What are the best ways to make inclusive and respectful decisions?

1 Listen actively

One of the most important skills for making inclusive and respectful decisions is active listening. Active listening means paying attention to what others are saying, not only to their words, but also to their tone, body language, and emotions. Active listening also means asking open-ended questions, clarifying misunderstandings, summarizing key points, and acknowledging different perspectives. By listening actively, you can show respect for the people you are engaging with, and gain a deeper understanding of their needs, interests, and values.

2 Involve stakeholders

Another best practice for making inclusive and respectful decisions is to involve your stakeholders in the decision-making process. Stakeholders are the people who are affected by or have an interest in your decisions, such as your followers, customers, partners, suppliers, or community members. Involving stakeholders means soliciting their input, feedback, and suggestions, and incorporating them into your decisions. By involving stakeholders, you can increase their buy-in, commitment, and satisfaction, and also benefit from their diverse insights, experiences, and perspectives.

3 Seek diversity

A third best practice for making inclusive and respectful decisions is to seek diversity in your decision-making team. Diversity means having people with different backgrounds, identities, skills, and viewpoints in your team. Seeking diversity means inviting, welcoming, and valuing people who can bring different perspectives and ideas to your decision-making process. By seeking diversity, you can enhance your creativity, innovation, and problem-solving, and also avoid biases, blind spots, and groupthink.

4 Communicate clearly

A fourth best practice for making inclusive and respectful decisions is to communicate your decisions clearly and transparently. Communicating clearly means explaining the rationale, criteria, and process behind your decisions, and highlighting the benefits and trade-offs of your decisions. Communicating transparently means sharing relevant information, data, and evidence that support your decisions, and being honest about the uncertainties, risks, and limitations of your decisions. By communicating clearly and transparently, you can build trust, credibility, and accountability, and also address any concerns or questions that may arise.

5 Reflect and learn

A fifth best practice for making inclusive and respectful decisions is to reflect and learn from your decisions. Reflecting means evaluating the outcomes, impacts, and implications of your decisions, and identifying the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement of your decision-making process. Learning means seeking feedback, input, and suggestions from your stakeholders, and incorporating them into your future decisions. By reflecting and learning, you can improve your decision-making skills, performance, and results, and also demonstrate humility, openness, and growth mindset.

6 Respect differences

A sixth best practice for making inclusive and respectful decisions is to respect the differences that may exist among your stakeholders, team members, and followers. Respecting differences means acknowledging, appreciating, and celebrating the diversity of people's backgrounds, identities, values, and opinions, and avoiding stereotypes, judgments, or assumptions. Respecting differences also means being willing to compromise, collaborate, and co-create solutions that are fair, equitable, and inclusive for everyone. By respecting differences, you can foster a culture of respect, belonging, and inclusion, and also enhance your relationships, influence, and impact.