Making way for paradigms of diversity leadership.

Abstract

To gain a better understanding of the new leadership challenges that diversity is bringing to organizations, the American Psychological Association provided an Interdivisional Grant to conduct a 1-day Leadership Diversity Summit (LDS). In January 2013, 15 leaders who were diverse across dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation came together to discuss the following questions: (a) How do you view leadership? (b) How is your exercise of leadership influenced by the context in which you lead, the multiple dimensions of your identity, and your lived experiences associated with culture and minority status? (c) How do you project the kind of leadership needed for the future, given the rapid change, growing diversity, and increased globalization in society? Each question was covered in a roundtable session, and discussions were recorded, transcribed, and content-analyzed. As a result, the LDS identified 4 competencies (with 16 dimensions) that are likely to be crucial to leadership in the coming years as organizations become increasingly diverse: leveraging personal and social identities, utilizing a global and diverse mindset, leveraging community and organizational contexts, and promoting a diversity-supportive and inclusive climate. In this article we describe how the LDS was conducted; discuss the framework of competencies that was identified, drawing on the insights provided by participants and on our own experiences as consulting psychologists; and then consider the implications of this framework for current practice in executive coaching and organizational consulting and for future research on diversity leadership.

Theoretical Constructs of Dissent Leadership: Moving from Theory to Practice

“…The American Psychological Association identified four competencies for leaders as diversity in the workforce increases: leveraging personal and social identities, utilizing a global and diverse mindset, leveraging community and organizational contexts, and promoting a diversity-supportive and inclusive climate (Chin et al, 2016). This framework further supports leading by using disagreements as a way to build strengths, creativity, and innovation.…”

“…One strategy for combating the ambiguity of direction and strategy is through dissent leadership or constructive disagreements (Taylor, 2017). Constructive disagreement will allow different cultural and ideological viewpoints to emerge, thereby promoting a more inclusive environment (Chin et al, 2016).…”

“…Fostering an environment in which constructive disagreements are allowed to thrive also builds flexibility, that sustains diversity. As a leader, being flexible is an invaluable tool that helps create the change needed to improve organizational effectiveness (Chin et al, 2016). A possible reason that leaders may shy away from encouraging disagreements is because it requires vulnerability.…”

Introduction to the Special Topic Forum: Critical Discourse: Envisioning the Place and Future of Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations

“…Thus far, a particular focus has been on organizational practice and policy directives that are espoused as ways to effectuate diversity and inclusion outcomes. Such practices and directives include top leadership support (Chin et al, 2016), recruiting/selection practices (Griffith & Combs, 2015; McKay, Avery, Tonidandel, Morris, Hernandez & Hebl, 2007), training (Combs & Luthans, 2007; Kalinoski, Steele-Johnson, Peyton, Leas, Steinke, & Bowling, 2013), managerial accountability (Basford, Offermann, & Behrend, 2014), mentoring for diverse organizational members (Tran, 2014), and establishing interventions and strategies for creating organizational climates that leverage and maximize the benefits of diversity (Bilimoria & Liang, 2012; Bilimoria & Singer, 2019; Köllen, 2016).…”

“…Previous research has examined a myriad of facets and concepts purported to facilitate organizational diversity and inclusion success. For example, scholars have examined the methods to create work environments that allow organizations to adapt to the inevitable influx of diverse groups (Chang, Milkman, Chugh, & Akinola, 2018; Guillaume, Dawson, Otaye-Ebede, Woods, & West, 2017); components that assist in recognizing and maximizing the benefits of diversity (Richard, Kirby, & Chadwick, 2013; Tuggle, Schnatterly, & Johnson, 2010); appropriate processes and procedures to create welcoming environments for diversity (Bernstein & Bilimoria, 2013; Boekhorst, 2015; Nishii, 2013; Shore, Randel, Chung, Dean, Holcombe Ehrhart, & Sing, 2011); and incorporating inclusive principles and practices within workplaces (Boehm, Kunze, & Bruch, 2014; Chin, Desormeaux, & Sawyer, 2016).…”