Who is on your “go-to” list? Who are the people you reach out to for new projects, innovative suggestions, opinions or feedback? Is it always the same narrow group, or do you consciously work to expand and diversify the members of your personal think thank?

To create an inclusive culture, it’s extremely important that you give different people the opportunity to influence how things get done. They deserve a chance to succeed or fail, or to learn, grow and ultimately succeed. When you give people such opportunities, the results may surprise you.

To do this, let go of your assumptions that the people in your current circle of trust are the only ones with good ideas. Learn to trust ideas that feel different – ideas that are informed by different personal styles and cultural experiences. To live and lead effectively in our ever-changing world, openly seek out people who can expand your perspective.