Inclusive Behaviors
Inclusion is about building an environment where differences are welcomed, valued, and appreciated. Managers can encourage an inclusive environment with the following managerial behaviors.
Listen hard
- Solicit broad, grassroots feedback and actively listen to that feedback
- Engage a variety of employees, ensuring diversity of thought and input
- Respect everyone’s opinion and listen with an open mind
- Actively draw people out
- Encourage employees to feel safe to give honest input
- Create an atmosphere of trust
- Remind everyone that successful communication is a “two-way street”
Develop people
- Seek to become an effective coach and mentor
- Give ongoing, constructive feedback on performance
- Employ small group problem solving
- Practice good communication regarding plans and strategies
- Build teams to leverage diversity and to develop employees
- Conduct career discussions and performance appraisals, seeking employee input
Acknowledge differences
- Place people in situations where they have to engage in problem solving with others of different cultures
- Understand that we all have default tendencies from which we make judgments and decisions
- Work to develop trust across differences
- Respect the individual and seek “win-win” relationships
- Recognize important dates/holidays of different cultures
- Remember that different businesses may have different ways of doing things (“business culture”)—ways that may help another business improve
- Work to provide opportunities for work/life balance, addressing individual circumstances
Have courage
- Have courage to be inclusive and to be included
- Be willing to take risks, and stretch the capabilities of team members
- Speak up and contribute, be involved
- Embrace diversity and change
- Be proactive and creative in problem solving
- Be flexible and adaptable
- Have courage as a leader to learn from others
- Have courage to act with integrity