Canadian Government Executive - Volume 27 - Issue 03

BY MEGAN FOWLER LEARNING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION 18 / Canadian Government Executive // May/June 2021 MILLENNIAL OUTLOOK N ow more than ever, the pub- lic service is imbued with di- versity and inclusion through specialized positions, strate- gies, and commitments. Key indicators of success feature diversity in lead- ers and leadership styles across management levels. Diversity enables leaders differentiated by race, gender, age, disability, and other in- tersecting attributes to shine beyond the goal of representation and different leadership ap- proaches. People from diverse backgrounds and experiences should feel empowered to explore leadership opportunities that are au- thentic to their values and practices. The Ontario Public Service (OPS) seeks to understand the role and strength that ema- nates from diversity and inclusion. In 2018, Indigenous employees occupied only 3.4 per cent of OPS senior leadership positions. This article explores mainstream leadership ideas, frames Indigenous leadership styles, and connects the two through the public service’s expressed commitment to diversity and in- clusion. Inclusive leadership The importance of leadership to effective governance cannot be overstated. Many studies define the overarching competen- cies and capabilities that characterize an ideal leader. In 2020, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) determined four leadership ca- pabilities: values-based leadership, open inclusion, organizational stewardship, and networked collaboration. An inclusive leader keeps pace with and translates the evolving diversity dialogue into beneficial outcomes for the public service. In 2010, the OPS released the Leader- Manager Competency Model. According to the Centre for Leadership and Learning, the opportunities to see themselves possessing the necessary competencies and capabilities to attain leadership positions. Recognizing Indigenous talent The OPS Blueprint and surveys on diver- sity and inclusion re-affirm the priority for change. Current leadership and hiring prac- tices need to recognize and promote Indige- nous talent and create an inclusive space that brings Indigenous peoples and their leader- ship styles to the public service. The OPS should continue to inculcate employees’ cul- tural competency while sustaining outreach and engagement with current and potential Indigenous employees. It also needs to mon- itor and assess how an inclusive workplace culture is impacted by these measures. Enhancing relationships with diverse em- ployees generally, and with Indigenous em- ployees specifically, should be a top priority if the public service is to be an employer of choice. Reflecting the population served at all levels and in all endeavours increases representation, citizen participation, and government legitimacy. Moving forward, public service organiza- tions should apply diversity and inclusion strategies in innovative ways. Levering the leadership styles and talents of potential lead- ers who come from many cultures and have unique gifts redistributes equitable outcomes that are good for government and society. Megan Fowler Is A Citizen Of The Métis Nation Of Ontario, Project Manager At Chiefs Of Ontario, And Candidate For The Master Of Public Policy, Administration And Law At York University. (M.Fowlerme@ Gmail.Com) model has four competencies—transforms, delivers, inspires, connects—and two per- sonality attributes—integrity, self-aware- ness. More recently, the OPS launched its Inclusion and Diversity Blueprint, commit- ting to diversity and ensuring that OPS lead- ership reflects the population served. Indigenous leadership Indigenous leadership is rarely expressed, understood, or valued in the same ways as non-Indigenous leadership. This may be one of the contributing factors causing dis- satisfaction, as well as lack of inclusion of Indigenous peoples in leadership and the OPS more broadly. Communal, consensus-based, communi- ty-driven practices, rather than individual- istic, hierarchical approaches, are integral to Indigenous leadership. The Indigenous Institutes Consortium illustrated the Seven Sacred Teachings, Anishinaabe teachings on how individuals should be guided and con- duct themselves. Many Indigenous nations have their own protocols and teachings on responsibility and leadership. There is tension in non-Indigenous leader- ship styles, whereby the autonomy afforded through title needs to be balanced with ac- countability to those led. Indigenous com- munities view leadership as a duty, where accountability is necessary to retain a viable leadership role. By understanding and appre- ciating the cultural protocols, value systems, and accountability mechanisms that have sustained Indigenous communities for mil- lennia, Indigenous employees can thrive in leadership roles alongside OPS colleagues. Through a diversity and inclusion lens, mainstream competencies and capabilities espoused by the OECD and OPS can be ex- panded to embrace Indigenous leadership. The Indigenous leadership style manages competing perspectives within its commu- nal approach. It creates space for inclusion that is collaborative and promotes trust- building. Understanding leadership in these ways betters the public service as a whole, while providing Indigenous employees with FROM INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIP Always deliver more than expected.Your history and your culture influence your type of leadership. Indigenous peoples come to leadership with their own history and consequently see things differently. — MONIKA ILLE for the Globe and Mail series on Indigenous Leadership