Beyond Discomfort Research Report 1: Harnessing The Power of Discomfort For Impactful Inclusive Leadership

In this free report, we address some of the most common challenges leaders face: how to navigate the uncomfortable, knotty complexity that comes with leading with inclusion. We also tackle pressing questions such as how to support leaders in becoming more receptive to learning, acknowledging biases and inequities, understanding diverse perspectives, and enhancing their willingness to act to foster inclusion and equity. By analysing the experiences of our diverse sample of leaders, we have identified three specific areas of discomfort: not knowing what to do, the fear of getting it “wrong”, and the risk of leading upwards. We offer practical support, evidence-based strategies, and actionable recommendations to help leaders and organisations harness the power of their discomfort, using it to fuel their inclusive practices and growth, and lead Beyond Discomfort.

Our research highlights the unique and amplified complexities faced by minority inclusive leaders. These leaders not only navigate the common discomforts of inclusion but also experience issues such as representing their marginalised group, being an inclusive role model while facing exclusion or discrimination themselves, and not conforming to gendered leadership stereotypes. This report breaks the taboo around discomfort in inclusive leadership, encouraging leaders to work with these challenges, and process these emotions rather than against them. We encourage organisations to reflect on our findings, particularly the experiences of minority-identifying leaders, to help broaden their understanding of diverse perspectives, biases, and privileges, while enhancing their willingness to act in support of inclusion and equity.