Sustainable Growth:

Managerial Leadership

Inclusive Leadership

Leading Your Organization Towards Sustainable Success in the New Economy

Inclusive Leadership Defined

As an inclusive leader, you must adopt – and live – a set of values, which places human relationships centre stage and which defines the purpose of your enterprise in other than purely financial or commercial terms. "Such set of values will include respect for the individual, the elevation of service above self-interest, restraint in the use of power, and not, least, a concern for sustainable development... This leadership will need to be found not only in the organization's management but also among employees, customers, investors, suppliers and the community."¹

The Tao of Inclusive Leadership

"The great Way is easy, yet people prefer the side paths. Be aware when things are out of balance. Stay centered within the Tao..." – Lao Tzu

"The wise leaders realize that a company exists in a complex educational, social, economic, and governmental ecosystem, thus it is responsible not only to stockholders but also to employees, customers, vendors and the community at large.  As old-fashioned and self-evident as this may seem, few of today's senior business leaders now practice this kind of balance. Too many of them prefer the side paths of short-term profits and short-term increases in what has been narrowly defined as "stockholder value." This created a crisis of trust."⁴

Systems Approach

Inclusive leaders perceive the organization as a complex system of mutually interdependent relationships, understand the links between the organization and the wider socio-economic environment and see organizational change in the context of social and technological change. "It is this deep understanding of the nature of the interdependence that exists between the organization and its dynamic environment that provides the basis for the ability of leaders to contribute to the development of an inspiring yet achievable vision of the organization's future."¹ Such vision should meet the needs of of the key stakeholders and at the same time provide the basis for an enterprise strategy to develop and sustain a competitive advantage.

 Case in Point  Ford Motor Company

According to Bill Ford, Chairman and CEO of Ford Motor Company, the distinction between a good company and a great one is that a good company delivers excellent products and services, while a great company delivers excellent products and services and strives to improve the world. Overall, Ford believes that the company needs leaders who can make informed business decisions and who can help the company better meet customer needs, increase shareholder value, and honor responsibilities to society.

Ford Motor Company is very serious about training new leaders who will help the company to prepare for a new business era and reach its goal of making a difference in the world. Ford provides training for its leaders in the Ford Leadership Center, where the focus in on building leaders, both men and women, who know how to get things done through the talents of their people... More