How leaders can create a 'D&I mindset'

“In any business, an organisation mirrors the leadership and behaviours of that organisation.

"If you have a leader which is very robust, slightly bullish and aggressive then an organisation will adopt those behaviours because they perceive those as the behaviours of success and how you’re supposed to [behave],” explained Loraine Martins, Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Director at Network Rail. “[However], if you have a leader who is thoughtful and creative then your organisation will mirror that,” she added at the CIPD Festival of Work last month. Whether intentional or not, employees will view leaders as role models and mimic their behaviour. This influence will act as a shadow over the workforce, according to Martins.

How this shadow impacts on Diversity & Inclusion (D&I)

“The shadow of a leader is important because, if you’re intent on being a more diverse and inclusive organisation, then if you see those behaviours around you, you’ll feel more confident behaving in a way that is similar.” Having leaders who encourage employees to listen to different points of view from others is one way of driving diversity and inclusion, Martins told HR Grapevine.