The Importance of Inclusive Leadership

Drawing from the insights of experienced leaders and CAPC’s own internal learning journey, this tool provides foundational guidance for palliative care leaders in this changing landscape. It underscores the importance of cultivating inclusive, respectful, and psychologically safe environments within health care organizations, particularly in palliative care and serious illness care, where empathy and understanding are crucial. In these settings, the leader’s capacity to support a healthy team is inherently tied to the quality of patient care. This includes recognizing differences in identity and experience, working to ensure fair treatment and opportunities, and cultivating a sense of safety and support across the team.

Enhancing Patient and Staff Experience

There are many benefits of an inclusive and supportive workplace culture:

  • Improved Patient Care: Teams that reflect and respect the communities they serve are more likely to provide culturally responsive, person-centered care, improving communication and reducing disparities.
  • Enhanced Innovation and Problem-Solving: Teams with varied perspectives bring different outlooks and ideas, fostering creativity and innovation in care delivery. In health care, this can lead to improved team function and new approaches to patient care.
  • Increased Employee Satisfaction and Retention: Environments where employees feel a sense of belonging are more likely to retain staff. This reduces turnover, which is particularly important in health care where there is often a shortage of skilled professionals.
  • Recruiting Top Talent: A strong, inclusive team culture attracts a wider pool of qualified candidates—especially in competitive labor markets and among younger candidates. Ensure that all job postings are written in a way that makes every candidate feel welcomed and encouraged to apply, regardless of their background or identity.

Inclusive leadership creates a strong and dynamic workplace and more effective health care delivery.

Fostering a Brave Space to Discuss your Team’s Values and Priorities

Any team will occasionally have friction, and conflict may arise when team members have different priorities, styles, or perspectives. A leader can’t prevent every instance of conflict, but they can foster a team culture in which respectful, open dialogue and trust enable conflicts to be discussed and addressed. A brave space is a team culture in which team members feel psychologically secure to express their thoughts, especially in discussions that delve into personal aspects of values, culture, and belonging.

"We are realizing that we need to have difficult conversations. That’s something that we often say to patients in palliative care, but now it’s true for us as a team as well. [...] We can't resolve this with quick solutions that are like Band-Aids on gaping wounds. So, we start by acknowledging the issue and finding something feasible, authentic, sustainable, and purposeful to do."

- Sarah Winawer-Wetzel, MBA
CAPC Leadership Series, 2021

3 Key Strategies

Encourage and Model Inclusive Conversations:

  • Recognize the importance of addressing challenging topics openly and in a timely manner, to foster a team norm that difficult conversations are not avoided but embraced as opportunities for growth.
  • To foster a culture of trust and collaboration, set an expectation that you and your team members assume positive intent from one another—while considering how your words and actions will impact your colleagues.
  • As a leader, your role is not to have all the answers but to create space for learning and growth. One of the most powerful ways to lead is by modeling openness, curiosity, and a willingness to improve.
  • Show your team that feedback is welcome and valued. When receiving feedback, focus on listening without defensiveness and expressing appreciation. Demonstrating this in your own behavior sets the tone for a healthy, respectful culture where others feel safe to share as well.

Avoid Quick Solutions:

  • Avoid trying for a ‘quick fix’ to team culture issues, and prioritize sustainable, intentional culture change over time.
  • Acknowledge that lasting change takes time and commitment.

Involve the Whole Team:

  • Begin with clear, accessible conversations about your team’s shared values, such as respect, inclusion, and collaboration. Do not assume everyone starts from the same place. Reinforce these ideas regularly through team meetings, reflective check-ins, and supervision. Use real examples from your team's work to show how respectful and inclusive practices apply in daily interactions.
  • Encourage and create space for everyone to give voice to their values, starting by making sure that you are not reinforcing the traditional medical hierarchy in your team discussions.
  • Use practical tools to support communication and growth. Give your team simple, effective tools for navigating feedback and sensitive conversations. For example, the SBI model (Situation, Behavior, Impact) helps structure feedback in a way that is respectful and focused.
  • Encourage a team culture grounded in curiosity and compassion. Create shared norms for how your team communicates, especially during moments of disagreement. Ongoing reflection and consistency are key to building trust and shared understanding.

Conclusion

The work of building an inclusive and supportive team culture is ongoing. By leading with intention, humility, and respect, you empower your team to create a healthier, more collaborative, and more compassionate environment—for each other and for the patients you serve.

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