Want Your Employees to Speak Up? Be an Inclusive Leader.
A vocal workforce fuels business. Feeling valued and sharing opinions creates a company culture that benefits shareholders, employers and employees. But how do you cultivate this type of working environment?
A recent study conducted by the Center for Talent Innovation found that leaders with the traits below saw correlation between the sense of a “speak-up culture” and higher levels of innovation and growth overall. Their advice:
- Ask your employees questions…. and listen carefully
- Cultivate a space for constructive argument
- Give feedback that allows for action
- Take advice from team members… and use it
- Share the successes with all involved
- Stay in constant communication
Here’s the great news though: the study found that you don’t have to be all of these things. Participating in just three of these activities regularly makes the difference in becoming what the Center for Talent Innovation terms an inclusive leader.
This is especially beneficial when working with an international team or groups with high levels of diversity, both inherently (race, gender, age) and experientially (varied backgrounds, experiences and education).
“A speak-up culture, in short, unleashes innovative potential and enhances collaboration across both distance and difference …” – Sylvia Ann Hewlett
Read the whole article here.
