11 Books To Read If You Want To Be A More Inclusive Leader

In order for people to do their best work, they must feel able to be their true selves among their colleagues.

That means that, no matter their race, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, educational background, socioeconomic status, or ability, they feel like they’re wholly accepted for who they are.

In this country, it’s crystal clear that we are far from that ideal state, especially where race is concerned. There’s a lot of work we need to do, both collectively and individually, to ensure true equality for BIPOC. And, if you’re in a leadership position, it’s even more important to do the work. Because if change is really going to happen, it needs to happen at the highest levels of the team.

Here are 11 books to get you started on your journey to inclusivity.

Inclusify: The Power of Uniqueness and Belonging to Build Innovative Teams by Stefanie K. Johnson

According to Johnson, all humans have two basic wants: A sense of belonging, and the ability to be our unique selves at the same time. In other words, we want to be able to express the qualities and quirks that make us who we are, and we want those around us to embrace them for it. This type of culture is a must if you want your team to be effective, happy, and high-performing. With Johnson’s handbook, you’ll learn how to achieve and maintain that state.

Read Entire Forbes Article Here

About the Author: DrStefanieKJohnson

Dr. Stefanie K. Johnson is an Associate Professor of Management at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder. She holds a Ph.D. from Rice University and is particularly interested in the effects of unconscious biases in the evaluation of women and minorities, with the goal of finding ways to mitigate those biases. Dr. Johnson brings bias to light with an engaging and humorous approach to advanced scientific research, which has earned her numerous accolades and invitations to present her work at meetings around the world, including the White House for a 2016 summit on diversity in corporate America on National Equal Pay Day, and the 2016 Harvard Negotiation and Leadership Conference. She has published over 70 journal articles and book chapters in outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Journal of Applied Psychology and The Academy of Management Journal. She has extensive consulting experience and has created and delivered leadership-development training with an emphasis on evidence-based practice. In recognition of her unique research, Dr. Johnson has been awarded nearly three million dollars in external funding to study leadership and create leadership development programs aimed at increasing safety. Media outlets featuring her work include: The Economist, Newsweek, Time, and CNN. Stefanie lives in the Boulder Bubble in Colorado with her Biology Professor husband, two young kiddos, and two old kitties.