Inclusive Leadership is a Responsibility

The world is rapidly changing, and with these changes, many industries have revolutionized how they do business by considering how their business impacts people and the overall ecosystem. Businesses across sectors have embraced corporate social responsibility, which occurs when companies become socially conscious and ensure that their product, people, and general business existence positively impact the world they serve. 

One of the critical ways we can adapt corporate responsibility ideals in our businesses is by selecting the right person to lead our employees. Leaders have the power to positively or negatively impact the work experience of their people, which consequently impacts employee engagement, productivity, and overall work culture. Unfortunately, time and time again, we see how many companies fail to select the right leader to influence and impact their people. A report by Gallup indicated that 85% of people hate their jobs, and one of the leading causes is their boss. When people who are not prepared to be leaders assume a leadership role, they may create a hostile work environment for everyone around them, especially women and minorities.  

When choosing a leader, companies must ensure that their leader adopts the social responsibility to create an inclusive work environment where the people who report to them, regardless of their intersectionality of identities, feel included and empowered to reach their full potential while being authentic. Deloitte's 2022 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Transparency Report suggests that leaders who center on people-first, people-driven DEI initiatives can positively impact a diverse and multicultural employee population. The right leader will feel responsible for addressing the individual experience disparities among employees from diverse backgrounds and ensuring that they can bring their whole selves to work. 

To read more on how to become a socially responsible leader, the book Leadership is a Responsibility: How to Become an Inclusive Leader in the Modern Workplace by Understanding the Lived Experiences of Black Women and Afro-Latinas explores equity in the Workplace and best practices for Inclusive leadership by recounting the work stories of women in corporate America and academia and providing a prescription for leadership responsibility that creates positive and inclusive systemic change.