Doing the work: The role of inclusive leadership in promoting psychological safety and openness to diversity through diversity, equity, and inclusion practices.
Strengthening diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is paramount to effectively meet the needs of an increasingly diverse workforce. In health care, this is compounded with the need for providers to deliver patient-centered care that respects a diversity of backgrounds, values, and beliefs. In this article, we examine the effect of leader inclusiveness on team outcomes including psychological safety (PS) and openness to diversity in health care. Furthermore, we use social identity theory to examine team engagement in DEI practices as a key mediator of the relationship between leader inclusiveness and these team outcomes. In doing so, we advance the literature in two ways. First, despite growing research that links leadership to psychological safety, we know little about the underlying mechanisms that translate leadership behaviors into a comfort speaking up. Additionally, while openness to diversity is recognized as critical in an increasingly diverse workforce, how to cultivate this openness in teams remains largely unexplored. Consistent with past research, we found that inclusive leadership was associated with greater psychological safety and openness to experience among employees. Drawing from social identity theory, we find evidence to support that one's identification with and desire to be a part of the work group, learning about and identifying more with teammates, and the opportunity to practice behaviors associated with psychological safety and openness have the power to change attitudes and views on safety and diversity. We offer practical guidance on how to support these DEI practices from the individual, team, and organizational level.
Woods, Amanda; Zajac, Stephanie A.; Middleton, Eric D.; Cavanaugh, Katelyn J.; Hayes, Wykesha C.; Johnson, Stefanie K.; Holladay, Courtney L. Doing the Work: The Role of Inclusive Leadership in Promoting Psychological Safety and Openness to Diversity Through Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Practices. Psychology of Leaders & Leadership. May2024, Vol. 27 Issue 1, p115-142.