A leaders role is to support people to do their best work. Inclusive leadership, empathetic leadership, asks you to support the whole person. To value the tapestry of the human being.
To do this you need to build relationships. Relationships that extend beyond aspects of diversity that you may not agree with or understand.
Coexistence is key. We are all diverse. No two people think exactly alike. As people with many backgrounds, experiences, races, genders, religions, sexualities, abilities, values, etc. we've got to learn to coexist. As a leader, not only do you have to coexist, you have to be your peoples' champion and trusted coach.
Open mindedness, curiosity, emotional intelligence and courage are some of the skills inclusive leaders need.
Being curious instead of judgmental. Understanding that behavior comes from somewhere. Seeking to understand instead of being understood and learning to patiently hold space for the ideas and ways of being that differ from your own.
You are not one dimensional and neither is anyone else. Divisiveness thrives by reducing people to one thing. Divisiveness and disconnection says; If you are for what I am for then you are my friend. If you are against what I am for then you are my foe.
Please don't reduce me or anyone else to one thing. To one ideology. One gender. One race. One religion. One sexuality. I am a tapestry and so are you. We all have intersectionalities that contribute to our uniqueness. Our diversity is our strength.
However, at the end of the day we are more alike than different. Find commonalities with your people. Be flexible in your relationships. Honor the humanity within each of us.
The best leaders are those that leave people feeling seen, heard, and valued.
As Maya Angelou so famously said, "People will forget what you said, they will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel." Inclusion is a feeling. Inclusive leaders practice inclusion so that people feel included and willing to show up as their very best selves.
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