Why your idea of leadership is outdated
Put the word ‘leader’ into a search engine or an image bank and you get a huge variety of images: people of different ages, ethnicities and genders in different environments. This is tangible progress from the days when searching for ‘leader’ almost solely brought up images of white men in dark suits.
However, look closer and you see almost all the images do typify leadership. The ‘leaders’ we are shown are making speeches to large audiences; standing at the front of a room presenting; ringing the bell at the stock market; signing a ‘deal’ or directing people to do something with grand hand gestures.
These images - and the leadership culture of many organisations - lean into a very narrow, linear and old fashioned view of leadership and of success. Yet leadership is rarely about making speeches and signing deals and success is rarely linear (becoming the CEO is far from most people’s ambition).
At Creative Access, as a social enterprise focused on improving diversity and inclusion across the creative industries and beyond, we work with many organisations to build more progressive and inclusive cultures. And as these organisations take a more progressive approach to their culture and become more diverse, the typical idea of leadership, what people want from their leaders and their idea of success is becoming subverted.
Research with our Creative Access community last summer, found that young people looking for a job for the first time placed more importance on the organisation’s reputation, how much they cared for employee wellbeing and the training opportunities on offer, than they did about salary. While for 71% of Black, Asian and ethnically diverse young people, diversity of the team ranked as the most important factor when looking for a job.
Therefore, for leaders to build and lead organisations that are going to attract and retain the best and most diverse talent, we need a different type of leadership model that isn’t defined by these alpha behaviours. We need inclusive leaders. Leaders who collaborate with their teams, rather than dictate to them; who are committed to breaking down barriers; who listen with empathy and who build cultures where individuals from all backgrounds are welcome and can thrive.
The characteristics of inclusive leadership
Emotionally intelligent and empathetic
During this period of immense social and economic change, workers need to trust that their leaders can see them through turbulent times and respect their needs – or they will find a workplace which can. People, particularly younger workers, place huge emphasis on mental health and wellbeing and they are looking for leaders who show empathy and can be open and honest about their own challenges.
Collaborative
Leading might not always feel natural; traditionally, we think of leaders as confident, self-possessed, strong, and dominant. But strength and confidence do not have to be domineering, didactic or intimidating. There are leaders across organisations, not just at the top. This is why it is important for everyone to develop their own style and way of leading and why motivation, collaboration and delegation are crucial.
Supportive
Now more than ever, workers need and expect to feel supported in the workplace, and through investment in their development, they can feel valued in their work. Good leadership recognises that the culture of ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ needs to end. By contrast, leaders need to take measures to ensure that perceptions change and that talented people who don’t quite ‘fit’ into outdated expectations are taken seriously and reached.
3 ways to become an inclusive leader
1. Develop your people understanding skills
You might be looking to improve the diversity of your team through recruitment, but it’s vital that you develop your skills in retaining those workers. Through training on class, race, disability equity and neurodiversity in the workplace, you’re moving towards a better understanding of the people you work with and their experiences. Such an approach enables better management and signals to your workers that you’re willing to embrace their identities.
2. Show your employees you want them to thrive and nurture their progression
Bespoke training and mentoring have long been inaccessible and reserved for the elite. Research shows that mentoring helps people progress further in their careers than those who do not have the support of a mentor. By making mentoring an available option for all, those from under-represented groups can also access and receive tailored advice and discover what leadership looks like for them. Look for ways to support the career progression of those from under-represented groups through coaching, training and other support, such as the Thrive programme we run at Creative Access.
4. Ensure inclusion is hard-wired into your organisation
Review your recruitment and progression processes, your policies, your social events and think about how they can be more inclusive and equitable. In some cases, this is common sense: for example ensuring social events are not centred around alcohol which can exclude many individuals or removing recruitment schemes where team members are incentivised to bring in candidates from their own networks. Taking part in inclusive recruitment training to learn about the latest, more progressive approaches to recruitment can be helpful.
There are many other ways you can become a more inclusive leader. The important thing is to accept there is no set way to lead and no matter how senior you are, there is always more to learn - especially from those above, below and beside you everyday.
Author
Bibi Hilton, CEO, Creative Access
Bibi is an experienced leader with over 25 years’ of experience in communications, advertising and diversity and inclusion. In 2022, Bibi moved from the corporate world to take over the leadership of Creative Access, the leading diversity social enterprise in the creative industries. Prior to Creative Access, Bibi was managing director of comms agency, Golin and President of Women in PR.
About Creative Access
We are a social enterprise creating practical and impactful diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programmes that open up career access and help people thrive in the creative economy. Our mission is to break down barriers, faced by those from historically marginalised groups, to access careers and thrive at work.
We are impact-driven, always looking at the challenges faced by the individuals we support and our partner employers, and considering the best ways to address these. Our expertise spans the creative economy including theatre, music, publishing, TV, museums, marketing, journalism, campaigning and PR.
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