102: Inclusive Leadership with Síle Walsh

In this episode of Soft Skills for Leaders, host Lisa Evans chats with Síle Walsh.

Síle is a captivating leader specialising in leadership and organisational development. Her focus is on creating inclusive environments that foster performance and psychological safety.

With a background in coaching psychology and organisational development, Síle brings over a decade of experience working with clients both in Ireland and internationally.

Her mission is clear: supporting effective leadership to cultivate high-performing, inclusive workplaces where people not only thrive but also achieve extraordinary results. Get ready to be inspired as Síle shares her expertise and passion for making a lasting impact on organizations worldwide through our podcast..

Timestamps

[00:01:17] From car washing to leadership coaching.

[00:06:43] What is Inclusive leadership?

[00:09:50] Journey of self-improvement and overcoming biases.

[00:12:02] Inclusive leadership to address diverse needs.

[00:17:11] Inclusive leadership involves acknowledging valid perspectives, considering organisational values, and reassessing decisions. It requires self-regulation and listening for nuances in language and values.

[00:24:15] Reduced fear, improved performance, higher engagement, better outcomes.

[00:29:20] Inclusion is a shared responsibility for all.

[00:36:39] Inclusive skills, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking are essential soft skills for leaders.

Summary

In this episode of Soft Skills for Leaders, Síle Walsh discusses the importance of inclusive leadership, highlighting the need for leaders to embrace diversity, create psychological safety, and develop essential skills such as emotional intelligence and critical thinking.

Talking Points

The importance of acknowledging that everyone's position is valid.
Taking into account organisational values, mission, and purpose in decision-making.
Asking the team to reassess their decision before reassessing the leader's own decision.
Developing the team's capacity for inclusive decision-making in future meetings.
The self-regulation and multiple truth perspectives required for inclusive leadership.
Considering nuances in language and different perspectives in discussions about inclusion.
Being attentive to what has been missed or misunderstood between people in meetings.

The top three takeaways from this episode are:

The top three takeaways from this episode on inclusive leadership are:

1. Inclusive leadership is essential for maximizing the potential of teams and organisations. It allows leaders to leverage the individual competencies of team members to enhance overall performance.

2. Inclusion fosters psychological safety within the team, enabling individuals to express their true thoughts and contribute to the work without fear. This leads to more innovative and creative ideas, robust decision-making, and improved business outcomes.

3. Inclusive leadership is a shared responsibility that requires active participation and contribution from everyone in the organisation. This includes leaders, colleagues, and individuals themselves, who should communicate their needs and seek support to create an inclusive work environment.

Quotes

"I see inclusive leadership as the use of inclusion to support individuals, teams and organisations performing. Every single person, regardless of their identity, functions better when they have a sense of belonging and that their uniqueness is valued."

Links to other Soft Skills for Leaders podcast episodes

Self-Awareness with Dr Nia Thomas

Leading with Empathy

Connect with Síle Walsh

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silewalsh/

Website: https://www.silewalsh.com/

Connect with Lisa Evans

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisaevansspeaker/

Website https://www.speakingsavvy.com.au

Ready to level up your public speaking, presentation skills and business storytelling? Book a complimentary coaching session with Lisa here.

Learn more about Soft Skills Academy here.

Your Host Lisa Evans is one of Australia’s leading Executive Public Speaking Coaches and Corporate Storytelling Trainers. If you would like help training your team in soft skills, public speaking and business storytelling, get in touch with Lisa.

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Book a complimentary mini-coaching session with Lisa here.