In large schools, it is inevitable to interact with diverse groups of people. Diversity advocacy addresses more than what people see on the outside; it ensures people feel seen, understood, and accepted for who they are. When developing teams, it is essential to gather input from multiple perspectives, commonly obtained through active listening and a genuine interest in getting to know everyone in the group. By mastering this competency, leaders will be able to engage in other skills such as systems thinking, change management, global/cultural competence, and social justice with ease.
Knowing what I do now, I think back to situations at school and earlier in my college years where my race was only seen as a tool. One notable moment was when I was discussing my college application dilemma with my French teacher. I explained to him that I was unsure if I had a decent chance of getting accepted to UChicago, given the school's competitiveness. His response, permanently ingrained in my mind, was “Well, you’re black. You should be able to get in.” A Latina woman sitting across from us widened her eyes in shock. As I was constantly surrounded by people who didn’t share my identity, the comment didn’t seem like a big deal at the time; I admit that I didn’t have a clear view of this topic either. Learning how diversity shapes our conversations can be insightful for both parties. This experience also highlights the profound impact our words have on others. It is imperative that we uplift rather than generalize or minimize the individual, appreciating the beauty of being different.
A prime method of developing the skill to support diverse groups is to identify misrepresentations that manifest in conversations and deconstruct them. Some may have heard phrases like “I don’t see color” or “I treat everyone the same.” Although there may be good intentions behind these sayings, these ideas overlook systemic disparities and suppress individuality. Oftentimes, our differences have also been used to fulfill a superficial agenda rather than bringing people together. For example, Settles and colleagues found that “as tokens, faculty of color were made hyper visible because their racial distinctiveness was used to create the impression that the university was a diverse and welcoming space,” leading to feelings that the “institution was not interested in how their distinctive experiences could inform and contribute to policies and practices” (2019). When working in any professional environment, the stories of unique individuals should not be taken at face value. Applying morals to purposefully engage in the consultation of others before advancing a plan is a great way to ethically promote advocacy in these situations. This worthwhile conversation can cultivate new perspectives, preventing the perpetuation of single stories that negatively affect marginalized communities. In practice, the foundation of trust and respect among team members grows stronger.
A personalized approach to leadership upholds diversity advocacy by promoting inclusivity and representation. A leader who develops this competency in teams takes accountability for wrongdoings and is open to corrections. They will also respectfully amplify the voices of overlooked individuals. In practice, leaders who excel in individualization can’t use the same blueprint for two different teams, especially once they learn about the distinctive qualities of each team member that can benefit how everyone works together. Organizational and societal levels of leadership skills also involve intentional and complex processes. When interacting with individuals from diverse backgrounds, body language, tone of voice, and actions taken after discussion are equally, if not more important than the words one would say in the moment. Remaining cognizant of how we approach our differences serves to implement new incentives that motivate a team.
References
Settles, I. H., Buchanan, N. T., & Dotson, K. (2019). Scrutinized but not recognized: (In)visibility and hypervisibility experiences of faculty of color. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 113(113), 62–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.06.003
