True leadership is about creating spaces where every voice matters, every idea is nurtured, and every individual feels empowered to grow.

Creating an atmosphere that allows individuals to succeed is not just vital, but necessary in a world that is changing at an accelerating rate and becoming more complex. But the most critical issue of our times is that we need to build resilient workplaces that not only survive disruption but succeed in it. Grow Leaders, is one such company that are responses to this increasing need. The growing awareness on diversity, equity, and inclusion and the requirement for mental and psychological health to maintain healthy organizations make their purpose based on safety, empowerment, and empathy.

Grow Leaders, established by Tamara C. Larson, aspires to transform business thinking about diversity, leadership, and how it treats employees' well-being. The company's mission is based on resilience and personal experience. As Larson said: "A life-threatening illness, it changes one’s perspective and clearly defines what really matters. The greatest asset of any business is its people. How can we create an environment that will enable them to be at their best?” Grow Leaders provides services designed to bring situations into being in which people can be at their best, both personally and professionally. Tamara C. Larson believes that impactful leadership requires courage, resilience, and a strong community. By nurturing mutual respect and trust, aspiring leaders can create inclusive environments that empower growth and innovation.

We at Business Honor had a chance to interview Tamara C. Larson, the CEO of Grow Leaders, on how the company's new solutions are changing the game in leadership and organization growth.

Cultivating Inclusive Leadership: Insights from Tamara C. Larson of Grow Leaders

1. What was the motivation behind starting Grow Leaders?

Growing up in a home with a family business and a mother as a teacher, I learned from a very young age the value of education, a strong work ethic, a love of learning, and a strong entrepreneurial spirit that drives all that I do. Having spent my entire career working in the education and not for profit sector, the tools and skills learned would be easily transferable to many organizations to address the challenges in creating safe spaces for growth and innovation.

As the pandemic unfolded, two things become constant: change and uncertainty. With this, our workplaces, schools, and community organizations had to learn to do things differently, and in that process, we were able to peel back the layers of what that really meant. Creating inclusive safe spaces for brave conversations is at the heart of Grow Leaders;  understanding bias, both conscious and unconscious, embracing diversity as a strength, building on  this strategic DEI work, understanding the importance of mentorship, challenging gender equity, and creating workplace wellness are the foundation of Grow Leaders in cultivating a culture of innovation and growth.

2. Can you explain about your services in brief?

Grow Leaders works with organizations, big and small, to meet them where they are. The most important asset in any organization is human capital. Investing in our people and our teams’ means investing in our future and building strong communities where we live and work.

Workplace wellness is at the forefront of Grow Leaders; working with leadership and each team member, we ask important questions to build a customized strategic plan that focuses on the unique needs of each organization to create a workplace that is inclusive, equitable, embraces diversity, and opens the door to innovation and growth.

Using the powerful tool of education, facilitation of customized workshops, resources and tools for their growing tool boxes, we work together to build a long term plan and a workplace culture that embraces their strengths and builds on the foundation of value based leadership.

3. Tamara, your personal journey has been inspiring, especially your recovery and resilience after facing a life-threatening illness. How have these experiences shaped your approach to leadership and business at Grow Leaders?

We often hear “health is wealth” and yet we often do not walk that walk. When faced with a life-threatening illness, it changes one’s perspective and clearly defines what really matters. People are the most important resource in any organization. How can we create an atmosphere, where they can thrive? And if they are not, what am I missing?

Impactful leadership is built on the foundation of empathy, trust, and mutual respect. Our workplaces are communities. If we want to thrive as an organization, we must create a safe space for growth both personally and professionally.

Knowing from personal experience how challenging it is to heal and recover mentally, emotionally and physically from a life threatening illness, meeting people where they are and leading with empathy and compassionate action is of utmost importance no matter what challenges they are facing personally or professionally.

4. Empowering women is a key focus for Grow Leaders. How do you approach this within your organization, and what programs or initiatives have been most successful in achieving these goals?

There is a wise African proverb: “Educate a man and you educate an individual. Educate a woman and you educate a nation.”

Empowering women empowers change and fuels strong economies. Today, women are still the most vastly under tapped resource in our global and Canadian economies.  In 2022, women were paid 76 cents on the dollar that our male counterparts earned. This leaves over $50 billion dollars untapped in our Canadian economy.

Each organization is unique in the challenges that they face in working towards gender equality. Our most successful initiatives work when we have all voices at the table. Including our male allies, identifying gaps in succession planning, leadership development, organizational structures and barriers, and building on the importance of mentorship with strong practices of equity and inclusion has cultivated a culture of growth and innovation where top talent is attracted, is able to pursue a path of growth (personally and professionally) and stays.

In 2023, I was honored to join the Women United Cabinet at the United Way of Alberta Capital Region. This dynamic group of women and allies are a community of changemakers working together and, mentorship matters.

This year, I am excited to be a mentor with the University of Alberta Women in Leadership Club and Mentoring for Success with the United Way. Working with these two dynamic young women teaches me more than I could offer them, to uplift women as we cultivate communities where ALL women and girls can thrive.

Together we are better. Together we are stronger.

5. How do you measure the impact of your programs and initiatives at Grow Leaders? Can you share any specific success stories or metrics that highlight your achievements?

Grow Leaders measures our success through the changes we see in our clients and community partners; as we work together to create impactful change, the door opens to new opportunities for us to say YES!

In October 2023, CEO and Founder Tamara C Larson were invited to attend the Women Leading Peace Emerging Leaders Course (UNITAR) at the UN in Geneva. Her important work in empowering women and leading the way in creating safe spaces for brave conversation to build long-term, sustainable cultures of positive and a world leaving no one behind opened the door to this amazing opportunity to form a global network of like-minded women.

As our programs, initiatives and community connections grow, so does our social impact. This is our true measure of success.

6. What does leadership development mean to you, and how does Grow Leaders tailor its programs to address the diverse needs of emerging leaders?

Impactful leadership is built on the foundation of lifelong learning. Understanding diverse needs of emerging and experienced leaders and how to merge this diverse skill set. Attending conferences, pursuing professional development opportunities, working at personal growth, and being my best self is a key goal in my leadership development.

Mentorship and reverse mentorship are powerful tools for personal and professional growth. Learning from each other, and more importantly about each other, removes misunderstanding and often fear. Coming back to our value based and inclusive leadership foundation, meeting people where they are and finding the tools to create a path for success is what matters most.

Working with others, determining their needs, setting goals, creating action plans specific to their needs is the foundation of leadership development.

Looking through the lens of a global citizen matters. Our communities are now a cultural mosaic. Embracing this diversity will grow leaders and build strong communities.

Expanding Impact: Building a Better Tomorrow

Looking at the road ahead, Tamara C. Larson’s vision for Grow Leaders focuses on creating meaningful social impact through servant leadership and a passion for education. Recognizing her privilege, Larson aims to drive positive change by founding Learn Peace Canada, a national non-profit dedicated to peace education. Grow Leaders has evolved into a social enterprise, supporting young leaders, sustainability, and equitable education. In addressing global inequities, Larson envisions a world where everyone has access to a living wage, sufficient food, quality education, and the freedom to choose their life path. Through partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and educational institutions, Grow Leaders is committed to building a culture of care, empowering communities, and promoting a more equitable and peaceful future.

Tamara C Larson, CEO