We were pioneers in inclusion work. I founded InclusionINC in 2001. Our name reflects our focus on inclusion —not diversity—as the critical driver for business success.Inclusion works. Companies with highly integrated and engaged employees demonstrate significantly stronger bottom-line results. In the extremely competitive business environment we are now in—a global environment—the ability to continually innovate is critical, and that can’t happen without inclusion! This is more important now than ever, but it also involves innovation with focus and alignment. An organization’s inclusion initiatives must be purposely tied to the objectives and mission of the business.And yet, we're not there yet. Even companies that have been firmly committed to building diverse and inclusive cultures aren't there yet. Even some of our best, most progressive clients, aren't there yet.
Inclusion works, but we must keep working!
The work has been going on for years, yet the results aren’t apparent. If you look at most corporate board members, you’ll see a sea of white, male faces—despite the fact that the markets these companies serve are increasingly diverse. This isn’t about being nice to women, people of color or millennials. It’s about how you sell goods and services. How can you effectively meet the needs of your market if you don’t understand them? Understanding can only come from listening to people who are like your market. We call this key employee demographics required for growth, and it’s about harnessing the best talent available to drive business success.Related:
Have You Mastered These Critical Inclusive Leadership Traits?That's inclusion. And that's the topic of my most recent book.“Inclusion: STILL the Competitive Business Advantage” sounds the call for a sea change in the approach that organizations take to building and leveraging the diversity of their organizations through inclusion to achieve critical business objectives.Inclusion is a business imperative! Let's do it!
