Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast

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405 Leading Through Difference: Practical Tools for Inclusive Teams with Kelli Lester

 
 

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We explore the future of inclusive leadership with Kelli Lester, co-founder of Onyx Rising. Zoë opens with reflections on ageing, robotics in aged care, and the value of connection. And introduces Kelli, who shares insight on navigating today’s polarised workplace and equipping leaders for diverse, resilient teams.

Kelli unpacks the backlash against DEI programs, reframing them as essential business strategies rather than politically charged mandates. She explores how organisations can move beyond performative initiatives by anchoring their diversity efforts in clear objectives—be it talent, innovation, or community alignment.

This conversation covers emotional and cultural intelligence, generational divides, psychological safety, and the systemic barriers to inclusion. Practical frameworks like Kelli’s seven inclusive leadership traits provide a tangible pathway to fostering a thriving, human-centred workplace.

Planet Human

Summary

Zoë shares personal updates:

  • Robots in Aged Care – How assistive technology is enhancing human connection and reducing burnout in frontline health workers.

  • Power Games Kickstarter – Final days of the campaign and what it means to lead with courage, clarity, and compassion.

  • Maps vs Territory – Understanding the limits of leadership models and why we must stay curious and flexible in human systems.

  • The Challenge of Complexity – Why binary thinking limits us, and how leaders can embrace nuance to better serve diverse teams.

Kelli Lester reflects on:

  • The DEI Backlash – Why some organisations are retreating from inclusion work and how to reframe it with clarity and purpose.

  • Seven Traits of Inclusive Leadership – A practical framework for leading with self-awareness, feedback, psychological safety, and cultural intelligence.

  • Generational Gaps in the Workplace – How younger and older leaders can learn from one another to build more adaptive, resilient teams.

  • Redefining Merit – Challenging the myth of meritocracy and uncovering systemic barriers in hiring, promotion, and influence.

  • The Role of Leadership in Polarised Times – Why inclusive leadership is not a trend but a non-negotiable skill set for the future.

Key Quotes

  • “Maps are helpful, but they are not the territory.” – Zoë Routh

  • “Inclusive leadership is not just nice to have. It’s the future of leadership.” – Kelli Lester

  • “Any time you don’t share your thoughts, you’re hurting the company.” – Kelli Lester

  • “Just because someone’s pro-Black doesn’t mean they’re anti-white.” – Kelli Lester

Questions Explored

  • Why is there so much resistance to DEI in today’s climate?

  • How can leaders reframe diversity as a business enabler?

  • What are the seven traits of inclusive leadership?

  • How do we build psychological safety and trust across generations?

  • What does it take to dismantle systemic bias in hiring and promotion?

Take Action

  1. Self-Audit: Reflect on your own lens—what influences how you see the world, and how does that shape your leadership?

  2. Amplify Voices: In your next meeting, actively include perspectives from quieter or less-represented team members.

  3. Define It Clearly: Have a leadership-level conversation about what diversity, equity, and inclusion means in your context and why it matters.

Tip of the Week

Facilitate a “Bias Interrupt” session: Identify where decisions are being made based on assumptions—hiring, promotions, even meeting invitations—and ask, “Who’s missing and why?”

Key Moments 

00:00 Introduction and Weekly Question

00:15 Robots in Nursing Care Homes

02:07 Kickstarter Campaign for Power Games

03:48 Understanding Human Behavior and Categorization

07:27 Inclusive Leadership with Kelly Lester

08:26 Challenges and Misconceptions of DEI

28:48 America's Mythmaking and Cultural Conflicts

30:23 Polarization and Political Correctness

34:27 The Importance of Self-Awareness and Valuing Differences

37:49 Promoting Psychological Safety and Amplifying Voices

40:25 Emotional and Cultural Intelligence in Leadership

41:49 Managing Inclusively and Effective Mentoring

45:49 Fast Three Questions with Kelly

50:01 Book Recommendation: Why Are We Yelling?

51:05 Final Thoughts and Upcoming Changes

About Kelli Lester

Kelli Lester is the Co-founder and Partner of Onyx Rising, a consulting firm specializing in transforming individual, team, and organizational behavior.

With more than two decades of experience in leadership development, coaching, and change management, Kelli is passionate about fostering environments where inclusive leadership and employee well-being thrive.

Named one of EBONY’s “30 Young Leaders of the Future,” she has a proven track record of driving sustainable impact and empowering organizations to unlock their potential.

Whether consulting, coaching, or advocating for equity, Kelli is a dynamic voice for meaningful progress and innovation.

Website: www.onyx2rise.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-lester-2302b9/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onyx2rise

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About Zoë Routh

Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons. 

She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.

Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.

Zoë is the producer of the The Future of Leadership Podcast dedicated to asking “What if…?”  and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.

Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.