The sky is not the limit for diverse leaders – 09/01/2023 – Policies and Justice

On July 20, 1969, thousands of people around the world watched as astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin set foot on the moon. This event would mark the victory of the United States in the space race against the then Soviet Union. But this unprecedented feat in human history was only possible thanks to the work of Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician.

Amidst the racial segregation that prevailed in the United States at the time, and in the face of limited opportunities for women, especially for black women, Katherine defied conventions. At NASA, an environment dominated by white men, she stood out for her work and leadership. It was her calculations that ensured the success of American space missions, including John Glenn’s historic flight around the Earth and the Apollo 11 mission, which put a man on the moon.

Katherine Johnson’s story makes us realize that every time a black woman or person (and especially a black woman) assumes a leadership role, she challenges stereotypes, breaks down barriers and redefines what is possible for future generations. It also generates transformations that have significant effects not only from an organizational point of view, but also from a social point of view, since they have the potential to shape cultures and mentalities.

Academia has been dedicated to addressing this issue, seeking to quantify and qualify the benefits of diversity in positions of leadership and authority. The need for diversity in decision-making positions is not just a social justice narrative, but a reality supported by empirical evidence. And in an initiative of the Lemann Foundation together with the Nucleus of Racial Studies at Insper (Neri), researcher Michael França and I synthesized the findings of the main studies on leadership and diversity developed in the last 20 years.

In the private sector, part of the selected studies suggests that companies led by women or black people are those that present better financial performance, that are better evaluated by their employees and that attract and retain more talent. In the public sector, studies such as the one by Fernanda Brollo and Ugo Troiano, entitled “What happens when a woman wins an election? Evidence from close races in Brazil”, indicate that the election of women to political office is associated with a reduction in corruption and clientelism in the posts of the municipal executive branch.

Among other works selected in the synthesis, there is also evidence that suggests that elected black leaders propose the triple inclusion public policies and have a positive impact on education and local political representation.

Despite these and other benefits of diverse leadership, the study also points out that there is still much to be done. Several barriers contribute to the persistent underrepresentation of women and blacks in decision-making positions, including different types of discrimination, adverse social dynamics that disproportionately impact certain groups, such as responsibilities derived from motherhood and sexual harassment, and systemic inequalities of power.

In this sense, ensuring representativeness in positions of leadership and authority means reaffirming individual dignity and worth. It also means acknowledging that, for a long time, social structures have perpetuated inequalities that have made and still make it impossible for women and black people to rise to decision-making positions.

Recognizing the importance of this and other debates, Neri will hold on September 15th, from 8 am to 5 pm, at Insper, the event “The Color of Inequality”, with the aim of discussing not only issues related to diversity and leadership, but also to education, inequality and public policies. This event will be a unique opportunity for academics, managers, activists and the general public to follow the research produced by the nucleus and engage in the discussion of fairer and more equitable solutions.

The editor, Michael França, asks each participant of the space “Politics and Justice” of the Sheet suggest a song to the readers. In this text, the song chosen by Fillipi Nascimento was “Lilás”, by Djavan.

PRESENT LINK: Did you like this text? Subscriber can release five free hits of any link per day. Just click the blue F below.