Law #6: Inclusion – “Differences + Trust = Brilliance”Inclusion isn’t a side initiative – it’s a leadership skill that drives performance Collaboration requires not only navigating differences across a team but leveraging them in ways that drive valuable results and fuel future successes. Leaders often express fatigue around inclusion efforts that feel bureaucratic or disconnected from business outcomes, and those that occur as performative (e.g. asking for input without real power-sharing) rather than generative (e.g. co-creating strategy, surfacing dissent, integrating frontline insight into decision-making). Teams that can engage multiple lenses, lived experiences, and cognitive styles make better decisions, faster. This inclusion of various perspectives is especially important when navigating ambiguity or complexity. Harnessing the value of difference requires stewarding an environment of trust, unlocking the full intelligence of a system. Insights from the episode:
- Over-inclusion and under-inclusion both erode clarity, speed, and trust
- Valuable inclusion requires clarity of purpose and a high-quality of listening and conversation
- Leaders who include wisely unlock creativity, commitment, and shared ownership
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Overview of the 10 Laws of High-Performance Collaboration: Use this as a cheat sheet as you follow along with the series or practice the principles with your team
Decision Criteria Chart: Use this chart to map out criteria that can help guide upcoming decision-making conversations
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July. 16, 2025
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