BiGS Actionable intelligence: Despite our uncertain economic times, corporate leaders possess the power to sustain the inclusive cultures they’ve built over the last two years if they focus on the intention and motivation that sparked this movement in the first place.
BOSTON
– March 24, 2023 – As companies such as Microsoft,
Ericcson and NPR slash jobs and layoff numbers mount in 2023,
large organizations run the risk of shelving certain human-centric
initiatives that may appear less critical to survival. Specifically,
typical corporate cost cutting has the potential to jeopardize some
diversity and inclusion initiatives that many companies established
following the murder of George Floyd in May 2020.
But
this needn’t be the case, according to Harvard
Business School (HBS) Professor Hise Gibson, who teaches
technology and operations management (TOM), design thinking, and
inclusive leadership at the school. Gibson argues that C-suite
leaders who drop the ball on inclusive leadership have no excuse.
Fortunately,
the way to retain the benefits of inclusion—and protect the results
of enhanced collaboration and innovation—requires many of the
skills that executives already have, Gibson and co-author Nicole
Gilmore, MITRE Corp.’s talent director, tells us in an op-ed
published in HBS’s Working Knowledge newsletter.
And
leaders who succeed at this exercise will reap rewards.
“Remember
this: economic headwinds will pass. But a strong culture of inclusion
and belonging that stokes new thinking will flourish in their
wake—propelling your company to its next innovation,” Gibson and
Gilmore write.
Check
out their op-ed for more details, but here are the key takeaways:
- Remain confident. Trust your leadership abilities, even though it will be tough given the big issues—such as profit targets—competing for priority status.
- Remain focused. Remember the intention and motivation that sparked this movement in the first place and that prompted you to elevate inclusion across your entire workforce.
- Remain committed. Don’t forget the actions you took, such as establishing new employee affinity groups, possibly for the first time in the company’s history.
How
does this process work for executives? Gibson suggests these
questions:
1. Look inward: What’s happening in your organization?
Block
out time on your calendar for quiet, honest thinking. Put away the
spreadsheets, turn off your phone, Gibson and Gilmore tell us.
Whether
you write down your thoughts in a journal or talk with a trusted
mentor, consider the current state of your organization:
- What are our capability gaps?
- Does our current team reflect our current and future market?
- What is our talent pipeline and retention strategy?
Leaders
must constantly assess a dynamic environment to gain contextual
intelligence to make sound decisions, and to gain a heightened sense
of their decisions’ impact on operations and people.
2. Look outward: How are your employees feeling?
Speak
with your employees and use company surveys to review changes in
employees’ sentiment following upheaval and stress. Ask questions
such as:
- Do you see trends?
- What significant changes were initiated that met resistance?
- How do your teams work together?
Understanding
the answers will reveal opportunities to build stronger teams through
active inclusion. Unlike passive inclusion, which is basically being
polite, active inclusion calls for using specific actions, such as
empowering junior team members and avoiding insider acronyms, to
engage employees.
Workplace
changes prompted by the pandemic have made employees more flexible.
However, persistent change without time to process it causes employee
fatigue. Employees respond better when communication is clear, when
leaders are transparent about decisions, and when they believe that
they are part of the process.
3. Look at the big picture: What has your company achieved?
Now,
consider the culture that your company has cultivated. In their 2020
book, Unleashed,
co-authors (HBS Professor) Frances Frei and Anne Morriss use an
“inclusion dial” to gauge the degree to which employees feel that
they belong. First, companies must make employees feel safe. From
there, employers can work toward making people feel welcomed, then
celebrated, and ultimately, cherished.
Consider
where your organization falls on the dial, and how it could improve
to create a more collaborative and effective workforce. Identify the
workplace changes that are worth safeguarding.
Editor’s note: We want to hear from you!
If you’re familiar with Harvard Business School’s storied case method, then you know that we pride ourselves on asking the right questions – and we know that you probably do, too. So we encourage you to send your questions, comments, media interview/speaker requests or ideas to the editor, Barbara DeLollis, at bdelollis@hbs.edu or via LinkedIn. And don’t forget to join our growing BiGS’ community on LinkedIn. - BD