Leadership Tip: Welcoming Leadership

Leaders who are adept at making others feel welcome have a personal confidence that does not demand that they be the center of attention. Instead, they are constantly aware of who is being left out and work to restructure the conversation, and the dynamic, toward greater inclusivity. Welcoming leadership is necessary for expanding leadership tables to include more young adults. 

In practice: Welcoming leadership has been upheld for generations by the Raskob family. For five generations, the members who run the Raskob family’s foundation have prioritized the role, voice, opinions, and leadership of the youngest members, actively working to include them in decision-making. 

“When we are teenagers we are invited into membership of the foundation, and it is very much a part of our family’s culture to value our young adults,” shared Kerry Robinson. “Now I am struck whenever I see this quality manifested by leaders. Personally, I regard it as one of the most important signs of effective leadership.”