Why Transparency and Inclusivity are the Keys to Successful Leadership

by Feb 27, 2020Employee engagement, Impact0 comments

What is successful leadership?

It can be difficult to define in words what exactly makes a good leader. Like some things, you know it when you see it as much as you notice the absence of good leadership when it is missing. Successful leadership is about driving and fulfilling a vision. It takes action and is capable of inspiring others to work towards and achieve the same goals that the leader envisions.

Productive, efficient, and successful leadership can be about much more than directing the workflow traffic. They can benefit from maximising the potential of all team members involved. Successful leadership is able to bring together the different skills and perspectives of a team and encourage them to identify and work towards their shared goals

The damaging effects of poor leadership

Most people can point to times when strong leadership has been inspiring and positively impacting their performance. Similarly, we all have at some point experienced working with a leader with the opposite traits, and the negative effects this can have on our own performance.

To illustrate this, a recent survey showed that only 50% of workers believe that their leaders uphold the stated values of their organisation. Working with a bad leader is tiresome, frustrating, and demotivating. The project or organisation you work for may be inspiring, however, if it lacks leadership, the results may not be satisfying. To avoid delayed or poor results, team leaders need to engage their teams in the process.

Working with a leader who is either unaware or chooses not to care about the needs of co-workers is not a good experience for anybody. Being able to raise concerns and bounce ideas off colleagues is a crucial part of the creative process. To emphasize this, the previously-mentioned survey found that 44% of respondents stated that leaders became resentful when others disagreed with them. This runs completely contrary to the necessary process of creating an inclusive and fruitful experience at the workplace.   

“A great leader understands that it is the people they lead that ultimately determines the success or failure of any venture. They surround themselves with great people that they can cultivate into a team of competent, confident individuals who can work well as a team.” – claims Randy Soderman, founder of Soderman Marketing SEO

This process of being a strong leader requires prioritizing the development and success of those around them. Fostering a transparent feedback environment where all can learn from each other is particularly significant.

Why sustainability needs to be transparent and inclusive

With the increased social pressure and awareness of sustainability, business leaders are increasingly having to be more aware of issues that go beyond the profit bottom line. Employees desire to work for companies with similar objectives to their own, especially objectives that align with today’s sustainability needs

Recentecent survey showed nearly 70% of respondents say that a strong sustainability plan would affect their decision to stay with a company long term. Hence, to engage and keep their workforce, business leaders must understand and fully engage with a sustainable leadership process. This process must be both transparent and inclusive so that employees feel involved in driving their companies sustainability agenda forward. 

Team sharing hands to emphasize the importance of business collaboration
Employees should be part of the process which drives the company towards sustainability.

This sustainable change needs not be painful, but rather an opportunity for progress. Including your workforce in your sustainability processes helps in both increasing your transparency and inclusivity. Not being included in and connected to the company’s objectives is illustrated with a recent survey conducted by Harvard Business Review. This survey found that only 28% of employees feel connected to their company’s purpose.

This statistic demonstrates how important it is for businesses to onboard and bring along their workforce with their company’s strategy. To fully incorporate sustainable practices into business processes, leaders must engage their own employees. In other words, business leaders must be transparent in their work processes and chains to keep their employees engaged in their sustainability processes. As a result, the company will be more likely to have a successful and coherent sustainability approach, where all their workers feel involved. 

Why 2030 Builders to accelerate your sustainability strategy?

Your sustainable business practices benefit from the inclusivity that our tool at 2030 Builders provides. Our learning platform enables businesses to integrate sustainability into all levels of their business practices. Our tool enables your team to collaborate and develop their own ideas and solutions through our gamification process. As result, they are more aware of and more likely to meet your company’s sustainability needs. 

By including employees in your sustainability practices your team moves from bystanders to engaged doers. They become actively involved in the implementation of coherent and well-developed sustainability strategies.

This increases your accountability and transparency when it comes to sustainability. The process of developing a strong sustainability model is not solely in the hands of the management. It becomes a more collaborative process enabling employees to demonstrate their views on the issues that your company faces. 

The benefits for your company reach beyond your sustainability strategy

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are about fostering sustainable business practices. Thanks to that both societies and the environment benefit when businesses are not solely focused on their bottom line.

Business meeting to demonstrate the production of collaborative sustainability strategy
Employees must feel involved in the sustainability strategy.

Sustainable business practices cross over to profits. Research shows that businesses scoring high on CSR and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) rankings have lower costs of capital. The market recognizes that these companies are at lower risk and therefore, rewards them for it.    

To develop a more transparent and inclusive process of sustainable decision-making, business leaders must take a proactive approach including employees. The 2030 Builders’ tool creates the environment and opportunity for your company to engage your workforce in sustainability. Additionally, it facilitates their input into your processes.

At 2030 Builders, we have developed a tool to encourage concrete solutions to your sustainable strategy needs. This tool is fully customizable, where your business can transform sustainability challenges into business opportunities. To learn more about what our platform can do for you, follow this link, and book a demo.


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