Leadership Edge

Leadership Edge

LEADERSHIP EDGE NSLHD's Leadership Newsletter Inclusive Leadership

01

WINTER ISSUE

JUNE 2021

THIS ISSUE

Execut i ve We l come How to deve lop a "Growth Mindset " Capabi l i t i es of inc lus i ve l eaders Leadership shadow

Inc lus i ve l eadership in act ion

EXECUTIVE WELCOME

Inc lus i ve l eadership i s requi red to he lp us operate in a VUCA (Vol at i l e , Uncer ta in , Compl ex , Ambi guous ) wor ld . We need to cha l l enge how ef fect i ve l y t radi t iona l l eadership approaches he lp organi sat ions manage the compl ex i ty of the wor ld we are l i v ing in today . To sol ve compl ex probl ems we need a di vers i ty of think ing BENEFITS OF INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP

Welcome to the first episode of the Leadership Edge, NSLHD’s inaugural newsletter focusing on Leadership. The newsletter will spotlight different aspects of leadership each edition with the view of stimulating thoughts and ideas about leadership and keeping our wonderful leaders up to date with current thinking. This edition we are considering the keys to inclusive leadership. Inclusive leadership refers to the capabilities including mindsets, knowledge, skills, and behaviours that leaders possess which make their organisations inclusive . We know from our consultation on the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy that people want to feel included at NSLHD, they want to feel they are treated fairly and respectfully, they are valued and belong. Throwing a group of diverse people together in an organisation isn’t enough to ensure a sense of inclusion is achieved. It mostly comes down to leaders. What they say and do makes up to 70% difference to an individual’s feeling of inclusion (ii) . The outcome of inclusive leadership means more ideas, enhanced creativity; organisations that are ripe for innovation. So in this edition we want to help you understand what the characteristics and behaviours of inclusive leaders are and what you can practically do to develop these behaviours. We’ll suggest podcasts and reading materials that you can access to dive deeper into this topic and we’ll touch on the connection between inclusivity and the growth mindset. Happy reading! If you want to continue to receive this newsletter, send an email to NSLHD- [email protected] so we can drop it into your inbox!

and a cul ture of innovat ion and creat i v i ty .

Alison Zecchin – General Manager RNS, Leadership Advisory Board member and Guest Editor

THE FIVE CAPABILITIES OF INCLUSIVE LEADERS AND HOW TO DEVELOP THESE When people feel they are treated fairly, that their uniqueness is appreciated and they have a sense of belonging and that they have a voice in decision making then they will feel included. According to the Diversity Council Australia (DCA) there are five capabilities necessary to be an inclusive leader (iii). These capabilities are based on mindsets and are :

LISTEN RE A D W A TCH

Capability

Educate yourself on global diversity and inclusion issues. Reflect on whether all team members (from all backgrounds, education levels, job levels) can contribute to decision making. Challenge stereotyping and biased decision making. Mix up the way you think- unfocused and focused thinking both lead to the development of innovation and creative thinking. Ensure the policies and practices you have in place support flexible working. Make it a standard business practice. During meetings utilise resources and technologies that maximise participation and voices heard. Practise using curiosity and openness during all interactions. Practise being an active and reflective listener. Challenge yourself to engage in conversations in different parts of the organisation and who have different identities to you. Assess how effectively you currently support the development of diverse employees. Practical ways to develop

Growth-focused Challenge accepted practices and embraces different perspectives

Aiko Bethan on Creating Transformative Cultures

Aiko Bethan on Inclusivity at work - the Heart of hard conversations.

Flexible & Agile Flexible and responsive to diversity of people and perspectives.

Why inclusive leaders are good for organisations and how to become one

Open & curious Curious and open to new and different perspectives from a diversity of people Relational Teams and networks they create celebrate diversity in people and ensure everyone feels valued, respected and that belong. Identity-aware A belief that diversity will improve organisational performance.

S ix signature traits of inclusive leadership

Building Inclusion: An evidence-based model of inclusive leadership Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

Reflect on own your identity and consider the advantages and disadvantages this has on your experiences. Challenge assumptions that are made about people.

How to be an inclusive leader by Jennifer Brown

PRACTICAL WAYS INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP CAN BE DEVELOPED

Seek feedback from staff on how inclusive you are including identified blind spots, strengths, and development areas. This shows your team you are interested in their perspectives. Take the time to understand the experiences and concerns of your team. Be visible and vocal around inclusive behaviours and an inclusive culture. Remember to “Walk the talk”. Seek out difference in perspectives by encouraging all staff to speak up using different mediums e.g. written, verbal, or providing opportunities to work cross- functionally or in multi-disciplinary teams. Look for signs that you are having a positive impact e.g. is there a more diverse group sharing ideas, are people more openly sharing different perspectives. Value and commit to aligning personal behaviours to diversity and inclusion Ensure you allocate time, energy and resources to addressing inclusion and ensure it is part of the business plan and targets.

T A KE THE QUIZ How to overcome our bi ases? Wa lk boldly toward them by Verna Myers Do you knowwhat it takes to be an inclusive leader? Take the quiz below and find out! https://www.dca.org.au/gettin ginclusive/

LEADERSHIP SHADOW

How you act – be a role model for an inclusive culture; build a top team with a critical mass of diverse people; call out behaviours and decisions that re not consistent with an inclusive culture What you prioritise – engage senior leaders directly; play a strong role in key recruitment and promotion decisions How you measure – understand the numbers and levers – set targets; hold yourself and your team to account; get feedback on your own leadership shadow What you say – deliver a compelling case for inclusivity in the workplace; provide THE FOUR COMPONENTS OF YOUR LE A DERSHIP SH A DOW

Another facet of inclusion is the Leadership Shadow we cast as leaders; the shadow you cast on others through your behaviour. What you do, say, what you measure, and what you prioritise determines what gets done and what doesn’t. Your leadership shadow is important for a culture shift. For example, if you say you support and promote LGBTQI+ inclusion in the workplace, and you measure yourself against this, you will cast a deep and powerful shadow. The opposite is also true: if you say one thing and do not deliver, your leadership shadow will be short and ineffectual. Where an organisation makes statements about derived behaviours and people don't see these behaviours being modeled by leaders, there is lack of integrity.

TIPS TO MAXIMISE YOUR LEADERSHIP SHADOW Keep the process of leading fluid and be open to (sometimes painful) upward feedback fromwithin the organisation. Be as rational as possible by nurturing relationships - ready not just in the abstract individually, but in the here and now. Engage in active (and honest) self - reflection Make the effort to ensure that all four components of your impact are on target with their message.

The path to lasting performance improvement on any priority starts at the top. Leaders need to walk the talk of inclusivity. Some questions to ponder:

1. What shadow are you casting

2. What behaviours would you like to see change in the group you lead or influence at work? once identified, how do you need to show up differently to cast the needed shadow

3. How consistent are you making and meeting your commitment to others ?

INCLUSIVE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

regular updates and celebrate progress

I have a young and dynamic team. I wanted to ensure they felt included in the workplace and wanted them to thrive, not just survive. We have a lot going on and being a transactional unit the work doesn’t slow down but one of the things I thought I could do was take into consideration my team’s ability to

Leaders have to find a course of action that is understood by their workforce. That means clarity of message and repetition - Lt General David Morrison (2014)

bring their whole self to work. Whether people are gay, straight, older, younger, short, tall, they are people and they have individual needs that may or may not be similar to my own. So we talked as a team and they all wanted more flexibility in the workplace to attend to their individual needs outside of work. So we introduced it. Longer shifts over fewer days, working from home some of the time, amended start times. There are a range of options to suit an office-based team, many of whom study, work out, have family commitments as well as work full time. It is not a one-size-fits all solution, but it is fair. I have also gotten to know my team on a deeper level which has brought me greater satisfaction. Tracey Taylor – Manager Employee Services

References: (i) (Diversity Council Australia, 2015) ii) https://hbr.org/2020/03/the-key-to-

inclusiveleadership#:~:text=We%20find%20that%20 what%20leaders,which%20ultimately%20lifts%20or ganizational%20performance. (iii)Diversity Council Australia (O’Leary, J., Russell, G. and Tilly, J.) Building Inclusion: An Evidence-Based Model of Inclusive Leadership, Sydney, Diversity Council Australia, 2015. (iv)https://humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/doc ument/publication/MCC- LeadershipShadow_210314.pdf

To understand inclusion, we need to get to the root of unconscious biases and issues that professionals face. So how do we do that? well it starts with you and shifting your mindset to a growth mindset. Mindsets are a set of beliefs that impact on how a person may think, feel and act, based on how they see their intellectual skills and human qualities. According to Dweck (2012), people have either a fixed or growth mindset, and while this often falls on a continuum, one mindset is normally predominant. A person with a fixed mindset believes that their intelligence and human qualities are set. Consequently, they often fear effort and change, seeing it as a weakness. They are attracted to experiences where things are within their grasp. When they don’t reach an expected standard, they manage their self-concept and ego by using strategies such as blaming, excuse making and rumination. Fixed mindsets impact inclusivity because racial prejudices and stereotypes can be traced back to the idea that a group has "fixed" travels. These thoughts or unconscious biases shape an organisation. It can impact the chances of someone being recognised, promoted or even receive constructive feedback. A fixed mindset marginalises people and leaders to an unsafe workplace. A person with a growth mindset, believes that human qualities and intelligence are developed through effort, leading to a passion for learning and acceptance of setbacks and recognise that it takes time and effort to improve and abilities are malleable. This type of mindset fosters inclusive leadership. Developing a growth mindset can reduce stereotyping by a attributing them to external factors. Growth mindsets help us understand that our identities and attitudes aren't centred or permanent but consistently evolving. In a workplace setting, organisations with a growth mindset had higher performance and were more engaged, open to learning, better performers, better communicators and were intrinsically motivated DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET

P R A C T I C A L W A Y S

T O D E V E L O P A

G R OWT H

M I N D S E T

Acknowledge and embrace imper fect ions View cha l lenges as oppor tuni t ies Repl ace the word “ fa i l ing” wi th “ learning” Stop seeking approva l Va lue the process over

the end resul t Cul t ivate gr i t

Use the word “yet ” Pay at tent ion to the words you speak Use inc lus ive l anguage l ike "Hi Everyone" instead of "Hi Guys" Don' t be a bystander - Speak out for apparent injust i ces

N E X T I S S U E :

The next i ssue of Leadership Edge wi l l be focused on empathy and ent i t lement in leadership . S U B S C R I B E : To have the Leadership Edge del ivered to your inbox or for content submi ss ions or feedback , please ema i l us at NSLHD- ODTeam@hea l th . nsw. gov . au

Inclusive leadership is not a destination. It's a journey that requires humility, curiosity and courage. Thais Compoint - author of "Succeed as an Inclusive Leader'