Inclusion practices that help everyone feel seen, heard and empowered to fully participate aren’t just a “nice-to-have” — they’re essential for the thriving of individuals, relationships, organizations and communities. In this talk, I’ll spotlight the “why” of inclusion, share deliberate and concrete practices exemplars use at the workplace, challenge common misconceptions and offer actionable guidance to help everyone become a contributor and beneficiary of inclusion. Dr. Wei Zheng is the Richard R. Roscitt Endowed Chair Professor in Leadership at Stevens Institute of Technology. Her research, teaching, and practice focus on leadership development and inclusion, addressing questions such as how people grow into leaders, how women leaders thrive in organizations, and what inclusive leaders do. Dr. Zheng has studied leadership in corporate, entrepreneurial, national laboratory, and faith-based organizations, and has conducted in-depth interviews with 150+ top-level executives in the US. Her research work has appeared in top scholarly outlets as well as practitioner ones such as the Harvard Business Review. She has given invited talks and workshops on leadership to companies such as Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Hartford, Securian, ITT, Safran, and SUEZ. At Stevens, Dr. Zheng leads leadership education initiatives, including the Stevens Inclusive Leadership Certificate Program. Her thought leadership earned her recognition as a finalist for the 2021 Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Award for Leadership. Dr. Zheng received her PhD degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota, her master’s degree in Comparative and International Development Education from the University of Minnesota, and Bachelor’s Degrees in English Language and Literature and in Economics from Peking University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx