Becoming an Inclusive Leader

Culture change, such as building a more inclusive culture, starts from the top.

Leaders, and leadership teams need to understand, take responsibility and set direction around equity, diversity and inclusion.  This programme helps build an understanding in the areas we have found to be most critical for culture change from the leadership perspective.  The three workshops provide a robust base to ensure everyone builds their level of understanding, has conversations about how the leadership team can take responsibility and what will be done to both model and manage change.  

The three workshops are run as 2 or 3 hour sessions, either virtually or in-person for intact leadership teams.  During the briefing phase we gather examples that can be used for case study and scenario discussions to ensure relevance for the team.

I have never attended any program as interesting and different as this one!

The three workshops cover the following areas:

Navigating Power and privilege

To build inclusive cultures, leaders need to be aware of their power and privilege, and how these can be used in constructive and enabling ways.

This workshop provides leaders with an insight into:

  • what power and privilege are; why it’s important to be aware of these concepts, how they play out in leadership teams, the behaviors and consequences associated with privilege
  • the range of factors upon which power and privilege are gained; raising self-awareness through a practical exercise
  • how privilege plays out in the leadership teams, both subtly and overtly; stories and case studies are shared to build awareness of what has been normalised over time 
  • what leaders can do, individually and collectively, to become aware of privilege and consider ‘what can you do with your privilege to benefit others and build a more inclusive culture’?

Listening with intent and empathy

Many leaders believe that they have mastered the art of listening, but conversations with those they lead often suggest otherwise.

This workshop will equip leaders to:

  • understand why listening isn’t enough, and how listening with intent and empathy builds inclusive leadership and culture change
  • experience what being listened to with intent and empathy feels like 
  • reflect on their own leadership practice and consider how listening with intent and empathy will develop a deeper level of psychological safety and the benefits that brings to all
  • practice having a conversation with someone who holds different views and practice the skills of intentional and empathetic listening

Active Allyship

Demonstrating allyship in an authentic way is becoming an essential quality for leaders.

This workshop enables leaders to explore:

  • what allyship is, what the expectations on leaders are and why this is increasing in importance
  • what the barriers to allyship are in teams and organisations and how leaders can work to remove these
  • how they have modelled allyship to date, how visible and authentic has this been and how can this be built upon
  • how to create an environment where allyship is practiced in a constructive, safe and appropriate way, aligned to values and broader organisational culture