How can you promote diversity and inclusion as a collaborative leader?

Diversity and inclusion will bloom effortlessly in an environment where people are heard and are respected for their points' of views. The ability to express yourself without fear of ridicule, punishment or hatred is invaluable to a free and fair environment. The best teams are those with professional communicators, who ackowledge and develop respect from their differences and points of views. A team that does not identify with each other and does not play to individual strengths to build something that's bigger than the sum of its parts....has room for improvement. Your job title does not matter, everyone can practice better communication.

Diversity and inclusion (if it is appropriate to include them) are aspects that must be integrated at the very moment in which the work group is formed, making clear the space it occupies and the values of respect and equality that are associated with any dynamics of the work team. It is important to avoid any type of discrimination later on. Any person should have the same rights and possibilities regardless of his/her condition. The responsibility they will assume will be based solely on educational criteria, h/s skills as well as previous professional experience. Respect for diversity must be demanded from each and every member of the team, as well as solidarity and help. The work will be based on a final or common objective or goal.

Communication is the heartbeat of inclusion in our teams. It's more than just talking; it's about listening, understanding, and connecting. With our diverse teams, we've gotta mix it up—emails, chats, videos, and good old face-to-face. Keeping everyone in the loop is key, but it's the how that really matters. Speak frequently, clearly, and with respect, making sure to ditch the jargon that leaves folks scratching their heads. It's about making everyone feel seen and heard, no matter their background. Let's keep our chats inclusive and our vibes positive, building a team where everyone thrives. Because when we communicate with intention, we're not just sharing ideas; we're weaving a stronger, more connected team.

Diversity begins with action. Words and explanations are important but only when actions are clearly show the direction which team is heading to. Diversity is a journey, it is not a single point on the map. That's why it's important to teach the team to navigate rather than explain what could be found at the destination.

It is desirable that the group leader has sensitivity and knowledge about disability and equality. When approaching the creation of a group that incorporates these aspects, it is important to be previously informed: examine previous success stories, pros and cons when integrating inclusion and diversity in a work team, potential barriers for the rest of the team members, necessary adaptations in the case of people with functional diversity, conflict resolution within the group derived from this circumstance, prejudice management. It is important to conduct regular educational talks on this topic, raise awareness in the team and seek normalization in diverse work environments, try to find information about the IMPACT in the productivity.

Boosting diversity and inclusion isn't just about intentions; it's about taking action to learn and grow. Dive into the how-tos of a diverse workplace—think cultural know-how, spotting biases, and being a true ally. Grab every chance to learn. Encourage everyone to join in, pushing for real skills in navigating our world's rich tapestry. And let's make sure our space is safe for all voices, fostering a culture where questions and experiences pave the way for deeper understanding. It's about building a team that's not just diverse, but truly inclusive.

When trying to promote diversity and inclusion within your team it is necessary to be the VOICE in CAPITALS as leader. Everybody must be compromised with the “CAUSE”, we, as leaders have to include everyone (no matter their physical, intellectual, socio-economical, sex-orientation, genre, race) are. Criteria should be based on the skills in all dimensions. It is crucial act the same time insist on the enrichment associated in having a diverse group of people beyond the technical or intelectual skills. We are talking about emotional issues, motivation. We have to provide the team as a WHOLE ways of professional-development, job challenges, monetary incentives, autonomy to make decisions, burst creativity. Team members must perceive equality

Empower your team to speak up and make a difference. Let them steer decisions, solve problems, and innovate. Value their feedback and take action where it counts. Boost their growth and champion their goals. Celebrate wins and learn from losses. Respect and accommodate their needs. It’s about giving everyone a voice and showing that it truly matters.

Communicating is always important. Colleagues and subordinates should feel free to speak their mind regarding their views and issues they might be facing. However, it is important for us as leaders to make them know they are entering an environment where they have equal opportunities to succeed. Otherwise, they are going to leave and this goes against the idea of inclusion (someone who feels like they belong will stay). We empower our team by setting up processes that don't replicate old and broken systems.

Foster a culture where trust and collaboration are the foundations. It's not just about assigning tasks; it's about ensuring everyone is on the same page, valuing their input and perspectives. Champion open dialogue, encouraging a space where feedback fuels growth, not fear. Lead with empathy and curiosity, celebrating the diversity that each member brings to the table. Address conflicts with a solution-focused approach, ensuring every voice feels heard. This isn't just teamwork; it's about weaving a fabric of support, understanding, and mutual respect.

Building TRUST AND COLLABORATION TAKES TIME. It is not easy to achieve it from the scratch when conforming a new TEAM. An inclusive environment is not an exception. But there is an additional factor that has to be considered: TOLERANCE, UNDERSTANDING (OTHERS) AND HELPING IN CONSEQUENCE are accelerators of the process mentioned before (when it comes to build TRUST AND COLLABORATION). It is important to know that you can COUNT ON other member of the team with or without any personal barrier to confront the project the team is facing. It is important to carry out some activities (ludic ones) that generate internal COHESION, that all are able to know strengths and weaknesses of each member, to recognize what can member can offer to the team.

It is extremely difficult to change people biases. The best way to tackle this kind of complex challenges is through ongoing education and doing so with a dedicated community. We all have unconscious biases, unintended ignorance or we are in denial about discrimination. That is why we, as leaders, need to nurture the seedling of curiosity into a much bigger and stronger motivation. Our team needs a space to learn and being allowed to make mistakes, where they can ask questions and have potentially though conversations. That is building trust. If we can build a culture around choosing courage over comfort, that's really when things start clicking.

When you are a group leader, one of the attitudes that generates more IMPACT in the team and that provides more adhesion and commitment is LEADING BY EXAMPLE. From my point of view there is no other action by a group manager with a higher level of effectiveness. The "put into the practice" represents that the leader despite his position is an equal, that his potential EGO does not prevent him from doing tasks that in theory he should not do, that he has humility and that he is able to perform the tasks with the REQUIRED EXCELLENCE. In the case of inclusion and diversity it would pass through attitudes of equal treatment, companionship, help, provision of accessibility, acceptance and tolerance.

In my opinion, as a leader, the best way to lead by example is by speaking to others about what you're learning and own up to biases without having your own self image be threatened (and that is why it's so important to build a trusted environment). As a leader you are rallying others and leading visibly. And this comes with being at the same level as the rest of your team by getting integrated into this new culture as opposed to being a hero effort of a few passionate individuals. It's about being real for a real purpose. As leaders, we should actively help people to follow the path of diversity, equity and inclusion by being the first ones on this path.

Inclusion and diversity are aspects that are being promoted in my country (Spain) within organizations, although there is still a long way to go, at least in the inclusion of people with certain types of disabilities (mental for example) that have a great stigma associated with them. I think we are on the right track but it is necessary that the organization has by management and employees high levels of tolerance, acceptance of diversity of people with different abilities and the conviction by management that productivity levels do not depend on certain physical, mental characteristics, etc. and that the key is to provide adequate levels of accessibility.

As a society, we have an obligation to recognize and help fix hundreds of years of discrimination. Discrimination in businesses is connected to a large moral fight and it's not a thing in the past. The motivation for companies to develop DE&I policies can't be rooted in business arguments alone. This could lead to a check the box mentality and it can dehumanize and alienate people. Personal well-being and livelihood are at staked. Diversity and inclusion shouldn't be a passing trend and companies need to take seriously from a moral point of view.