You're leading a diverse team. How can you support underrepresented cultures to step into leadership roles?

If you want to support underrepresented cultures, you probably need to review your recruitment pool, where are you recruiting from? Is it places where people look like and sound like you or are you expanding your search and reach to places beyond that. For example, if you want to have a broad spectrum of generations in your workforce, are you recruiting from universities and taking in graduates. Also consider your hiring managers, are you managing their unconscious biases when it comes to cv screening and interviewing,we are naturally draw to people like ourselves and we need to find ways to look beyond that.For example, delete names, pictures, ages etc from cv before the hiring manager sees them so that you can remove some of the biases.

Create a space for underrepresented voices to be heard (remember, there's systemic barriers they face). Many times, these individuals are relegated to the back of the room...literally and figuratively. It's exhausting to navigate spaces where your presence is minimized. Start by asking if they would like to share their perspectives....don't assume they don't want or need the platform based on language or appearance. Use clear and respectful language. Example: "I would love to hear your thoughts if you feel comfortable sharing. Your perspective is valuable, but please know it's entirely up to you. There's no pressure to speak." Prioritize their voice to disrupt the norm... empowering them to step into leadership roles.

Creating opportunities can be sometimes difficult. There has to be constant efforts put for providing training, mentoring, helping create a development plan and sticking to the same. Provide the right platform to the teammates to showcase their talent, come up and share their thoughts and understanding. By doing so the members will gain confidence for the future aspirational roles

To support underrepresented cultures in leadership roles, foster an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and biases are actively addressed. Implement fair hiring and promotion practices, provide mentorship and sponsorship opportunities, and ensure clear, transparent pathways for career growth. Encourage open feedback and offer professional development that aligns with individual needs. Recognize and celebrate diverse role models to build confidence and inspire others. Advocate for systemic change to eliminate barriers and ensure equal opportunities, enriching the organization with diverse ideas and perspectives that drive innovation.

It's worth remembering that depending on the background and culture someone comes from, what might be a helpful platform will differ. I've come across well-intentioned English-speaking colleagues who will, for example, call upon a non-native English speaker in a meeting to give them the floor, and it backfires. Why? The non-native speaker needed more time to collate their thoughts so that they could effectively articulate them in a foreign language. Here, a more empowering approach would have been to flag in advance the kind of contributions people should bring to the table so they can prep. Or, create a space for written input - people communicating in their non-native language are often more confident in written than spoken skills.