President Shirley M. Collado has made fostering a culture of inclusion a core part of her work since arriving at Ithaca College last year. In an op-ed for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, she shared three practices that can help leaders across different industries build equitable and inclusive workplaces where diverse talent can thrive:
- Create time, space and resources to align your team’s shared values and goals
- Create the understanding that all organizational leaders are responsible for building a more inclusive culture
- Embed diversity and inclusion efforts into what might typically be considered the “mainstream” functions of your organization
“Whether in higher education, business or the nonprofit sector, cultivating an equitable, inclusive workplace culture requires time, dedication and a highly collaborative approach,” Collado wrote. “Investing in this work is something leaders in all industries and from all backgrounds can — and should — do.”