Inclusive Leadership in a Diverse Workforce

We live and work in a country shaped by deeply layered histories, competing truths, and the ongoing challenge of forging shared spaces across divides of age, race, class, gender, and background. Leadership, in this context, cannot afford to be rigid or nostalgic. It must be inclusive.

Inclusion is more than a social good. It is now a leadership imperative. And yet, the prevailing leadership models in many South African organisations—autocratic at one extreme, laissez-faire at the other—are increasingly incompatible with the evolving makeup of our workforces and the complexity of the problems we face.

South Africa’s workforce is becoming more diverse, not just demographically, but generationally, professionally, and globally. According to Stats SA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q1 2024), more than a third of employed South Africans are under the age of 35. Many of these younger professionals are navigating hybrid or remote-first environments, entering legacy systems with expectations shaped by global mobility, flexible work norms, and more inclusive values.

On the other hand, many experienced professionals still hold the institutional memory and technical expertise that anchor daily operations. They know how to implement. They understand how decisions ripple through systems. But often, their knowledge was shaped by systems and hierarchies designed for a different era—one that prized uniformity over diversity, seniority over dialogue.

So how do you lead in a way that holds this tension—between experience and experimentation, stability and innovation, hierarchy and equity?

At 54TwentyFour, we believe the answer lies in inclusive leadership.

What is inclusive leadership—and what is it not?

To be inclusive is not to relinquish leadership. Nor is it to abdicate responsibility under the guise of flexibility. It is to recognise that power, when shared with care and clarity, produces better outcomes—for people and performance.

Autocratic leaders lead through command and compliance. Their power rests on positional authority, and the culture they create is often one of silence and survival.

Laissez-faire leaders create confusion: they are permissive to the point of disengagement, delegating without direction.

Inclusive leaders do something else. They lead through clarity, curiosity, and collaboration. They know that diversity alone won’t yield better results. But diversity, when accompanied by psychological safety, trust, and mutual respect, often does.

As Gallup research shows, managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement. Inclusive leaders don't just deliver KPIs—they shape the emotional climate of a team, and by extension, the effectiveness of an entire organisation.

The traits of an inclusive leader

An inclusive leader explains. They don’t assume shared norms—they create shared understanding. They say: “This is how we do things here,” but they also ask, “What works for you?” They navigate difference with specificity, not generality. They are self-aware enough to recognise their own preferences—and intentional enough to ensure those preferences do not become blind spots.

Inclusive leaders also know how to manage complexity without collapsing into bureaucracy. In large organisations, ideas often die in the seven layers between concept and execution. By creating agile, transparent systems for input, decision-making, and feedback, inclusive leaders help organisations move at the speed of relevance.

And perhaps most importantly, inclusive leaders recognise that everyone wants to belong. Not fit in—belong. The difference is subtle but vital. Fitting in demands assimilation. Belonging allows authenticity. It says: “I can bring my full self to this space—and I’m still part of the team.”

Why this matters now

At a time when many South African professionals are considering global employment opportunities—thanks to digital tools and currency disparities—the workplace experience matters more than ever. So too does the leadership experience.

Are people seen? Are they safe to contribute? Are their insights acted upon? Can they influence outcomes? These are the questions that today’s employees are asking—across age groups, backgrounds, and organisational tiers.

This is not about lowering standards or pandering to preferences. It’s about building systems where excellence is sustainable—because people are set up for success.

So where do we begin?

Inclusive leadership is not a personality trait—it’s a discipline. It requires deliberate design. Leaders must be willing to challenge the systems that elevate some voices and suppress others. They must be willing to unlearn.

They must also be willing to hold discomfort. Because to include others is to relinquish some control—not authority, but certainty. It means making space for people who think differently, communicate differently, and work differently. But the payoff is profound: engaged teams, retained talent, and businesses that are fit for the future.

The inclusive leader does not lead from ego. They lead from inquiry. They don’t simply ask for results—they ask for insight. And when they receive it, they act with integrity.

Because when leadership is inclusive, organisations are too.