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Editor’s Note: Veteran entrepreneur and investor Donald Thompson writes a weekly column on WRAL TechWire’s management and leadership, diversity, and other important issues. His column is published on Wednesday.
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Research Triangle Park – There are countless definitions of “excellence”. Good or bad, it’s a word we say casually. However, rather than a specific definition, I like to think of excellence as a trait that executives can use as a personal benchmark for how they manage their teams and organizations.
An idea that keeps coming up in discussions with the leaders I lead and others I advise is the link between excellence and basic leadership skills. When we go into the analysis of the issue, we find that communication (or lack of communication) is the real culprit. Ironically, the skills we use most often and spend our lifetimes building are exactly what let us down.
But I’m not here to say “be a better communicator” without offering ideas. Communicating as a leader is not easy. Like the whispering game we all played as kids, there are many potential discrepancies between what executives say and what people hear.
There is also a second important point. CEOs and other executives are human and make mistakes from time to time. Yes, potential failures can be devastating. The upside, however, is that the effort to improve this skill is really worth it. Improving the way you talk to people will show immediate results.
When it comes to creating culture-centric organizations, I advise executives from board level to frontline managers to focus on inclusive language. According to my colleague Jackie Ferguson: Inclusive Language Handbookby emphasizing inclusive language, “can pave the way for everyone in your organization to do their best work. In fact, inclusive language strengthens and transforms the entire corporate culture.”
3 keys to leadership
In this era of change and constant uncertainty, leaders can lead from the front by using inclusive language and encouraging others to do the same. For some executives, the use of pronouns and other fair language may feel a little strange. Because most of society doesn’t give much weight to these ideas. Still, practicing inclusive language on a daily basis shows that you appreciate diversity, respect it, and support fairness and empathy in the workplace.
Here are three leadership moves you can start today.
Many people fear the unknown. Especially when using language that may offend or offend the recipient. Great leaders have embraced uncertainty around remote and hybrid work, health protocols, and economic turmoil. Additionally, showing your team that you are adaptable and models this behavior will go a long way in helping your team make inclusivity a priority.
Leaders who embrace inclusive language demonstrate that they care about their subordinates in an authentic and empathetic way, rather than defaulting to legal jargon and formal messages. “Using inclusive language honors our diverse identities and makes us feel welcomed, valued and empowered to do our best work,” explains Ferguson. The result is what all leaders want: teamwork and trust.
Part of using an inclusive language is the learning process. Don’t be afraid to admit you don’t know. When you make a mistake, own it. Show that you can fix it and move on. When people learn something new, they often don’t understand it right away. Instead, role models who know when to apologize, how to correct their behavior, and keep moving forward.
Have you been hanging out with teenagers or college students lately? If so, perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of an eye roll or two when they said something insensitive and disgusting. Many of them are finely tuned for the moment, as the overarching language is already in place.
However, family conversations are different than interactions at work. As a leader, you can set an overarching tone by calling out insensitive or discriminatory language that can cause tangible harm to people and teams. No one can do their best work where they don’t feel like they belong. As a leader, you set the tone and example by not allowing anyone to make mistakes through inclusion, even if it was unintentional.
Include or Exclude?
Executives who do not embrace inclusive language expose themselves and their organizations to risks ranging from litigation and regulatory issues to criticism in social media and the press. Moreover, there is a direct correlation between exclusive words and actions and return on investment, especially in talent management and human resources.
“The detrimental effects of exclusion can cause victims to withdraw from the group or leave the company to escape the situation,” explains. Gotunde Hoffmannthe author of Beyond Engagement: The Value of Love-Based Leadership in Organizations of harvard business review“Victims can lead to problems such as depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety, which can affect their ability to perform daily tasks and experience positive emotions.” Yes.” The costs to organizations are enormous. “Ultimately, organizations also suffer from increased absenteeism and turnover.”
Looking at turnover alone as the direct cost of not enforcing inclusive language practices, the losses are significant. A recent study found that the average cost of replacing an employee is about 50% of that employee’s annual salary, but for key positions he can be as high as 150%.
bold action
Every challenge facing CEOs and other executives requires bold action.So why not work to improve communication? According to McKinsey Homa Yun Hatami Liz Hilton Siegel said, “The best leaders and companies are ambidextrous. I’m thinking about the next 10 years.”
The advantage of future challenges is that leaders can take bold action, Hatami and Siegel explain. “In light of the current volatility, it is prompting many organizations to reconsider their opportunities and reset their strategic gameboards,” they wrote.
We usually think of boldness in viable strategies and tactics, but improving workplace communication can be just as impressive and game-changing as starting a new initiative.
What could be bolder than embracing the humanity of others in your workplace and community? As a leader, your personal commitment to learning and practicing an inclusive language is a positive move for others to follow. set a model. This is a big step towards workplace excellence.
About the author
Donald Thompson is CEO and Co-Founder. diversity movement author with Undervalued: The unlikely path to success for CEOsFor a limited time during the holiday season, both Inclusive Language Handbook: A Guide to Better Communication and Transformational Leadership by Jackie Ferguson and Roxanne Bellamy underestimation Offered at 25% discount.
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