you can promote growth and development by providing feedback, guidance, and resources. You can also create a culture of learning, where mistakes are seen as opportunities, not failures. By promoting growth and development, you can boost your team's confidence and motivation.
The most effective way to foster inclusion is to model it yourself. As a team leader, you can model inclusive behavior by being respectful, transparent, and accountable. You can also demonstrate your commitment to inclusion by advocating for your team members, challenging discrimination, and supporting diversity initiatives. By modeling inclusive behavior, you can inspire your team to follow your example and embrace inclusion as a core value.
In my experience technology plays a crucial role to foster workplace inclusion initiatives. Indeed, technology empowers companies to engage with a wider and more diverse pool of candidates through social media platforms and specialized job search websites. It also aids in mitigating unconscious biases in recruitment by utilizing blind resume screening tools and AI-powered candidate assessment platforms, which prioritize skills and qualifications over personal characteristics. Moreover, online learning platforms offer personalized training and development opportunities. By utilizing data, Team leaders can objectively assess an employee's suitability for transfers or promotions, free from any interference of biases or discrimination.