The Lift Off to Leadership panel at World Aviation Festival featured Güliz Öztürk, CEO, Pegasus, Sophie Dekkers, CCO, easyJet, Adrian Binfield, Head of People and Culture, IAG, and Pieter Bootsma, EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, Air France-KLM together with moderator Sumati Sharma, Partner, Oliver Wyman to discuss the importance of inclusive leadership.
Beginning with defining inclusive leadership, panellists explored the importance of actively seeking alternative perspectives, promoting collaboration, fostering a sense of belonging, and demonstrating sensitivity to personal biases. Through unpacking what being an inclusive leader means, the panellists crafted awareness of the nuances and complexities involved.
Importantly, the discussion further highlighted the ways that inclusivity acts as a driver of success, exploring the various benefits that diversity can unlock within a business. Pieter Bootsma, EVP & Chief Strategy Officer, Air France-KLM explained that from his experience, a diverse team encourages people to "challenge each other in a better way than if we were all the same."
The conversation also unpacked the challenges associated with diversity and inclusion, answering questions like: "How do you get the quietest voice in the room heard?" And, "How we can continue to progress with inclusivity without making people feel isolated?"
