Understanding Leadership Styles
Leadership styles are the approaches that leaders use to manage and motivate their teams. Among the various styles, two of the most prominent are inclusive and exclusive leadership. Inclusive leadership is characterised by valuing diversity and involving everyone in the decision-making process. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and encourages diverse perspectives, leading to more innovative solutions.
On the other hand, exclusive leadership focuses on top-down decision making, where the leader maintains control and authority. This style can be effective in situations requiring quick decisions and clear directives but may limit employee engagement and stifle creativity. Understanding the differences between inclusive vs exclusive leadership is crucial for making effective management decisions and fostering a positive workplace culture.
Ways to motivate employees in the workplace by leading appropriately
Two overarching styles of leadership are inclusive and exclusive, and good leaders know when and how to employ each style as they seek ways to motivate employees in the workplace. However, when a leader’s unconscious bias leads to ineffective exclusive leadership, the results on individual employees, teams and the organisation can be devastating. Developing greater leadership skills, particularly in inclusive leadership, can significantly enhance a leader’s effectiveness and the overall performance of their teams.
Effective human resource management plays a crucial role in retaining highly qualified team members by fostering a sense of belonging and value.
In this article, you’ll learn the differences between exclusive and inclusive leadership and when you might decide to use each style. You’ll also learn how unconscious bias may be shaping your management decisions with unintended consequences.
Engaged leaders and learners
What is exclusive leadership?
Exclusive leadership is autocratic in its nature, with the leader taking sole responsibility for decision making. While he or she may invite ideas and discussion, the final say is the word of the leader. In this style of leadership, the leader accepts full responsibility and accountability.
When examining ways to motivate employees in the workplace, exclusive leadership may not spring to mind. However, this style of leadership enables rapid decisions to be taken during periods of chaos or change. This said, autocratic leadership limits employee engagement and individual development during change, potentially increasing resistance to change and inhibiting the progress of a change project.
What is inclusive leadership?
Inclusive leadership encourages participation in decision making and problem solving. This democratic style allows employees to feel part of the problem-solving process. This feeling of being a part of something can aid employee motivation, and it aids inclusivity and diversity.
In an inclusive environment all employees feel accepted, irrespective of their cultural background. Highly inclusive leaders will employ an influencing strategy, providing coaching and mentorship as they encourage individuals and teams to embrace accountability. Essential leadership skills needed by inclusive leaders include:
- Energy and enthusiasm
- Integrity
- Humility
- High emotional intelligence
Being a highly inclusive leader is an extremely important skill that can significantly enhance leadership effectiveness and team dynamics.
Inclusive leaders will listen with focus, and they will speak openly and honestly. They will put people at ease, helping others to know that they are understood. They will be receptive to opinions and ideas, and seek to aid the personal development of their employees.
Inclusive leadership can motivate people to engage with collective goals and organisational vision, though it can also slow down decision making and the achievement of goals.
Characteristics of Inclusive Leaders
Inclusive leaders possess certain characteristics that set them apart from exclusive leaders. These traits include high emotional intelligence, empathy, open-mindedness, cultural intelligence, courage, and a strong commitment to inclusivity. Inclusive leaders are acutely aware of their own biases and actively work to minimise them. They create a culture of inclusion and diversity by being good listeners and making their employees feel valued and understood.
Inclusive leaders are not afraid to share the spotlight and give credit where it is due, recognising that their success is built on the contributions of their team. By fostering an environment where everyone feels accepted and appreciated, inclusive leaders drive higher levels of engagement and innovation.
The Benefits of Inclusive Leadership
Inclusive leadership offers numerous benefits, including higher levels of engagement, satisfaction, and productivity among team members. By involving everyone in the decision-making process, inclusive leadership fosters better collaboration and communication.
This approach values diversity and recognizes the unique perspectives and experiences that each person brings to the table, leading to more creative and effective solutions. Inclusive leadership is also better equipped to handle conflict and build strong relationships, promoting trust and cooperation among team members. Ultimately, inclusive leadership creates a more dynamic and resilient organisation, capable of adapting to change and achieving long-term success.
Exclusion by unconscious bias
The feeling of being excluded can leave an employee questioning his or her ability, value and self-worth. It causes disengagement at work, and dissatisfaction with the boss – a direct consequence of which is an increase in staff turnover. It follows that good leaders turn to autocratic methods only when needed. However, unconscious bias can lead to unintended exclusive behaviours.
We all have biases, and most of us have subconscious people preferences that align with our own interests, perceived knowledge and expertise, status, background and outlook.
When a leader chooses to act exclusively, he or she makes conscious decisions and controls their actions. When exclusion is because of unconscious bias, there is no control over these actions. Unless a leader is able to identify and resist unconscious bias, then the damaging effects of unintended exclusiveness will persist and could cause potentially irretrievable damage to individuals and teams.
How do you eliminate unconscious bias toward exclusive leadership?
Inclusive leadership styles motivate employees and encourage greater employee engagement. It is, therefore, a goal for most leaders, especially in today’s flatter organisational hierarchies. An inclusive leader actively involves team members in decision-making processes and values diverse perspectives. But if your leaders don’t know that they are being exclusive, how do you put them in control of their actions so that their leadership behaviour is appropriate in all circumstances?
The answer is to help your leaders become more self-aware. By developing an understanding of their own values, actions and reactions, leaders will be better able to employ an unbiased, democratic style as they:
- Listen to the opinions of all individuals
- Treat every employee with equivalent empathy, and appreciate differences of opinion
- Lead by coaching and mentoring, with the aim of developing all team members to reach their potential
- Communicate transparently, in an environment that encourages people to be open and honest
- Offer opportunities for people to take responsibility and work on their own personal development
Developing Inclusive Leadership Skills
Developing inclusive leadership skills is essential for effective management and fostering a positive workplace culture. Inclusive leadership is a learnable skill, and leaders can enhance their emotional intelligence and influence through targeted training and development programs. By developing cultural intelligence, leaders can better appreciate and leverage the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of their team members.
Additionally, inclusive leaders must cultivate courage and commitment to creating an inclusive environment, as well as open-mindedness to consider different viewpoints and ideas. By continuously working on these skills, leaders can become more inclusive and effective, driving better outcomes for their teams and organisations.
For further insight into how to develop your leaders and eliminate their unconscious bias, contact Primeast today. We’ll help you discover how our Management Development Series could help your managers and leaders become more emotionally intelligent and better influence performance.
