Inclusive Leadership: How deliberate leadership and focussed leadership paves the way for inclusive and welcoming spaces for all. A SafeSport initiative by Ness Murby
Leadership is the art of persuasion,
a responsibility of influence.
Leaders are the custodians of change. Change begins with accountability. Accountability must start with recognising that currently accepted cultures of play are ineffectual at best and at worst cause harm.
When hierarchy harms
Traditionally organisations, including and especially sporting bodies, have been structured with centralised leadership: a clearly defined chain of command. When organisations endorse a culture of hierarchy and ultimate authoritative leadership they also market a kind of organisational transparency. This type of transparency states their rules of engagement: all roads lead to those in power. At the same time, such hierarchies message communication silencing and perpetuate an unspoken agreement to tolerate harm.
Build to empower
Leadership has the ability to empower or segregate an organisation. Leadership is tethered to performance yet performance is inextricably tied to individuals. What leaders say and do makes up to a 70% difference as to whether an individual reports feeling included. 70% of difference to belonging. Human first. Ensuring voices are managed, heard and respected within an organisation falls to its leadership. By breaking down the hierarchical organisational frameworks there is room for all the voices. When members feel included they feel safe to speak up, they feel aligned with the organisation’s goals and they are willing to work for the cause. Individuals feel free to show up as their authentic selves.
Rewire the system
Leadership that is focussed on extracting the best from their organisation and members whilst collaboratively navigating the organisational and individual obstacles is where we need to be. Meeting this moment will not come via oversimplifying the process to a leadership overhaul, the process for inclusive SafeSport requires an intentional and active practise of rewiring the thought systems and approaches behind sporting leadership. Repairing and rewriting the normalisations to create new neuro-normative pathways that challenge the unconscious biases and patterns of the past to forge forth a new and congruent sporting manifesto.
leadership speaks
Your leadership style shapes your organisation. Inclusive spaces are created by the culture permitted within them which is born of the behavioural dynamic modelled by those in the positions of power, leaders, and then reflected by its peers. Conscious leadership is integral to bringing about the necessary change in organisational culture and operating frameworks. It starts with commiting to a safe space of communication (positive and negative) and shifting towards coaching leadership, a style that invests in collaboration, support and guidance, allows for growth, mistakes, repair and resilience, is essential
- Leadership that invests in curiosity fosters communication and respect.
Ask questions. To foster inclusion leaders must first come from a place of curiosity not of knowing. Curiosity is the foundation for an open-mind and it is in that place, the place of curiosity and learning, of non-judgment and listening, where growth resides
- Leadership that is prepared to challenge the status quo messages belonging and integrity.
Inclusion comes from welcoming difference, making inclusive decisions a personal priority even when they are in opposition of the majority. Leaders who are willing to unlearn, relearn and learn full stop.
- Leadership that is safe to approach builds trust.
Safety comes from humility, vulnerability, awareness of bias, and congruence. A willingness to hold accountable others and themselves. Leadership that seeks out feedback (from all), is prepared to admit mistakes, give heartfelt apologies and offers restitution.
The Key is culture
To create authentic inclusive and welcoming spaces leaders themselves must first demonstrate behaviour that is inclusive and welcoming. When this is achieved, when deliberate and focussed leadership is the cultural norm, the expectations and standard of behaviour will also shift to an environment of respect, integrity and trust.
- Leaders must ensure everyone has a seat at the table, demonstrate there’s enough space for all of us, and set an intentional culture of inclusion.