Although, according to the CBS, 18% of the Dutch population identifies as LGBTI+, less than 1% of the top Dutch business community belongs to this group. A significant gap that we spoke about with Pim Blom, author of the book “Through the rainbow ceiling”. He shares insights from 15 LGBTI+ leaders about how “being different” often makes them better, more confident leaders.

What did the LGBTI+ leaders teach you about leadership?
“I think a lot of people have a limited idea of what a leader looks like: the white, heterosexual 'alpha male on the monkey rock': dominant and self-interest above all else. I saw just the opposite with the interviewed leaders: leaders who recognize their own limits and are open about them.” Sven Sauvé (CEO of RTL) said: “If you are a good leader, you have to realize that you need people who are much smarter than you.” By being open about your limitations, you invite team members to do the same. “This creates a safe environment where everyone can be themselves and thus also add more value to a company”.  

Gump sees conscious leadership as the courage to be yourself and act from authenticity. What relationship do you see between conscious leadership and LGBTI+ leaders?
“One of the leaders said it very nicely. You fall outside the standard boxes as an LGBTI+ person and that is often annoying at first; you deviate and that is certainly not a nice feeling as a teenager. But later, if you're okay with who you are, it can actually give you a lot of space. What I noticed about everyone is that they created their own career path with unconventional choices. For example, a woman in the energy sector who is also in art school. Karen de Lathouder said that it is much easier for her to express a different opinion. Because she has felt different all her life, she has trained that muscle a lot.”

So what seems negative, deviating from the norm, can be an advantage in the workplace?
“Absolutely. I gradually found out that, although I mainly looked at the obstacles in the workplace, deviating from the norm has also provided benefits. In addition to self-awareness, this often also means being more empathetic and sensitive to your environment. Authenticity is also extremely important. As soon as you want to take a leadership role, it is essential that colleagues feel that you are real. That is necessary to trust you. When you withhold an essential part of yourself, you create a distance from your team. One of the leaders said: “How can I lead properly if I don't actually accept myself yet?” “

Do you have an example of what authenticity brings?
“I'm reminded of Ingrid Tappin, who sees being queer as a gift and uses it almost as a leadership tool. In a round of proposals, she always mentions that she lives with her wife and daughters within 30 seconds. In doing so, she shows that deviating from the norm is okay and invites others in the team to be able to be themselves too.”  

What provocative questions should self-confident leaders really ask themselves and their team about inclusivity?

“1. What unwritten rules exist within our organization that don't work for all employees? Here you can look wider than just LGBTI +. For example, think about clothing: “What would we think of a man with nail polish going to a customer meeting?” It is interesting to make these rules explicit and then discuss them.

2. How do we define and measure inclusivity? Inclusion is an abstract concept. Once you define it, you can measure it. Measurement is important to see how you perform over time, whether things are getting better and whether there are subgroups where things are not doing well.

3. What have I personally done over the past six months to create a more inclusive culture? Almost everyone is in favor of diversity and inclusion, but ultimately it starts with you. Especially as a leader. You can applaud it, but you also have to do something for it. “

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