Inclusive leadership doesn’t just happen. It takes intention and culture. Real inclusive leadership is more than just having a strategy. You need people to lead. Inclusive leadership practices are necessary to build cultures that last. Peter Drucker, said “Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast.”

Your organization’s culture determines whether it can sustain itself, retain employees, be a hub of innovation and provide amazing service. Your reputation is built on how people feel about its culture, and their ability to succeed.

It’s the culture of an organization that motivates people towant to jump out of bed and get to work every day. It’s the culture of an organization that makes employees want to do their best work over and over. And it’s the leaders of organizations that envision, enact and engage people at every level to contribute to that culture.

I recently spoke with Niki Leondakis, CEO of Equinox Fitness Clubs. Niki is a visionary leader with a great track record, and best practices to share. I’ve followed her work since she was COO of Kimpton Hotels.

Niki Leondakis is one of those leaders with vision, who knows how to support a diverse workforce and make everyone feel like they belong.

“A great workplace culture is where all team members are honored for who they are. They feel empowered to be their whole self, and not fit into a mold. It’s essential that employees at all levels including housekeeping and maintenance staff are empowered to activate random acts of kindness towards each other and our guests,” she told me.

“How do you empower employees to want to take initiative?” I asked “

“I realized early on that I can’t assume what I think they want. I need to talk to them. Every company has a different culture, and employees have different needs. I went on a listening tour to find out what they needed to do their best work, and what I could do to support them. If there was something in the culture that wasn’t working or supporting people, we need to change that.”

Niki believes in making everyone feel special and recognizing the value they bring. That recognition helps them feel more confident in taking initiative to creatively find ways to meet the needs of their customers.

A true inclusive leader has extreme confidence when it comes to supporting their team. They’re not threatened by other people’s intelligence, experience or talents. They are smart enough to hire people who excel in areas they don’t, or who bring specific strengths that they lack. The