Let's be 'gender aware'

Diversity is the buzz word. We are currently seeing it everywhere but what does it actually mean when put into practice? For me, the real work comes from the word inclusive. Inclusion is the word that makes things happen and gets people to connect both socially and in a business sense. At INvolve, we call ourselves the inclusion people and it is incredibly important to us that we’re able to showcase the fantastic work being carried out by Role Models in the drive for inclusive workplaces. Role models allow others to aspire to the next step and work to get to where they want to be regardless of their gender, sexuality or background.

Earlier this week, we launched nominations for our HERoes Women Role Model Lists , which was kicked off by our #1 2018 Future Leader, Susan Robson, interviewing our #1 2018 Senior Leader, Brenda Trenowden. Both listers are fantastic individuals who have done so much to push boundaries in business, and we were honoured to have them with us to share their stories and insights.

This discussion picked up on so many excellent themes that created an important conversation around diversity and inclusion. Brenda gave us some insight into what it takes to be a good leader and for her this was about being authentic. Being a good, authentic leader means to be open, honest and able to show vulnerability. It’s about being human and being able to connect to those on your team – it’s not always about being hyper-professional. It’s okay to have some fun! (Queue ‘Stayin’ Alive’ please, Spotify!) .

One poignant phrase that lingered with us all was ‘gender aware’. This shows that in order to create inclusion in the workplace, we need to be able to see and acknowledge our differences, it’s no use being ‘gender or colour blind’. There’s still plenty of work to be done. We also need to understand that all women are different and have lived through different experiences, we can’t just look at gender in a single light. We created INvolve to bring together all of these differences, and celebrating intersections in our identities is something we want to be loud and proud about.

Businesses are finally beginning to wake up to the fact that putting diversity and inclusion high on the agenda makes their organisation one that performs better than those that don’t. It’s not just morally the right thing to do, but it also makes clear business sense. When we have businesses with a rich and diverse group of employees, then we create a space for diverse opinions and viewpoints, which is something of paramount importance for success.

This is why I’ll never lower my voice when it comes to celebrating incredible role models, doing amazing work. We’ll continue to find new talent, and share their fantastic efforts to change our business landscape. Role Models are as important as ever. Our HERoes Women Role Model Lists help create that space where we see benefits of inclusion in action. Join us now and nominate yourself or someone you know.

Oh - and a massive shout-out to all the women in my life, across my businesses and my network this International Women’s Day! You inspire me every single day. #IWD2019