Inclusion Moment: Francesca Fozard, Associate, Gardiner & Theobald LLP
Breaking silos: The power of collaboration in major projects
Tuesday 10 February 2026
Inclusive conversation – otherwise known as simply good communication – it seems obvious, doesn’t it? But people can be indirectly excluded in a variety of ways, without us even being aware.
For example – there’s a big project workshop with a diverse mix of people in the room – different ages, different genders, different ethnicities, so it looks as though diversity and inclusion is covered. But 3 white men in the room had a private pre meet beforehand and then proceeded to talk for 90% of the meeting. Their female colleague ended up taking the minutes, and most of the other people in the room simply switched off because they weren’t included in the conversation. The diversity of the team was therefore only surface level, and caused by a lack of inclusive communication.
Poor communication can be caused by many different factors, but some of the main offenders are:
• Interruptions.
• Idea repetition – when someone says something that isn’t heard by everyone in the room and someone else further down the table repeats it; they then get the credit.
• Behavioural differences – typically men and women communicate differently, but this difference is not only driven by gender; ultimately it comes down to personality differences – you can have introverts or extroverts, or people who tend to be retrospective.
• Unconscious bias – this means you are making assumptions based on someone’s gender, ethnicity or experience, and leads you to treat them slightly differently.
• Domination – some people take control of a conversation and do not want to hear other people’s opinions; they have their set ideas and will not change.
• Poor facilitation – a workshop that isn’t run well can leave you wondering why you have spent several hours in a room when you could have been getting on with your work.
Inclusive communication matters hugely on major programmes because we’re:
• Working in large, complex environments with thousands of stakeholders – we need clarity of conversation at every level.
• Often facing new challenges – many major projects arie unprecedented in scale and the experience everyone brings has immense value.
• Restricted by tight programme schedules – miscommunication and misinterpretation cost time and money and cause programme delays.
Diverse teams create better ideas and they’re more robust. Without diversity of communication, we lose diversity of thought.
8 small changes to shift communication and inclusivity
1. Provide pre-reads – this gives more reflective colleagues a chance to think, allowing them to bring valuable ideas to the meeting.
2. Pause to create space – some people just need a second or two for their voice to connect to their brain, so don’t rush onto the next point if there’s no immediate response.
3. Credit ideas by name – give credit where it’s due to help everyone understand where ideas originate.
4. Respond positively to challenge – this can be difficult, especially when there’s time pressure, but it’s vital. Cultivate a culture where people are encouraged to challenge.
5. Nominate a strong facilitator – this doesn’t need to be the project lead. If there’s someone in your organisation who can bring people together, consider them.
6. Keep invite lists to contributors – inclusion via exclusion. You don’t always need 20 people in a room – inviting people to sessions where they can’t contribute can impact confidence and their likelihood to contribute in future.
7. Change meeting chairs (if appropriate) – give everyone a chance to lead. Rolling chairs often offer diversity.
8. Use inclusivity moments – giving people the opportunity to speak can really build confidence.
Inclusive communication greases the wheels of collaboration and can have a transformative impact on major projects. Take these tweaks on board and you’ll have some truly valuable conversations moving forward.
About the presenter
Francesca Fozard, Associate, Gardiner & Theobald LLP
Francesca Fozard had over seven years of experience in defence supply chain management, public and private sector procurement, and commercial performance optimisation. She specialises in translating complex stakeholder requirements into outcome-focused strategies that deliver measurable commercial value. Her expertise spans market engagement, strategic facilitation, and large-scale programme delivery, with a demonstrated track record of identifying programme efficiencies and establishing robust governance frameworks. Currently leading commercial performance initiatives for a major defence client, Francesca combines strategic insight with practical problem-solving to enhance organisational capability and drive sustainable business outcomes.