believing in inclusive leadership
When I was promoted to a new position, my focus was on my newly appointed responsibilities. I was excited to be entrusted with different tasks. I looked forward to achieving what was expected of me, plus more. One of my responsibilities was to supervise another employee. I remember asking my boss if our organization offered training for new supervisors that would provide me with guidance on supervision in areas like project management, building trust, nurturing relationships, resolving conflict, coaching, and communication guidelines. She told me there was no training like that available. I bought a book. However, time was scarce, and tasks were many, so I learned to supervise as I did it. Because there were no issues and we were both driven, my supervisee and I got busy with the tasks. Looking back, I was lucky; my first supervisee was an incredible worker, and we got along well. We did not have to work at building a relationship because it came naturally. However, as a result, I missed out on learning the importance of putting in an effort to focus on staff, the heartbeat of an organization.
It was not until later, when I was entrusted with supervising more team members, that I understood how essential it is to devote time to developing people in order to build an organization where staff are inspired by the mission and energized by an investment in their growth. Building relationships with them took more work. At first this frustrated me. I was bothered by having to take time away from my tasks to check in, devote time to learn more about them, and support their growth. Yet, I noticed that when I “put in the time” to get to know them, share with them, learn their strengths, and be a thought partner, they seemed to open up more, trust more, do more, and appreciate the value in their work. For someone who was task oriented, I also discovered tasks were more likely to get done, and even more likely to get done well if I invested in the people doing them. What’s more, I learned that as I trusted in staff, gave them more responsibility, and included them in making decisions, the organization benefited from their knowledge, skills, and commitment.
The famous quote, “I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers,” by Ralph Nader reflects this important concept. Later in my career, this quote became a constant reminder to create an inclusive environment where power is shared, emboldening others to develop their leadership skills. Too often, leaders refrain from focusing on building relationships with staff, sharing power, and giving staff members autonomy. Perhaps this has to do with hierarchical structures shaping processes within the organization, how leadership was modeled for them, prioritizing other responsibilities, or their preconceived notions about authority. Whatever the case, it is unfortunate when people do not focus on developing leadership skills among their staff because everyone can benefit. As staff take on more leadership responsibilities and develop their leadership skills, the administrators can entrust them with more responsibilities. Leaders can rely on staff to function independently and make good decisions. This helps with creating a more efficient and effective organization.
As I coach directors of early care and education programs, I have noticed that inclusive leaders—those who value the contributions of their staff, empower them to take on more responsibility, seek their perspectives, and involve them in and entrust them with decision-making—hold certain beliefs. The following resource, What Are You Thinking? Thoughts About Inclusive Leadership, is designed to help you reflect on your beliefs regarding inclusive leadership.
©Bella, J.M. (2025, July 24). Believing in Inclusive Leadership. bella mattina. Retrieved from https://www.bellamattinaconsulting.com/blog/believing-in-inclusive-leadership. This document may be printed, duplicated, and distributed freely with attribution. Permission for the inclusion in publications must be obtained in writing from the author.
