Articles, Reports and Videos: Diversity Leadership

Videos

Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences 2010: Donna Brazile

Women and Leadership in the Age of Obama

Donna Brazile speaks about issues of women's leadership, gender, equity and diversity at Congress 2010 in Montreal on 2nd June, 2010. She speaks highly about this topic in a moment of transformation. Brazile emphasizes that we still have a long way to go because we still need more women in leadership and to serve. She left her audience this important message: "Greatness is not simply because of who you are, it is measured by the struggles you are able to overcome." And of course she reminded us that we have come a long way, but not yet there in the age of Obama. Despite this, this new era is ripe for possibilities and it is our responsibility to become the change we know.

C-SPAN. org

A Black Agenda Forum in America

Talk show host Tavis Smiley hosted Black Americans leaders Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Dr. Cornel West, Rev. Jesse Jackson and others develop a conversation on a black agenda in America.

Haiti Shall Rise Again - Collaboration of Caribbean Artists for Haiti

This is for Haiti and its people who are struggling againist historical, political, social and economic ineqaulities, more recently the natural disaster earthquake on 12 January, 2010.

Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences 2009 Panel Presentation Topic:

A More Equitable Inclusive Academy?

Six speakers discuss issues of equity from different, related and intersecting positions.

A colour-blind academy? The status and experiences of visible /non- white minority scholars

Speakers present and discusively address equity and diversity issues in the academy.

What resonated with me was how the speakers addressed truth talking, privilege and the difficulties encountered in engaging with these issues in academia. So far the panelists see their universities talking the talk of diversity but not walking the walk of diversity.

Speakers

(1) Dr. Anthony Stewart

(2) Dr. Aruna Srivastava

(3) Dr. Daren E Lund

Discussions, Recently Published Articles and Reports

The Pipeline for Women is in Peril Gender Inequality Continues at the end of MBA Programs (NEW)

In The Promise of Future Leadership: A Research Program on Highly Talented Employees in the Pipeline, Catalyst set out to explore how the “best and the brightest”—high potential women and men MBAs for whom much was paid and from whom much was expected—have fared post-MBA. Companies pinned hopes on these highly trained graduates from elite MBA programs to help navigate through the white-water of the global economy. With the same prestigious credentials, one would expect these women and men to be on equal footing in the pipeline and their career trajectories gender-blind.

What emerged, however, is evidence that the pipeline is in peril—one that, for women, is not as promising as expected. Among this highly talented group, women lag men in advancement and compensation from their very first professional jobs and are less satisfied with their careers overall. Further, women are more likely to have left their first post-MBA job because of a difficult manager and to have paid a penalty for pursuing a nontraditional career pathway such as working in the nonprofit, government, or education sectors; being self-employed; or working part-time before returning to work full-time in a company or firm.

What accounts for these career outcome differences and what are the implications
for companies failing to level the playing field to more fully utilize this high potential
talent group? Read Pipeline's Broken Promise

Do Men and Women Lead Differently? Who's Better?

What a question and furthermore the answer that is given, which leaves out the experiences of so many other women and men. It is time and especially with the expanding of globalization that we need a more inclusive answer to a question like this. The answer remains exclusive with reference to Eagly and Carli's (2007) metaphor of the labyrinth. Below is my discussion on the metaphor of the labyrinth, which leaves out the experiences of women of color. See "Causes of the Scarcity of Women in Top Leadership in the C-Suite."

Unwritten Rules: Why Doing a Good Job Might not be Good Enough - Catalyst Canada

There are unwritten rules for advancement you must learn and communicate to attain leadership positions. If you don't know them, it is less likely that you will achieve success within an organization.

The Conversation Continues on Gender Inequality in the Workplace

Women continue to suffer from inequality in the workplace while men remain ahead of them.

Is Feminism Dead?

Given that I am considering writing an article on how I "became" [am] a feminist, I thought that this article is an interesting read viewing that it comes from the voices of a number of feminist women in Toronto.

Race, Ethnicity, and Diaspora in the Digital Age

      
       "As academics, researchers, or simply interested individuals, it is imperative we
       recognize that when it comes to race, ethnicity, diaspora, and otherness, there is still
       much to be discussed and that we are far from being post-racial, if that is even a
       plausible or desirable goal. We must not be timid or afraid to engage with each other in
       discussions that might be uncomfortable" (FionaB).

Issues of race and ethnicity in the digital age are granted spaces for discussion and comments by HASTAC. Furthermore, discussions on issues of race do make you feel uncomfortable and it is okay to feel this way because you are learning something new. Most importantly, we are not in a post racial era.

This Bridge Called My Back: A Retro Look at Women of Color and Power - Nisha Agarwal

More Women in the Workplace: In USA and Canada or is it a Global Perspective?: What would Betty Friedan say today?

        "Women are willing to take any job that is offered ... As long as you

         know there is money coming in and you can feed your family." TorontoStar

Although the above discussion explains Canadian women experience in the workplace, the same is said for women in developing countires. However, many reports and discussions have surfaced highlighting the increase of women in the workplace in both USA and Canada without making the similar relationship to women in developing countries. Globalization supports the increase employment of women in developing countries due to the easy accessibility of their cheap and unskilled labour by transnational organizations. It begs the questions: Are more women in the workforce in the USA and Canada creating economic equality far different to what is happening to women in developing countries? There must be some similarity of experience with race and class playing pivotal importance. Are more women represented in leadership positions locally and globally or do they evaporate as they climb the corporate rung of the ladder? I wonder what Betty Friedan would say today.

Gender and Multi-cultural Leadership Project

Gender and Multi-cultural Leadership: The Future of Governance: Exploring the Intersectionality of Race and Gender in the 21st Century Political Leadership

GMCL.ORG.

Silver, Christine and Anika K. Warren (2009). Building LGBT-Inclusive Workplaces:     Engaging Organizations and Indiividuals in Change. Catalyst.

Prime, Jeanine (2009). Engaging Men in Gender Initiatives: What Change Agents need to Know. Catalyst. Webinar Discussion.

Simard, Caroline (2009). Obstacles and Solutions for Underrepresented Minorities in Technology. Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. Stanford University.

Giscombe, Katherine & Laura Jenner (2009). Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A Focus on Visible Minority ~ Diversity & Inclusion Practices. Catalyst.

Herring, Cedric (2009). Does Diversity Pay?: Race, Gender, and the Business Case for Diversity. American Sociological Review. Vol. 74(2): 208-224.

Irons, Meghan E. (2009). Workplace diversity grows, but not at the top, reports says. Bostom.com, May 19.

The Conference Board of Canada (2008). The Value of Diverse Leadership.

Simard, Caroline et al. (2008). Climbing the Technical Ladder: Obstacles and Solutions for Mid-Level Women in Technology. Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. Stanford University.

Vedantam, Shanka (2007). In Boardrooms and in Court Rooms, Diversity Makes a Difference. The Washington Post, Jan 15:A02.

Work in Progress

• Spiritual Literacy and Black Women's Leadership Presentation

Article

Spiritual literacy and Black women’s leadership (BWL) share empowerment practices of embodied African indigenous knowledge where spirituality evokes an empowering and liberating paradigm tied to a sense of identity, keeping Black women centered and in equilibrium. The phenomenon was shown through my findings from narratives of participants in my recent research on how power and empowerment of African indigenous knowledge inform Black women’s leadership (Johncilla, 2006). My research went beyond the exceptional, historical, and biographical background of Black women leaders (Braithwaite & Benn-Ireland, 1993) where I engaged in narratives with contemporary women leaders situated in the Black community, organizations and workplaces. Findings show that contemporary Black women’s leadership power of embodied African indigenous knowledge was not lost due to cultural and historical memory.

This article represents a theoretical conversation that uncovers and maps the nuances of spirituality with its particular literacy and embodied African indigenous knowledge in Black women’s leadership. I take theory to mean ones lived experiences, according to Collins (1990), bell hooks (1981) and many other Black women theorists. Within the paper, you hear the voices of two of my leadership participants, and as well as supporting literature demonstrating the experiences of other recognizable Black women leaders who practice spirituality and indigenous knowledge, knowingly and unknowingly in their everyday leadership..........

Dr. Marilyn J

Articles by Dr. Marilyn J

What do Black Women Lack to Get to the C-Suite?

Black Women lack role models, mentors, road maps and guide posts for upward mobility to the C-Suite. These findings came out from Barbara Hesselgrave's article of Miller-McCune: Turning Research into Solutions titled "Under the Glass Ceiling? Throw Stones!". Her article supports my following discussion on "Causes of the Scarcity of Women in Top Leadership in the C-Suite". Hesselgrave refers to the inadequacy of using 'the glass ceiling' because it relates to the experience of white women in the corporate structure, which is not the experience of women of color. "The metaphor of a 'concrete ceiling' stands in sharp contrast to that of 'the glass ceiling.' Not only is 'the concrete ceiling' reported to be more difficult to penetrate, women of color say they cannot see through it to glimpse the corner office", like white women who have access to 'the glass ceiling', Hesselgrave quoted from Catalyst. 'The glass ceiling' metaphor experience allows women to see the corner office, giving them hope that they will reach there one day. This explanation is similar to the metaphor of 'the Labyrinth' where women reach the centre after over-coming the obstacles of the puzzle as stated by Eagly and Carli. However, whatever experience white women face is unlike the difficulty of the penetrability and opaqueness of 'the concrete ceiling' that Black women encounter to get to the C-Suite. 'The Labyrinth' informs us of blind alleys, with high walls in a maze and puzzle that are navigatable and women can get to the centre eventually, that is the C-Suite. How is this possible with Black women when they are told that the position is not for them, rather than what to do to get to the C-Suite because of a lack of role models, mentors, road maps and guide posts to help them? This explanation therefore informs us that Black women do not have access to the centre of 'the Labyrinth' that Eagly and Carli vigorously support.

Read more....

dr marilyn j

Causes of the Scarcity of Women in Top Leadership in the C-Suite

Alice H. Eagly and Linda L. Carli most recent book Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders and their article Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership inform us that the sum of many obstacles along the way and not 'the glass ceiling' cause the scarcity of women in top leadership. In both pieces they show that "a new picture emerges for why women don't make it into the C-suite......they remain as rare as hens' teeth”. The authors propose using the metaphor of ‘the Labyrinth’ to demonstrate why the difficulty for women to achieve top leadership in corporate structure. They believe that time has changed and “the glass ceiling metaphor is now more wrong than right”. However, aren’t they homogenizing women’s experience when using the metaphor of 'the glass ceiling'? Any intellectual discussion or institutional practice of leadership cannot be adequately interrogated if the politics of gender overtly or covertly transcend the politics of race, class, sexuality, disability, language, ethnicity, and so on. What about the diversity of women’s experience for not reaching top leadership positions? Is 'the Labyrinth' alone a sufficient metaphor for understanding the causes of the scarcity of women in top leadership?

According to Eagly and Carli, ‘the Labyrinth’ metaphorically demonstrates intricate passageways and blind alleys with high walls in a maze formation around women as they climb the corporate ladder. With this, women need to know how to navigate around the walls that form the puzzle of ‘the Labyrinth’ to succeed into top leadership. This gives women hope because there is an attainable centre of ‘the Labyrinth’ that denotes success and goal achievement of leadership because it’s a place women can eventually get to. 'The Labyrinth' composes the vestiges of prejudice; resistance to women's leadership; issues of leadership style; demands of family life and underinvestment in social capital. To overcome these obstacles for women to be more successful in top leadership, Eagly and Carli suggest in investing in management interventions that work in several areas. They give several examples including, avoiding having a sole female member of any team and welcoming women back with responsible positions after stepping away from the workforce.

Eagly and Carli are however using a large paint brush to include all women's experience with the representation of the maze with its obstacles. Their use of the metaphor of ‘the Labyrinth’ alone is insufficient. It is the same as just only using 'the glass ceiling' for all women’s experience to get to the C-suite. When either 'the glass ceiling' or ‘the Labyrinth’ is used there is the exclusion of the metaphor of the ‘concrete ceiling’ (Catalyst), which is the experience of women of color in corporate structure. We therefore need to thoroughly re-examine the usage of ‘the Labyrinth’. Furthermore, The Executive Leader Council provides detailed findings that “black-women executives have little or no control over factors such as race and gender bias, stereotypes and tokenism” that cause their scarcity in top leadership positions. How are they to navigate such obstacles with the metaphor of ‘the Labyrinth’? Furthermore, research informs us that "the might of being white still see the archetypal and most effective leader as white", quoted from the Global and Mail after a research conducted by Leonardelli, Rosette and Phillips, 2008). Therefore, the inequality of gender is insufficient for explaining women’s experience of climbing the corporate ladder (Bell and Nkomo, 2004). Issues of women’s race and its relationship with class, sexuality, disability, language, ethnicity, and so on are important issues that prevent diverse women’s progress into top leadership in corporate structure.

The experience of all women including that of black women’s ‘concrete ceiling’ experience must be addressed for understanding the scarcity of women in the C-Suite. I agree that sexism is experienced by all women, but women of color experience other obstacles that white women do not and so to women of different class, sexuality, disability and so on. We have to be inclusive by not denying the metaphorical experience of 'the glass ceiling' of white women, and at the same time we can’t forget the ‘concrete ceiling’ experience of women of color for the absence of women in the C-Suite.

Arguments of 'the glass ceiling' of white women, the ‘concrete ceiling’ of women of color and 'the Labyrinth' prevent women from entering the C-suite. In as much as Eagly and Carli can name the inefficiency of using 'the glass ceiling' metaphor because it “is now more wrong than right”, I propose keeping that metaphor, include the metaphor of ‘the concrete ceiling’ experience of women of color and add 'the Labyrinth'. The political and institutional practice of leadership cannot be adequately practiced in 'the Labyrinth' if the politics of gender superseed the politics of race, class, sexuality, disability, language and ethnicity. The diverse experience of other women, including women of color is different and contesting that of white women who are prevented from leadership because of 'the glass ceiling.' Therefore, a re-examination of the barriers that hold women back from top leadership shows no single homogenous metaphorical barrier like 'the Labyrinth'. Using 'the Labyrinth' instead of 'the glass ceiling' is replacing one metaphor with another while excluding diverse experiences of women. In any discussion of the difficulty of women to climb the corporate ladder, discussions must include the diverse experience of the diversity of women, including women of color that try to enter the C-Suite where they encounter ‘the concrete ceiling’. Women are scarce in top leadership positions in the C-suite due to 'the glass ceiling', 'the concrete ceiling' and 'the Labyrinth.'

References

Eagly, Alice E. & Linda L. Carli (2007) Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Edmlondson Bell, Ella L. J. & Stella M. Nkomo (2004). Our Separate Ways: Barriers to Advancement. In R. J. Ely, E. G. Foldy & M. A. Scully (Eds.), Reader in Gender, Work, and Organization. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

dr marilyn j

Videos

Women, Ambition and still the Pay Gap with Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School Professor.

Professor Kanter discusses why women still do not make it to top senior positions in corporations. Women remain in people oriented jobs, while men are in the highly judgement and thoughtful jobs. She states that there is a preference for social similarity as men climb the corporate ladder. Women still do not have the power to be thought leaders in the workplace.

MIT's Diversity Leadership Congress on Tuesday, 18 November, 2008

Black Women's Leadership Council (BWLC) at Xerox is a Champion for Black Women

Although top leadership positions in the workplace for racial minorities are less visibly evident, some organizations and workplaces support these employees through forging partnership with senior management for their facilitation, hiring, retention, professional and social development. In this case, the unique issues of Black women in the workplace are supported by Xerox with the establishment and support of the BWLC. Within the BWLC, Black women mentor others and work on the championing of their issues through a formalized network. Mentors are important for the progress and development of Black women within the workplace and Xerox is leading the way where women can have their say.

Watch the video as Black women from Xerox speak about their experience in the workplace and the support from BWLC.

Articles by Dr. Marilyn J

The Diversity Leadership of Barack Hussein Obama, President-Elect of USA

Given the complexities of the meaning of leadership with its many definitions, I brought together several characteristics displayed by Barack Hussein Obama that detail his diversity leadership. His experiences inform his inclusive leadership and challenge what is often given for leadership qualities.

Barack Hussein Obama:

is inclusive

he listens

he is himself

he is authentic and human

he has respect, patience, open-mindedness, enthusiasm, accountability, humility, empathy, responsibility, initiative and diplomacy

he is insightful, wise, engaging and likable

he draws in people

he is self-aware

he is transparent in relationships

he understands his own values and beliefs

he is balance in his judgments

he challenges himself and others

he is a good orator

he tells the truth

he has time for fitness

he is successful

he learned from his father

he is there for his family

he makes the future his focus

he turns early lessons into big successes

he does not disappoint himself to not disappoint others

This information on President Elect Barack Hussein Obama's leadership was interpreted from Men's Health, Nov 2008, 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition, Special Wealth & Power Issue.

Work in Progress

RESEARCH  FINDINGS - Career Advancement in Corporate Canada: A Focus on Visible Minorities Workplace Fit and Stereotyping

This research survey conducted by Catalyst explores the perceptions about workplace "fit" and stereotyping among specific sub-groups of visible minority managers, professionals and executives working in corporate Canada, and also among white/Caucasians in the same workplaces. The research pays special attention to how such issues could affect the ability of visible minority employees to advance within Canadian business organizations.

Findings from the research support satisfaction regarding career advancement was lower among visible minority managers, professionals, and executives in Canadian business organizations than it was among the White/caucasian colleagues. A main suggestion coming out of the findings is a call for making a business case for inclusion of visible minorities and ensure that leadership competencies are clear, allowing for a variety of styles.

Read the full article (PDF)

The Might of Being White in Corporate Canada: Why a Lack of Visible Minority Leaders

Leadership benefits of being white in America is no different to the leadership benefits of being white in Canada. Four recent research studies done by Catalyst on corporate Canada co-authored with The Diversity Institute in Management & Technology at Ryerson University support the American research co-authored by Geoffrey Leonardelli, PhD of the University of Toronto.

The fourth research study clearly speaks of Canada's "culturally closeted" attitude that:

1. "An important aspect of "fit" for employee advancement is whether the visible minority matches the prevailing image of a leader held by others in the organization."
2. "Stereotypes faced by visible minorities in the workplace who are already underrepresented may be negative, can undermine credibility, and can keep underrepresented groups from 'fitting the image' of an organizational leader - thus a barrier to advancement for these groups as a whole and for individuals."

Read the entire content of the fourth research (PDF) to learn about the experiences of South Asians, East Asians and Black minority managers, professionals and executives. Although not discussed as a finding in the research, the might of being White in corporate Canada clearly comes through in holding leadership positions with its stereotypical image of who can be a leader. The research further shows that visible minorities in corporate Canadian leadership face discrimination and stereotypes as barriers in their advancement, supporting Leonardelli's research on leadership in America where it suggests " that racial bias around the typical image of a senior executive can influence evaluations of leaders and their likelihood of career advancement."

The Globe and Mail (see below) presented the following article with Geoffrey Leonardelli, PhD recently co-authored article where "both whites and visible minorities tend to assume the traits of a senior executive include being white. They also tend to judge white leaders as more effective."

Recently Published Newspaper Articles:

DIVERSITY: RACIAL BIAS
Report on Business: Globe Careers
The might of being white; No matter what their own colour, Americans still see archetypal and most effective leader as white: study

TAVIA GRANT

18 July 2008
The Globe and Mail

The archetypal corporate leader is bright, confident, charismatic and … white?
That's the image that persists among Americans – no matter what their own colour – of prominent business leaders, research published in this month's issue of the Journal of Applied Psychology finds.

It said both whites and visible minorities tend to assume the traits of a senior executive include being white. They also tend to judge white leaders as more effective.
The study, co-authored by a University of Toronto professor, suggests that racial bias around the typical image of a senior executive can influence evaluations of leaders and their likelihood of career advancement.

“Our results challenge a common explanation for racial bias – that people who are white give preferential treatment to other people who are white,” says co-author Geoffrey Leonardelli, a social psychologist at the U of T's Rotman School of Management.

“Rather, we find that Americans of all races relate successful leadership with being white. It reveals how broadly embedded in our thoughts this bias can be.”
That perception may not be much different in Canada, Prof. Leonardelli adds. “To the extent that, historically, Canadian leaders have been white and that current Canadian leaders are primarily white, and these are the prominent leaders of this country, a white standard may exist as well.”

And such an image may be self-perpetuating. Despite decades of progress, few people who belong to visible minorities are cracking the upper echelons of the corporate world. Just 16 Fortune 500 companies are run by people from visible minorities, according to Diversity Inc. Three blacks hold the top job at the largest firms, down from a record seven last year.

“A large number of folks in the pipeline have the talent, the education, and are building themselves up,” says Damon Williams, spokesman for the Executive Leadership Council, a Washington-based group for black executives. “It's a question now of making sure corporations maximize their talent – ensuring they're getting proper training, development and coaching.”

He lists plenty of influential role models – such as Carla Harris, a managing director at Morgan Stanley and best-selling gospel singer. But many rising black executives go unnoticed, he adds.

And it is the very people “who are disadvantaged by the white standard,” such as U.S. presidential contender Barack Obama, who are now in the best position to change it, Prof. Leonardelli says.

The study suggests that racial bias stems from exposure in history and current events to leaders who have been primarily white – from steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and oil tycoon John Rockefeller in the 19th century to Microsoft Corp.'s Bill Gates and media mogul Steve Forbes today.

That, in turn, can subconsciously lead people to conclude that “being white is part of what it means to be a good leader,” the study says.

“Such historical perceptions of white individuals in leadership positions reinforce the assertion that ‘being white' is a primary and probable characteristic of leadership,” the report says. “Thus, we posit that being white is a central characteristic of the business leader prototype.”

There are few stats on how many visible minorities are leading Canada's largest companies. A 2006 survey by the Conference Board of Canada revealed that 6.4 per cent of both senior managers and executives are visible minorities. They make up 15.4 per cent of the total labour force, according to Statistics Canada.

“The business sector is supposed to be innovative, creative, and leading change in society, but we see resistance to change from the corporate sector when it comes to recruiting and retaining members of diverse communities,” says Ayman Al-Yassini, executive director at the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

“We are not just saying hire because these individuals come from a certain religious, ethnic or religious backgrounds. But we're saying all institutions need to reflect our society.”

The study released this month – with research from Duke University and Northwestern University – is based on a series of experiments to determine whether race still affects people's judgments of leader effectiveness.

Previous research has shown leaders who are viewed as compatible with the prototype get better evaluations than those who aren't – even when their performance is identical. This study aimed to explore whether race – specifically being white – was an attribute of people's leadership prototype.

Nearly 1,000 participants reviewed fictitious newspaper clippings and performance reviews. Subjects then evaluated fictitious CEOs, project leaders and division leaders.
Participants consistently assumed the leaders were white when race wasn't disclosed. This assumption persisted even when they were told the racial composition of the leaders in the organization was 80 per cent African-American, 80 per cent Hispanic or 80 per cent Asian-American. This presumption of “whiteness” didn't happen when the participants assessed non-leaders.

The authors hope their findings will create a better understanding of the disparity that persists between whites and racial minorities in business leadership roles.
“The initial step is to become aware of the bias, to recognize that we make biased decisions based upon race and other demographics,” says the study's lead author and assistant professor Ashleigh Shelby Rosette of Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. “To ignore it and say this doesn't happen is a problem. In an ideal world, we would like for evaluations to be blind.”
*****

CHANGING FACE OF THE CORNER OFFICE: SLOWLY BUT SURELY
THREE FORTUNE 500 CEOS ARE BLACK
They are:
Kenneth Chenault,
American Express Co.
Ronald Williams,
Aetna Inc.
Clarence Otis,
Darden Restaurants Inc.