Diversity and inclusion have become central priorities for organizations, shaping both social agendas and organizational research. In this context, leadership plays an important role in creates an environment that embraces this approach as a fundamental value. Inclusive leadership is a style characterized by valuing individual differences, fostering a sense of belonging, showing appreciation and promoting organizational diversity initiatives. While previous studies have focused largely on the outcomes of inclusive leadership for employees and organizations, less attention has been given to the effects on the leader and the mechanisms through which leadership effectiveness is perceived.
Drawing on Social Information Processing (SIP) theory, this study investigates how leaders' self-perception of inclusive leadership affects followers' and supervisors' perceptions of leadership effectiveness. We propose a trickle-up model in which followers' evaluations mediate the relationship between leaders' inclusive behaviors and supervisors' perceptions. Additionally, we examine leader anti-discrimination behaviors as a boundary condition that strengthens these relationships.
Data were collected from 45 leaders, their 45 supervisors, and 158 followers in Brazilian organizations, using validated self-report and observer-based questionnaires. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using SPSS PROCESS to test direct and indirect effects of leaders' inclusive self-perceptions on leadership effectiveness. Our findings indicate that leaders' inclusive self-perception conveys social cues that positively influence followers' evaluations, which in turn inform supervisors' perceptions of leadership effectiveness. High levels of anti-discriminatory behavior further enhance this relationship.
This research advances the literature by highlighting multi-level mechanisms, emphasizing leader-centered perspectives on inclusive leadership, and demonstrating how social cues within teams contribute to perceptions of effective leadership, with practical implications for fostering inclusive, fair, and high-performing organizational environments.