Leadership Creativity

In This Section

Board and Leader Guidebook

Section 2.0: Modelling Equitable and Inclusive Behaviour

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Board and Leader Guidebook

Section 3.0: Building Open Spaces for Discussion and Participation

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Guide to Sustaining Organizational Change

Section 2.4: Who Can My Organization Engage With?

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2.0: Modelling Equitable and Inclusive Behaviour

2.1 What is Inclusive Leadership?

Inclusive leaders model the change by leading inward and outward:

  • Leaning inward focuses on actions a leader can take to self-reflect on their learning, growth, and impact (e.g. curiosity, humility, and courage)
  • Leading outward focuses on actions a leader can take to ensure their team members are treated equitably and fairly, empowered, and are able to grow (e.g. allyship, accountability, ownership)

What key traits do inclusive leaders exhibit?

  • Visible commitment: Leaders articulate genuine and authentic commitment to EDI, challenging the status quo, and holding others accountable
  • Humility: Leaders are able to recognize their shortcomings, are aware of their capabilities, and create safe spaces for listening (feedback), learning, and growth
  • Awareness of bias: Leaders seek to understand their own unconscious biases as well as biases that are embedded within the organization
  • Curiosity about others: Leaders have an open mindset, are curious to learn about others, actively listen without judgment, and empathize with those around them
  • Cultural intelligence: Leaders are attentive to the cultures of their employees and seek to learn and adapt to support them
  • Effective collaboration: Leaders place an importance on working as a team, empowering their employees, embracing diversity of thought, and creating a psychologically safe space
  • Compassion: Leaders have a genuine concern for their people and positive intentions to support them
  • focuses on actions a leader can take to ensure their team members are treated equitably and fairly, empowered, and are able to grow (e.g. allyship, accountability, ownership)

From the perspective of leaders, the most valuable inclusive leadership trait is their visible commitment to advancing EDI within the organization.

From the perspective of employees, the most valuable inclusive leadership trait is their leader’s awareness and visible acknowledgement of unconscious bias combined with the following two behaviours:

  1. Humility, as this acknowledges that the leader is eager to address their own biases and work towards improvement through feedback;
  2. Empathy and perspective taking, as this indicates to employees that they are heard, valued, and supported by their leader.
This report from Catalyst Canada discusses Inclusive Leadership.

2.2 Why is it Important to be an Inclusive Leader?

As board members and leaders of the organization, you play a critical role in shaping how employees feel in your organization. Practicing inward and outward leadership leads to employee engagement, retention, and innovation and increases problem-solving. It also leads to the creation of a psychologically safe environment where employees feel valued and trusted, and empowered to take risks.

The research findings below demonstrate how your inclusive leadership can directly impact how employees are feeling:

  • A leader’s awareness of their own unconscious biases, when coupled with humility, can increase employee feelings of inclusion by 25%
  • A leader’s awareness of their own unconscious biases, when coupled with empathy/perspective taking, can increase feelings of inclusion by 33%
  • What leaders ‘say’ and ‘do’ makes up to a 70% difference as to whether an individual report feels included
  1.  During times of elevated stress and transition, compassionate leadership is even more critical. People can experience more anxiety than usual and often are unsure how to act. Help employees manage anxiety by communicating transparently, addressing uncertainties directly, and increasing wellbeing through positive emotions.
  2. As leaders, it’s important to know that your employees look to you for cues to help reduce the sense of uncertainty, as well as increasing their own sense of wellbeing.
    • For this reason, leaders should focus on modelling compassion, empathy, consistency and open communication.
    • As a result, your employees will have improved collaboration, trust in you as a leader, and enhanced loyalty.
  3. Ultimately, a leader’s actions and leadership style benefit both employees and the organization. It is therefore critical that leaders model inclusive leadership so employees feel safe, welcome, and valued.
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2.3 How Can You be an Inclusive Leader?

You can take the following actions to model equitable and inclusive leadership. These practices can be learned and mastered to help you become an inclusive leader within your organization:

  1. Immerse yourself in new and uncomfortable situations to learn from diverse stakeholders (e.g. participate in Employee Resource Groups, sit in different areas of the business)
  2. Use more audience-centered language – think about who your audience is and use language that would resonate with them
  3. Be authentic to your learning journey – demonstrate openness to encourage others to do the same
  4. Recognize and address your own biases through:
    • Discussions with managers who are closer to the day-to-day operation;
    • Speaking at a Town Hall about your learnings and growth;
    • Implementing “inclusion moments” for team members to share what they have learned related to EDI
Case Study
Considerations for Intermediate / Advanced Organizations
Priority Group
Priority Group
Priority Group
These are Guidelines on Inclusive Language
This Guide for Employers written by Great Place to Work and Pride at Work Canada highlights actions and strategies to promote inclusion of 2SLGBTQ+ and/or gender and sexually diverse employees in the workplace

Modelling Equitable and Inclusive Behaviour: Regional and Industry Considerations

Industry: Education

Embed EDI within decision-making to apply an inclusive lens to all decisions. Applying an EDI lens will help ensure decisions reflect the educational institution’s values and allow the institution to better support its community.

Consider the following questions:

  • Impact: How will this decision impact individuals based on different aspects of their identities?
  • Symbols and Messaging: What messaging does this decision send to our communities?
  • Mitigation: How can we mitigate potential negative impacts and provide support as a result of this decision?
  • Feedback and Response: How can we keep track of feedback and the impact of this decision on different communities?
This Intentional Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Decision-Making toolkit was developed by the University of British Columbia
Industry: forestry

Leaders play an important role as allies and champions within the forestry industry, which is typically dominated by men. Organizations differ based on the level of leadership support available, which ultimately shapes the experience of women and individuals from priority groups.

Leaders can take the following actions to create an inclusive space:

  • Given that fields may be hours away from home, ask employees how to best support them and provide flexibility
  • Advocate for employees and encourage them to join groups such as Women in Wood, where women can network, find mentors and seek career advice in the industry
  • Recognize and support newcomers to Canada with adjusting to learning Canadian terrain, and find ways for them to leverage skills from their previous experiences
  • Be intentional about ensuring employees from priority groups are included, recognized for their efforts, and given consistent feedback to further their development
This tool on allyship was developed by the Centre for Social Intelligence to increase inclusion and diversity within the forestry sector in Canada

Scenario: Checkpoint 1

Welcome to your Talent Processes Scenario: Checkpoint 1!
After reading about Recruitment practices in Pit Stop #2, Karan went back to his HR team to learn about how the organization currently recruits leaders. Karan learns that the organization does not have a formalized recruitment process as there was no time to establish one while the start-up was growing. Currently, all applicants for leadership roles come through referrals, as this is the easiest way for the organization to quickly hire.

What actions should Karan take to improve the recruitment process? Select all that apply.

3.0 Building Open Spaces for Discussion and Participation

3.1 Building Open Spaces for Discussion

“To feel left out is a deeply human problem, which is why its consequences carry such heft and why its causes are so hard to root out of even the healthiest workplaces”

– The Value of Belonging at Work

Establishing a sense of community and belonging in the workplace is more essential than ever before. This helps reduce feelings of uncertainty and increase positive emotions. Those who feel a sense of belonging show increased job performance and decreased turnover risk. 

  • Research shows that 56% of individuals who feel a sense of belonging show increased job performance.
  • Research shows that 50% of those who feel a sense of belonging show decreased turnover risk.
  • By helping people feel safe, you are decreasing their anxiety and increasing their positive emotions, allowing them to remain motivated and focused on the job at hand.

 

Many organizations have adopted an ‘add diversity and stir’ philosophy which assumes that, by strictly hiring more diverse candidates, they will automatically see benefits to their business. However, this fails to recognize that increasing diversity does not, by itself, increase effectiveness; what matters is how an organization harnesses diversity, and whether it’s willing to create space and structures where everyone feels safe to contribute.

It is therefore critical that leaders support employees by establishing spaces for open discussion and a forum for them to feel safe, valued, and welcome.

Key Action
Read Creating Authentic Spaces, a toolkit focused on gender identity and gender expression that can support leaders in creating inclusive spaces (available in English and French)

3.2 So How as a Leader, Can You Build an Open Space for Discussion?

Below are ways in which you, as leaders, can create an open space for discussion, where employees feel they can bring their whole selves to work:

  1. Build trust and create a culture where people feel welcome to share their opinions, express themselves, and request accommodations
  2. Actively combat unconscious bias and systems that can contribute to inequity
  3. When seeking opinions, allow employees to share their views first. Doing so will encourage authentic contributions and reduce the probability of receiving answers that they think you want to hear
  4. Embrace a variety of styles and voices inside the organization
  5. Leverage the skills and experiences of employees to reach the organization’s strategy and goals
  6. Hold regular listening sessions for employees to feel comfortable sharing concerns and/or opinions with you
  7. Acknowledge conflict openly and grant all employees the space and time to think, refine, and share their views
  8. Support the Psychological Health and Safety of Employees

    a)  Think ahead, communicate openly and stay in touch

    b)  Create a sense of purpose and vision

    c)  Develop ownership and accountability

    d)  Support employees emotionally and in concrete ways

  9. Leverage the power of storytelling: Share your personal experiences with employees, modelling openness and creating a space for others to share their experiences if they would like. This helps to build connections and foster a culture of empathy within your organization.

Case Study
Considerations for Non-Profit Organizations

Building Open Spaces for Discussion: Regional and Industry Considerations

Region: Northern Canada

When conducting meetings in Northern Canada, consider the following practices to build inclusion and open spaces for discussion:

  • Ask participants anonymously about accommodations they may require (e.g. prayer/reflection room, daycare or support for young children)
  • Create culturally safe spaces for diverse participants
  • Have First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultural opening and closing ceremonies at events, and create time for these
  • Begin discussions with land acknowledgments, including intentional actions toward reconciliation and respect for Indigenous communities
  • Guide engagement through Inuit values, for example by;
    • Actively listening to each other, as listening influences decision-making
    • Valuing cooperation and conflict avoidance
    • Recognizing that decisions are made based on consensus which may result in longer discussions and decision-making periods

2.4 Who Can My Organization Engage With?

There are various internal and external stakeholders that can be involved in decision-making and consultation. It is important that the voices of the community are heard and brought to the decision-making table. The below diagram outlines the complexity of intersectionality and the different cross-roads between these stakeholders. It also highlights how decisions can influence various social, economic, political and community impacts.

2.4.a: How Do We Engage With Stakeholders?

It is important to have a structured and thoughtful plan in mind in order to engage the community and work towards successful outcomes. Here are some steps your organization can take to get started:

Step

1. Determine your focus for community engagement
2. Understand the needs and purpose of the conversation
3. Explore organizations and individuals to involve
4. Structure your engagement and conversation(s)
5. Implement engagement activities
6. Communicate the actions and next steps being taken

Actions

What EDI area or topic are you looking to address in your organization?

What are you hoping to learn from these conversations? How can you ensure that members of the community are brought to the table and that their voices are heard?

Who are experts in this area that are willing and comfortable in speaking with you?

What questions are you planning on asking? Send an agenda in advance to the participants so that they are able to prepare for the discussion.

Which activity best fits the need of the discussion? Depending on the group and topic, you can include anonymous forums, focus groups, individual one-on-one conversations or informative workshops.

What are you going to do with what you have learned? Communicate with the stakeholders how you will use and apply your learnings to improve your organization for priority groups.

Priority Group
Priority Group
Considerations for Intermediate / Advanced Organizations

Sustaining the Change: Regional and Industry Considerations

Industry: Technology

The COVID-19 pandemic propelled the technology industry’s focus on EDI. According to Osler, the industry has grown rapidly with the number of positions increasing by 22.5% over the last 5 years.

Technology hubs are often located in cities with a high cost of living, and it is challenging for individuals from priority groups to move to different parts of the country without their social networks and support systems.

To increase representation, organizations can put in place the following practices:

  • Leverage a remote work strategy to hire from across the country, and provide employees with the ability to work from anywhere
  • Where possible, open offices in cities with a lower cost of living
  • Track diversity within each level to understand if goals are being met and where improvements need to be made
Case Study
Industry: Banking and Financial Services

According to Osler, in 2021, with 24% of board positions held by women, 6.8% held by Racialized, Black, and/or People of Colour, 0.5% held by Indigenous Peoples, and 0.5% held by People with disabilities, organizations in financial services can implement the following practices to increase representation within the industry:

  • Put a board diversity policy in place with targets and programs to increase diversity across senior management
  • Assess diversity at leadership levels to understand progress toward promoting and retaining diverse talent (e.g. TD Bank is conducting a racial-equity audit to assess diversity within the organization and if it is meeting its targets)
  • Identify the levels or roles in which employees from priority groups are leaving the organization, and create programs to support their advancement
  • Put development plans in place to help employees from priority groups achieve promotions and move into leadership positions
  • Provide training to support employees in their roles
Case Study

Scenario: Checkpoint 2

Welcome to your Talent Processes Scenario: Checkpoint 2!
After reviewing Training and Development at Pit Stop #4, Karan goes to investigate the role requirements the organization has set out for leaders. He realizes that the organization asks each leader to have a specific food license certification which costs approximately $2300 to obtain. The organization currently expects all new leaders to obtain and hold this certification prior to joining.

Karan is reflecting on what he has learned so far and is not sure if this mandatory certification is an inclusive practice. What should Karan do?

Back to All Tiles

Large Organization:

Apple

As of 2020, more than 15,000 managers at Apple are required to take training on unconscious bias and inclusive leadership. They are also offered courses led by subject matter experts to support their ongoing education on topics such as race, justice, allyship, etc.

Considerations for Intermediate / Advanced Organizations

5.  Demonstrate the knowledge you’ve gained, acknowledge what you don’t know, and model your commitment to lifelong learning (citing research and demonstrating an ability to understand different perspectives and communicate complex topics to diverse audiences)

6.  Establish a diverse personal advisory board (PAD) with peers where you can openly discuss feedback on daily interactions and behaviours to create a space where everyone feels they belong

Respond to social injustice by:

  • Speaking up: It is your responsibility as leaders to speak up and reassure employees about your position on diversity and against violence, hate, and racism
  • Educating yourself: Make genuine efforts to educate yourself about the ways in which systemic racism affects people
  • Walking the talk: Go beyond speaking up and acknowledging injustice by offering direct support to individual employees and having the organization offer large-scale institutional support
  • Investing: Seek ways to align business activities and corporate social responsibility engagements by supporting initiatives that seek to improve conditions for Racialized, Black, and/or People of Colour and populations who are made vulnerable
  • Engaging in introspection: Think critically about the structures and systems that allow racism and hate to thrive

Create accessible workplaces, including both the physical structure of the workspace and the flexibility for employees to structure their work schedules according to their needs.

Consider how you can create a supportive and welcoming environment for 2SLGBTQ+ and/or gender and sexually diverse employees. Key considerations may include:

  • Protocols for assisting employees with transitioning
  • Gender-inclusive facilities, forms, dress codes
  • Protocols for changes to names and identity markers

Think about the last time you’ve heard “We’ve always done it this way”. Think back to those activities and ask: Who was present and engaged in the action? Who was disconnected? Who was missing from the activity? Think about how the ‘status quo’ can be done differently to ensure all people at work are included.

Small/Medium Organization:

Fuller Landau

In 2019, Fuller Landau was recognized as The Best Workplaces™ for Women, as the organization has worked towards the equitable treatment and advancement of women to leadership positions. Fuller Landau actively listens to employees by regularly collecting feedback, both directly and anonymously, to learn where the organization can improve and implement feedback received. The organization also has a Diversity and Inclusion Committee that focuses on increasing awareness of advancing women to leadership positions. Fuller Landau also offers flexible working hours, remote work options, and mentorship opportunities to its employees to create a workplace where people feel respected, welcomed, and included.

A fundamental way to embed inclusion in your organization is including everyone in the conversation. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders on decisions that impact them.

Members of priority groups understand their communities and challenges the most.

  • When focusing on specific priority groups, engage with individuals and/or organizations representing that group. Decisions should not be made on their behalf or based on assumptions

There are specific protocols and considerations for engaging with “Aboriginal” and/or Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers. These protocols should be respected and followed.

  • When considering engaging an Elder or Knowledge Keeper, first develop relationships with their community
  • Establish why your organization and/or initiative is a good fit for them and communicate what process would be required for them to share their knowledge
This guide highlights working with Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

Considerations for Intermediate / Advanced Organizations

Organizations or independent consultants that focus on priority group communities often are expected to participate in community engagement activities, free of charge.

  • Consider partnering with the stakeholder to receive additional services and supporting them in generating revenue
  • Consider compensating participants to thank them for their time and contributions

Small/Medium Organization:

DUCA Financial Services Credit Union

DUCA, a small credit union based in Ontario a certified B-corporation and committed to ESG. DUCA’s motto is “DUgood” which focuses on supporting members, building and investing in the communities it serves, and advocating for fair and equitable banking.

DUCA helps people get access to basic financial services, addresses social challenges, and ensures fair financial inclusion.

Large Organization:

Parkland Corporation

Parkland, a large supplier and marketer of fuel and petroleum products and convenience store operator. The Board has implemented a target representation of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour and 2SLGBTQ+ on its board and in executive officer positions of 10%, as part of its Diversity Policy.

The organization will use these targets to guide its approach to recruitment and have a governance structure and leadership team that will help Parkland reach its long-term goals.

Definition

Microaggression

Microaggression is defined as: “A comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group” – Source: Merriam Webster

Definition

Unlearning

Unlearning is defined as: “To make an effort to forget your usual way of doing something so that you can learn a new and sometimes better way” – Source: Cambridge Dictionary

Definition

Intersectionality

Intersectionality is defined as: A framework for understanding how different aspects of a person’s social and political identities (e.g., gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, physical appearance, etc.) combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege. Intersectionality identifies advantages and disadvantages that are felt by people due to this combination of factors – Source: Kimberlé Crenshaw, TIME

Definition

Privilege

Privilege is defined as: “The unfair and unearned advantages individuals are granted for having, or being perceived to have, social identities that align with those deemed to be superior according to societal rules and norms. It is often experienced as an absence of barriers related to a particular social identity (e.g., White privilege, straight privilege)” – Source: Egale

Definition

Safe Space

Safe Space is defined as: “A place intended to be free of bias, conflict, criticism, or potentially threatening actions, ideas, or conversations” – Source: Merriam-Webster

Safe spaces allow individuals to feel comfortable having brave and honest conversations.

Definition

Emotional Tax

Emotional Tax is defined as: “The combination of feeling different from peers at work because of gender, race, and/or ethnicity, being on guard against experiences of bias, and experiencing the associated effects on health, well-being, and ability to thrive at work” – Source: Catalyst

Definition

Tokenism

Tokenism is defined as: “Performative policies that ostensibly promote diversity or equality (placing women or diverse groups in leadership positions), but do not truly have a positive impact on the workplace. Tokenism isn’t progressive, and it especially causes harm to tokenized individuals, causing extra pressure to succeed due to being perceived as representative of a group and often leaving them in an alienating work environment” – Source: Catalyst

Definition

Psychological Safety

Psychological Safety is defined as: “An environment that encourages, recognizes and rewards individuals for their contributions and ideas by making individuals feel safe when taking interpersonal risks. A lack of psychological safety at work can inhibit team learning and lead to in-groups, groupthink and blind spots” – Source: Gartner