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Key Takeaways
- Successfully modeling inclusion means that every team member feels respected, supported and involved, with their perspectives and needs acknowledged.
- An inclusive culture attracts diverse talents and helps retain them, boosting overall team performance.
- Diverse experiences and perspectives contribute to stronger problem solving and drive innovation.
- Model inclusion by being open to others' input, empathizing with their feelings, communicating clearly, adapting to needs, prioritizing fairness, and eliminating workplace bias.
Test Your Inclusion Skills
Through modeling inclusion as a manager you create a team environment where everyone feels supported and recognized. When individuals feel included, it empowers them to do their best work.
We've used research from the Mind Tools Impact and Insights Team to create a 14-question assessment tool, to help you assess how well you model inclusion.
Your Self-Assessment
Coming up are 14 questions that ask you about skills in modeling inclusion. To answer them, consider your experiences over the past three months.
Be as honest with yourself as you can. There are no right or wrong responses, and you’ll have a chance to review and change your answers before you submit them.
Look at the statements below and choose how much you agree with each by selecting the most appropriate answer.
When you have completed the diagnostic, press “Calculate My Total.”
Your Result
Take a few moments to reflect on your result. Does it surprise you or confirm what you already know? Now give yourself a few minutes to think about what you’d like to get out of this experience.
If your result shows that you could improve how you model inclusion, this resource will help you identify where to start developing your inclusion skills.
If you scored well, this resource will help you to make further improvements.
Let's Act
Having reflected on your score, pick one of the following areas to take action on in the next week or two:
- Consider how openly you listen to others. What steps can you take to pay closer attention to the needs and ideas of your team members? (See questions 1, 2 and 3.)
- Identify some ways to make, and have more time, for others and put them into practice. (See questions 4, 5 and 6.)
- Are you accessible as a valuable resource and support for your team? If not, what could you do to make yourself more available? (See questions 7, 8 and 9.)
Take Your Learning Further
Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging
An inclusive workplace enables everyone to thrive and grow, leading to better decision-making, a deeper understanding of customers, and improved attractiveness to top talent. There are some simple and straightforward actions you can take to foster a more inclusive work culture.
Develop your open-mindedness
Inclusive leaders welcome diverse perspectives, ideas and working styles, recognizing that diversity spans various backgrounds, experiences and knowledge.
Understand the challenges to modeling inclusion
There are challenges to modeling and leading inclusion successfully, which include overcoming fear and discomfort, addressing unconscious bias and increasing your self-awareness.
