Beyond Diversity Checkboxes: Advancing Global Leadership Through Inclusive Climate and Culture

Rebecca Chunghee Kim
Professor, NUCB Business School
Hugh Scullion
Emeritus Professor, Hull University Business School

Global crises, such as COVID-19, have redefined the essence of leadership.
A recent study by Kim and Scullion (2025) critically explores why inclusive leadership is no longer merely a diversity initiative, but a vital tool for crisis management and organizational sustainability.
By fostering both belongingness and uniqueness, leaders can build resilient organizations capable of navigating a turbulent global landscape.
This study contributes to growing scholarship and business practice by illuminating why —and to what extent—a more holistic approach to global leadership and inclusion (moving beyond diversity) is essential during volatile global dynamics and turbulent times.

Beyond Diversity: The Strategic Shift to Inclusive Leadership

Historically, many organizations treated diversity and inclusion as a public relations strategy or a “checkbox” for international business. However, recent global turbulence has exposed a "fault line" in traditional leadership models. True inclusive leadership goes beyond merely mingling diverse people in one place; it requires developing the attitudes and arrangements that support them.

Research by Randel et al. (2018) and Shore et al. (2011) indicates that inclusive leadership is an empirical, positive set of behaviors that allow employees to feel a sense of belonging while retaining their unique individuality. In today’s interconnected world, where competition for talent has shifted to a global level, creating a culture where people feel valued and confident is a strategic priority.

Leading Through the Storm: The Time-Sensitive Leader

A critical lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic is that what people require from leaders in a crisis differs significantly from “ordinary times.” During periods of high turbulence, people have stronger needs for comfort, support, and inclusion.

Kim et al. (2024) found that to be effective in a crisis, inclusive leaders must remain calm and focused to navigate complex situations and reassure their followers. This calmness is closely linked to resilience—defined by Sutcliffe and Vogus (2003) as the ability to maintain positive adjustments under challenging conditions. Leaders who transparently share data on risky situations and show high fidelity to their core values help build the trust necessary to inspire employees during difficult times.

A Multidisciplinary Approach to Global Society

Inclusive leadership is inherently multidisciplinary, interacting with fields ranging from gender inclusion to global talent management. It is not just about internal team dynamics; it is about how leaders interact with the broader global society.
Leaders must practice openness and accessibility beyond their immediate followers to create an inclusive climate. This involves adopting the “six signature traits” identified by Bourke and Titus (2020): visible commitment, humility, awareness of bias, curiosity, cultural intelligence, and effective collaboration. By understanding these multidisciplinary angles, leaders can better manage teams that gather the collective capabilities of people from different cultures, generations, and backgrounds.

Sustainability and the Future of Global Work

Research suggests that over the past 25 years, interest in Global Talent Management (GTM) has increased considerably, with global leadership talent emerging as a top concern for multinational corporations (MNCs). While leadership in GTM comes from both academia and practice, Björkman et al. (2017) highlight the need for more research on the linkage between GTM and leadership development, as these links remain underdeveloped.
Furthermore, Scullion and Starkey (2000) emphasize that corporate HR functions in MNCs increasingly coordinate the mobility and careers of strategic global talent pools. This suggests the need for a more inclusive global talent approach; however, the links between deglobalization and inclusive leadership have received limited attention. Addressing this is vital for sustainability, as firms must create “shared value” (Porter & Kramer, 2011) to maintain legitimacy. Ultimately, inclusive leadership and sustainability both respond to the reality that in a global crisis, “we are all in this together.”

Leaders in Turbulent Times: Moving Beyond Diversity Checkboxes to Strategic Resilience and Organizational Sustainability

Synthesis of Inclusive Leadership

As a final outcome of our research, Figure 1 summarizes the key features of inclusive leadership research, identifying three interrelated dimensions:

• Empirical Dimension: A set of positive leader behaviors that foster a sense of belongingness and uniqueness, serving as a strategic priority for diversity management.
• Multidisciplinary Dimension: Interactions with global society and multidisciplinary teams, characterized by traits like humility, cultural intelligence, and effective collaboration.
• Time-Sensitive Dimension: The consideration of institutional dynamics across different time periods, particularly the specific needs that arise during a global crisis.

By aligning these dimensions, global business leaders in the contemporary market can adopt a more holistic model of inclusive leadership to navigate continuous and ever-evolving global turbulence (Kim & Scullion, 2025).

Selected references

• Björkman, I., Ehrnooth, M., Makela.K., Smale, A., & Sumelius, J. (2017). Talent Management in Multinational Companies. In D.G. Collings, K, Mellahi & W.E. Cascio (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Talent Management. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Bourke, J., & Titus, A. (2020, March 6). The Key to Inclusive Leadership, Harvard Business Review.
• Kim, R.C., Scullion, H., Mohan, A., Jooss, S., & Uddin, H. (2024). Inclusive leadership in times of global crisis: how CEOs of multinational enterprises responded to COVID-19. Critical Perspectives on International Business, 21(2), 257-287.
• Kim, R.C., & Scullion, H. (2025). Inclusive Leadership in a Turbulent Global World: A Systematic Review and Future Research Directions. Advances in Global Leadership, 16 (151-166): 978-1-83662-289-5.
• Porter, M., & Kramer, M. R. (2011). Creating shared value. Harvard Business Review, 89(1/2), 62–77.
• Randel, A.E., Galvin, B.M., Shore, L.M., Ehrhart, K.H., Chung, B.G., Dean, M.A., & Kedharnath, U. (2017). Inclusive leadership: Realizing positive outcomes through belongingness and being valued for uniqueness. Human Resource Management Review, 28(2): 190–03.
• Scullion, H., & Starkey, K. (2000). In Search of the Changing Role of the Corporate HR Function in the International Firm, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11(6): 1061-1081.
• Shore, L.M., Randel, A.E., Chung, B.G., Dean, M.A., Holcombe Ehrhart, K., & Singh, G. (2011). Inclusion and diversity in work groups: A review and model for future research. Journal of Management, 37(4): 1262–1289.
• Sutcliffe, K.M., & Vogus, T.J. (2003). Organizing for resilience. In K.S. Cameron, E. Dutton, & R.E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline (pp. 94-110). Berrett-Koehler.