During her first week on the job, Priya noticed something that gave her pause. Why did her ideas fall flat in meetings—only to be praised moments later when echoed by a male colleague? Was it just bad timing, or was she not being heard?

She’s not alone. Subtle dynamics like these often go unnoticed on the surface, yet they signal a deeper issue: even in companies that champion diversity, many employees still struggle to feel included. So what happens when representation is present, but voices are still missing from the conversation?

According to LinkedIn’s 2025 Workplace Learning Report, creating a sense of belonging is now a top-five priority for HR and talent leaders globally. But what does “belonging” actually mean in practice—and who is responsible for making it real?

This is where inclusive leadership enters the picture. But is inclusive leadership just a buzzword, or is it a measurable driver of engagement, retention, and trust? And if it matters this much, why do so few organizations embed it into everyday management practices?

In this roundup, workplace experts and talent leaders share what it takes to move from performative inclusion to genuine connection—and why the most resilient teams are often the ones where everyone feels seen.

Connect with All Contributors

Make an effort to connect with all contributors within an organization. Mentally and emotionally isolating oneself from receiving feedback from all contributors creates blind spots, which can evolve into detachment between the leader and the audience they lead. Some personalities are keen on relying solely on individuals who hold certain roles and titles for guidance, which can be short-sighted. Listen to the feedback and recommendations, reflect upon them, and then go about executing decisions as needed. 

The expectation is to acknowledge the feedback, not to automatically agree and implement it. Listen with care because each employee can deliver an insight that can shift the leader’s understanding of how to better run an organization. Connect with care, or don’t connect at all. It saves everyone the energy and time to avoid relying on false hope that a leader cares to serve their people. Communication serves as the bridge to create solutions and deepen relationships.

Sasha Laghonh, Founder & Sr. Advisor to C-Suite & Entrepreneurs, Sasha Talks

Seek Diverse Talent and Perspectives

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is the ability to seek out the best talent and a diversity of thought. Talent is raw potential—it’s the foundation that can be shaped into skill by a good leader. Great leaders are always on the lookout for individuals whose raw talent can be developed into the skills needed to strengthen the team.

Diversity of thought is key, and it goes beyond demographics. It’s about finding people who approach problems and decisions from different perspectives–shaped by their backgrounds, education, life experiences, and careers. This can be more challenging, as we naturally gravitate toward people who are similar to us. But by intentionally seeking out a range of perspectives, leaders can bring more creative solutions and effective decision-making to the table.

Emily Sander, Founder & CEO, Next Level Coaching, LLC

Ask Open-Ended Questions and Listen

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is to ask open-ended questions and wait for 10 seconds for a response. Many leaders tend to ask “yes” or “no” questions and/or leading questions, and don’t allow the participant time to process the information to properly respond. By asking open-ended questions and allowing response time, this will lead to richer conversations, the ability to address concerns more easily, as well as be able to understand the team better to lead with empathy. Leaders can develop this skill by understanding how to frame questions based on their target audience.

Megan Dias, Career Services Coach, Parsity

Listen Deeply and Intentionally

If one trait sets truly inclusive leaders apart, it’s this—the ability to listen deeply and intentionally.

Not just hearing the words. But tuning in. Creating space. Valuing every voice, even the quiet ones. Especially the quiet ones.

Inclusive leaders don’t dominate the room. They invite it in. They ask thoughtful questions. They sit with discomfort. And they act on what they’ve heard—not just what they assume.

Why does this matter? Because people won’t bring their whole selves to the table if they feel unheard. And when voices go silent, innovation stalls. Trust breaks. Potential fades.

So, how can leaders develop this superpower?

Start with self-awareness. Notice who speaks up. Who doesn’t. Whose ideas get traction. Whose don’t. It’s often unconscious bias—not intention—that creates exclusion.

Get comfortable with feedback. Ask your team how included they feel. Be ready to hear the hard stuff. And then show them you’re willing to change.

Slow down the conversation. Make room for reflection. For quieter contributions. For the differences to shine.

Learn to unlearn. Inclusive leadership isn’t a destination. It’s a journey of constant growth. Stay open. Stay humble.

One of the most powerful moments we had as a leadership team came when we flipped the script. Instead of leading the discussion, we listened. Really listened. We invited stories from across our organization—voices we didn’t usually hear. What surfaced changed the way we lead. It changed the way we hire. And it changed the way we show up for each other.

Because when leaders lead with listening, they don’t just include. They empower.

And that’s the kind of leadership the future needs.

Trayton Vance, CEO and Founder, Coaching Focus Ltd

Practice Intellectual Humility

The most important trait of an inclusive leader, in my experience, is intellectual humility—the ability to admit, “I don’t know what it’s like for you, but I’m willing to listen without defending myself.” It’s not about having all the right language or policies—it’s about creating a space where people can speak up without having to calibrate how “safe” it is first.

We built this into our leadership rhythm by doing “perspective audits”—once a quarter, we ask the team: What am I not seeing from where I sit? And we shut up and take notes. No rebuttals. Just curiosity.

To develop it? Practice responding without reacting. When someone shares a perspective that challenges your own, resist the urge to fix it or explain it away. Just sit with it. Ask follow-up questions. Assume they’re right about their experience—because they are. That’s where real inclusion starts: not with a DEI memo, but with better instincts in daily conversations.

Austin Benton, Founder, Speaker Drive

Create Space for Every Voice

Collaboration is essential to everything we do. We cannot curate joyful gifts without understanding people, their tastes, their stories, and their needs. An inclusive leader creates space for every voice, and that space must feel safe and open.

You foster this environment by allowing people to shine. Ask for their opinions, celebrate their input, and demonstrate that it matters. I have found that when you focus on uplifting others, creativity and inclusion flow naturally.

Danilo Miranda, Managing Director, Presenteverso

Operationalize Consistent Feedback Loops

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is consistency in listening. Not performative listening during moments of tension, but habitual, structured listening that shapes decision-making across the board. We’ve learned that inclusion isn’t built through one-off DEI training—it’s embedded in how often and how seriously leaders make space for different voices.

To develop this, I recommend operationalizing feedback loops. Don’t wait for someone to bring up a concern. Build anonymous intake, hold monthly “silent room” reviews, and ask: “Whose voice is missing from this decision?” every time you ship a product, launch a campaign, or promote a team lead. Inclusion isn’t a vibe—it’s a process. And the leaders who make listening a system, not just a trait, create teams that feel safe to speak and inspired to build.

Daniel Lynch, Digital Agency Owner, Empathy First Media

Develop Empathy Through Understanding

Empathy has proven itself as the key ingredient in my efforts to create an inclusive environment. Initially, I dismissed concerns about a project deadline, thinking everyone could manage the same pace. It wasn’t until a team member opened up about struggles balancing work and family that I realized I hadn’t truly put myself in their shoes.

Taking the time to understand what others are feeling changed my approach completely. I began asking how people were doing, not out of formality, but because I genuinely wanted to know. 

Sometimes it meant shifting timelines or finding backup for someone who needed a break. These moments built a sense of trust that transformed how we worked together.

Leaders willing to pause and consider what life is like from someone else’s perspective will always find ways to make their teams feel valued. The more I practiced this, the more open and engaged everyone became, and our work only improved.

Silvia Angeloro, Executive Coach, Resume Mentor

Cultivate Genuine Curiosity About Experiences

Genuine curiosity about individual experiences stands above all other inclusive leadership traits. In our flooring business, we discovered that leaders who ask thoughtful questions about team members’ backgrounds—not just perfunctory inquiries—create environments where diverse perspectives naturally emerge during decision-making. To develop this trait, we implemented “curiosity walks” where managers and team members from different cultural backgrounds explore design inspirations together outside the showroom, deliberately seeking to understand how different elements resonate based on personal experience.

One surprising outcome: our Vietnamese-American designer identified subtle differences in how various communities perceive wood tones, leading to a floor display reorganization that increased sales to Asian-American customers by 38%. True inclusivity emerges not from formal programs but from leaders who consistently demonstrate they value learning from different perspectives.

Dan Grigin, Founder & General Manager, Elephant Floors

Foster High Emotional Intelligence

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is a high level of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence enables leaders to continuously assess how they are showing up, understand the impact they have on others, and attune to the needs of those around them. It also fosters a growth mindset, which is essential for leading diverse teams and organizations. By cultivating emotional intelligence, leaders are better equipped to create environments where all individuals feel seen, valued, and empowered to contribute fully.

Emotional intelligence serves as the foundation of our leadership development programs. We believe that to be an effective leader, you must also be an inclusive leader—and emotional intelligence is the key to bridging the two.

Raven Rankine, Senior Director, Client Experience & DEIB Services, The Nebo Company

Lead with Encouragement and Belonging

Great leaders believe in belonging and lead with encouragement. Encouragement is NOT praise or “brown-nosing” someone (what a lovely expression, right?). While praise focuses solely on the outcome and requires a good outcome to be authentically given, encouragement focuses solely on effort. That makes it easy to remember: E for Effort, or Encouragement of Effort. 

We all experience leaders who believe that they will get more out of their team by being hard on them. Drive by any sports field on a Saturday and hear coaches and parents attempting to inspire their players by telling them what they did wrong. This rarely works for everyone because they are replaying the mistake in their minds rather than focusing on ways to improve. Some might respond to this style of leadership, but it leaves others quite discouraged.

Better leaders believe that building connection and belonging is important to team camaraderie and the best way to foster that is using encouragement. So, what does encouragement sound like? It could sound like, “Thanks for your hard work on that tough task last week.” It could also be, “Your patience and attention to detail is really helpful.” 

These statements are different from praise in two significant ways:

1. They incorporate “You” statements rather than “I” statements.

2. They can be shared at any point, not solely at the end of task.

Praise typically starts with “I”—”I’m so proud of you!” is one example. While it may sound good, it offers the recipients nothing about themselves. When the speaker walks away, the recipient has nothing to hold onto. Compare that with, “You have a lot to be proud of.” This is a similar statement but “You” offers a little more; the spotlight stays on the recipient. 

Leaders powerfully encourage with “You” statements and include comments about the effort and/or progress being made. The more specific the comment, the better the statement.

1. “The time you put in to create that presentation, specifically the charts, really helped illustrate the data.”

2. “Your strengths of editing and being concise are helping this project.”

3. “Deciding the key pieces may be challenging right now, your ability to problem solve and collaborate with your team will help you figure this out.”

When leaders value belonging and use encouragement, teams respond with more commitment because they feel engaged and valued. Thankfully, encouragement is a skill that can be developed. The best leaders make time to do so!

Susan Belangee, Owner, Dynamic Growth CCS

Develop Emotional Maturity

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is emotional maturity.

Without it, all other inclusion efforts are performative.

Leaders who haven’t addressed their own unhealed inner child wounds often lead from control, reactivity, or the fear of being perceived as “less than.” This manifests as micromanagement, power hoarding, and discomfort with perspectives that challenge their internal narrative.

An inclusive leader doesn’t just invite diversity to the table—they know how to sit in discomfort, receive feedback without defensiveness, and hold space for multiple truths. This requires emotional regulation, not just policy training.

How do you develop it?

By learning to recognize your own patterns. Inner child work is one powerful entry point. I’ve seen how emotional self-awareness can transform not just personal healing—but leadership capacity.

Inclusive leadership in 2025 isn’t just about representation—it’s about regulation.

And it starts within.

Susye Weng-Reeder, CEO | Google Verified Public Figure | Author | Creator, Susye Weng-Reeder, LLC

Embrace Humility and Self-Awareness

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is humility. Humility requires empathy and self-awareness. A leader who has this trait as a strength is willing to regularly assess their actions, decisions, and motivations. Common questions that a leader who would like to cultivate humility in their approach to leading are: “Was I listening or just waiting to talk?” or “Was I clear in my communication to ensure others understand my motivations?”

An effective leader should approach situations with curiosity. They should also model accountability, especially when things don’t go as planned, and encourage others to do the same. Be a leader who is willing to teach generously and publicly recognize the contributions of your team. By embracing feedback, acknowledging mistakes, celebrating team contributions, and leading with curiosity, leaders demonstrate that true strength lies in self-awareness.

It also requires empathy to create a culture of appreciation and a commitment to treat leadership development as an exercise in continuous improvement.

Cheryl Haynes, Founder, AchieveMentor Consulting LLC

Listen Actively and Summarize

The most important trait of an inclusive leader?

Listening—real, lean-in-with-your-face, don’t-just-wait-for-your-turn-to-talk listening.

Inclusive leaders know that their job isn’t to have all the answers—it’s to create a space where everyone feels safe bringing their whole, brilliant, messy selves to the table. And sometimes that brilliance comes wrapped in unexpected ideas, different perspectives, or—heaven forbid—feedback that challenges the status quo.

How can leaders develop this?

Practice “Listening Gym.” Just like you’d work out your biceps, work out your listening muscles. Here’s a simple drill:

In your next meeting, when someone speaks, summarize what they said before you respond.

Bonus points if you can do it without starting your reply with, “Yeah, but…”

It sounds small, but it’s radical. It shows people you’re not just hearing them—you’re getting them. And when people feel heard, they feel seen. When they feel seen, they show up bigger, bolder, and better for the team.

Bottom line: Inclusive leadership isn’t about big speeches. It’s about thousands of tiny moments where you make someone feel like their voice matters.

Stefano Iaboni, CEO-Trainer-Speaker, Smile Solution

Combine Humility with Curiosity

The most important trait of an inclusive leader is humility combined with curiosity. True inclusion doesn’t begin with having all the answers—it begins with the willingness to admit what you don’t know, to listen deeply, and to be changed by what you learn.

Inclusive leaders don’t lead from a pedestal; they lead from a place of connection. They ask better questions, seek out voices that are often overlooked, and create spaces where people don’t have to diminish who they are to belong. This kind of leadership requires a daily practice of self-awareness and unlearning—letting go of assumptions and comfort in order to grow.

To develop this trait, leaders must do two things: first, actively seek out perspectives that challenge their worldview, especially from those who experience marginalization. Second, create psychological safety—where it’s not only safe to speak up, but it’s welcomed, encouraged, and valued.

Humility is not weakness. It’s the strength to say, “I don’t have to know it all to lead well—I just have to care enough to keep learning.” That’s the root of true inclusion.

Julieanne O’Connor, Influence Coach for High-achieving CEOs and Dentists