An inclusive leadership programme designed and delivered by EW Group will lead to recognised outcomes, and be supported by a robust framework to measure your return on investment.

Inclusive leadership development – critical to competitive advantage

An inclusive leadership programme from EW Group will cement equality, diversity and inclusion in your managers’ minds as inextricable to their professional life, and to their success in the organisation. Our sessions are fresh, pacey and always aligned to your values.

Our courses factor in all of the protected characteristics, while paying special attention to those which are business critical to you. If you’re looking to develop inclusive leadership in your business, we can design a programme to meet your strategic and talent management goals.

You may be looking to improve your recruitment and selection channels, for example. In response we would design an inclusive leadership course to equip your managers with the skills they need to address unconscious bias where it may be impeding diverse talent. Your leaders will then be able to confidently articulate the links between inclusion, improved staff engagement, and better end products and services.

We often use our in-house acting team to present management scenarios through the lens of inclusive leadership. This content will create an ‘out of your seat’ experience for your delegates. They will be encouraged to respond to our acted scenarios as they unfold in real time, and to direct the action themselves.

The EW Group Five Pillars of Inclusive Leadership

Inclusive leadership and diversity – culture change for business success

Some key components of our inclusive leadership courses include:

• Diversity and difference: getting the best out of your teams
• What does an inclusive culture look like and how do we nurture one?
• The cultural code: how do people progress in your organisation?
• A great place to work: why diversity is critical to the business case
• Knowing your leadership style and keeping it authentic
• Pinpointing the triggers and habits that drive the best leadership behaviours.

What does inclusive leadership mean?

Traditional leadership models are fast being turned on their head. Today’s leaders need to adapt their leadership styles and principles to what is needed in a given context. Command and control leadership may work in a public disorder situation, but day-to-day it will alienate.

Whether leading teams, departments or entire companies, senior leaders must be able to attract, engage and retain diverse groups if they are to deliver excellence. Their teams need to reflect the diversity of those they serve if they are to be considered truly world-class. Their organisations must demonstrate their commitment to inclusion to users and the general public. And they themselves need to articulate their belief in the proven business benefits of inclusive leadership.

What does inclusive leadership look like in practice?

Inclusive leaders are inspirational leaders. They are experts at adapting their leadership style to different groups and live situations. This allows them to communicate effectively across cultures, and to visibly champion difference as a diversity ally. And by successfully managing unconscious bias – in themselves and others – they are able to unlock the best diverse talent and build inclusive, high-performing teams.

What are the benefits of developing inclusive leaders?

There is a powerful business case for developing inclusive leaders in all areas of your organisation. These include:

• Increased staff engagement
• Higher rates of diversity data disclosure among staff
• Improved staff retention
• A leading edge position in your industry
• Better decision-making
• Reduced instances of bullying, harassment, grievance and long-term sickness
• A culture that allows for innovation
• Confidence to report when standards are not being met and so nip in the bud unwanted behaviours.