Winkelman, K. M.* & Warren, M. A. (January 2020). A recipe for inclusive leadership: Virtues and communication strategies that make leaders great. Poster presentation at the 5th Western Positive Psychological Association Conference, Claremont, CA

This poster presentation summarizes the intersections of research between organizational virtuousness literature, communication studies literature, and inclusive/authentic leadership literature. There are gaps in each field that are filled or explained by the other, aiding in creating a more holistic understanding of positive organizational practices. In examining the relationship between organizational virtuousness, communication studies, and inclusive leadership practices, several common themes for how  we communicate our values, build emotional and social capital, and flourish in organizational settings are explored. Firstly, we examine the existing literature available about organizational virtuousness. Then we take a step further and look at how communication helps communicate values in order to strengthen the construction of virtues as well as add to the subsequent benefits of virtuousness. Last, this paper examines the role of leadership in fostering growth, reinforcing behavior, and providing good context for virtues to flourish. The implications for these findings are vast, and can help better understand how to create virtuous and inclusivity in environments. These themes build on the baseline understanding of organizational virtuousness, examining further as to how we do our best to be our best through effective communication and leadership practices.

*Katie Winkelman (BA Communication Studies, Business Minor at Western) presented this research at a conference in California.