Beyond Performative Inclusion

Joanne Lockwood is joined by coach and leadership specialist Sile Walsh to unpack what it means to go beyond performative inclusion in organisations. They explore how inclusion shows up in everyday leadership practice, and why psychological safety and a well-designed environment often matter more than surface-level gestures.

Sile shares how identity, culture and lived experience shape how we are perceived and how we belong, reflecting on growing up between Ireland and the UK and the ways people adapt—or translate—themselves to be understood. The conversation also examines gender and labels, highlighting the tension between how individuals relate to identity and how workplaces and societies categorise people.

Together, they challenge common workplace mantras such as “bring your whole self to work,” discuss the risks of moral certainty and polarisation, and consider how leaders can create boundaries for dialogue without shutting it down. They emphasise curiosity, compassionate accountability, and practical leadership behaviours that reduce harm and support performance, rather than inclusion that is framed as simply “being nice.”