Andy Stanley once said, “Leadership is all about taking people on a journey. The challenge is that most of the time, we are asking people to follow us to places we ourselves have never been.” I think that is a powerful quote.
Hosting real conversations from the C-suite is when the evolution of my new leadership development concept about the guided self-discovery process of “leading by unpacking” will come into play.
Leading by unpacking is an opportunity for members of the C-suite to role model the significance of leaders being vulnerable enough to unpack how the tone-at-the-top may be helping or hindering workforce sustainability that is critical to achieving bottom-line results.
Leading by unpacking is the chance for members of the C-suite to share with the general workforce population the unique circumstances and challenges faced by C-suite leaders that may appear to lack an authentic commitment to DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING.
Leading by unpacking is about inviting participation, investigating perceptions, and integrating perspectives between members of the C-suite and a subset of today’s workforce for whom DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING is a deal breaker when considering whether to join an organization or not. It’s to this last point that I want to share a few closing thoughts to consider:
1st, Research has proven that people are less likely to embrace change that is perceived as being done to them, such as DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING.
2nd, Belonging is trending in society, including on college campuses where corporate recruitment takes place.
3rd, Helping leaders and teams navigate complexity and change extends to Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging efforts.
Finally, bear in mind that Contact Theory, which simply brings people together, and Nudge Theory, which encourages small steps, are essential in the process of increasing awareness about the importance of DIVERSITY, INCLUSION & BELONGING enterprise wide.