siliconindia | | April 20199Embracing diversity and inclusion, with authenticity, is therefore not a choice for businesses anymore. It's a one-way street for riding into the futureTo gear up for this world, leaders have to build an inclusive culture by nurturing an environment of openness where ideas from everyone are welcomed and different views are respected.Easier said than done?Building diverse teams and embedding an inclusive culture can be challenging for leaders. Whilst diversity brings benefits, it can also expose insecurities and conflict within organizations. As a leader, it initially takes courage to open yourself to dissent, looking in the mirror and accepting that you could be wrong. But with some conscious practice, this can become second nature.Through my own experiences (successes and failures) and observing some of the best in business whom I've had the fortune of working with, here is a "D&I in Practice"cheat-sheet that I've found very handy: · Deep Personal Commitment: Staying relentlessly true to the diversity blueprint(or for that matter anything else) can be draining and sometimes seem inauthentic. This commitment has to stem not just from belief in a business case but also from deep personal values and a conviction that this is the right thing to do as a leader.· Be Conscious of Your "Unconscious Biases": No matter how unbiased we feel we are, we tend to instinctively judge people and situations without realizing that our implicit biases are dictating our thoughts.These biases are often hard to spot and can trigger non-inclusive behavior. A practice that I have found useful over the years is to take support from a trusted colleague as an observer who can show me the mirror and call out any such biased behaviors. · Break Stereo Types: Here's an interesting anecdote about how one of my stereotypes got challenged during my hiring at Diageo. As someone from outside the AlcoBev industry and a teetotaler (by personal choice), I believed that consumption of alcohol was a pre-requisite for working here. Funnily, during the many rounds of discussions, no-one asked me about it. "They must have forgotten to check or have assumed the obvious", I said to myself. Finally, during my last interaction with Mr. Anand Kripalu (Diageo's CEO & MD), I started by telling him about it. He laughed out loud and dismissed it saying "Diageo is hiring you for what you bring as a professional. Whether you drink or not is your personal choice. Diageo respects it. This will never be a barrier for your journey with us".A stereotype I had carried for years lay shattered! · Be The Last to Speak in a Room: People tend to align themselves with the leader's voice. As leaders, we often are the first to speak, thereby killing chances of getting diverse views out on the table. A useful practice is to let others in the room speak first, also inviting someone who hasn't spoken at all to talk. It also helps to acknowledge anyone who had a contrarian view and thank them for bringing it up.· Be Vulnerable, Say "I Don't Know": Leaders are often programmed to be infallible. But sometimes being upfront and demonstrating vulnerability helps build an environment where people can contribute without a fear of embarrassment. Having worked across multiple industries, roles, geographies and cultures, the one thing that has always helped me find my footing in new situations is saying, "I don't know this". Don't fake it, be authentic.As we gear up our businesses and people for being future ready, fostering diversity through an inclusive leadership will be a critical differentiator between those who succeed and those who struggle.
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