Are you struggling to get your team to perform at its best? Are you unsure about how to unlock the potential of each individual? This week’s guest says the key is inclusive leadership.
Meet Kelli Lester. Kelli is co-founder and partner of Onyx Rising, a change management consulting firm specializing in individual, team, and organizational behavior transformation. Her “occupassion” lies in fostering environments where inclusive leadership thrives, leveraging over two decades of experience to drive meaningful progress.
In this week’s episode, Kelli and I explore what inclusive leadership really looks like, the traits that define it, and the role leaders play in making everyone feel seen, heard, and valued.
Kelli also illustrates how inclusion isn’t just about people—it’s about ideas and perspectives, too. Plus, in the extended episode available to Podcast+ members, she dives deeper into five other inclusive leadership traits and shares how to navigate style differences without friction.
Join the conversation now!
Conversation Topics
- (00:00) Introduction
- (02:13) What is inclusive leadership?
- (06:18) Inclusive leadership begins with self-awareness
- (08:49) What an inclusive workplace really looks like
- (14:04) Inclusion goes beyond people—it’s about ideas, too
- (19:35) Why inclusive leadership matters
- (23:13) A real-life story of inclusion at work
- (27:53) A great manager Kelli has worked for
- (30:17) Keep up with Kelli
- (30:43) [Extended Episode Only] Other inclusive leadership traits that every manager can embody
- (37:34) [Extended Episode Only] Navigating style differences without friction
Additional Resources:
- Read the full transcript
here- Follow me on Instagram
here - Visit my website for more
here- Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
here
Keep up with Kelli Lester
- Follow Kelli on LinkedIn
here- Achieve financial empowerment with Onyx Rising’s Money Matters
here- Visit Onyx Rising for more information
here
FREE Inclusive Leadership Traits Assessment
Kelli is providing members of Podcast+ her Inclusive Leadership Traits Assessment. The PDF includes an overview of inclusive leadership traits and a self-assessment to help you identify areas for improvement.
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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.
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Host Mamie Kanfer Stewart shares practical approaches to help you be a great manager. Learn more at: https://themodernmanager.com/
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