Nominated for the Humanitarian Heroine, Diversity and Inclusion Advocate, and Entrepreneurial Spirit Award categories at the Women of Vision Awards 2024, Sile Walsh is a prominent figure in leadership and organisational development, specialising in the intersection of inclusion, psychological safety, and performance.
With over a decade’s experience working with clients in Ireland and internationally, Sile’s work is renowned for its integrative, psychologically minded, and trauma-informed approach. Her commitment to effective leadership helps organisations transform into high-performing, inclusive workplaces where high-quality work is achieved and people thrive.
We spoke with her about her new book, “Inclusive Leadership: Navigating Organisational Complexity,” which embraces relational, psychological, and performance approaches, empowering readers to lead inclusively, achieve organisational excellence, and succeed sustainably.
The Turning Point
Sile shares the pivotal moment in her career that led her to focus on inclusive leadership. While working closely with leaders and observing their challenges related to managing diverse viewpoints and unexpected challenges, she realised the crucial need for inclusivity in leadership.
While planning her PhD, she became increasingly aware of the importance of ‘inclusive leadership’, influencing her to incorporate it into her practice.
Defining Inclusive Leadership
Sile defines inclusive leadership as “the effective use of inclusion practices in all forms of leadership, whether positional, thought, or social leadership, throughout an organisation with the purpose of co-creating an inclusive, psychologically safe, high-performing organisation”.
Organisations that invest in inclusive leadership make smarter business decisions. From boosting innovation and employee well-being to enhancing performance and reducing turnover, inclusive leadership offers many benefits that contribute to organisational success.
Barriers and Solutions
Discussing the common barriers organisations face in implementing inclusive environments, Sile highlights the importance of integrating inclusivity into core business practices and the need for clear boundaries and expectations.
“Inclusivity initiatives are often additional tasks rather than integral parts of business operations. This segregation can undermine their importance and sustainability. Integration can be achieved by embedding inclusive practices in every business process, from recruitment and training to performance evaluation and strategic planning”, she highlights.
There is also a common misconception that inclusive leadership might compromise meritocracy or efficiency. Some may view it as a tick-box exercise. Organisations must communicate the tangible results of inclusive leadership, such as improved team performance, better decision-making, and increased employee engagement, in order to counter these misconceptions.
Advice for Leaders
For leaders eager to incorporate more inclusive practices into their teams, Sile advises focusing on active listening, building trust, and fostering a psychologically safe working environment. “Engage with people different from themselves and instead of jumping to conclusions, be curious about our own assumptions”
Position inclusion as a practice that enhances both your performance and others’. Rather than viewing inclusion or inclusive leadership as merely a moral badge or marker of personal goodness, focus on integrating inclusive practices into your everyday working methods and problem-solving approaches.
“This will not only allow you to refine these practices but also ensure they are deeply connected to the purpose of your leadership and the influence you aim to wield”, she advises.
