We need truly inclusive leaders onboard

We are celebrating international Women’s Day. As usually in the beginning of March, I reflect about how the women’s role in society is changing. In the pandemic year, it made me think about it also in the context of leadership. In Skanska, I have never encountered a barrier that says, because I am a woman, I cannot do something. However, I know that I am lucky and that many other women face such barriers every day in various industries and companies. As a leader, I try to support women and encourage them not to shy away in fear. I believe only truly diverse teams can lead companies to success, especially in uncertain times and with a volatile market situation.    

THE MACHO STYLE DOESN’T MEASURE UP IN A TIME OF CRISIS

In a time of crisis, it is very easy to introduce a management model based on the so-called “macho style” in which a boss only gives orders and expects obedience from others. The latest studies identify that this is related to a “masculinity contest culture”. And furthermore, masculinity contests, as called by researchers, breeds unspoken anxiety, undermines cooperation, psychological safety and trust in coworkers. The research also speaks to several negative outcomes thatmistreat employees and put the organization’s “effectiveness and reputation at risk”.

I've always been driven by something else in my career and I believe that listening to others is the only way we can run a successful company. Emotional intelligence and empathy are the key. By listening to others, we’re not only open to different perspectives, we’re also able to see more possibilities with the chance of effectively solving problems. It is obviously more difficult said than done when under pressure. When there’s more than often less patience – the decision-making process takes longer, someone questions something and this can of course lead to frustration – but at the end of the day, it is only through a lense of true teamwork of diverse group of colleagues that gives us a chance to look at things from a wider perspective. 

In the face of a crisis, when quick and effective decision-making process seems to work the best, inclusive style of managing a team seems impossible. On one hand it is completely natural, but on the other hand a responsible leader can translate this reflection into actions – sometimes it is actually better to wait, take a step back and look at everything from helicopter view. 

DIVERSITY DRIVES INNOVATION 

The above mentioned “macho style” of management is also a huge risk for companies that have not built their organizational culture on a foundation of diversity. It is very easy to give up listening to others, but much more difficult is to bring it back and maintain a culture of mutual respect in the organization.  

The meaning of diversity is much bigger though. A Forbes study shows that diversity drives innovation followed by business growth. It is also no longer about creating mixed or gender-balanced teams but about using their full potential to increase competitive advantage on the market. The effectiveness of such a model is especially visible now and applies not only to businesses, but also to other parts of our environment. A recent BCG study suggests that “increasing the diversity of leadership teams leads to more and better innovation and improved financial performance”. The study stresses that companies can start generating benefits with just small changes in the organization’s management structure. Positively, the survey also shows that businesses that operate on emerging markets reported greater progress of more diverse environment over the past several years than organizations in developed markets.  

As you may know, I have been leading Skanska’s office development unit in Central Eastern Europe already for a few years, and before in different roles I led diverse teams. I use the above knowledge and previous experiences to build a successful company. In the teams I created, I have always cared about the balanced gender split and, more importantly, also its diversity in terms of nationality, age and education. It has always been my focus.

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

I believe that diversity addresses the challenges of todays’ world, such as: sustainability, ethics, safety. Safety has become an extremely important topic today with a wide meaning – starting with health and safety measures like in Skanska’s case – safety of our people on construction sites, but also in the sense of security in many dimensions (financial, social, health) which many lost during pandemic. This is where inclusion matters, and the importance of giving those who need to fight for their security and safety the most, a voice and a seat at the table. Diverse teams that cooperate with you, push you to the edge of your comfort zone and make you think from a different perspective than your own, allows us to emerge out of a crisis when the big picture is painted by many different people. Not only in business it is a huge value, isn’t it?  

We must be aware that diversity is way more than just race, age or gender. Diversity encompasses our understanding of different perspectives by different people so that all of them can contribute to the organization as a whole. It requires examining and eliminating barriers to inclusion in all aspects of a company – regardless of its size or scale of business.  

Today’s leadership is about empathy, curiosity and close attention to another person. As a leader in uncertain times, somehow you need to connect water with fire: you need to be decisive, and at the same time humble and give space to those whom need it. You need to stick to facts, analysis and a wider perspective. And be empathic at the same time. I describe it in simple words – in managing teams use both your heart and the brain. When virtually managing your teams, this becomes even more important as it is extremely easy to not hear the voices of some of your people, and truly connect with them while working via online digital tools.   

What are your thoughts on leadership during these tumultuous? How is diversity and inclusion supported in your company?  

Skanska's Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) vision, launched in 2014, set a goal of mirroring society's diversity at all levels and our aim is to be recognized as a leader in diversity in all our geographic markets. This our core value. We have an open culture, respectful of differences, that seeks the sharing of experiences and perspectives and results in more productive and innovative ways of working. We attract, recruit and develop highly skilled people with an inclusive mindset from the largest pool of talent possible.