Leadership Anchored in Authenticity: Empowering Black Women

The leadership journey for Black women is laden with unique challenges. Choosing to lead is not merely a career decision; it's a courageous step in navigating through systemic barriers and critical growth decisions within environments that may not yet be fully equipped for psychological safety and fulfillment.

Anchoring oneself in authenticity, core values, and purpose is not just beneficial; it's essential. This grounding provides a strong sense of self amidst the complexities of organizational environments and is a safeguard against the destabilizing impacts of corporate trauma and professional experiences unique to Black women.

Providing the development tools, resources, and supportive networks helps these leaders create a solid foundation of values, purpose, and authenticity, empowering them to navigate their organizations and career paths with confidence, clarity, and resilience. It's crucial that allies and organizations play an active role in this journey, ensuring these leaders have the support and autonomy they need to thrive.

The Risks of Not Anchoring

Without a solid anchor in authenticity, core values, and purpose, significant risks emerge:

• Burnout: The emotional and physical toll of conforming to traditional leadership models can lead to exhaustion and disengagement.
• Lack of Direction: Without a clear anchor, leaders may struggle to chart and navigate their career paths, leading to stagnation and a lack of progress.
• Career Stagnation: A lack of anchoring can impede career progression, leaving talented leaders stuck in roles that don’t fully utilize their potential.
• Well-being: The absence of a strong anchor can impact overall well-being, leading to a diminished sense of purpose and satisfaction.
• Organizational Impact: For organizations, failing to empower Black women can result in lower employee engagement, higher turnover, and a negative impact on the bottom line, including their ability to expand leadership capacity and contribute to long-term organizational growth and success.

The Role of Allies and Sponsors

Allies and sponsors play a pivotal role in empowering Black women to lead in ways that are meaningful and authentic to them. This involves:

• Providing Space and Autonomy: Empowering these leaders with the autonomy to lead authentically and align their roles with their values and purpose.
• Championing Equity: Actively advocating for equitable opportunities and challenging systemic barriers that hinder the progress of Black women.
• Promoting Well-being: Creating supportive environments that prioritize the well-being and professional growth of Black women.
• Sponsoring Strategically: Sponsors should actively advocate for the visibility, advancement, and strategic placement of Black women in leadership roles.

The Organizational Imperative

Organizations that fail to invest in the development of Black women risk their reputation and bottom line. Research, including studies by Gallup, shows that employee satisfaction and well-being are directly linked to customer loyalty and organizational success. Companies with higher employee engagement report 21% higher profitability, and those perceived as inclusive see a 70% increase in the likelihood of capturing new markets.

I invite you to reflect on what it means to empower women of colour on their leadership journey. Let’s commit to creating empowered and equitable workplaces where all leaders can anchor themselves, chart their course, accelerate their growth, and expand their influence.

Questions for Allies and Sponsors:

• How are you supporting Black women in anchoring themselves within your organization?
• How can you, as an ally or sponsor, provide space and autonomy for Black women to lead authentically?

Let’s commit to creating empowered and equitable workplaces where all leaders, especially Black women, can anchor themselves, chart their course, accelerate their growth, and expand their influence.

Sources:

Gallup, “The Relationship Between Employee Engagement and Customer Satisfaction”, 2022

#Allyship #womenofcolor #brilliantcolours #glasscliff #blackexcellence #csuite

Rachel Baptiste is CEO of Lumen Consulting Group Inc. and an executive coach dedicated to transforming the narrative for women of colour in corporate spaces into one of authenticity, purpose, and empowerment at every stage of their leadership journey. She is partnering with allies to take meaningful actions to foster cultures and systems where diversity truly thrives. Join her on this transformative mission.