Inclusion Unlocked

SECTION 2.2Team Quadrant: How Do I Enable My Team to Be Inclusive?

The second quadrant of the Inclusive Leader Scorecard moves from self to team. Candor, cultural connectedness, and psychological safety are the foundations of being able to enable an inclusive team. While the details of what constitutes a team vary considerably within and across organizations, a team is most often defined as “a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.”¹ Increasingly, in global environments, there are considerable diversity benefits that can be leveraged if properly curated by a leader.

The potential exists for team membership to satisfy the human need we have for connection, belonging, and in being a part of something bigger than one's individual contribution.² Leaders who are able to cultivate belonging and inclusion in each member can uplift the entire team and unleash members' individual and collective potential. Inclusive Leaders view their team as a collective whole to which they belong rather than as a separate entity from which they are separate or where they are above the team. When team members understand and acknowledge each other's value status, differences will be mitigated and members will be confident enough to share their expertise and perspectives, and the team will be capable of leveraging those contributions.

Developing an effective team ...