In a paper delivered at the Copeland Colloquium at Amherst University in 1980, Audre Lord noted "There is a constant drain of energy, which might be better used in redefining ourselves and devising realistic scenarios for altering the present and constructing the future" (Sister Outlier, Ten Speed Press, 2007). More than being authentic, thriving, or practicing self-care, a broader recognition of Black leadership excellence is needed, not based on the traditional prototypes, but based on Black self-definition of leadership. Narratives of Black leadership excellence are created by redefining leadership that speaks to the way Black individuals experience the world and leveraging that new definition to create a future that seeks and values excellence.

What Senior Leaders Have to Say

To gain insight into Black leadership, I interviewed eight senior executives in higher education who identify as people of color, represent the spectrum of gender identity, and work in predominately White public and private institutions of varying sizes. Specific names and institutions are not shared as agreed with the interviewees. A qualitative analysis on the interview transcripts was performed using an open-ended coding method to identify commonalities between their experiences in leadership and their strategies in dealing with those experiences.

Each interview began with a script, including the statement: "Describe two different times you perceived being treated differently in a leadership role because of your race or gender." Not surprisingly and discouragingly, almost to a person, the first responses included comments such as: "Where do I start?" and "There are so many." These individuals perceived being treated differently in five major ways:

• pigeon-holed or stereotyped because of race;

• attacked for going against institutional culture;

• disrespected or having their authority undermined;

• told how to do their jobs; or

• held to a higher standard than others.

Redefine Leadership and Build Self-Awareness

Redefining leadership speaks directly to the importance of self-awareness and the ability to be true to yourself as a leader in environments constantly pushing against that truth. As one leader noted, "If people honestly speak about their journeys, there are times when they made decisions they did not want to make. But the institutional fabric and institutional culture had them make the decision, which directly led into a space that was disingenuous for them. It also led them into what becomes the trap of seeking validation." For leaders of color, redefinition, in the spirit of Lorde, means turning away from the validation trap and successfully navigating conflicting and contradictory situations. For those leaders who were interviewed, the path to this redefinition is self-awareness.

Several leaders referenced how they were raised or the culture they grew up in as big influences on their sense of selves as leaders. An example of that influence is reflected in a comment about principles and values. One leader defined principles as your reaction to the external world based on accepted norms, whereas values come from within. Another big influence was how situations with racial overtures and undertones were handled. In reaction to an incident, one interviewee explained, "And so it made me tougher, you know, in the sense that I became more aware of my environment." Another suggested: "Take a minute to do some introspection, but don’t spend too long doubting yourself about it if you feel it." In response to a racial challenge, the interviewee added, "I mean, I think about the fact that I’ve been Black a long time. I should have trusted my instincts."

Self-awareness allows for a clear definition of leadership specific to one’s identity. "If you find yourself in that situation, know yourself," explained one interviewee who stated you can never be a good leader if you do not know yourself and have a certain level of confidence, not arrogance. Redefinition may require a move from being conditionally accepted in an environment based on a willingness to meet expectations to leading uninhibited and unencumbered by inaccurate connotations of how people of color can transform organizations. This power of redefinition was perfectly summed up by a leader who stated: "I have a clear understanding of why I’m doing anything in that it’s in alignment with my values, values of the institution, and values of my office—and being able to articulate that no matter who’s in front of me."

Seek Support

Lorde speaks to devising realistic scenarios for altering the present. Seeking support is a specific strategy these leaders used to help them process what occurred to them and reframe it into a situation in which they could flex their leadership. Some had relationships with their second in command while others sought external support. Support can come from many different places as one leader noted: "…You find people who know you well enough that you can just go to them, and ask them that question. Sometimes they look like you, and sometimes they don’t."

The act of seeking support alters the present and allows for leaders to move forward in ways that support personal and institutional success. A common acknowledgement from interviewees was you do not have to, and likely you cannot, lead without the support of those who value your success and see your leadership role intertwined with the success of the institution.

Prepare

Preparation speaks directly to what Lorde refers to as constructing the future. A leader’s role is to construct the future of the organization. Preparation speaks to the need to be proactive rather than reactive to differential treatment in a leadership position because of race. One interviewee notes, "You have to look at the entire (chess) board and begin thinking about not only your next move, but the counter move that is coming your way as well."

Preparation on a daily basis, and in advance of assuming a leadership position, is critical to leadership success, particularly for leaders of color. Their sentiments are captured in the following quote: "I must always stay in line with the understanding I will always be assessed by the masses by my title, as opposed to by my character. It is up to me to come to the door and demonstrate exemplary ethical behavior to gain respect and trust others. It is not fair. It’s just reality."

Pave the Way

One glaring omission from these interviews was specific strategies leaders used to address the impact of the incidents they experienced, which I refer to as the hidden cost of being a leader of color. What the great author James Baldwin termed "the price of the ticket," the hidden cost paid by these leaders today is paving the way for Black excellence to be less costly in the future, a core reason each of these interviewees pursued leadership.

How Do Leaders of Color Achieve Success?

The challenge of being effective while maintaining relationships with stakeholders who mistreat you has certainly been discussed, but the topic may benefit from a more public discussion. Lorde’s quote provides a framework to think about where energy is placed in the leadership role. Is that energy spent entirely on survival mode as a person of color or is that energy spent doing the most meaningful work possible? What was meaningful for those interviewed was using their leadership to leverage the power of education to increase access and outcomes for all people, especially those historically underserved. Ensuring energy is placed on what is meaningful not only positions leaders of color for success, it allows them to continue lowering the personal cost of leadership for generations of leaders of color to come.