The Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Growth through People campaign champions inclusive and responsible leadership as a means of boosting productivity.

WE LEAD Entrepreneurs in Residence Menghen Kang and James o Toole gave a fantastic keynote as part of this campaign. They reflected on their own stories of leadership in international entrepreneurship and the importance of nurturing talent and the next generation of leaders. Professor Kiran Trehan also took part in a panel debate as part of the campaign with leaders from different sectors across the region to share their insights on responsible leadership.

Key messages from these events were that an important aspect of responsible leadership is creating an inclusive and diverse environment which reflects communities in which organisations are based. Inclusivity and diversity are not just about aesthetic diversity it is also about diversity in thought processes and perspectives.  In order to create inclusivity it is important to put research and conversations into action to create change.

Culture change is key when creating more inclusive working environments. An enabling culture is key to the success of creating inclusive works force, creating a collective approach where each individual has a responsibility to make the change. Peer to peer mentoring and reverse mentoring are also critical to leadership development.