Show Leaders That Inclusion Skills Training Is A Good Investment

Heather Price | Founder and Co-CEO at Symmetra | Recognised Global DEI Expert.

When it comes to workplace DEI training, a common point of resistance is that participants—and their employers—don’t think it’s a useful investment of time. They may feel it’s too theoretical to have meaningful application or that it takes too long to see the benefits. But DEI training can be a really good investment—especially when you focus on inclusion skills.

Inclusivity is highly relevant to the everyday challenges that leaders tackle today because it can facilitate more robust strategic decisions and deliver better outcomes. A 2023 Harvard Business Publishing study on leadership development highlighted how inclusion is becoming a key requirement. Future-fit leaders need to be empathetic and skilled at creating psychological safety so their team members feel comfortable taking calculated risks and innovating. This requires being open to new ideas and having a growth mindset.

To ensure your organization’s leadership can thrive, you must equip them with a skill set that goes beyond traditional management. There are two main actions you can take to provide this support: Integrate inclusion skills into key leadership and professional skills training, or demonstrate their immediate strategic benefits through effective training design.

Integrate Into Key Leadership And Professional Skills Training

I once collaborated with a global scientific publishing company as it launched a new performance and development framework across its global business. In the process, the development team noticed leaders weren’t having meaningful performance conversations with their direct reports. They quickly recognized that leaders needed to learn key inclusion skills, like the ability to create psychological safety, active listening, perspective taking, speaking with radical candor and understanding the cultural differences that influenced employees’ motivations.

To mitigate resistance, the development team decided to position inclusivity training as a skills-based and role-relevant aspect of leadership. So the training was integrated into professional development programs for leaders who were already struggling with a skills deficit. Since program participants were expected to apply their learning in their everyday operations, they’d be more likely to see the practical value of inclusion skills right away.

This integration was a smart move, as leaders were energized and empowered by learning how inclusion could optimize their team members’ performances. Soon, more effective performance conversations were being held, and leaders even asked for additional training support.

Generate Immediate Strategic Benefits Through Effective Design

When a global NGO found itself operating under significant uncertainty following a liquidity crisis, it needed to downsize dramatically. This meant leaders were dealing with team restructuring, performance issues caused by increasing fears of job loss and difficult conversations where they didn’t have all the answers. It was clear they needed to build fundamental inclusion skills—such as agility, adaptability, empathy and relationship building—so they could effectively navigate the disruption.

The organization decided to design inclusion training around this pressing strategic priority, which helped leaders quickly recognize its value. This approach allowed most leaders to keep their teams functional by leveraging inclusivity to achieve immediate business outcomes.

If you want leaders to fully participate in inclusion training, build your programming to showcase its strategic value. By positioning inclusion as a lever for achieving key business priorities, you can optimize engagement and generate a strong ROI.

A Balanced Approach To DEI

When DEI training gets entangled in conflicts about meritocracy, bias or loaded issues around race, gender and other identities, it’s easy to lose sight of the practical benefits of inclusion skills. While these bigger conversations are still important and relevant, they can become obstacles that hinder leaders’ ability to maximize their impact and influence.

On the other hand, if we only talk about inclusion as a set of skills, we run the risk of oversimplifying DEI work or forgetting the importance of tackling systemic sources of inequity. True inclusion goes beyond interpersonal leadership skills. It’s about understanding identity, power and the barriers that nondominant groups face in the workplace.

Inclusion is most effective when it is both practical and deeply rooted in an understanding of the broader social context. Achieving this balance can help ensure that DEI training remains relevant and impactful. Show leaders how inclusion skills can solve business problems, then commit them to the ongoing, deeper work of challenging biases and creating truly equitable workplaces. It’s this combination that will lead to sustainable success in driving business results and building a more inclusive culture.

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