Inclusion as the Engine of Transformation
We’re living in what many now call a BANI world: brittle, anxious, nonlinear, and incomprehensible. Change is constant, often unpredictable, and emotionally charged. Yet even as new strategies and technologies emerge, transformation still succeeds or fails on one human factor: whether people feel included.
“Change fails not because people resist — but because they don’t feel included.”
At Pluribus, our experience shows that inclusive leadership is the operating system that makes transformation work. It’s not about control or charisma; it’s about creating conditions where people can contribute, challenge, and commit – even when outcomes are uncertain.
Inclusive Leadership in Action
One leader we worked with – a COO tipped to become the next CEO – faced a defining moment. Pressured to sell a struggling business unit, he began not with spreadsheets, but with listening.
He invited those most affected to share what the numbers couldn’t show: interdependencies, capabilities, and the human impact of divestment. Through that dialogue, he discovered that the unit’s integration with another division made it far more valuable to the organisation’s long-term strategy than first appeared. The decision to retain and restructure, rather than sell, ultimately strengthened both the business and its people.
In navigating that complexity, he demonstrated what inclusive leadership looks like in practice: curiosity to seek diverse perspectives, courage to face uncomfortable truths, compassion for those affected, clarity in communication, co-creation in designing the path forward, and consistency in living the values he asked others to uphold.
That’s the power of inclusive leadership: it turns moments of uncertainty into opportunities for connection, trust, and shared purpose.
The 6 C’s of Inclusive Transformation
From our work globally, we see six interlocking behaviours – aligned with the Pluribus Inclusive Behaviours – that define inclusive transformation:
Together, these 6 C’s act as a compass for leading transformation that is not only strategic but human – enabling progress without losing people along the way.
From Resistance to Resourcefulness
Resistance is inevitable in any change process, but it is not the enemy. Inclusive leaders view resistance as information: a signal of fear, pride, or unspoken concern.
By creating psychological safety for dialogue, they help people move from why me? to why us?, and from anxiety to agency.
“Inclusion is the anchor when everything else feels in flux.”
Written by Kingsley Weber, Senior Associate at Pluribus
Want help re-rooting your DEI strategy?
Our Pluribus team helps organizations design inclusive leadership experiences with integrity, insight and impact. Get in touch with us to explore what that could look like in your region.