The tools we require to weave a new, seamless tapestry of cohesion and inclusivity   

Introduction 

In an increasingly pluralistic society like Singapore, the diversity of identity markers spanning race, religion, age, diverse abilities and class woven into our shared societal tapestry is nothing new.  

But today, these markers carry heavier significance in daily interactions, public discourse, and workplace dynamics. What once sat silently beneath the surface now demands greater cultural intelligence, which is the ability in empowering people to communicate, connect, and collaborate meaningfully where difference is the norm, not the exception.  

This juncture marks the point where inclusive leadership becomes an imperative. 

Inclusive leadership  

A leadership style rooted in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), inclusive leadership ensures that everyone within an organisation or team is valued and enabled. No one is left behind.  

This is vital because it directly shapes how people feel, function and flourish in increasingly diverse situations. 

By designing spaces where individuals truly feel a sense of belonging, inclusive leadership knits together the varied threads of our shared tapestry, crafting seamless patterns of cohesive resilience that can only emerge through the combined skilful hands of all. 

Understanding the Evolving Context 

According to the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Working Papers No. 60 (2025), markers of identity have shifted considerably over the past five years.  While race and religion remain salient, there has been a marked increase in the perceived importance of language and country of origin. Concurrently, youth in Singapore are showing higher engagement in social issues including mental health, climate change and global humanitarian crises.  

However, deeper societal concerns persist. Two in five youths report high mental health risks and Singaporeans today have fewer close friendships than in 2018. 

These findings suggest a society that is increasingly expressive, with individuals more aware of, and vocal, about their concerns, signalling a growing desire for participation and co-creation in shaping social norms.  

Such a context comes a corresponding need for leaders to navigate and manage change effectively; making inclusive leadership not only an ethical ideal but a requisite. To equip leaders with the self-awareness, skills, and frameworks needed to respond to this evolving societal landscape, IPS has crafted a set of tools as part of our Inclusive Leadership (IL) workshop series.  

These consist of the A-W-E model, the four stages of Psychological Safety and the People-Values-Task (PVT) framework, respectively. 

1. Applying the A-W-E Model of Inclusive Leadership 

The A-W-E model framework — Awareness, Willingness to Act and Empathy, serves as a foundational model to arm inclusive capabilities among leaders:  

• Awareness involves recognising how biases, systems and structures influence outcomes. Leaders and individuals who are low in awareness may believe that treating everyone “the same” is enough; overlooking the deeper issues of access and privilege. High scorers, however, understand intersectionality and actively look into how decisions affect people differently. 

• Empathy enables leaders to detect when team members feel silenced or sidelined even if no one says it outright. A team leader with empathy might notice another colleague or co-worker staying silent in team meetings and check in privately, creating safer spaces for participation. 

• Willingness to act separates passive observers from courageous leaders. It is about stepping in respectfully but firmly, when acts of exclusion occur. For example, something as subtle as mispronouncing a student’s name repeatedly can reinforce feelings of exclusion. Inclusive leaders acknowledge harm and take steps to correct it. 

2. Fostering Psychological Safety 

While the A-W-E model taps on the internal traits and actions of leaders, the concept of psychological safety examines the dimensional safety of individual feelings within an inter-group setting, through ways such as speaking up and whether their contributions are valued.  

Tied closely to empathy is the concept of psychological safety, a core principle in inclusive leadership. As Dr. Timothy R. Clark (2020) outlines in the four stages of Psychological Safety, people need to feel: 

1. Inclusion Safety – that they belong and are accepted 

2. Learner Safety – that they can ask questions and make mistakes 

3. Contributor Safety – that their ideas are valued 

4. Challenger Safety – that they can question norms and raise issues without fear 

For those who are socially marginalised due to identity or background, these forms of safety are critical. Without them, people withdraw, perform below untapped potential, or leave altogether. 

Inclusive leaders cultivate each stage actively to empower teams to thrive. 

3. Leading Through the People–Values–Task (PVT) Framework 

Translating insight into consistent action, the interplay of A-W-E and Psychological Safety models lay the groundwork for Building upon A-W-E and psychological safety, the People-Values-Task (PVT) framework, which IPS’s Inclusive Leadership Framework offers, is a structured pathway to lead inclusively: through People, Values, and Tasks. 

• People: Connecting emotionally with the people involved is a crucial step that underscores empathy and understanding. Ask yourself: “How do the people involved feel about this situation?” 

•  Values: All of us have biases. Therefore, actions must be anchored in cognitive aspects of decision-making, with principles such as fairness, respect, and equity. Leaders must continuously reflect on how their biases might cloud their judgement. 

• Tasks: Inclusion must be embedded in daily workflows. From how meetings are run to how feedback is given. This is not about performative gestures, but consistent, daily behaviour which signal: “you belong here.” 

Conclusion 

Equipping leaders with the skills, tools, and values to lead inclusively is not an exercise in checking another box on the to-do list.  

Inclusive leadership is not a checklist, but about embracing a conscious and consistent practice. While leaders may be busy, investing time and effort into developing inclusive leadership is critical. Overlooking this can quietly erode trust, cohesion and weakens the foundation of organisational culture; whose bedrock of success requires humility, courage, and consistency.  

In a society where identities are diversifying and fault lines are shifting, our ability to lead inclusively will determine not just how well we manage diversity, but how deeply we cultivate belonging. 

By anchoring ourselves in empathy, aligning our actions with inclusive values and engaging those around us with intention and care, leadership thereby becomes more than just a role.  

It transforms into a shared avenue of commitment towards transforming spaces into more human-centred environments weaving a stronger, more resilient tapestry in which every thread is visually appealing, valued and connected. 

Without this work, the weave of our shared tapestry loosens and cohesion unravels into divisiveness and division.