by Stefanie K. Johnson (Author)
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
In
this groundbreaking guide, a management expert outlines the
transformative leadership skill of tomorrow—one that can make it
possible to build truly diverse and inclusive teams which value
employees’ need to belong while being themselves.
Humans
have two basic desires: to stand out and to fit in. Companies respond
by creating groups that tend to the extreme—where everyone fits in and
no one stands out, or where everyone stands out and no one fits in. How
do we find that happy medium where workers can demonstrate their
individuality while also feeling they belong?
The answer,
according to Stefanie Johnson, is to Inclusify. In this essential
handbook, she explains what it means to Inclusify and how it can be used
to strengthen any business. Inclusifying—unlike “diversifying” or
“including”— implies a continuous, sustained effort towards helping
diverse teams feel engaged, empowered, accepted, and valued. It’s no use
having diversity if everyone feels like an outsider, she contends.
In
her research, Johnson found common problems leaders exhibit which
frustrate their attempts to create diverse and cohesive teams. Leaders
that underestimated the importance of group coherence and dynamics often
have employees who do not feel like they belong; leaders that ignore
the benefits of listening to different perspectives leave some people
feeling like they cannot be their authentic selves.
By contrast,
leaders who Inclusify can forge strong relationships with their teams,
inspire greater productivity from all of their workers, and create a
more positive environment for everyone. Having a true range of different
voices is good for the bottom line—it allows for the development of the
best, most innovative, and creative solutions that are essential to
success.
Inclusify reveals the unexpected ways that
well-intentioned leaders undermine their teams, explains how to
recognize the myths and misperceptions that drive these behaviors, and
provides practical strategies to become an Inclusifyer. By learning why
uniqueness and belonging are so imperative, leaders can better
understand what makes their employees tick and find ways to encourage
them to be themselves while ensuring they feel like they are fully part
of the group. The result is a fully engaged team filled with diverse
perspectives—the key to creating innovative and imaginative ideas that
drive value.
