Inclusive Leadership: The Key to Fostering Belonging & Innovation

In the ever-evolving landscape of corporate responsibility, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) continues to shape the future of work. Recently, the DEI narrative has broadened focus from representation to nurturing belonging in the workplace. One key element in forming a sense of belonging is the creation of an inclusive culture, which can only be achieved via inclusive leadership.

To help leaders unlock the benefits of inclusive leadership, this article seeks to define inclusive leadership, shedding light on how leaders can harness DEI principles in a practical way to bolster an organization’s capacity for innovation.

Fostering employee belonging: RRA’s Inclusive Leadership Model

When employees feel they can be their authentic selves at work, they experience a greater sense of belonging and, by extension, are better able to channel their energy  towards their work responsibilities.

To help leaders create a sense of belonging in their organizations, we developed RRA’s Inclusive Leadership Model. This model comprises four key competencies, beginning with a foundation of Awareness & Clarity, upon which are built more advance competencies such as Courageous Accountability, Empowering Others, and finally, Innovative Collaboration.

Figure 1: RRA’s Inclusive Leadership Model

Each of these competencies operates along two dimensions—intrapersonal and interpersonal.

This multi-level, inside/out approach to inclusivity helps ensure that leaders are integrating DEI concepts into their work at every level of the organization.

Recently, RRA collaborated with Siemens China to study the implementation of inclusive leadership. Read on to learn more about each of these competencies, as well as how they’re being deployed within a leading organization to develop a more inclusive culture and amplify innovation.

Awareness & Clarity

An effective DEI strategy requires a deep-rooted foundation of awareness and clarity around equity principles across all organizational levels. This goes beyond the superficial acknowledgement of DEI as a concept, and instead encompasses a clear and specific  understanding of the organization’s DEI priorities, what needs to be true to achieve those goals, and how those goals will shift as the organization evolves.

Leaders developing a sense of awareness and clarity should actively encourage open dialogues to enhance everyone’s understanding of DEI, making it a collective responsibility and an ongoing conversation, rather than a static mandate.

Courageous Accountability

Leaders practicing courageous accountability make their commitment to DEI principles publicly known, refusing to shy away from difficult conversations that confront biases and advocate for change at the individual and organizational level.

These leaders also champion personal autonomy, embracing and celebrating diverse perspectives across age groups, backgrounds, and disciplines. This includes allowing people to construct a work/life balance that works for them. This respect for individuality not only allows everyone to realize their full potential, but also maximizes the collective strength of the team.

Empowering Others

The next tier of inclusive leadership competencies involves expanding equitable opportunities for others. Leaders should help team members recognize their strengths and identify development goals, while fostering broader organizational connections. For team members, this approach doesn’t imply waiting passively for empowerment. Instead, it encourages individuals to proactively pursue their own development path, break through internal barriers, step outside their comfort zone, and embrace new challenges and responsibilities.

Innovative Collaboration

When a team fully embraces the diverse backgrounds of its members and actively encourages a range of development trajectories, it cultivates a wealth of perspectives and creative insights. This enriches the organization’s decision-making process and drives continuous innovation.

Leaders who embrace innovative collaboration constantly seek new insights and challenge both their own and others’ conventional thinking patterns. They foster constructive debates within the team, ensuring these discussions focus on the merits of the ideas rather than personal differences. Through persistent evaluation of a technology's commercial potential and customer value, team members demonstrate their commitment to the organization and their peers.

Why inclusive cultures lead to better innovation

DEI is a long-term journey, and most organizations take over a decade to fully develop these programs. Developing inclusive leadership equips organizations with the “software” necessary to drive innovation. Concurrently, companies can strengthen the “hardware” mechanisms that foster innovation, such as processes and policies.

Innovation is delicate, especially in its nascent stages. To allow it to flourish, it’s essential to create an environment where new ideas are nurtured, rather than overshadowed by day-to-day business operations. Organizations need to consider how to handle resource allocation for innovation, balance daily operations, ensure that innovative employees are encouraged, and support the growth of new ideas.

RRA Authors

Shoon Lim leads Russell Reynolds Associates' Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice globally. She is based in Singapore.
Laura Syn leads Russell Reynolds Associates’ Asia-Pacific Knowledge team. She is based in Hong Kong.
Chensong Li is a member of Russell Reynolds Associates’ Asia-Pacific Knowledge team. He is based in Shanghai.

Contributing Authors

Lucy Lei is former Russell Reynolds Associates Board & CEO advisor, now managing director & founder of Genesis Pacific Advisory. She is based in Shanghai.

Siemens China Authors

Dr. Wu Jiunyan is Siemens’ Head of Talent & Leadership, Asia & Australia. He is based in Beijing.
Chen Wei is a Talent & Leadership Senior Strategic Consultant at Siemens. She is based in Shanghai.

References

• The New Wellness at Work: Improving Culture via Employee Well-being | Russell Reynolds Associates
• Walk the Talk: Inclusive Leadership Development Moves the Needle On DE&I | Russell Reynolds Associates
• Inclusive Leadership: Unlocking the Value of Diversity and Inclusion | Russell Reynolds Associates
• Siemens China People DEI Narrative