Inclusive Leadership program for executive leaders

Situation

Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is helping the mix, work. Andrés Tapia

The Agency is a peak government agency that provides advice on significant issues facing the nation. A key priority is how the Agency contributes to building a more inclusive and diverse public service, to better serve the public.

People Measures partnered with the Agency to create a Management and Leadership program for its executive staff. This included a day dedicated to Inclusive Leadership. The aim was to support executives to think collectively about what they could do to support inclusion and diversity.

People Measures sought the input and expertise of Ananth Gopal from Polykala, and Özlem Beldan from Spirit of WomanKind. We also worked with the Agency to create bespoke video content to highlight challenges and opportunities for inclusion.

Action

We designed a program to equip participants to question the aspects of the Agency that contributed to its success, as well as identify those which might work against inclusion. We also shared tools to foster a working environment that connects people in a richer, more fulfilling, way. The program focuses on three inclusive leadership principles:

• Seek difference to build connection
• Know and challenge your system
• Be visible and vocal about inclusion

The learning experience went beyond the usual focus on compliance and risk towards questions requiring action. These questions include:

• What enables a diversity of people to feel a sense of belonging at the Agency?
• How might managers at the Agency create conditions for connection with people unlike them?
• What responsibility does the Agency have to represent Australia in its workforce composition or viewpoints?
• How ‘frank and fearless’ is the Agency’s advice if key voices are missing at the policy making table?
• What can leaders do to make tangible progress on these very questions?

Central to the workshop is an approach that sees ‘leadership’ and ‘inclusion’ as activities; things everyone should practise. It also includes the wisdom of First Nations people who have taught us including: Jade Kennedy, Mark Yettica-Paulson and Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann.

The day concludes with action. Participants share an inclusive leadership action plan that addresses what they can do individually, in relationships with others, and collectively, to practise inclusive leadership.

Results

Participants readily engaged with the program and have embraced enhancing the culture at the Agency. Some remarked on how the workshop strengthened their passion for their work. Others shared that the workshop has enriched their understanding of diversity beyond the visible, beyond the buzzwords. It has also helped them take actions that involve a broader range of staff and consider the wider Australian public.

“The workshop was useful. It challenged me and made me think and I am now committed to being part of the change.”

“The workshop was facilitated really well. The most engaging training I’ve done in a long time, if not ever. Ananth and Lisa spoke really well and had a lot of interesting and thought-provoking insights to offer. They both clearly had significant knowledge and passion on the subject which translated into a very engaging and successful workshop.”

With thanks to Ananth Gopal for his co-authorship of this case study.