More perspectives make better decisions.
Learn from different communication styles, backgrounds, and ways of solving problems.
An inclusive mindset builds your leadership and people skills. As you move up, your success depends on your ability to unite different types of people and make everyone feel heard.
In any workplace, you’ll work with people who have different communication styles, backgrounds, and ways of solving problems. Instead of seeing these differences as hurdles, treat them as chances to learn. When a coworker approaches a task in a way that feels wrong to you, stop and ask yourself, “What do they see that I might be missing?”
Inclusion is a habit you practice every day by making sure the loudest voice isn’t the only one heard. In group chats or meetings, you can lead by example by inviting others to the conversation. Simply saying, “We haven’t heard from the technical team yet; what are your thoughts?” ensures the final result is better for everyone. Being a professional who values every perspective doesn’t just make you a nice person—it makes you a more informed and effective decision-maker.
Put these approaches into practice.
Let’s look at practical ways to treat differences as data points that prevent blind spots.
“I used to get frustrated with a teammate who wanted to spend hours whiteboarding before writing a single line of code. I thought he was wasting time. I finally asked him to walk me through his logic, and I realized he was spotting potential bugs I wouldn't have found until launch. By leaning into his slow style, I became a much faster and more accurate developer.”
DON’T assume that your way of approaching a task is the right way and view a coworker's different method as an error or a hurdle.
DO stop and ask yourself, “What do they see that I might be missing?” whenever a colleague’s style feels foreign or wrong to you.
“In our marketing syncs, the sales leads always talked over the designers. I decided to start specifically asking the designers for their input on the user experience. Not only did our campaigns get more cohesive, but the Creative Director thanked me for ensuring her team felt heard. It established me as a leader who values everyone's time.”
DON’T allow the loudest voices or the most senior people in the room to dominate the conversation while others remain silent.
DO lead by example by inviting others into the conversation with prompts like, “We haven’t heard from the technical team yet; what are your thoughts?”
“I used to send long, detailed emails to my manager, but she never replied. I realized she preferred quick, bulleted Slack messages. Once I switched my style to match hers, our projects moved twice as fast. I learned that being an effective communicator is about the recipient, not the sender.”
DON’T default to your own preferred communication style (e.g., long emails, quick pings, or face-to-face) and expect everyone else to adapt to you.
DO identify the diverse communication styles of your teammates and adapt your approach to ensure your message is actually received.
“I was ready to launch a new internal portal, but I decided to ask the HR assistant—who uses our tools the most—to test it first. She found three navigation issues that would have frustrated the entire company. Seeking her perspective made me a more informed decision-maker and saved me from a messy rollout.”
DON’T make high-stakes decisions based only on your own data or the data from your immediate department.
DO actively seek out a "view from the outside" to pressure-test your logic and ensure the final result is better for the whole organization.
“When I was put in charge of a cross-functional task force, I made it a rule that we wouldn't move forward until we had dissenting opinions on the table. It was uncomfortable at first, but it prevented us from making two major financial errors. My VP told me that my ability to manage productive disagreement is why I’m being considered for a Director role.”
DON’T view inclusion as a nicety or a social obligation; don't ignore the business value of diverse backgrounds.
DO recognize that valuing every perspective makes you a more effective leader, as it builds the logic and critical thinking skills needed to unite complex teams.
Who on your team has a completely different working style than you, and what’s one thing you can learn from them?
Integrate these professional strategies into your workflow—whether you’re refining your own work or mentoring your team or clients.