Strategic Diversity Leadership: The Role of Senior Leaders in Delivering the Diversity Dividend

Abstract

An organization’s senior leaders, given their positions at the apex of power within the organization, shape its vision, strategies, organizational design, and culture. Yet the research on diversity has not sufficiently held them to account for the dynamics of demographic diversity and inclusion within their organizations and for producing performance benefits from diversity. This paper proposes that a fuller understanding of diversity and inclusion requires a focus on senior leaders’ roles in diversity leadership. Specifically, drawing on strategic leadership theory, it proposes a framework for strategic diversity leadership that focuses on the role of senior leaders in shaping the meaning of diversity in their organizations. It proposes that how senior leaders envision diversity within their organizations and symbolize its value in their communications and actions affects the extent and nature of diversity and inclusion, and through them a range of benefits to organizational performance. It also discusses potential antecedents affecting strategic diversity leadership and calls for the development of a theory of strategic diversity leadership.

Top Management Team Intrapersonal Functional Diversity and Adaptive Firm Performance: The Moderating Roles of the CEO–TMT Power Gap and Severity of Threat

“…Moreover, individuals have a tendency to classify similar members as in-group members and dissimilar members as out-group members and show a favor for in-group over out-group in evaluations and behaviors (Tajfel and Turner, 1986 ). Considering that CEOs with high intrapersonal functional diversity usually have a common functional experience with other teammates, they are more likely to show more inclusiveness, and can thus create equal access for TMT strategic decision-making, resources, and upward mobility opportunities for other executives (Martins, 2020 ). In turn, other executives are more likely to engage in constructive debates and voice behaviors.…”

Gender equality management in modern company management in era of globalization

“…[15] Other research shows that Female managers were more convinced to the benefits of Corporate social responsibility practices than their male counter-parts. [16] A fuller understanding of diversity and inclusion requires a focus also on senior leaders' roles in diversity leadership.…”

Impacts of Globalization and Conflicts on Business Performance and Possibilities of Its Solution

“…From the beginning of the conflict, the situation is usually not serious, but it can gradually worsen to an intolerable stage. [9][10][11] In his work [12], the author describes conflict resolution as one of the central personnel activities that determine the professionalism of managers' staffing. It defines conflict as a natural and necessary part of human life in the company, as a consequence of different attitudes, intentions and especially efforts to promote individuals, respectively groups.…”

“…According to [14] is the best way to entrust the conflict to line managers and employees. Their main idea was to implement communication between employees and managers in the field of conflict management [15][16][17][18], to enable them to actively resolve conflicts, and to conclude joint agreements to improve their working relationships.…”