• Inclusive leadership DEIB

Good project management is often associated with planning, deadlines, and technical expertise. Yet many project challenges arise from something much less visible: communication problems, misunderstandings, lack of inclusion, or difficulties working across differences. As project teams become more diverse and collaboration more digital, these interpersonal factors are becoming ever more important.

Why DEIB matters in project work

In project management domain, where project teams often combine members with very different professional, cultural, and even language backgrounds, good soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, adaptability, and awareness of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging issues (DEIB) becomes a key for successful teamwork and reaching project objectives. Existing research indicate that organizations that make progress regarding diversity and inclusion also make correlated progress in innovation, decision-making, profitability, competitive advantage, creativity, talent attraction and retention, employee satisfaction, and more (Lorenzo et al. 2018; McKinsey & Company 2020; Ferdman & Deane 2014; Li 2021). Similarly, diverse teams in which knowledge and perspectives are openly shared often outperform more homogeneous teams (Ferdman & Deane 2014). However, diversity alone is not sufficient to generate these benefits. The positive outcomes associated with diversity can only be realized under certain conditions, including consciously inclusive leadership, a corporate culture that emphasizes learning, and a strategic approach to inclusion (Karlstedt & Mennala 2024; Morales 2025).

Despite the growing importance of DEIB, many project professionals, including project managers, lack formal education on the subject. Currently, most of educational programmes in project management in Europe do not include DEIB as part of their study curricula. Also, although some organizations provide DEIB-related training, it usually takes place later in a professional’s career and does not replace early education. As a result, DEIB-related competences are often developed through personal professional experience while working in diverse teams, which may be challenging.

Research context and purpose

Current research aimed at addressing this gap by contributing to the DIVIN (Developing Diversity, Inclusion, and Innovation Skills in Project Management Education) project proposal, coordinated by Turku University of Applied Sciences, and which purpose is to embed Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging into project-management educational modules across Europe. As part of the research, empirical data from participants working in project management in six European countries were collected via an online multilingual questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire was to map current competence levels as well as future competence needs towards 2030 among project professionals in relation to DEIB and other soft, or transversal competences.

Main findings

The study revealed that respondents generally perceived themselves as highly competent in DEIB-related matters, especially in areas such as inclusive interactions across gender, sexual and religious diversity, across various ages and career stages, and psychological safety in team interactions. Regarding transversal competences, work ethics, digital skills, virtual collaboration skills, critical thinking, adaptability, and teamwork were ranked as strongest competences among respondents. Similarly, nearly the same competence areas were ranked the highest among future needs, indicating no significant gap between respondents’ current competences and their future importance. This suggests that respondents generally consider their current competence levels sufficient to meet future demands, reflecting rather strong sense of preparedness.

At the same time, the study revealed that a large proportion of respondents had not received any DEIB-related training during the past five years. In addition, majority of respondents were very experienced, with 70% reporting more than five years of experience in project work. Therefore, it cannot be excluded that the high confidence levels observed may be influenced either by confidence developed through long professional experience or by limited awareness of DEIB-related topics among respondents.

When comparing cross-country results, some differences between countries can be observed, but they are relatively limited and should be interpreted with caution due to uneven respondent representation by country. Overall, the pattern is consistent across countries: DEIB competences are rated highest in the current state, while transversal competences – particularly cognitive and digital skills – gain slightly more importance for the future.

The open-response section of the questionnaire revealed that the main development needs for project professionals today are mostly related to communication and relational skills. Many respondents mentioned problems like unclear communication, language barriers in international teams, and not enough knowledge sharing. They also pointed out the need to improve skills such as active listening, giving and receiving feedback, teamwork, and conflict management. When looking at the future, similar competences are considered as the most important, but there is a slightly bigger focus on cognitive skills and emotional intelligence. Overall, the responses suggest that future professionals will require a mix of interpersonal, reflective, and digital skills, along with an open mindset and willingness to learn.

Inclusive leadership: towards more inclusive project work

In order to identify the most suitable assessment items for the questionnaire, this study was approached through inclusive leadership theory, supported by project competence frameworks such as the International Project Management Association’s Individual Competence Baseline (ICB 4.0) and the Project Management Institute’s Talent Triangle.

In project management literature, leadership competence is recognized as a key factor contributing to project success (Project Management Institute n.d.; International Project Management Association 2015). Leadership also plays significant role in shaping inclusive environments and turning organizational intentions regarding diversity and inclusion into practice. Policies alone are not enough, what matters more is how they are reflected in everyday practices and behaviors (Ferdman et al. 2020). This is where inclusive leadership can make a difference.

Inclusive leadership is characterized by behaviors that promote, among others, fair treatment of all team members, openness, transparency in decision-making, respect for diversity, and active participation of team members while valuing different perspectives. It also involves fostering psychological safety, encouraging authentic self-expression, recognizing and fighting against bias, and supporting learning within teams (Li 2021; Ferdman et al. 2020).

The findings of current research are largely consistent with this theoretical background. The importance respondents placed on communication, intercultural understanding, emotional intelligence, teamwork, work ethics, adaptability, and psychological safety reflects many of the competences associated with inclusive leadership and project competence frameworks.

At the same time, even though the research highlighted the importance of competences that support inclusive teamwork, it also revealed a lack of formal opportunities for competence development in these areas. The results therefore suggest that DEIB-related education could provide meaningful benefits for project-based organizations and educational institutions which offer project management trainings. As project work becomes more international and increasingly virtual, it becomes more apparent that both early and continuous competence development are necessary for project professionals to better respond to rapidly changing work environments.

Bibliography

Ferdman, B. M. & Deane, B. R. (eds.) 2014. Diversity at Work: The Practice of Inclusion. Jossey-Bass.

Ferdman, B. M., Prime, J. & Riggio, R. E. (eds.) 2020. Inclusive Leadership: Transforming Diverse Lives, Workplaces, and Societies. Taylor & Francis Group.

International Project Management Association 2015. Individual Competence Baseline for Project, Programme and Portfolio Management. Version 4.0. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://products.ipma.world/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/IPMA_ICB_4_0_WEB.pdf

Karlstedt, A. & Mennala, H. 2024. DEI työelämässä: Opas inklusiivisuuteen. Kauppakamarikauppa.

Li, A. 2021. Inclusive Leadership Questionnaire: The Design and Validation of a Theory-Based Instrument. Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-y4d9-yy69

Lorenzo, R., Voigt, N., Tsusaka, M., Krentz, M. & Abouzahr, K. 2018. How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation. Boston Consulting Group. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://www.bcg.com/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation

McKinsey & Company 2020. Diversity Wins: How Inclusion Matters. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters

Morales, C. 2025. Diversity Is Always Beneficial: Myth or Reality? Multivariate People and Analytics. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://www.multivariate.eu/diversity-is-always-beneficial-myth-or-reality/

Project Management Institute n.d. PMI Talent Triangle. Accessed 21.5.2026
https://www.pmi.org/certifications/certification-resources/maintain/talent-triangle#update

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