Inclusive Leadership and Cultural Intelligence

Today I had the privilege of attending a full day ‘Leading Inclusively with Cultural Intelligence Masterclass’ that was facilitated by Above Difference, one of the leading providers in Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and Inclusive Leadership.

As a leader in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) I was challenged to reflect on whether I was ‘managing diversity’ or ‘leading inclusion’. The two are ideologically different: the former focuses on what the organisation ‘looks like’ – diversity is perceived as a problem that needs management. So, rather than address deep-seated root causes of lack of equity in organisations, Diversity Managers tend to manage symptoms that are flagged up by EDI indicators. However, leading inclusion is about what it ‘feels like’ to work in a particular organisation – it is underpinned by inclusive leadership. In turn, inclusive leadership is inspired by CQ. One has to mention here that CQ and Inclusive Leadership do not occur automatically, they require something more than awareness. CQ is a skill, it is the capability to function and relate effectively in culturally diverse situations or contexts.

Organisational culture is loosely defined as “the way we do things here” and it involves notions that are taken for granted and thus not questioned. This raises the question of who “we” is in the organisation? Inclusion has to be about everyone or no one. I was taken on a journey towards my blind spots and I was challenged to engage critically with differences between individuals in organisations in the context of today’s multicultural world. Cultural Intelligence enables us to understand others better and see bias. It makes us acknowledge microaggressions and ‘micro-confirmations’. How can one lead people if he/she does not understand them?

I was also reminded of the baggage from my own cultural background that I carry in everyday interaction and the tint on my lenses that influences how I make sense of the world. Also, I was forced (in a positive way) to own my numerous privileges that stem from diverse sources. Inclusive leadership involves owning one’s privileges that are bestowed on individuals by ableist, misogynist, heteronormative, homophobic, elitist, class-based and racially-biased societies and organisations that we are socialised and institutionalised into.