The Five Habits of Inclusive Leadership

In recent years, we have seen a rapid change in America’s demographics and its labor force. With increasingly diverse workers, organizations are gaining new opportunities as well as a number of new challenges. Leaders must acknowledge the different backgrounds of employees and find effective ways of making everyone feel seen, heard, valued, and included. In other words, agencies and organizations must increase their inclusive intelligence.

To aid in the initiative, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) created the Federal Human Capital Survey (FHCS). Starting in 2002, the FHCS was used to assess how employees jointly experienced the policies, practices, and procedures characteristic of their agency and its leadership. Eight years later — when the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) made it a top priority to build a more diverse and inclusive workforce — the document was revised to focus on more actionable items and renamed the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). It has since grown to consist of approximately 100 questions.

In 2014, a subset of twenty questions/behavioral statements were added to the FEVS when the ODI devised the New Inclusion Quotient (New IQ). According to Dr. Bruce J. Stewart, former deputy director of strategic initiatives, training, and compliance at the ODI, all the behavioral statements included within the New IQ were “identified through a rigorous factor analysis trial of OPM’s Employee Viewpoint Survey (EVS).” Because the statements focus on the thoughts and experiences of employees, survey results can help leaders address the issues that are negatively impacting the workplace environment.

The New IQ is divided into five habits that create an inclusive culture. These behaviors are key for building positive relationships, improving communication, and fostering a healthy work or personal environment. By adopting these habits, organizations can create a work culture that is fair, open, cooperative, supportive, and empowering.

Fair

Stewart defines fairness as “the ability to exhibit a disposition that is free from favoritism and bias.” Fairness promotes trust, respect, and a sense of justice. When leaders in the workplace practice fairness, they treat everyone equally and impartially. Decision making is based on objective criteria, and favoritism and discrimination are avoided. People who are fair also take responsibility for their actions and are accountable for their mistakes.

In a recent article by Harvard Business Review, researchers found that hiring, promotion, and compensation account for only one-quarter of unfair experiences while 75% occur during daily work interactions. In their research, Harvard identified four key questions that distinguish a high-fairness work environment from a low-fairness one:

1. Are your employees informed?
2. Are your employees supported?
3. Do all employees get a fair chance at internal opportunities?
4. Do leaders and managers recognize employees’ contributions?

Overall, a fair work culture is one where decisions are made based on merit rather than favoritism and where employees receive equal access to information, support, and opportunities.

Open

When individuals are open, they are receptive to new ideas, viewpoints, and people. They possess a willingness to listen and learn from other others — even if their ideas differ from their own. Being open also means being transparent and honest in their communication. An article by Indeed points out that an open mind makes it easier to relate to people from different backgrounds and cultures. Openness also strengthens leadership skills and improves a person’s professional image.

An open culture facilitates collaboration and reduces conflict with others. People feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas, and constructive feedback is welcomed. Openness encourages transparency, honesty, and trust — and it helps to build strong relationships between colleagues. To increase open mindedness, the Indeed editorial team suggests practicing self-awareness, listening attentively, asking questions, and continuing to learn.

Cooperative

Cooperation involves working together and sharing ideas, resources, and responsibilities to achieve a common goal. Being cooperative requires a willingness to compromise and find solutions that benefit everyone involved. It also means being respectful of others’ opinions and perspectives. A cooperative work culture encourages open communication so that everyone can contribute and feel valued.

In an issue of The Nest, Erin Schreiner warns that cooperation “can make the difference between success and failure for many businesses,” so while it can be challenging to achieve, it is well worth the effort. A cooperative workplace offers several advantages, which include increased productivity, improved job satisfaction, and a decrease in misunderstandings. Because cooperative workplaces frequently ask employees of all levels for their input, everyone feels they have a voice in the organization and a stake in its success.

Supportive

Supportive individuals show empathy and compassion for their colleagues. They listen to their concerns, offer advice, give constructive feedback, and lend a helping hand when needed. They also recognize the efforts of their team members and are happy to celebrate their successes.

A supportive work culture fosters a sense of community and encourages people to work together to achieve common goals. When an agency or organization has a supportive culture, team members are more likely to be engaged, empowered, and able to perform at their natural best. Forbes published eight recommendations for building a supportive work culture:

1. Establish a set of core values and apply them to daily interactions among your team.
2. Incentivize supportive actions.
3. Foster trust and psychological safety.
4. Create a system for praising peers.
5. Align key performance indicators (KPIs) to promote support.
6. Establish a better work-life balance for employees.
7. Model the right tone — respectful, mindful of others, and fully engaged in direct conversations.

These behaviors not only improve service delivery and product quality, but they also enhance overall organizational performance.

Empowering

Empowered team members are given the autonomy and resources they need to take ownership of their work and to make decisions that are in the best interest of the organization. Stewart defines empowerment as “the ability to help others contribute to their full potential.” This habit helps to build people’s confidence and encourages them to take risks and explore new ideas. When we empower people, we are helping them to contribute to their full potential.

An empowering leader creates an environment of trust and transparency where everyone feels valued and respected. They encourage employees to take ownership of their work and provide them with the tools, training, and support they need to achieve their goals. According to a study conducted by Salesforce Research, employees who feel “heard” by leaders are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to do their best work — and an empowered workforce can strengthen and build a more positive company culture.

While the New IQ survey is important, simply completing it is not enough. To improve your inclusive intelligence, you must analyze the results, practice, and incorporate all five habits into your daily life. Stewart explains, “Habits are important because they become part of our routines and thereby require little cognitive energy or effort to execute. The best chance to become more inclusive is when people and organizations don’t have to think about it, they just do it.” In other words, the key to inclusivity is making the five habits an integral part of your everyday workplace culture.

At JH Miles and Associates, our expert instructors guide participants in understanding the foundations of the New IQ, how the inclusivity of the work environment is measured, and how five positive habits can encourage and increase inclusive behaviors. Visit our website at www.jhmainc.com.