Cultivating Psychological Safety Through Inclusive Leadership – Recap of Lifting as you Lead Mentoring Circles Program

November 16, 2023 – Defence Stories

Unity brings strength. Annually, the Diversity and Inclusion Office, Materiel Group, National Defence hosts the Lifting as you Lead Mentoring Circles (LLMC) program, the largest group mentoring initiative for members of the Government of Canada and the Canadian Armed Forces.

From September and through to December 2023, we find ourselves in the midst of the program’s third cohort, featuring an impressive 700+ participants from over 30 different departments. These individuals are actively engaged in one of the program’s 75 group mentoring circles.

To mark the second week of the 10-week Inclusive Leadership program, LLMC participants gathered within their respective circles to explore the themes of the second discussion guide, “Inclusive Leadership”. They engaged in in-depth conversations about the crucial role leaders play in fostering safety and inclusivity in the workplace, delving into the leadership behaviours that cultivate psychologically safer environments.

As defined by the program guide, inclusive leadership involves promoting and embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion within an organisation or community while also creating an environment of psychological safety. The focus this week was on key concepts like “courage”, “empathy, compassion, and care”, highlighting the responsibility that inclusive leaders have in fostering a psychologically safe space for their team members.

Simon Sinek’s TedTalk “Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe” sparked group discussions about the intersection of inclusivity as a guiding leadership principle and the importance of creating a safe environment. Inclusive leadership goes beyond the basics, ensuring that team members feel secure enough to bring their best selves to work. When individuals feel safe and supported in their roles, they become more productive. Many participants recognized that this message underscores the vital role leaders in the federal public service play in cultivating psychologically safe work environments, allowing public servants to excel in serving Canadians.

Participants engaged in intimate discussions, sharing their personal experiences in the workplace. One participant spoke about the necessity of leading with compassion, underlining the importance of being in tune with others’ intentions and carefully considering how we respond to challenging situations. In this member’s view, inclusive leadership hinges on the courage to be vulnerable when the circumstances demand it. This crucial point highlights that true leadership goes beyond mere authority; it involves understanding, connecting with, and uplifting others.

Another participant drew connections between their personal experience as an immigrant and their evolving understanding of inclusive leadership. Growing up under a dictatorship, the concept of leadership for this individual had been associated with overpowering control to which one must submit. The understanding that inclusive leadership represents a profound shift in power dynamics elicited a sense of calm. Inclusive leadership thus signifies the collective responsibility that each of us holds as contributing members of society, where leadership is a shared endeavour rather than a position of dominance.

The Masterclass featured Jan Campbell, a highly experienced advisor to non-profit, public agency, and business leaders. She is the CEO and founder of Strategisense Consulting, and she has worked with thousands of leaders and teams from some of Canada's most recognized organisations to foster resilient, curious, and deeply committed leadership cultures. The session drew over 325 participants, all of whom, in the words of Diversity and Inclusion Office’s Section Head Samantha Moonsammy, “showed up to take care of their workplace and their families” amid the challenges and uncertainties of today's world.

Jan Campbell provided a comprehensive analysis of how inclusive leaders can cultivate a culture of inclusivity. She explained that true inclusive leadership creates a culture by mobilising others, articulating an engaging vision, and energising people to participate in the work of inclusivity. Inclusive leadership becomes a substantial systemic change project across all the domains within an organisation. Jan also highlighted areas for change and emphasised that every member can have an impact within specific domains. In breakout sessions, participants reflected on the specific areas in which they could drive change.

Jan’s presentation was as insightful as it was deeply thought-provoking, reaffirming the understanding that inclusive leadership can be implemented at all levels, and so empowering individuals to consider the steps they can take to transform our work culture.

To learn more about the LLMC Discussion Guide and Masterclass on Inclusive Leadership, visit the GC wiki for all the resources:

Lifting as you Lead Mentoring Circles (LLMC) program
Circle Discussion Guide – Inclusive Leadership (PDF, 4.67 MB)
Masterclass – Inclusive Leadership with Masterclass Teacher Jan Campbell

LLMC is brought to you by the Diversity and Inclusion Office, Materiel Group, National Defence. For more information, please connect:

Email: diversityandinclusion-diversiteetinclusion@forces.gc.ca
Wiki: Diversity and Inclusion Office​​

Together, let’s work together towards a more equitable, psychologically safer, diverse and inclusive Federal Public Service. Inclusion means everyone, always.