True North, Emerging Leader Edition, 3rd Edition

11INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone.

—Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google

The protests of 2020 ripped apart any illusion that America had made peace with its history of racial injustice. Everyone who watched the video of George Floyd's murder witnessed a disturbing, vivid view of police brutality. Our nation erupted—not just because of this incident, but because of so many similar tragedies. As one Black friend told me, “I'm just done.”

From my home in Minneapolis, I could hear helicopters overhead and smell acrid smoke from the riots that damaged more than 1,300 buildings across our city. I prayed, sought out dialogue, and joined the Sunday protests. In the aftermath of the civil unrest, people were angry and impatient. They wanted palpable change quickly, and leaders faced unprecedented demands to share their organizations' plans for racial equity.

Reflection is not enough. We must act intentionally to promote inclusion of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), women, immigrants, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) people. As leaders, it is our responsibility to participate in building a more just society, ensuring opportunity is widely distributed, and bending the arch of history toward justice with our action.

Having diversity in our organizations is necessary but not sufficient. We need to create inclusive organizations where everyone feels a sense of belonging. That ...