All businesses need diversity of thought and inclusive decision-making. When you’re working with people from different cultures and backgrounds, they can approach or visualize challenges in ways you may not have considered. This begins with seeking inputs, encouraging teams to share their thoughts and active listening. This equips you to improve the quality of your decisions. Another important thing is to not rush. Not all decisions need to be made right away. To me, leadership is about pausing to think and allowing my team time to think, which can improve the quality of inputs received. When people feel valued and heard, they trust you more and share views confidently. It’s a competitive advantage every organization needs.

If you want a global team to make decisions that actually work, you have to stop treating inclusion like a box to tick and start treating it like part of the job. It slows things down. It gets uncomfortable. It means hearing that the way you’ve always done things won’t fly somewhere else. But if people don’t believe their perspective can change the outcome, they’ll stop speaking up. Inclusive decisions aren’t neat or easy. They’re layered, sometimes messy, and shaped by people who see the world through very different lenses. That is exactly why they work.

I will start by understanding the communication styles and cultural preferences of my team members. Then Implement round-robin discussions and anonymous feedback systems. Consider time zones when scheduling meetings and respect cultural holidays. Build psychological safety by encouraging diverse viewpoints and treating mistakes as learning opportunities. Develop cultural awareness through training and mindful communication. Always validate team members' contributions and address any bias promptly. Recognize that decision-making preferences vary across cultures - some value consensus while others prefer hierarchy. Use simple language to minimize misunderstandings in technical discussions.

Use decision-making models like RAPID (Recommend, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide) to clarify roles, ensuring everyone knows how their input influences outcomes. Share the criteria for decisions upfront to align team members on priorities and foster fair participation.

Ask each participant privately and personally. Do not go with the flow necessarily. Keep the answers private. Identify the sycophants and rule them out. Identify the saboteurs and take action against them. Then, after drawing up a personal solution, sleep on it. Let your subconscious do the hard work.

To ensure inclusive decision-making in a global oil and gas firm, focus on these strategies: 1. **Foster Open Communication**: Encourage diverse voices by creating platforms for everyone to share opinions. 2. **Cultural Awareness**: Educate team members about cultural differences to ensure respect and understanding in discussions. 3. **Diverse Leadership**: Involve leaders from different backgrounds in key decisions to reflect the team's diversity. 4. **Data-Driven Decisions**: Use objective data to guide decisions, ensuring fairness and reducing biases. 5. **Collaborative Tools**: Utilize digital tools to allow equal participation, regardless of location or time zone.