Spanning Two Worlds: Social Identity and Emergent African-American Leaders

Abstract

The literature that explores African-American leadership has largely examined the institutional and societal factors that threaten the likelihood that African-Americans will emerge or be successful as leaders. However, in recent years, the emergence of African-Americans in key executive positions within the Fortune 500 suggests that select individuals are managing to overcome external threats to success. I argue that the social identity literature provides fresh theoretical perspectives for understanding the determinants of behavior that enable minorities to navigate institutional barriers to advancement. This literature enables the examination of leadership as a function of ingrouplout-group membership. This paper focuses on choice in identification as an antecedent of leadership attributions, and possibly, success. This is an important perspective because it enables the analysis of African Americans as members of multiple constituents groups, specifically, various work groups and political coalitions (which all nascent leaders must negotiate) and the African-American ethnicity (into which they are born and may feel some degree of duty). The role of social context is also explored.

A critical review of race and ethnicity in the leadership literature: Surfacing context, power and the collective dimensions of leadership

“…In one early study, more liberal white subordinates rated their black managers more favorably than less liberal subordinates (Richards & Jaffee;1972: as cited in Bartol et al, 1978). In a conceptual paper, Slay (2003) argues that black and white subordinates' positive or negative reactions will result from the interaction of organizational context and how black leaders manage their own racial identity. In summary, she suggests African American leaders in "majority" (predominantly white) contexts who emphasize their social identification as executives rather than as African Americans are more likely to be seen positively by whites and less positively by blacks.…”

“…As indicated before, in this theory minorities can use race-ethnicity as a strategic resource. Slay (2003) for example, suggests that emerging African American leaders will choose how to identify themselves and others according to the organizational context they navigate, particularly whether they work in a so-called minority or a majority firm.…”

The Leadership Challenge of Overcoming the Scourge of Racism: The Coping and Mitigative Strategies Used by Leaders

“…They do not have a black constituency, and may be looked on with disdain within the black community because they influence white opinion about black issues. Slay [19] includes Clarence Thomas, Shelby Steele and Walter White in this category.…”

“…For example, Chenault is called a "Consummate insider", having spent 20 years at American Express [6].Colin Powell when faced with the reality of racism during his early days as a soldier, chose to identify his priorities-becoming enraged by racism or being successful in his army career. He determined that his priority was to be an outstanding soldier-in part, because of racism [19].…”

“…Steele's view of the Obama phenomenon fails to recognize depersonalization of self as a modern approach for African Americans to attain effective leadership. Slay's [19] proposition 10, which proposes that individuals who emphasize social identification as African Americans will experience social attraction in minority (African American) contexts, while individuals who de-emphasize social identification as African Americans will experience social attraction in majority (white) contexts, rings true in most instances.…”