Beyond Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering Belonging for High Performance

Years ago, when I was a brand new director, already feeling nervous to share my ideas, I was invited to a strategic meeting with other leaders, and I was the only woman in the room. This was my opportunity to show that I belonged in these discussions, that my insights and perspectives could add value to the team. But when I sat down, instead of being invited to participate in the conversation, I was asked to take notes.

In that instant, all the fears I had as a young female leader—fears about whether my voice would be valued and whether I really belonged—were confirmed. I was physically in the room, but I felt completely like an outsider. All my preparation, ideas, and energy vanished, replaced by a painful (and somewhat shameful) realization that my presence was seen as an inconsequential, versus important. Embarrassingly, I sat there quietly and took the notes, but I couldn’t help thinking, "am I really supposed to be here?"

My experience is not unique, I'm completely certain you all have stories that are so much worse that you could tell me that would make my hair curl. Women and people from other underrepresented groups face these moments every day in corporate spaces. It's made substantially worse when you sit at the intersection of the two. Being invited to the table is one thing, but belonging—feeling like your presence is welcomed and your voice is heard, valued, and respected—is something entirely different. It’s not just about having a seat; it’s about having the confidence and support to use that seat in a meaningful way (Detert & Edmondson, 2011).

Why Belonging is More Than Inclusion

In my previous article, I focused on psychological safety—the shared belief that one can take interpersonal risks without fear of negative consequences (Edmondson, 1999). Psychological safety is crucial for laying a foundation of trust, much like engine oil keeps a car running smoothly. However, as important as psychological safety is, it alone isn’t enough to drive performance. Belonging is the fuel that powers the engine of engagement and success (Pink, 2009).

This isn’t just a clever metaphor (and let's be honest, it isn't really that clever)—it’s a direct reference to Daniel Pink’s Drive (2009), which highlights the roles of Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose in motivating people to achieve their best. These factors can also be seen as the levers that leaders can use to build cultures where employees feel a true sense of belonging. When employees feel a deep connection to their work and their teams, their engagement and productivity rise significantly (Dwivedi et al., 2022).

Daniel Pink’s book, Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us (2009), highlights the roles of Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose in motivating people to achieve their best. I'm suggesting the use of it here as a framework to be leveraged by leaders to build cultures where employees feel a true sense of belonging. When employees feel a deep connection to their work and their teams, their engagement and productivity rise significantly (Dwivedi et al., 2022; Bandura, 1986).

Applying Pink’s Framework to Foster Belonging

Pink’s (2009) book outlines three key elements for driving personal motivation and engagement: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. However, I'd argue these elements, when used as leadership or development guidelines, also create environments where employees feel empowered, connected, and motivated to perform at their highest levels, ultimately enhancing organizational performance.

Autonomy: Autonomy allows employees to take ownership of their work and make decisions. When employees have control over how they accomplish tasks, it communicates trust and respect, key components of belonging (Pink, 2009).

To foster autonomy, leaders should delegate meaningful responsibilities and involve employees in decision-making processes. This not only increases ownership but also reduces turnover, especially among female executives when leaders demonstrate diversity-valuing behaviors (Dwivedi et al., 2022).

Mastery: Mastery refers to employees' ability to continually improve their skills. When organizations invest in employee development, it sends the message that the organization sees a future for them, reinforcing a sense of belonging (Pink, 2009).

Leaders should provide access to mentorship programs and professional development opportunities, especially if these opportunities are led by people who are representative of the employees themselves and where they would like to be in the future. This demonstrates a commitment to employees' long-term growth and helps them feel connected to the organization’s future (Breyer, 2024).

Purpose: Purpose ties employees’ daily work to the larger mission of the organization. When employees see how their work contributes to broader goals, they feel part of something bigger than themselves, which fosters belonging (Pink, 2009).

Leaders can foster purpose by highlighting how individual and team efforts align with organizational goals or the mission of the organization itself. Sharing stories of how diverse perspectives contribute to innovation and success can strengthen employees’ connection to the organization (Pink, 2009).

The Impact of Belonging on Organizational Performance

Creating an environment where employees feel they belong leads to higher engagement, lower turnover, and better overall performance. Research shows that when employees experience belonging, they are more likely to engage in voice behavior—speaking up with ideas, concerns, or suggestions for innovation or improving the organization (Detert & Edmondson, 2011).

This open communication contributes to better decision-making, stronger team cohesion, and more innovative solutions (Detert & Edmondson, 2011; Bandura, 1986). The importance of belonging is further highlighted by research demonstrating that psychological safety, reinforced by diversity-valuing leadership behaviors, significantly reduces turnover rates among female executives (Dwivedi et al., 2022). When leaders demonstrate genuine commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and ultimately, belonging, employees feel safer to contribute their ideas and perspectives, driving organizational performance. The more people feel they belong, the more effective the individuals and teams (Bandura, 1986).

Avoiding the Glass Cliff: The Risks of Superficial DEI Strategies

You may have heard of the glass ceiling, which is a barrier to promotion or advancement experienced by female employees and underrepresented groups, but have you heard of the glass cliff? A glass cliff is a phenomenon in which a woman or member of an underrepresented group is promoted into a leadership position in challenging circumstances where the risk of failure is high. When organizations fail to create an environment of belonging, they risk placing diverse leaders in precarious positions, a literal 'glass cliff'. These high-risk roles often lack the support necessary for success, increasing the likelihood of failure and reinforcing negative stereotypes, and the subsequent assertion by those in power that 'they knew so-and-so wasn't really ready to lead' (Glass & Cook, 2020; Heinzel et al., 2024).

Additionally, diverse leaders often face complex visibility—being highly visible in terms of representation but lacking real influence in decision-making processes (Glass & Cook, 2020). This dynamic not only limits the effectiveness of DEI efforts but also undermines the potential contributions of diverse leaders. It's not enough to just have the right 'type' of people in the room, we need to invite them to take a seat the table, and to have a voice and a vote (Glass & Cook, 2020; Heinzel et al., 2024).

So What?

Creating a culture of belonging ensures that diverse voices are not just present, but empowered and supported, to lead and succeed. This empowerment leads to better decision-making, greater innovation, and stronger overall organizational performance (Dwivedi et al., 2022).

Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are essential for bringing the right people into the room, but belonging keeps them engaged and thriving. We can't just measure the number of people who fit into the correct boxes, pat ourselves on the backs for our green metrics and move on... we need to invite diverse voices into the conversation, and set them up for success.

If psychological safety is the oil that ensures gears aren't grinding, belonging, fueled by leaders who provide opportunities for Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose, is what drives an organization forward. By leveraging this framework to create a sense of belonging, leaders can unlock the full potential of their teams, creating cohesion, driving greater innovation, engagement, and long-term success (Pink, 2009; Bandura, 1986).

Looking back on that moment when I was asked to take notes, I realize how powerful that experience was in shaping my understanding of leadership, belonging, and inclusion. It wasn’t enough for me to be in the room—I needed to feel that my voice mattered.

As leaders, it's our responsibility to ensure that the people in the room not only physically present but are empowered to contribute meaningfully. Using principles like Daniel Pink’s Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose, we can fuel environments where diverse perspectives aren’t just present, but are driving innovation, collaboration, and success.

We must create places and spaces for people to deeply experience the message: You matter. You belong here.

References

Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.

Breyer, A. (2024). Making organizations more inclusive: The work of belonging. Journal of Organizational Change Management.

Detert, J. R., & Edmondson, A. C. (2011). Implicit voice theories: Taken-for-granted rules of self-censorship at work. Academy of Management Journal, 54(3), 461–488.

Dwivedi, P., Gee, I. H., Withers, M. C., & Boivie, S. (2022). No reason to leave: The effects of CEO diversity-valuing behavior on psychological safety and turnover for female executives. Journal of Applied Psychology, 108(7), 1262–1276.

Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.

El-Amin, A. (2022). Improving organizational commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. In Social justice research methods for doctoral research (pp. 208-221). IGI Global.

Glass, C., & Cook, A. (2020). Pathways to the glass cliff: A risk tax for women and minority leaders? Social Problems, 67(4), 637–653.

Heinzel, M., Kern, A., Metinsoy, S. and Reisenberg, B. (2024), International Monetary Fund programmes and the glass cliff effect. European Journal of Political Research, 63: 1515-1539. Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. Riverhead Books.

Pink, D. H. (2009). Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. Riverhead Books.