Building a positive workplace culture is essential for organizational success. This article presents valuable insights from leadership experts on fostering inclusive environments and empowering employees. Discover practical strategies for creating a thriving workplace where diverse voices are heard and meaningful work flourishes.
- Leaders Model Inclusive Behavior for Cultural Shift
- Cultivate Psychological Safety Through Open Communication
- Visibility Principle Drives Positive Workplace Culture
- Intentional Leadership Shapes Inclusive Environments
- Create Space for Diverse Voices to Thrive
- Redesign Systems to Foster Equitable Participation
- Inquiry Over Authority Builds Collective Intelligence
- Design Inclusive Systems for Meaningful Work
- Empower Employees to Drive Operational Excellence
- Actions Speak Louder Than Words in Leadership
Leaders Model Inclusive Behavior for Cultural Shift
Leadership sets the tone for whether workplace culture becomes a driver of belonging—or a barrier to it. Culture doesn’t shift because of a mission statement or a DEI training alone; it shifts when leaders consistently model inclusive behavior, make values-based decisions under pressure, and create environments where people feel safe enough to speak up, challenge norms, and thrive.
One powerful example comes from my work with a global investment firm that was facing a breakdown in trust between senior leaders and employees, especially around mental health and inclusion. Rather than relying on performative messaging, the executive team chose to take a vulnerable, accountable approach: they publicly acknowledged employee feedback, shared their own mental health journeys, and partnered with internal ambassadors to co-design structural changes—including mental health policies, peer support programs, and new leadership expectations tied to inclusion metrics.
This wasn’t just a symbolic gesture—it was a commitment to embedding equity into how the business operated. Over time, employee engagement increased, burnout levels dropped, and leaders began to be seen as human again—not just figureheads.
The most effective leadership isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about having the courage to listen, evolve, and lead in ways that make others feel valued and seen. That’s what truly transforms culture.
Bhavik R. Shah
Founder & Culture Change Strategist, Bhavik R. Shah LLC
Cultivate Psychological Safety Through Open Communication
Leadership sets the emotional tone of an organization. I’ve learned that true leadership isn’t about control—it’s about cultivating psychological safety, modeling emotional intelligence, and creating space where every team member feels seen, heard, and valued. In mental health care especially, inclusivity isn’t optional—it’s foundational. When people feel safe to bring their full selves to work, innovation flourishes, collaboration deepens, and burnout decreases.
One example of effective leadership I’ve seen is how we integrated mental health check-ins into our internal communications. We created an open Slack channel where team members can express how they’re feeling using colors or emojis—green for grounded, yellow for stressed, red for overwhelmed. There’s no pressure to explain, but leadership monitors the flow and reaches out quietly when someone’s been “red” for a while. It’s simple, human, and builds trust. It sends the message: We care how you’re doing, not just what you’re producing.
Inclusive leadership starts with presence, empathy, and a willingness to listen without needing to fix. It’s about holding space for people to thrive—not just perform.
Dr. Sam Zand
CEO/Founder, Anywhere Clinic
Visibility Principle Drives Positive Workplace Culture
The role of leadership in cultivating a positive workplace culture isn’t just significant—it’s absolutely foundational. Having managed global teams across five continents, I’ve learned that leadership sets the tone for every interaction, decision, and cultural shift within an organization.
One of the most impactful ways leadership shapes culture is through what I call the “visibility principle.” Leaders must actively demonstrate the behaviors they wish to see in their teams. When I was scaling my previous company, Win Big, I noticed our remote team members felt disconnected from our core operations.
To address this, I implemented a “global coffee chat” initiative where team members from different time zones would connect informally for 15 minutes each week. I personally participated in these chats, sharing both successes and challenges openly. This simple action showed our commitment to transparency and inclusion wasn’t just talk—it was something leadership actively practiced.
The results were remarkable. Within three months, our internal satisfaction surveys showed a 40% increase in team members feeling “connected to the company culture.” Cross-department collaboration increased, and we saw innovation emerge from unlikely partnerships between team members who had never previously interacted.
Leaders shape culture in three critical ways:
1. Through consistent modeling of desired behaviors
2. By creating systems and structures that reinforce cultural values
3. Through quick and visible responses to situations that challenge cultural norms
Most importantly, effective leadership in cultivating workplace culture isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about daily, consistent actions that demonstrate commitment to your stated values. When leaders “walk the talk,” employees notice and naturally align their behaviors with the desired culture.
Maurizio Petrone
Founder & CEO, PressHERO
Intentional Leadership Shapes Inclusive Environments
Leadership isn’t just part of building a positive and inclusive workplace—it’s the driving force behind it. Great cultures don’t happen by accident; they’re created, shaped, and sustained by leaders who lead with purpose, accountability, and vision. When leadership is intentional, inclusive, and people-focused, it sets the tone for everything—from how teams collaborate to how individuals feel seen, heard, and valued.
At its core, leadership defines the workplace standard. It influences how employees treat each other, how decisions are made, and whether diversity and inclusion are truly embedded in the culture or just buzzwords on a poster. Leaders have the power to either reinforce the status quo or challenge it to create real, lasting change. Inclusive leaders actively listen, seek diverse perspectives, and make room at the table for voices that have historically been overlooked. They don’t just support inclusion—they live it.
Consider this real-world example: when Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft, he didn’t just focus on business performance—he prioritized transforming the company’s culture. He introduced a growth mindset philosophy, emphasized empathy, and championed inclusion at every level. By shifting the leadership tone, he helped break down silos, encourage collaboration, and create space for diverse thinking. The result? A dramatic cultural turnaround that not only boosted employee engagement but also drove innovation and growth across the company.
That’s the power of leadership in action. It’s about more than delivering results—it’s about building environments where people thrive, differences are celebrated, and everyone has a fair shot at success.
When leaders lead with intention, courage, and authenticity, they don’t just influence culture—they redefine it.
Joia Nuri, PCC
Executive Leadership Coach, In The Public Eye Coaching
Create Space for Diverse Voices to Thrive
I strongly believe that leadership plays the most crucial role in shaping a positive and inclusive workplace. It is not about grand speeches; it is about daily actions that make people feel respected and involved.
We once observed that new team members were not speaking much in meetings. One of our team leads quietly implemented a change. Instead of always leading discussions, they started allowing different team members to run the meetings—even interns.
That single change made a significant difference. People began sharing more ideas. One of those ideas led to a feature improvement we still use today.
This demonstrated to me that true inclusion happens when leaders create space, listen, and step back when necessary. You do not need a formal policy to build culture. You need action, and it always starts with leadership.
Vivek Nair
Co-Founder, BotGauge
Redesign Systems to Foster Equitable Participation
We’ve seen firsthand how leadership is the linchpin in shaping workplace culture. Inclusive environments don’t emerge by chance—they’re the result of intentional leadership that prioritizes empathy, psychological safety, and systemic fairness. When leaders model inclusion, it sets a precedent that ripples through every level of the organization.
Leadership is more than just directing tasks; it’s about influencing mindset and behaviors. Inclusive leadership goes beyond performative diversity—it involves recognizing individual strengths, encouraging diverse perspectives, and holding space for open dialogue. Crucially, positive workplace culture isn’t only about being welcoming—it’s about ensuring equity in opportunity and voice. When a leader actively listens, adapts communication styles, and advocates for underrepresented voices in decision-making processes, inclusion becomes embedded in the culture.
One example that stands out comes from a tech startup we supported through executive coaching. The CEO noticed that while the company had a 50/50 gender split, women rarely spoke up in senior team meetings. Rather than assuming the issue was with individual confidence, the CEO implemented anonymous feedback surveys and hired a coach to facilitate inclusive meeting practices.
He later realized that the meeting structure, often dominated by rapid-fire debate and interruption, discouraged quieter voices from contributing. So, he introduced structured turn-taking, rotating facilitators, and asynchronous ideation for introverted thinkers. Within three months, participation rates among women and non-binary staff increased by over 40%. The most remarkable part? The innovation rate for cross-functional projects spiked as more diverse voices contributed early-stage ideas.
In Canada, a study by the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion found that inclusive workplace cultures correlate directly with employee loyalty, especially among racialized and LGBTQ2S+ employees. These leaders foster environments where employees feel safe to speak up, which is vital in psychological safety—the No. 1 predictor of team success according to Google’s Project Aristotle.
Leadership is the foundation of workplace culture—especially in today’s diverse, hybrid, and complex work environments. An inclusive culture starts when leaders walk the talk: they listen actively, challenge their own blind spots, and redesign systems to serve all employees equitably.
Miriam Groom
CEO, Mindful Career Inc., Mindful Career
Inquiry Over Authority Builds Collective Intelligence
Leadership plays a fundamental role in cultivating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. In my book, I emphasize that culture is not what’s written on the walls but what leaders model every day. Inclusion and trust are built when leaders move away from the need to have all the answers and instead create space for shared ownership. When a leader listens with intention, stays open to new perspectives, and chooses curiosity over control, they signal that every voice matters.
One of the most effective leadership behaviors I’ve seen is when a leader resists the urge to play the hero in moments of tension or uncertainty. Instead of jumping in with a solution, they pause and ask thoughtful questions: “What’s your take on this?” or “What might we be missing here?” By showing vulnerability and admitting they don’t have all the answers, they invite others to contribute and co-create solutions. This shift—from authority to inquiry—not only builds psychological safety but strengthens the team’s collective intelligence and ownership of outcomes.
Luciana Paulise
Leadership Coach, Lucy Paulise
Design Inclusive Systems for Meaningful Work
I believe leadership sets the tone in what’s said, what’s tolerated, celebrated, and designed into the way people work. We’ve always asked ourselves: How can we work better? Not easier in a lazy sense, but simpler, smarter, and more meaningful, for both clients and our own team.
To me, inclusion is about designing systems that don’t waste people’s time, that reduce friction, strip out repetitive noise, and let people do real, valuable work.
One example: when we build Salesforce solutions, we design with accessibility in mind. Our portals are keyboard-navigable, screen-reader friendly, and colorblind-compliant, because real inclusion means building for everyone, including people you’ll never meet.
That mindset extends internally too. We invest in junior employees, retrain people from outside tech, and create space for experimentation. Culture happens in the way you scope a project, run a team, and define what success looks like.
Mathieu Sroussi
Co-Founder & CEO, SmartenUp
Empower Employees to Drive Operational Excellence
Leadership isn’t just about directing operations—it’s the cornerstone of building a workplace where people feel valued, heard, and motivated to excel. In the fast-paced 3PL industry, where we’re constantly adapting to evolving eCommerce demands, inclusive leadership creates the foundation for innovation and resilience.
I’ve found that cultivating an inclusive workplace starts with psychological safety. When team members feel safe to voice concerns, share ideas, and even admit mistakes without fear of judgment, magic happens. This approach has been transformative, especially when navigating the complex relationships between eCommerce brands and their fulfillment partners.
One example I’m particularly proud of involves our matching team, who connects merchants with the right 3PL partners. Last year, we faced recurring issues with certain types of integrations. Rather than pointing fingers, we created cross-functional problem-solving sessions where everyone—from seasoned logistics veterans to newer team members—had an equal voice. The junior analyst who eventually proposed our solution might never have spoken up in a more hierarchical environment.
The 3PL industry operates on thin margins and precise execution, making it tempting to adopt a command-and-control leadership style. But I’ve learned that empowering employees with decision-making authority actually improves operational excellence. When warehouse staff feel ownership over their processes, they develop creative solutions that someone sitting in an office might never imagine.
Effective leadership in our space also requires modeling the behaviors we expect. I make it a point to admit when I don’t have all the answers (a frequent occurrence in our rapidly evolving industry!) and demonstrate that continuous learning is valued more than perfect knowledge.
The result? Lower turnover, stronger partnerships with our 3PL network, and most importantly, better outcomes for the eCommerce brands who trust us with their fulfillment strategies. In logistics, culture isn’t just a nice-to-have—it directly impacts the bottom line.
Joe Spisak
CEO, Fulfill(dot)com
Actions Speak Louder Than Words in Leadership
Leadership plays a significant role in this context. One particular way in which leading through actions is far more impactful than leading through words is evident here. It is one thing for a leader to say, “We value an inclusive workplace culture,” and it’s another thing for them to actually take steps to make that kind of culture a reality. Creating accommodations for workers’ individual needs, celebrating employees, asking for advice on how to make things better, etc., are just some of the ways leaders can lead through action in this regard.
Edward Tian
CEO, GPTZero