tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/leadership-2333/articlesLeadership – The Conversation2024-03-25T12:34:09Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2246512024-03-25T12:34:09Z2024-03-25T12:34:09ZRural schools in South Africa can produce good exam results too: study shows what’s behind one success story<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580094/original/file-20240306-18-8y5hh5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A child walking to school in the rural village of Qunu in South Africa.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jennifer Bruce/AFP via Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Each weekday, hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers in South Africa’s rural areas (which make up <a href="https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/South-Africa/rural_population_percent/">just over 31%</a> of the country’s total area) make the journey to school. It’s often difficult. Poor road networks and a lack of easy access to transport make just <a href="https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/server/api/core/bitstreams/7b3fd97c-b13b-4d4c-bcf8-491d8b53c63f/content">getting to and from school a challenge</a>.</p>
<p>Many rural schools are dilapidated and poorly equipped. It’s very unusual for these schools to have <a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0256-01002023000400011&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en">libraries, computer rooms or science laboratories</a>.</p>
<p>There has been some improvement in matric (school-leaving) exam results in the largely rural provinces. In 2016 the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces, which are home to <a href="http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?domain=3&indicator=13">about 72% of rural South African children</a>, were <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/148871/2016-matric-pass-rate-climbs-to-72-5/">ranked last</a> among all nine provinces. The most recent results, for the matric class of 2023, show progress in these underperforming areas: KwaZulu-Natal, for instance, <a href="https://schoolclick.co.za/matric-results-percentage/">was ranked second</a> out of the three rural provinces, with 86.3% of its matric candidates passing the final exam. </p>
<p>But despite some bright spots, there is a sense among experts and pundits that rural education needs to be <a href="https://www.investec.com/en_za/focus/future-impact/reimagining-education-in-rural-SA.html">entirely re-imagined</a>.</p>
<p>I am an education researcher with a particular interest in rural schooling. In <a href="https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/real/issue/80017/1264412">a recent research paper</a> I focused on a rural South African high school, interviewing the principal, a deputy principal, three heads of department (academic subjects) and one non-academic staff member.</p>
<p>Today the school consistently performs well in the annual matric exams. From 2020 to 2023, the percentage of the school’s matric pupils who passed the final exams was 66.7%, 92.1%, 81.3% and 88.6%, respectively. This is significantly higher than other schools in the same area. </p>
<p>The school is as poorly equipped as its nearby counterparts. It does not have good infrastructure. The pupils still have to travel, as others do, a long way on bad roads to get to school. Yet it is a star performer. </p>
<p>The secret to its success, my research found, is the resilience of its leadership team. Resilience in this instance relates to how the teachers and other staff are able to withstand the difficult challenges of lack of infrastructure and its learners’ poor socio-economic background to ensure academic success.</p>
<p>My findings suggest that rural school leaders must develop resilience in their pursuit for learners’ success. They must also strive to avoid total reliance on the government for support. The government must, by law, fund and maintain the education sector. But the reality is that this support isn’t always forthcoming.</p>
<p>This means that rural school leaders must be proactive and – as the school in my study has done – consider other possible avenues to solve their problems.</p>
<h2>The case study</h2>
<p>The school I studied <a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africas-no-fee-school-system-cant-undo-inequality-178559">does not charge fees</a>. Its 737 learners come from various villages in the vicinity. (Though, as a result of the impressive matric pass rate, more people from other towns are also enrolling their children.) </p>
<p>Some years ago the principal, tired of constant delays in receiving government support, opted to explore alternative means of support. He began travelling to businesses in nearby towns to ask for assistance and found that the school’s remote location made it a tough sell. However, he persisted and was able to get some financial support from various businesses. This was used to buy textbooks and mathematical sets; some was set aside for maintaining or even restructuring school buildings. </p>
<p>The principal’s persistence and belief in the school’s ability to thrive was echoed by the teachers. He and the teachers began buying school uniforms and shoes, with their own money, to help pupils who couldn’t afford these basic essentials feel more comfortable and committed to their schooling. The staff also organised extra classes after school hours and on weekends to help pupils stay on top of the curriculum.</p>
<p>A few years ago teachers also began travelling to and from the school together in one minibus taxi. The road is terrible, and even the few teachers who owned cars didn’t want to risk the drive. The shared transport fostered harmony among the staff: they got to know each other, chatted about their lives and their pupils, and were able to ask their colleagues for advice in a relatively informal setting.</p>
<p>This shows that what ordinarily could be a form of disadvantage – a long, difficult commute to school – can be turned into an advantage. </p>
<p>All this illustrates what is possible when school leaders and teachers explore all possible means of <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334569987_Successful_Leadership_in_Rural_Schools_Cultivating_Collaboration">collaborating</a> with one another to achieve success in their schools.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/poor-rural-schools-reveal-the-rewards-of-getting-the-basics-right-53320">Poor rural schools reveal the rewards of getting 'the basics' right</a>
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<h2>Building resilience</h2>
<p>My findings echo those of <a href="https://pure.qub.ac.uk/en/publications/small-school-rural-community-study-study-report">a 2022 study</a> which found that leadership is especially critical to rural schools’ success – even in wealthier countries with decent infrastructure.</p>
<p>And this latest study underscores a point I and a colleague made in a 2019 <a href="https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC-16eb6f6e92">research paper</a>: that, with or without the desired infrastructure, having the right leadership in place can still ensure success for rural schools.</p>
<p>To do this, deserving rural school leaders must be recognised by the government and their peers, perhaps with awards for good performance. Platforms should be created where those rural school leaders who have turned their schools around for the better can share their successes, failures and lessons, as well as offering encouragement to others.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/resilience-gives-students-an-edge-in-rural-african-universities-164885">Resilience gives students an edge in rural African universities</a>
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<p>It is easy for rural teachers working in tough circumstances to focus on the immediate challenges and to become disheartened. By focusing on the bigger picture – their learners’ futures and potential to succeed – they will be able to build resilience and create the best possible learning environment.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224651/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chinaza Uleanya does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Rural school leaders must develop resilience in their pursuit for learners’ success.Chinaza Uleanya, Associate professor, University of JohannesburgLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107112024-03-12T03:36:25Z2024-03-12T03:36:25ZEver been on a lousy leadership course? Good leadership training needs these 5 ingredients<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540320/original/file-20230801-231213-d9k81i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C24%2C5396%2C3578&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Many of us have done leadership training for work, come back to the office and thought: “That was a huge waste of time”. Or returned with the best of intentions but realised, six months on, we never actually used any of skills we learned on the course.</p>
<p>So, what makes leadership development programs effective?</p>
<p>We spent months researching leadership and management courses, in an effort to develop a new way of thinking about it.</p>
<p>Our new paper, published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-02758-3.epdf?sharing_token=sKxlLUA0iJ4nRmcoZHpbXlxOt48VBPO10Uv7D6sAgHv9LUpB7i5nu80IKOTUUs3zxv_tLRgvTVzLR6vIJdOLneWt1bM1m1JWcWYIrtDJTjRbeQDJapcu2SdNEymvpn_8N1lu6l6vRCLFtobXz5kH1YtxpIIG4n42AcyWx_yfZqg%3D">Humanities & Social Sciences Communications</a>, argues there are five key ingredients needed to make leadership training worthwhile.</p>
<p>So, what do managers need to know before spending money and time on sending their staff off to leadership training?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/3-things-we-need-to-get-right-to-ensure-online-professional-development-works-164785">3 things we need to get right to ensure online professional development works</a>
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<h2>1. The employee must want to be there</h2>
<p>Effective leaders are self-motivated learners. Basically, if the staff member isn’t motivated, they won’t learn. So there is no point in managers sending unwilling staff members off to leadership training.</p>
<p>Our research suggests staff need to self-nominate for leadership development courses. Those who put their hand up to this kind of training will be intrinsically motivated learners.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman looks bored at work." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547664/original/file-20230912-17-dkcdd3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">There is no point sending a staff member to leadership training if they don’t want to be there.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>2. Managers need to let staff use their new leadership skills at work</h2>
<p>Many leadership courses give guidance on how to approach certain challenges at work, such as managing conflict or leading a change process.</p>
<p>But this guidance is of little value if the staff member doing the training can’t practise their newfound skills.</p>
<p>Managers need to ensure the skills staff members learn at training can be applied and practised. That means giving your staff the time, opportunities and support to use what they learned at leadership training. </p>
<p>Managers need to give their staff who have done leadership training the opportunity to take on new challenges at work in a psychologically safe context (staff will also need their regular workload reduced so they can do this new work). </p>
<p>For example, the leadership program could run concurrently with a workplace change such as implementing a new system or process. The person doing the leadership training could be supported by their boss to take carriage of this implementation.</p>
<h2>3. Managers need to cultivate a continuous learning mindset</h2>
<p>Effective learning at work requires a combination of skills. These include:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>self-awareness about one’s learning style</p></li>
<li><p>being open to new learning methods and technologies</p></li>
<li><p>being able to change the way you do things at work when new opportunities arise</p></li>
<li><p>being able to regularly reflect on learning experiences, successes and failures. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>In practice, this means managers need to treat leadership training not as a one-off but as part of a broader culture of learning at work.</p>
<p>Managers can support this culture of learning this by, for example, having monthly meetings at which staff can talk openly and constructively about what’s worked lately, what hasn’t, and why. Managers can also ensure staff are given adequate training on new technologies, so they feel more confident about technological change at work.</p>
<p>Managers may also want to find ways to offer different types of learning opportunities at work. Some staff members will thrive in a group work environment; others will prefer to study a manual themselves, watch an instructional video or do a short online course.</p>
<p>If managers cultivate a culture of continuous learning at work, it means that when staff go off to leadership training, they will be more able to absorb and apply the lessons.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Staff members sit round a table and discuss work." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/547667/original/file-20230912-21-tzi7ei.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Do you have a culture of constructive feedback at work?</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>4. Managers need to ensure training is delivered by good facilitators</h2>
<p>A crucial feature of leadership training is ensuring there is a high-quality facilitator.</p>
<p>A good course facilitator doesn’t just give a lecture and then answer questions. They also help participants find appropriate applied learning projects, help them learn self-reflection skills, and provide coaching and feedback.</p>
<p>They also play a crucial role in supporting individual and group learning. </p>
<p>In practice, this means managers need to do some due diligence before sending staff off to a leadership training course. </p>
<p>That might involve reading reviews, getting feedback from people who have already done the course, and carefully checking the credentials of the facilitator.</p>
<h2>5. Organisations need both individual leaders and collective leadership</h2>
<p>Successful organisations don’t just have good individual leaders. They also need collective leadership. That means developing a culture at work that values:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>learning</p></li>
<li><p>innovation</p></li>
<li><p>being adaptable</p></li>
<li><p>being able to deal with continuous change. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>Managers can foster this culture of collective leadership at work by facilitating honest, safe conversations about innovation and change.</p>
<p>It means making all staff aware it’s everyone’s job to identify ways the organisation can improve, rather than just relying on one or two leaders. </p>
<p>It’s crucial managers find leadership training courses that can embed this message into their training.</p>
<p>Change is all around us, whether that’s climate change, economic change or technological change with the development of AI. The workplaces that will survive and thrive in this era of rapid change are those that take skills development seriously. </p>
<p>Treating leadership training as a box-ticking exercise won’t cut it. Good leadership training is crucial to developing good leadership, but managers need to make sure the course is actually worth it in the first place.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/elon-musks-hardcore-management-style-a-case-study-in-what-not-to-do-194999">Elon Musk's 'hardcore' management style: a case study in what not to do</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210711/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ros Cameron is a fellow of AHRI Australian Human Resources Institute.
</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gregory Harper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Every done leadership training for work, come back to the office and thought: ‘That was a huge waste of time’?Gregory Harper, Pro Vice Chancellor, Centre for Organisational Change and Agility, Torrens University AustraliaRos Cameron, Professor and Director, Centre for Organisational Change and Agility, Torrens University AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2242152024-03-07T21:09:58Z2024-03-07T21:09:58ZCanadian sport leaders should look to national team athletes for lessons in accountability<p>Canadian national team athletes have been increasingly calling for accountability from sport leaders over the past few years. The <a href="https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/canwnts-players-association-sues-canada-soccer-for-40m/">Canadian Soccer Players Association</a> (CSPA), which represents players on the women’s senior team, is the most recent team to take legal action against their organization. </p>
<p>The CSPA <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/canadian-womens-team-lawsuit-canada-soccer-1.7121834">filed a $40 million lawsuit in late February</a> against 15 current and former Canada Soccer board members for alleged “negligence and breach of fiduciary duty.”</p>
<p>The lawsuit alleges that a deal Canada Soccer signed in 2018 with a private organization (Canadian Soccer Business) has been impacting the former organization’s ability to operate.</p>
<p>This move follows similar actions by athletes from the national <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/canada-artistic-swimming-class-action-lawsuit-1.5942463">artistic swimming team in 2021</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/summer/aquatics/water-polo/water-polo-canada-lawsuit-1.6631971">the water polo team in 2022</a>. These athletes have filed lawsuits alleging varying forms of <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2003CanLIIDocs197#!fragment/zoupio-_Toc14435971/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgEYAWLgZgFYAnAHYOASgA0ybKUIQAiokK4AntADk6iREJhcCRcrWbtu-SADKeUgCE1AJQCiAGUcA1AIIA5AMKOJpGAARtCk7GJiQA">vicarious liability</a> by their associations. </p>
<h2>Canada Soccer accountability issues</h2>
<p>In reviewing the events leading up to the CSPA’s lawsuit, most issues point to a failure in board accountability. The roots of the incident can be traced back to March 2018 when <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canada-soccer-concacaf-officials-defend-controversial-canadian-soccer-business-deal/">Canada Soccer signed a controversial deal with Canadian Soccer Business</a>, which is owned by the Canadian Premier League owners.</p>
<p>The deal involves Canada Soccer giving Canadian Soccer Business sponsorship and broadcast rights in exchange for an annual payment of <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/canada-soccer-business-offers-help-1.6747883">$3 to $4 million a year</a>. Canadian Soccer Business uses part of the money to fund the men’s Canadian Premier League.</p>
<p>In 2023, a labour dispute began when <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/soccer/article-canadian-women-slam-canada-soccer-citing-significant-cuts-to-the/">funding cuts were made to the men’s and women’s</a> national teams. In February of that year, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/parliament-committee-canada-soccer-csb-1.6763270">the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage started looking into the Canada Soccer Business deal</a> and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/11/canada-soccer-womens-team-on-strike-financial-issues-christine-sinclair">Canada women’s soccer team went on strike</a> over pay equity issues.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1624160160980557826"}"></div></p>
<p>In May 2023, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/federal-government-canada-soccer-audit-consideration-1.6829679">the federal government said it was considering an audit of Canada Soccer</a>. The government had previously commissioned an audit to determine <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/hockey-canada-federal-audit-legal-settlements-1.6749713">whether public funds were used by Hockey Canada</a> to settle sexual assault cases.</p>
<p>More of Canada’s Soccer financial issues began to come to light throughout the year. In June 2023, interim secretary general Jason deVos announced Canada Soccer was considering <a href="https://www.tsn.ca/soccer/westhead-interim-general-secretary-jason-devos-paints-grim-picture-of-canada-soccer-s-finances-1.1977583">filing for bankruptcy protection</a> before signing new bargaining agreements with the men’s and women’s teams.</p>
<p>In February 2024, it was revealed that Canada Soccer had <a href="https://www.canadiancharitylaw.ca/blog/canadian-soccer-association-not-filing-financial-statements-with-corporations-canada-as-required-by-the-canada-not-for-profit-corporations-act-cnca/">failed to file its financial statements</a> with Corporations Canada as required by the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. </p>
<p>That same month, the CSPA <a href="https://www.cp24.com/news/association-representing-canadian-women-s-team-files-lawsuit-against-canada-soccer-1.6778227">filed a lawsuit against Canada Soccer board members</a> for breaching their fiduciary duty to Canada Soccer when they signed the deal with Canadian Soccer Business.</p>
<h2>Board duties and responsibilities</h2>
<p>When it comes to improving accountability, Canadian sport organizations and governing bodies have much to learn from national team athletes. These athletes are held accountable to many standards, including:</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.ccaa.ca/landing/index">academic criteria</a> to maintain their <a href="https://www.canadagames.ca/">position</a> and <a href="https://usports.ca/en">scholarships</a> during their junior or <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/sports/u-sports-scholarship-changes-student-athletes-1.6987383">varsity careers</a>;</li>
<li><a href="https://athletics.ca/high-performance/national-team-info/team-criteria/">selection</a> and <a href="https://athletics.ca/high-performance/national-team-info/team-criteria/">performance criteria</a> to make a national team;</li>
<li><a href="https://olympic.ca/how-team-canada-can-qualify-for-paris-2024-part-3/">qualification criteria</a> at world championships and the Olympics;</li>
<li><a href="https://olympics.com/ioc/principles">Olympism</a> and <a href="https://olympics.com/athlete365/athlete-expression/">ethical standards</a> while competing.</li>
</ul>
<p>Canada Soccer has the potential to model, both nationally and globally, the same standards of accountability and leadership excellence that are expected of national team athletes.</p>
<p>As political science experts <a href="https://theconversation.com/boards-of-directors-not-governments-must-prevent-scandals-like-hockey-canadas-189201">Eric Champagne and Alex Beraskow</a> wrote in 2022, governance is a key lever for positive change in Canadian sport.</p>
<p>The principle that “<a href="https://corporationscanada.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cd-dgc.nsf/eng/cs06643.html">directors are responsible for supervising the activities of the corporation</a>” is codified in Canadian law. <a href="https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/2003CanLIIDocs197#!fragment/zoupio-_Toc14435967/BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoAvbRABwEtsBaAfX2zgEYAWLgZgFYAnADYA7AEoANMmylCEAIqJCuAJ7QA5BskRCYXAiUr1WnXoMgAynlIAhdQCUAogBknANQCCAOQDCTyVIwACNoUnZxcSA">Boards are monitors, not managers</a>, and are responsible to the extent they knew, or ought to have known, of potential problems and failed to remedy them.</p>
<p>Boards have been held vicariously liable in Canada for failing to take preventative measures against foreseeable <a href="https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/legal/these-directors-resigned-from-their-board-but-still-got-sued-1004134308/">financial failures</a> or <a href="https://www.torkin.com/docs/default-source/publications/articles/vicarious-liability-update-201526832a2f11f2.pdf?sfvrsn=86de6b10_0">sexual abuse</a> and harassment cases.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/hockey-canadas-issues-go-beyond-a-few-bad-apples-the-entire-system-needs-to-be-re-engineered-221957">Hockey Canada's issues go beyond a few bad apples — the entire system needs to be re-engineered</a>
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<p>Much like coach and athletes, the duty of a board of directors is to adopt an accountability framework — policies and supervision techniques — that demands verifiable evidence of policy implementation and achievement of standards of practice. </p>
<p>Independence, <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-clean-up-hockey-canada-financial-transparency-is-a-must-192705">transparency and accountability</a> are necessary to prevent corrupt or negligent behaviours and actions. By looking to sport itself, we can find the governance principles needed to realign our sport system with the Canadian values of hard work, diversity and respect. </p>
<h2>Non-hierarchical leadership is needed</h2>
<p>Sport works best when following <a href="https://sirc.ca/leadership-governance/">sound governance principles</a>, such as those illustrated in <a href="https://sirc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Better-governance-principles-EN-Jan-31-2023-update.pdf">a report on sport governance</a> from the Sport Information Resource Centre, a national sport organization. A new partnership model is needed — one that uses accountability frameworks built on shared values and goals, transparency and independence.</p>
<p>My research with my colleagues on <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377266048_Safe_to_Belong_Contribute_Learn_Challenge_and_Transform_Fostering_a_Psychologically_Safe_and_High-Performance_Sport_Environment">psychologically safe</a> and <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.18848/2152-7857/CGP/v12i02/81-104">non-hierarchical leadership models</a> illustrates that coach-athlete partnerships are crucial for achieving optimal performance across all aspects of sport organizations.</p>
<p>Coach-athlete relationships, by nature, are not hierarchical because coaches and athletes are experts with distinct roles and responsibilities who are mutually dependent on one another. These relationships should function as true partnerships that are governed by equity and respect, and are founded on a shared goal of excellence, rather than power or control.</p>
<p>We can scale this coach-athlete partnership model from grassroots to systemic levels and apply it to any governing, officiating, accreditation or funding body.</p>
<p>In a board setting, for example, a coach-athlete relationship could be replaced with any of the following: board-CEO, CEO-staff, CEO-stakeholder or member-board.</p>
<p>The most successful coach-athlete relationships, like the best member-board and board-CEO relationships, are founded upon accountability to agreed-upon standards of practice like that of <a href="https://sportforlife.ca/long-term-development">Sport for Life’s long-term development plan</a>. </p>
<p>Accountability demands independence of roles and responsibilities, transparency of standards and criteria, and evidence of output and achievement. We need only look to sport to see where our sport system is failing; we need only look to sport to see how to fix it.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224215/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer Walinga receives funding from Royal Roads University, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada. She was on the board of directors for Rowing Canada Aviron 2017 until she resigned in November 2022.</span></em></p>Canada Soccer has the potential to model, both nationally and globally, the same standards of accountability and leadership excellence that are expected of national team athletes.Jennifer Walinga, Professor, Communication and Culture, Royal Roads UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2241912024-03-05T13:14:17Z2024-03-05T13:14:17ZThe African Union is weak because its members want it that way – experts call for action on its powers<p>The <a href="https://au.int/">African Union (AU)</a> comes in for a lot of criticism. Most recently this is from within its own ranks. The AU Commission chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, <a href="https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20240217/speech-he-moussa-faki-mahamat-chairperson-african-union-commission-thirty">set out his frustrations after an AU summit</a> in February 2024. The commission is the executive organ which runs the AU’s daily activities. Mahamat accused member states of getting in the way of the commission doing its work, and failing to match rhetoric with action:</p>
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<p>Over the last three years, 2021, 2022 and 2023, 93% of African Union decisions have not been implemented.</p>
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<p>We think many of the criticisms of the AU are justified. This is based on more than 15 years of researching its <a href="https://academic.oup.com/afraf/advance-article/doi/10.1093/afraf/adad026/7333637">political</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-12451-8">legal</a> development.</p>
<p>The AU was formed <a href="https://au.int/en/overview">in 2002</a> to replace the <a href="https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/organisation-african-unity-oau">Organisation of African Unity</a> (OAU). Its institutions include the <a href="https://au.int/en/commission">AU Commission</a>, the <a href="https://au.int/en/pap">Pan-African Parliament</a> and the <a href="https://www.african-court.org/wpafc/">African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights</a>, but the real power lies in the hands of its assembly, composed of heads of state and government. </p>
<p>The assembly has refused to transfer meaningful powers to any of the AU organs. For example, the Pan-African Parliament does not exercise any binding legislative powers. And the AU Commission cannot compel member states to comply with AU rules. Most member states <a href="https://theconversation.com/successes-of-african-human-rights-court-undermined-by-resistance-from-states-166454">refuse to comply</a> with the decisions of the human rights court. </p>
<p>The AU differs in this regard from the European Union (EU), where supranational, binding powers are exercised by organs such as the European Commission and the European Parliament. </p>
<p>The AU’s aim of deepening continental integration in Africa is not matched by the powers of its organs. As various AU-mandated reports have shown, the organisation is <a href="https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/%7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3-CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/RO%20Audit%20of%20the%20AU.pdf">dysfunctional</a> and not <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/pages/34915-file-report-20institutional20reform20of20the20au-2.pdf">fit for purpose</a>. </p>
<p>We have previously argued that the <a href="https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/SAPL/article/view/11284">AU has come a long way in its first 20 years</a>. But we believe its <a href="https://theconversation.com/pan-african-integration-has-made-progress-but-needs-a-change-of-mindset-183541">long-standing weakness</a> lies with member states, not its executive, the AU Commission. </p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/toothless-pan-african-parliament-could-have-meaningful-powers-heres-how-87449">Toothless Pan-African Parliament could have meaningful powers. Here's how</a>
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<p>Fixing the problem requires political willingness by member states to gradually sacrifice their sovereignty for the greater good of continental integration. Also, more innovative and creative ways are needed to see how powers can be transferred to weak AU organs. </p>
<h2>Structural weaknesses</h2>
<p>Member states have little trust in the AU. Since its creation in 2002, there has been more talk about what is needed to make it effective than actually fixing its many problems. The <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/pages/34873-file-constitutiveact_en.pdf">AU Constitutive Act</a> allows the assembly to transfer some of its functions to organs such as Pan-African Parliament and AU Commission. Very little has been done about this, though. </p>
<p>Rather than granting the parliament the ability to make binding laws, the amended <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/7806-treaty-0047_-_protocol_to_the_constitutive_act_of_the_african_union_relating_to_the_pan-african_parliament_e.pdf">PAP Protocol</a> only gave it the powers to make “model laws”. These are no more than recommendations. The same applies to the AU Commission. It can’t compel member states to comply with its decisions. So the AU has no way to exercise supranational powers (binding over its member states). </p>
<p>The AU is only as strong as member states allow it to be. African leaders have a worrying track record of putting narrow domestic gains ahead of transferring higher powers to the AU. </p>
<p>This is unfortunate because African regional integration does not, as is often assumed, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/27800540">come at the cost of national sovereignty</a>. </p>
<p>In 2016, African leaders mandated Rwandan president Paul Kagame to provide a report on how to reform the AU. The report was submitted to the AU Assembly <a href="https://au.int/en/documents/20170129/report-proposed-recommendations-institutional-reform-african-union">in 2017</a>. It called for better coordination between AU organs and the regional economic communities, and enhancing the capacity of AU organs to achieve continental integration. After eight years, Kagame is <a href="https://www.theafricareport.com/337642/frustrated-kagame-hands-au-reform-over-to-ruto/">frustrated with the lack of results</a>. </p>
<p>Though proponents of ambitious AU reforms are disappointed, the reforms suggested by Kagame have produced some tangible progress. They have prompted a welcome rethink of the institutional structures. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/not-yet-uhuru-the-african-union-has-had-a-few-successes-but-remains-weak-187705">Not yet uhuru: the African Union has had a few successes but remains weak</a>
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<p>One example is the decision on self-funding, which has revialised the <a href="https://au.int/es/node/43455">AU Peace Fund</a> and the <a href="https://au.int/es/node/43455">UN peacekeeping budget available</a> for requests to support AU peace support operations. However, <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/decisions/43077-EX_CL_Dec_1217-1232_XLIII_E.pdf">61% of the overall AU budget</a> is still financed by the AU’s <a href="https://ecdpm.org/application/files/7216/6074/7083/DP240-Financing-the-African-Union-on-mindsets-and-money.pdf">external partners</a> – including the EU, the US, China, India, Turkey and South Korea. Member states still pay <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/43203-doc-2022_AU_Consolidated_Final_Audit_Report_and_financial_statements_E_Signed-merged-1.pdf">on average only 80%-90%</a> of the contributions they owe. </p>
<h2>Poor leadership and weak empowerment</h2>
<p>The AU’s situation is not helped by some aspects of its leadership. Mahamat’s stewardship of a number of key projects and issues has been controversial. Notably, he largely remained silent about <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/2/14/addis-summit-raises-questions-about-ethiopias-many-conflicts">atrocities</a> committed by Ethiopian forces in Tigray during the two-year Ethiopia war which broke out in November 2020.</p>
<p>More hands-on, principled leadership would have been desirable. At the same time, member states haven’t created an environment in which the chairperson could operate as an effective change-maker. </p>
<p>AU member states and international partners have become <a href="https://www.devex.com/news/exclusive-audit-finds-nepotism-corruption-and-worse-at-the-african-union-commission-99181">frustrated</a> with the AU Commission’s performance, often attributing the AU’s problems to Mahamat’s personal leadership. </p>
<p>But blaming the chairperson is to ignore the deep-rooted structural deficiencies of the organisation. Without addressing these structural problems, whoever is <a href="https://assodesire.com/2024/02/19/outcomes-of-the-african-union-summit-in-7-points/">elected when Mahamat’s term ends in February 2025</a> will fall into the same inefficiency trap.</p>
<h2>Pathways to supranationalism</h2>
<p>The AU’s exercise of binding powers over its member states will require separating personal from institutional politics, ratifying existing legal instruments, and showcasing instances of good pan-African governance.</p>
<p>AU member states should commit to coming up with a feasible plan that shows how, in the short to medium term, they intend to transfer meaningful powers to the AU Commission and the Pan-African Parliament.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-african-union-at-20-a-lot-has-been-achieved-despite-many-flaws-175932">The African Union at 20: a lot has been achieved despite many flaws</a>
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<p>For example, member states that are willing and able to move ahead with endowing the parliament with supranational legislative powers should be encouraged. The amended <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/7806-treaty-0047_-_protocol_to_the_constitutive_act_of_the_african_union_relating_to_the_pan-african_parliament_e.pdf">PAP Protocol</a> does not prevent this as it encourages member states to experiment with direct elections of membership to the parliament. </p>
<p>Also, the AU <a href="https://au.int/sites/default/files/treaties/36403-treaty-protocol_on_free_movement_of_persons_in_africa_e.pdf">Protocol on Free Movement</a> encourages willing member states and regional economic communities to take action. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-african-unions-panel-of-the-wise-an-unfulfilled-promise-184488">The African Union's Panel of the Wise: an unfulfilled promise?</a>
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<p>Nothing prevents such member states from getting into an arrangement with the Pan-African Parliament and AU Commission to provide guidelines and even monitor the way they implement these objectives. Along the example of the <a href="https://au.int/en/treaties/agreement-establishing-african-continental-free-trade-area">African Continental Free Trade Area</a>, national ratifications of AU instruments should be public and transparent to speed up action on agreed decisions. </p>
<p>Member states should encourage the inclusion of wider civil society in framing the terms and conditions of moving forward with the AU supranational project. In this way, the sense of popular ownership and legitimacy of the organisation will be guaranteed.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224191/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ueli Staeger has received funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Babatunde Fagbayibo receives funding from the National Research Foundation of South Africa. </span></em></p>African leaders have a worrying track record of prioritising narrow domestic gains over transferring supranational, binding powers to the AU.Ueli Staeger, Assistant Professor of International Relations, University of AmsterdamBabatunde Fagbayibo, Professor of International Law, University of PretoriaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2239842024-02-29T14:40:07Z2024-02-29T14:40:07ZSouth Africa’s business students want their own industry superheroes and success stories in the syllabus – study<p>In the past few years there’s been much discussion globally about the need to <a href="https://globalchallenges.ch/issue/10/decolonising-education/">decolonise education</a>. Decolonisation is the process of undoing the impact of colonial thinking and its influence in the present. </p>
<p>Scholars have <a href="https://theconversation.com/universities-cant-decolonise-the-curriculum-without-defining-it-first-63948">differing opinions</a> about <a href="https://www.journals.ac.za/index.php/sajhe/article/view/4875">the best way to achieve this</a>, or whether it’s even necessary or desirable. </p>
<p>In South Africa, the issue of decolonisation was spotlighted by students during 2016’s <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/trending/141333/feesmustfall-leaders-explain-what-decolonised-education-means/#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CFees%20Must%20Fall%20is%20an%20intersectional%20movement%20within,imperialist%2C%20colonial%2C%20capitalist%20patriarchal%20culture%2C%E2%80%9D%20the%20statement%20said">#FeesMustFall protests</a>. Eight years on, I was interested in finding out what the current cohort of students thought decolonisation could look like in their classrooms. So I asked final-year students in the management and commerce faculty at a rural campus in the country’s Eastern Cape province to take part in <a href="https://sajournalofeducation.co.za/index.php/saje/article/view/1637/1288%205">a study</a> that would centre their voices and opinions.</p>
<p>Students expressed a desire for decolonisation to embrace two important activities, especially in commerce education. First, students needed their curriculum to feature more business and industry leaders (framed in my study as “superheroes”) from South Africa and the continent more broadly. Second, students advocated for more localised stories and case studies in the courses taught in higher education. </p>
<p>The main issue and thread uniting the two findings? Relatability. These findings offer insight into how a decolonised curriculum can be created by striving for the infusion of <a href="https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/relatable">relatable</a> “superheroes” and stories. </p>
<h2>The status quo</h2>
<p>Much of management and commerce teaching globally can be described using the acronym “<a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100630132850.htm">WEIRD</a>”: it’s dominated by western, educated, industrialised, rich and democratic countries. This reality was flagged by many of the participants in my research. </p>
<p>They saw it, for instance, in which theorists’ and experts’ voices were used versus whose were not. Take US economics scholar Michael Porter: in 1979, in an article for the Harvard Business Review, Porter outlined what have come to be known as “<a href="https://www.isc.hbs.edu/strategy/business-strategy/Pages/the-five-forces.aspx">the five forces</a>”. His framework is useful in understanding the factors that drive competition in industries. </p>
<p>Students extolled the value of this work and did not suggest that it be removed from the curriculum. Instead, they suggested that more African examples be included – for instance, the work of the late Zimbabwean scholar <a href="https://theconversation.com/lovemore-mbigi-will-be-remembered-for-his-teaching-on-ubuntu-in-business-leadership-209260">Lovemore Mbigi</a>, who contributed enormously to research on ubuntu (a concept that emphasises the importance of including everyone and building a strong community) in business leadership.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/lovemore-mbigi-will-be-remembered-for-his-teaching-on-ubuntu-in-business-leadership-209260">Lovemore Mbigi will be remembered for his teaching on ubuntu in business leadership</a>
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<p>To the participants, decolonisation meant giving voice to scholars like Mbigi and increasing the volume of their contribution in classrooms. This would require lecturers to be more intentional in spotlighting what they called “superheroes”: African researchers and experts whose work was relatable to the students’ own context.</p>
<p>There have been efforts in South Africa to encourage case-based teaching similar to what my study advocates for. For instance, the Gordon Institute of Business Science at the University of Pretoria has a dedicated portal that <a href="https://www.gibs.co.za/about-us/faculty/pages/case-study-hub.aspx">houses and offers resources on case-based teaching</a>. Many of these case studies are from South Africa or elsewhere on the continent.</p>
<h2>Context and relatability</h2>
<p>One participant said:</p>
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<p>In our (focus) group there appears to be consensus of the need for a change. The type of change that places importance on the role of giving more South African and even African business leaders a chance to be heard. This for us was what decolonisation was all about.</p>
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<p>The students suggested that management and commerce teaching lent itself to decolonisation by the very nature of the discipline, which focuses on problem solving and case studies.</p>
<p>One participant reported how their focus group saw decolonised teaching having resonance when it came to business protagonists (that is, leaders in their fields):</p>
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<p>At the core of strategic management instruction is a protagonist, the one that is faced with a dilemma. There needs to be more effort in seeing case examples and the lives of protagonists we can relate with.</p>
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<p>Another group reported:</p>
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<p>(We) made important links with the entrepreneurship space. There is (a) need to bring in the experiences of entrepreneurs from the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/township-South-Africa">township</a> and even rural community to the classroom. (This) would edify the teaching experience.</p>
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<p>And another said:</p>
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<p>Some great stories from South African business leaders fail to see the light of day in making it to the classroom. The challenge could be that researchers are not being active in making sure these stories make it to the classroom.</p>
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<p>The students said some lecturers did introduce such examples in class and praised them for creating a pathway for African stories into the curriculum. </p>
<h2>So what happens next?</h2>
<p>I propose three points of consideration, especially for those working in higher education. </p>
<p>First, lecturers should be aware of the context in which they teach, including the material conditions around the students in their classroom. </p>
<p>Second, lecturers need to look for “superheroes” their students can relate to. Such examples are everywhere and their experiences are potentially rich learning fodder for the classroom.</p>
<p>Third, lecturers should be deliberate about making content more relatable. The process could be to train students in case-based writing or investigation skills. Students, through partnering with their lecturers, can help get local cases into the classroom.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223984/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Students want more relatable examples, both of business leaders and of industry case studies.Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi, Professor, University of Fort HareLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2209142024-02-06T15:50:06Z2024-02-06T15:50:06ZHow valuable is Elon Musk’s ‘charismatic’ leadership? That’s the 56 billion dollar question<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573155/original/file-20240202-19-3051f2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=37%2C59%2C4872%2C3176&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-york-usa-2-october-2022-2221500907">kovop/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Maybe the Tesla directors who agreed to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-68150306">pay Elon Musk US$56 billion</a> were just feeling generous. Or maybe, as the judge who cancelled this “unfathomable” deal suggested, they really were “starry eyed” and swayed by Musk’s “superstar appeal”.</p>
<p>In her ruling, <a href="https://time.com/6590293/elon-musk-wealth-tesla-pay-excessive-court-ruling/">Kathaleen McCormick said</a> those who decided to give Musk the biggest pay cheque in corporate history could have been “swept up by the rhetoric” surrounding one of the world’s best known CEOs. Certainly Musk – and his style of leadership – seems to be constantly in the spotlight. </p>
<p>The German sociologist <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Max-Weber-German-sociologist">Max Weber</a> (1864-1920) might have described his leadership style as “charismatic”. <a href="https://www.anthro.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/anthro/documents/media/jaso18_1_1987_26_48.pdf">Weber saw charisma</a> as the possession of a particular type of authority which stemmed from admirers attributing extraordinary qualities to a single person. </p>
<p>He said such leaders, whether they worked in politics or industry, appeared to have a “gift of grace” (from the Greek origins of the word “charisma”) – a special something which sets them apart, and allows them to create change in a way that would be impossible for lesser mortals. </p>
<p><a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1742715019853946">My research</a> suggests that charismatic leadership seems to be enjoying a renaissance, having fallen out of fashion over the past two decades. </p>
<p>Charismatic leaders used to be everywhere. They seemed to be the ideal of big business in the west from the late 1970s until the turn of the century. In the US, for example, Lee Iacocca was often credited as being <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/lee-iacocca-ford-chrysler-mustang-cars-united-states-death-a8987811.html">the saviour of Chrysler</a> for making the car manufacturer profitable after it had been on the verge of bankruptcy. </p>
<p>Similarly, Jack Welch, as CEO of General Electric, was famous for his management style and <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/11/07/was-jack-welch-the-greatest-ceo-of-his-day-or-the-worst">merciless cost-cutting</a>, which preceded extraordinary growth at the company founded by Thomas Edison and J.P. Morgan. In the UK, the likes of Richard Branson and Alan Sugar were celebrated as characterful innovators who made large amounts of money.</p>
<p>But a series of business scandals during the early 2000s – such as the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1742715005057671?casa_token=facq9Sdzs98AAAAA:RbqSaSE4oPmFk0M6Gjy2GvFUska8n7LySZCmkfd5VGVc3BYNNdkPhN2wFXj2EQQXErULcUSM2EIomw">collapse of Enron</a> and telecommunications giant WorldCom – saw charismatic leadership start to fall out of favour. </p>
<p>This trend was accelerated by the global financial crisis in 2008, and a growing awareness about climate change and gender inequality – issues which seemed to call for new, more responsible and democratic styles of leadership.</p>
<h2>The return of charisma?</h2>
<p>So, the charisma-based model of management went out of fashion, replaced by leadership styles described as <a href="https://theconversation.com/open-honest-and-effective-what-makes-jacinda-ardern-an-authentic-leader-132513">“authentic”</a> (leaders who are true to themselves) or <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carstentams/2018/03/09/bye-bye-heroic-leadership-here-comes-shared-leadership/">“shared”</a>, when leadership is a deliberately collective endeavour.</p>
<p>The CEOs of the most famous global companies ten years ago, such as ExxonMobil and Walmart, were not household names. But today, the bosses of corporations such as Meta, Amazon and Tesla are world famous. So why the change?</p>
<p>Partly, this came about after the economic boom following the 2008 global financial crisis saw tech firms <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/06/is-big-tech-now-just-too-big-to-stomach">rapidly increase in value</a> – success that was often credited to the founder. Figures such as Jeff Bezos and Sam Altman came to be perceived as entrepreneurial heroes rather than “mere” CEOs, increasing their prominence and public profiles.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-visionaries-of-silicon-valley-mean-profits-are-prioritised-over-true-technological-progress-219795">How the 'visionaries' of Silicon Valley mean profits are prioritised over true technological progress</a>
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<p>Another factor comes from living in a time of crisis. The Harvard sociologist Rakesh Khurana <a href="https://hbr.org/2002/09/the-curse-of-the-superstar-ceo">warned back in 2002</a> that the adulation enjoyed by some charismatic CEOs as “saviours” distracts us from other people’s contribution to a particular company’s success. </p>
<p>The search for Khurana’s “saviour” figures seems to offer a simple escape route from worries over climate change, war and economic turbulence. When Musk <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/09/elon-musk-colonize-mars/">fantasises about saving humankind</a> by colonising space, and the disgraced crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried proposes <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20231009-ftxs-sam-bankman-fried-believed-in-effective-altruism-what-is-it">the eradication of world poverty</a>, they present themselves as redemptive figures to audiences beyond their investors and employees.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man wearing cape and business suit perched above cityscape." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/573759/original/file-20240206-22-vwvfe7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Here to save the world.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hero-219603286">lassedesignen/Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Furthermore, in a world increasingly reliant on algorithms, business has become somewhat dehumanised. People may be yearning for leadership with a (super)human face. </p>
<h2>A more crowded stage</h2>
<p>None of this means, however, that charismatic leaders will attain the same degree of dominance they did in the 1980s and ’90s. If the charismatic leader is making a comeback, it is a comeback on a more crowded stage. They may be popular in certain circles, but so too is the leader as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-men-can-become-role-models-for-gender-inclusivity-in-the-workplace-210157">champion of diversity</a>, <a href="https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5537-how-to-be-ethical-leader.html">or ethics</a>, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0018726711418388">or human relationships</a>. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/rizz-i-study-the-history-of-charisma-heres-why-the-word-of-the-year-is-misunderstood-219673">Rizz: I study the history of charisma – here's why the word of the year is misunderstood</a>
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<p>While charismatic leaders receive the lion’s share of attention, many of us would surely prefer to have a boss who is less grandiose and more modest in their leadership style. That could be someone like <a href="https://www.gm.com/company/leadership.detail.html/Pages/bios/global/en/corporate-officers/Mary-Barra">Mary Barra</a> at General Motors or <a href="https://www.novonordisk.com/about/executive-management/lars-fruergaard-jorgensen.html">Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen</a> at Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk. Or it could be one of the countless leaders whose names do not appear in the media nearly every day.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/17/elon-musk-by-walter-isaacson-review-pillock-genius-or-both">recent biography</a> of Musk shows, the Tesla boss holds history-defining influence via his business interests in a social media platform, satellite technology and cars. So, perhaps the big question is how we can best moderate the enormous concentration of power accumulated by some charismatic leaders. Cutting US$56 billion from an enormous personal fortune might be a step in the right direction.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220914/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sverre Spoelstra does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Different management styles are available.Sverre Spoelstra, Associate professor, Copenhagen Business School, Lund UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2186472023-12-06T15:30:44Z2023-12-06T15:30:44ZWhy empathy constitutes the ultimate leadership skill<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561880/original/file-20230724-21-f5ild5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=84%2C18%2C823%2C556&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Dans un contexte d’augmentation des risques psychosociaux, ignorer les émotions au travail n’aide pas…
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Melissa Hogan/Wikimedia commons</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When asked what traits constitute a good leader, you may be tempted to list traditional qualities such as rationality, cool-headedness, and overall, an ability to detach oneself from one’s emotions. However, research has shown that the ability to feel empathy toward one’s colleagues is in fact the most critical leadership skills, and much-overlooked. Empathy is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/09/19/empathy-is-the-most-important-leadership-skill-according-to-research/">on record</a> for boosting employees’ ability to innovate, engage with the task at hand, balance work and life demands, and not least, motivate them to stay within the company.</p>
<p>So, what stands in the way of more of the good stuff spreading across companies’ higher echelons?</p>
<h2>Thinking errors and empathy</h2>
<p>For the past decade, I have devoted my career to studying <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/08/most-managers-dont-know-how-to-coach-people-but-they-can-learn">how leaders learn coaching skills</a>, working with young professionals and experienced executives as well as consulting with organisations on leadership development. Empathy was one of the nine core skills we looked into in our latest paper on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0090261622000055">effective leadership</a>.</p>
<p>Managers, it turns out, rated expressing empathy as the most challenging communication skills, above asking questions and providing feedback.</p>
<p>The trend appears to be linked to a number of old-school thinking errors, such as:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><em>All or nothing approach:</em> “If I show a little empathy then I will have crying employees in front of me.”</p></li>
<li><p><em>Heavens-reward fallacy:</em> “If I give my empathy, then I expect to be rewarded for it, so the other person owes me something and if they don’t give it back this proves I’m wasting my time.”</p></li>
<li><p><em>Implicit stereotype:</em> “Leaders who show empathy are weak, so I better appear strong and tough.”</p></li>
</ul>
<p>In truth, a strong leader is an empathic one. We are not weak because we care about others.</p>
<h2>The challenge of remote working</h2>
<p>Another perceived obstacle to empathy has been the culture of remote working. CEOs noted that virtual interactions, be them through e-meetings or e-mails, robbed them of in-person communication cues, such as body language.</p>
<p>However, workers on the receiving end did not appear to believe that remote working inherently privileged unsympathetic behaviour. In fact, some employees preferred e-mails on the basis that they gave them time to think and not react immediately, and sometimes impulsively.</p>
<p>Executives blaming remote working for their behaviour might therefore wish to reflect upon whether cognitive bias or stereotypes listed above, rather than working from home, might be impeding them from tapping into empathy.</p>
<p>Moreover, there are steps that can be taken to translate emotions to the virtual world. Remember: the important thing is not <em>what</em> you say, but <em>how</em> you say it. One of the things we’ve observed is that on video calls, participants often think that a screen means they can forget their own facial expressions. Conversely, some managers are so focused on how they present themselves that they stare at their own image and lose focus on listening.</p>
<p>It’s all about finding the right balance and getting used to showing empathy virtually. Managers should not forget their voice either, particularly during video calls, because the voice becomes very important when participants are doing several things at once, listening without necessarily looking at you all the time. In other words, signs of agitation or stress in the voice, or leaving little room for questions, will send signals of a lack of empathy.</p>
<h2>Strengthen the empathy muscle</h2>
<p>To get around these obstacles, here are a few tips on how to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/drjuliamilner_empathy-leadership-empathyatwork-activity-7045703432480972802-GE2-/">start showing empathy</a>:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>In every interaction, always remember to listen, ask questions and signal that show you’ve understood the messages – without falling into artificial communication. This will strengthen your empathy “muscle” through training and experience.</p></li>
<li><p>Record a video during daily interactions. Even if it’s initially strange to see ourselves on video or to analyse the “how” of our communication, these debriefing sessions can help identify certain mistakes.</p></li>
<li><p>Try to find someone who is known for their empathy. Observe and ask questions to improve.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Ignoring emotions at work doesn’t help to foster a productive environment. It’s high time we recognised empathy as the essential <a href="https://theconversation.com/fr/topics/leadership-24112">leadership skill</a> that it is.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Empathy at work: How to do it in four practical steps (Julien Milner).</span></figcaption>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julia Milner ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>Stereotypes continue to provide excuses to executives for not exercising what likely constitutes the most critical skill for leadership.Julia Milner, Professeure de leadership, EDHEC Business SchoolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2164772023-11-20T17:32:13Z2023-11-20T17:32:13ZJFK 60 years on: his leadership style and the reality behind the myths<p>John F. Kennedy retains an iconic status as an exemplary – even inspirational – public figure and his leadership approach has been influential for decades.</p>
<p>The former US president (1961-63) projected an idealist image of <a href="https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/john-f-kennedy-a-leader-for-our-time,13059">leadership</a>, which, at its best, demonstrated that the political system can address society’s most profound challenges. His was an optimistic and ambitious presidency that, although tragically cut short, achieved considerable success across a range of activities as diverse as <a href="https://millercenter.org/president/kennedy/domestic-affairs">poverty reduction</a>, <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/nuclear-test-ban-treaty#:%7E:text=Kennedy%20signed%20the%20ratified%20treaty,the%20nation%20conducting%20the%20test">bans of nuclear weapons testing</a>, and the Mercury and <a href="https://history.nasa.gov/moondec.html">Apollo</a> space programmes. </p>
<p>At 43 when elected in November 1960, JFK remains the <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/1600/presidents/johnfkennedy">youngest president</a> to take the oath of office – and his youth might have been considered as a disadvantage, especially in foreign policy leadership – but he had honed his foreign affairs knowledge to an extent with his very extensive overseas travel during his time in Congress, and during military service. He also appointed an extremely able and <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/life-of-john-f-kennedy/fast-facts-john-f-kennedy/officials-of-the-kennedy-administration">highly educated cabinet</a>. </p>
<p>As the 60th anniversary of Kennedy’s death approaches, it’s worth remembering that the Kennedy presidency laid down a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/23631185">marker</a> for ambitious, informed and progressive styles of leadership. Jack, Robert and Edward Kennedy all contributed in various ways to Democratic political causes, such as expanding civil rights and legislating for healthcare reform.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/romantic-heroes-or-one-of-us-how-we-judge-political-leaders-is-rarely-objective-or-rational-214943">Romantic heroes or ‘one of us’ – how we judge political leaders is rarely objective or rational</a>
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<p>JFK’s leadership style has been hugely influential, acting as a political and cultural <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-image-trumps-ideology-how-jfk-created-the-template-for-the-modern-presidency-78073">model</a> emulated by subsequent presidents as varied as Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. While politically to the right of Kennedy, Reagan (a former actor) arguably shared JFK’s sense of <a href="https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/f/fitzgerald-blue.html">political theatre</a>. Clinton tried to develop a <a href="http://www.espn.com/espn/photos/gallery/_/id/7964385/image/3/version/mobile/bill-clinton-presidents-playing-football">youthful, vigorous</a> and idealistic image <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41940033">modelled after JFK</a>, although many of his attempts to pass legislation contributing to key Democratic goals (such as healthcare reform) ultimately failed. Clinton, like JFK, liked to gather together large groups of <a href="https://eu.recordnet.com/story/news/1995/01/01/clinton-parties-with-thinkers-s/50877460007/">intellectuals and leaders in their fields</a> to discuss policies and issues. Obama believed in diplomacy and negotiations, even with adversaries, as JFK did, <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=q6G96iX0xW8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=kennedy+sorensen+book&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=kennedy%20sorensen%20book&f=false">according to Ted Sorensen</a>, JFK’s former speechwriter.</p>
<p>Kennedy’s open and engaging style made government and public service seem worthwhile and <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/165902/americans-rate-jfk-top-modern-president.aspx">relevant</a>. Methods used to construct presidential “leadership rankings” <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/business-society/research/management/policy/archive/trump_presidential_performance_evaluation/">are often challenged</a>, but JFK has consistently been ranked in the <a href="https://scri.siena.edu/2022/06/22/american-presidents-greatest-and-worst/">top ten</a> of many, despite having just over 1,000 days in office. The Kennedy family thrived on ambition and power, but their professed duty to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/08/the-legacy-of-john-f-kennedy/309499/">serve the public</a> seemed genuine, as did the desire to learn and to do better. </p>
<p>JFK governed from the centre, appointing a cabinet with varied political backgrounds. He had an <a href="https://www.historyextra.com/period/20th-century/jfk-style-over-substance/">effective record</a> of passing legislation while in office, and he contributed to the eventual passing of the historic civil rights legislation under his successor, Lyndon Johnson. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">JFK gives a speech about space exploration.</span></figcaption>
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<p>In our own archival <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17427150211042153">research</a>, we explored the development of what became known as the Hickory Hill seminars, a series of talks and social gatherings that usually took place at Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s home in McLean, Virginia. The events functioned as a place to explore social problems and their solutions, and as a kind of proto-leadership development seminar. Topics of discussion ranged from great literary works to child poverty. Invited speakers included the environmentalist <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rachel-Carson">Rachel Carson</a>, and the philosopher <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._J._Ayer">A.J. Ayer</a>. The inner circle of the Kennedy administration would actively engage with external people and ideas, in stark contrast to the partisan, secretive and often walled-off <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1742715016680666">styles of leadership</a> that are so common today.</p>
<p>JFK’s presidency and leadership featured some notable successes. He used the federal government to enforce racial desegregation in several high-profile <a href="https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/the-kennedys-and-civil-rights.htm#:%7E:text=President%20Kennedy%20defined%20civil%20rights,and%20require%20public%20schools%20to">situations</a>. And his administration prepared the ground for the aforementioned civil rights legislation which was passed after his death. Less positively, the power of Kennedy as a brand was deliberately cultivated and policed by his inner circle. His father crowed about selling Jack’s image “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/07/jackie-natalie-portman-behind-the-creation-of-jfk-camelot-movies">like soap flakes</a>”. </p>
<h2>Avoiding groupthink</h2>
<p>JFK’s weaknesses as a leader were also substantial. He acquiesced to the disastrous <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/2149944">Bay of Pigs</a> incursion, where military experts wrongly predicted that Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba could be overthrown with ease. JFK learnt a lesson the hardest way possible about accepting military advice. After the Bay of Pigs incident, JFK introduced new ways of <a href="https://hbr.org/2013/11/how-john-f-kennedy-changed-decision-making">working to avoid “groupthink”</a>. His later success in the Cuban missile crisis was partly derived from this lesson.</p>
<p>But Kennedy also deepened the US’s appalling <a href="https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/kennedy-commitment">intervention in Vietnam</a>. He subscribed to the “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1179/072924701791201576">domino theory</a>” about the supposed need for the US to confront communism in Asia whatever the cost. His administration dragged America towards an unwinnable war by propping up the unstable South Vietnam regime, and colluding in a <a href="https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB101/index.htm#docs">bloody coup</a> against one of its leaders.</p>
<p>Speechwriters and academic historians such as Sorensen and Arthur Schlesinger Jr expended huge efforts in curating and promoting the Kennedy family image as a form of progressive, even heroic, leadership (Schlesinger was in charge of the day-to-day running of the Hickory Hill seminars, and was a key figure in the development of presidential leadership <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2657937">rankings</a>). These efforts surely influenced the depth and longevity of the Kennedy appeal.</p>
<p>There are other connections between JFK and the study of leadership. Leadership theorist James MacGregor Burns wrote a campaign-trail <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=cm2LCwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=john+kennedy+a+political+profile+burns&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=john%20kennedy%20a%20political%20profile%20burns&f=false">biography</a> of JFK, and <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lhrPS_s7EawC&printsec=frontcover&dq=burns+leadership&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=burns%20leadership&f=false">Burns’ work</a> heavily informs the ubiquitous notion of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/135943299398410">“transformational leadership”</a>, the idea that the most effective and ethical forms of leadership are those that emphasise vision, change and inspiration, rather than the more prosaic forms of leadership that amount to little more than looking after the shop. </p>
<p>JFK is widely remembered as a good president, but the idealistic Camelot vision has <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0018726702055002181?casa_token=scvlPoRIIJ4AAAAA:Zv0pJNULlB2-Enc0_MH4fQlSaNpsbiGCg-fPy-cGjjC5JkYZ8mUMimq0gjCZ8L279VHc13S6tHrw_g">undoubtedly been exaggerated</a>.</p>
<p>JFK was due <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/06/10/jfk-foresaw-donald-trumps-america-00038627">to give a speech in Dallas</a> on what became his final trip, warning of “voices preaching doctrines wholly unrelated to reality” – which, he feared could “handicap this country’s security”. Those aggressive and populist leadership styles are in the ascendancy, as personified by Donald Trump. </p>
<p>Rather than engage with political rivals, their approach is to dismiss and attack them. Robert Kennedy junior, for instance, is running for president following a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1350508419870901">Trumpian playbook</a> of vilification and populism, positioning himself as an outsider who will “clean up the system”, rather than a scion of one of America’s most influential families. </p>
<p>Despite this, the JFK legacy retains the potential to promote a serious and ethical approach to leadership. It incorporates visions of idealism and public service, not selfishness and vilification. However, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/sep/13/jackie-review-natalie-portman-kennedy-jfk#:%7E:texilsils%20t=Portman%20is%20altogether%20astonishing%20in,had%20on%20those%20around%20her.">this portrayal</a> often fails to acknowledge JFK’s flaws and failures.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216477/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>JFK’s leadership style has been hugely influential, acting as a model emulated by subsequent presidents including Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.Leo McCann, Professor of Management, University of YorkSimon Mollan, Reader in Management, University of YorkLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2167962023-11-09T20:33:22Z2023-11-09T20:33:22ZSmashing the ‘concrete ceiling’: Black women are still missing from corporate leadership<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/smashing-the-concrete-ceiling-black-women-are-still-missing-from-corporate-leadership" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>While white women may speak of breaking through the “glass ceiling,” for many Black women, it’s more like a “<a href="https://ssir.org/articles/entry/the_concrete_ceiling">concrete ceiling</a>.” Black women experience unique and formidable barriers in the workforce that are not only difficult to break, but also obscure their view of career advancement opportunities.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ryerson.ca/diversity/news-events/2020/08/black-leaders-are-nearly-non-existent-on-canadian-boards-according-to-ryerson-s-diversity-institute-s-new-study-of-canadian-board-diversity/">A comprehensive study in 2020</a> exposed the harsh reality of Black representation on Canadian corporate boards: Out of 1,639 board positions across eight major Canadian cities, only 0.8 per cent were occupied by Black directors. </p>
<p>According to the report, in Toronto, where the Black community makes up <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/441-more-half-canadas-black-population-calls-ontario-home">7.5 per cent of the population</a>, Black people hold a mere 0.3 per cent of corporate board seats. </p>
<p>These statistics become even more disheartening when compared to the representation of Black women on corporate boards. As of 2020, although <a href="https://www.osler.com/en/resources/governance/2020/report-2020-diversity-disclosure-practices-diversity-and-leadership-at-canadian-public-companies">women held about 21.5 per cent of directorship positions</a> in Toronto Stock Exchange companies, Black women held less than 0.8 per cent of these positions. </p>
<p>The numbers paint a clear picture: there need to be continued efforts to enhance diversity and inclusion within Canadian corporate boardrooms.</p>
<p>There are measures Canada can take to crack the concrete ceiling, including establishing racial diversity quotas specifically for Black women, <a href="https://theconversation.com/census-2021-canadians-are-talking-about-race-but-the-census-hasnt-caught-up-158343">collecting disaggregated racial diversity data</a>, providing mentorship opportunities and raising awareness of unconscious bias among recruiters. These are all critical steps toward achieving equitable and inclusive corporate governance in Canada.</p>
<h2>The problem with the term ‘visible minorities’</h2>
<p>The term “visible minorities” is quite a broad category that obscures the representation of Black women, making it difficult to ascertain how and to what extent they are actually represented. </p>
<p>In 2018, <a href="https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/42-1/bill/C-25/royal-assent">significant amendments</a> were made to the <a href="https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-44/">Canada Business Corporations Act</a>, which regulates Canadian business corporations at the federal level. </p>
<p>These changes came into effect in 2020 and require companies to report on the inclusion of four equity-seeking groups: women, visible minorities, Indigenous people and persons with disabilities. The goal of these amendments is to improve the diversity at board and senior management levels.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A diverse group of people in business attire sit at a conference table behind a glass door" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558167/original/file-20231107-29-szzl9z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Changes made to Canada’s business regulation act are designed to improve the diversity at board and senior management levels.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In October 2023, <a href="https://www.osler.com/en/resources/governance/2023/report-2023-diversity-disclosure-practices-diversity-and-leadership-at-canadian-public-companies">reporting based on this requirement</a> revealed that 10.2 per cent of corporate board members were visible minorities, 0.7 per cent were persons with disabilities, 0.9 per cent were Indigenous people and 28.5 per cent were women.</p>
<p>While mandatory disclosure of representation across these equity-seeking groups — each grappling with their unique challenges — is a commendable step towards transparency, we also need to ask a critical question: “Who are the women being appointed to these boards?”</p>
<h2>Anti-Black racism is a distinct issue</h2>
<p>About seven years ago, <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2016/10/statement-media-united-nations-working-group-experts-people-african-descent">the United Nations Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent visited Canada</a> and emphasized the need to address the unique challenges faced by Black people due to a history of enslavement, racial segregation and marginalization. </p>
<p>It is important to recognize that <a href="https://sustain.ubc.ca/about/resources/towards-healthy-city-addressing-anti-black-racism-vancouver">anti-Black racism is a distinct issue</a> that demands dedicated attention, going beyond the scope of current social justice frameworks. What particularly sets Black women apart is <a href="https://scholarship.law.columbia.edu/faculty_scholarship/3007/">how they face overlapping discrimination based on race and gender</a>.</p>
<p>Black women often grapple with the “angry Black woman syndrome” stereotype that characterizes them as <a href="https://www.proquest.com/openview/b2a44966bb20d1064b5967a910d4931a/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750">“combative, easily angered, overly aggressive, and difficult to work with,”</a> despite their undeniable competence. </p>
<p>This stereotype does not bode well for a candidate’s perceived interpersonal skills and their ability to contribute effectively to boards, or to even secure mentors. Consequently, even when Black women are highly qualified, <a href="https://theconversation.com/sarah-jamas-censure-making-people-feel-uncomfortable-is-part-of-the-job-216704">they face systemic biases that hinder their progress</a>.</p>
<h2>Making corporate diversity real for Black women</h2>
<p>Canada’s approach to fostering diversity on corporate boards has largely taken the form of <a href="https://www.cba.org/Sections/Business-Law/Resources/Resources/2022/EssayWinner2022EngBusiness">“comply or explain” diversity rules and disclosures</a>, where companies either follow the rules or explain why they don’t.</p>
<p>However, these measures are clearly not working, as they have not effectively addressed the under-representation of Black women at the corporate level. What we need are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizelting/2022/09/22/stop-saying-quotas-dont-work-because-they-demonstrably-do/?sh=3a39194c5b9c">specific quotas set by both corporations and governments</a> dedicated to the inclusion of Black women. We also need to collect detailed data on the racial distribution of corporate boards, rather than relying on broad categorizations of “visible minorities.”</p>
<figure class="align-For authentic inclusivity and equity to blossom, we must cultivate a corporate culture that supports and amplified Black women. ">
<img alt="A young Black women points to a whitebaord while giving a presentation to a table of people." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/557557/original/file-20231103-25-epby01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Anti-Black racism is a distinct issue that demands dedicated attention, going beyond the scope of current social justice frameworks.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even still, quotas and racial diversity data are not enough; we must combat the <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/08/why-do-boards-have-so-few-black-directors">deeply ingrained racism entrenched in recruitment processes</a> to ensure that Black women are not mere tokens, but have meaningful roles and opportunities to influence decisions. </p>
<p>Achieving this requires heightened awareness of biases and continuous anti-racism training for recruiters and board members. It also requires establishing and supporting organizations dedicated to providing specialized training, mentorship and coaching sessions tailored to helping Black women succeed in these positions. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/black-lives-matter-movement-uses-creative-tactics-to-confront-systemic-racism-143273">Racial justice movements like Black Lives Matter</a> have shone a spotlight on systemic racism across various facets of society, including the issue of diversity on corporate boards. Current measures to enhance gender parity and racial representation often overlook the unique challenges faced by Black women, resulting in their continued under-representation, or even absence, from corporate boards. </p>
<p>For authentic inclusivity and equity to blossom, we must cultivate a corporate culture that robustly champions, supports and amplifies the voices and contributions of Black women.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216796/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Oludolapo Makinde does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>October was Women’s History Month in Canada, but some challenges, such as the notable absence of Black women in the highest echelons of corporate leadership, are far from in the past.Oludolapo Makinde, Doctoral Candidate, Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British ColumbiaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2161802023-11-07T14:24:36Z2023-11-07T14:24:36ZSouth Africa’s universities aren’t training future civil servants for what the country needs<p>Many analysts <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0975087818805888">blame</a> state capture – the corruption of the management of public affairs – for the weakening of state capacity in South Africa. A <a href="https://www.statecapture.org.za/site/information/reports">judicial commission of inquiry</a> into the problem laid it bare. </p>
<p>They say the COVID pandemic worsened the situation as public resources had to be redirected from developmental commitments to address the emergency. </p>
<p>The claim has merit. But it ignores the role played by a public administration education that is not fit for purpose. The universities responsible for producing the human capital needed for building state capacity must shoulder much of the blame.</p>
<p>Our experience in public administration in <a href="https://scholar.google.co.in/citations?user=7zP1Z-MAAAAJ&hl=en">academia</a> and <a href="https://www.africaleadership.net/fellows/class-x-xseed/busani-ngcaweni/">government</a> spans decades. We have wrestled with the question of why, after various policy and administrative reforms in post-colonial Africa, <a href="https://www.nwu.ac.za/sites/www.nwu.ac.za/files/files/calendar/2023/Building_the_gap_Poster-.pdf">state capability continues to be a challenge</a> for many countries.</p>
<p>In our view the biggest problem facing South Africa is that the training of current and future civil servants is not delivering what the country needs. That’s because the training:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>lacks the interdisciplinary approach needed to meet the country’s complex challenges</p></li>
<li><p>fails to grasp that technology will play a far greater role in the future </p></li>
<li><p>remains trapped in colonial theorisations. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>We say this taking our cue from business administration education.</p>
<h2>Self reflection</h2>
<p>After the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/topic/financial-crisis-of-2007-2008">2008 global financial meltdown</a>, British journalist Philip Delves Broughton published an article in <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ddece047-24b6-410c-98d6-01375ddad8af">The Times</a>, arguing that some Harvard-trained MBA graduates had played a leading role in creating the crisis.</p>
<p>The dean of the Harvard Business School subsequently called for <a href="https://www.npr.org/2009/05/17/103719186/business-schools-mull-over-blame-in-financial-crisis">“great introspection”</a>. Harvard’s courage in dealing with the question of its business education is an inspiring lesson on how to confront the flaws of teaching for other fields.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africa-has-a-plan-to-make-its-public-service-professional-its-time-to-act-on-it-187706">South Africa has a plan to make its public service professional. It's time to act on it</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Likewise, almost 15 years later, the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (<a href="http://saapam.co.za/">SAAPAM</a>) raised the issue of public administration education at its recent <a href="https://saapam.co.za/22nd-saapam-annual-conference/">22nd Annual Conference</a>. It asked: what do the schools and departments of public administration in South Africa teach? </p>
<p>This question is important because the quality of available talent determines what the state is capable of.</p>
<h2>Worrying trends in the teaching of public administration</h2>
<p>If public administration education is designed and delivered poorly, it sets a course for the systematic destruction of state capability. In many ways, this is what’s happening in South Africa. </p>
<p>Our analyses indicate that much of what is taught in public administration is not what the country needs to become a capable and <a href="https://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/state.html">developmental state</a>. The discipline is tangled up in its own “<a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Cheikh-Anta-Diop%3A-The-social-sciences%2C-humanities%2C-Nabudere/6f0be17a0750d31349b3107bd5e1ff04639d2551">self-interpretive closet</a>”. This is despite the trend towards interdisciplinarity, where ideas and methods from different fields of study enrich each other to make sense of societal complexities and find solutions.</p>
<p>Public administration education does not appreciate the imperative of socioeconomic transformation for social and ecological justice, or the role of technology. It remains trapped in colonial teaching about systems and processes.</p>
<p>The “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25610815">grand narrative fiction</a>”, to borrow New Mexico State University professor David Boje’s phrase, that shaped curriculum development is that government should be run like a business. This is contrary to the <a href="https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/images/a108-96.pdf">constitutional principle</a> that public administration must have a developmental orientation.</p>
<p>In the 1980s, “<a href="https://scsr.pravo.unizg.hr/_download/repository/1-22.pdf">New Public Management</a>” become a staple diet pushed down the throats of students of public administration. It emphasised the economic value of efficiency and maximisation of output with minimum input costs. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-fix-south-africas-dysfunctional-state-ditch-its-colonial-heritage-99087">citizens are customers</a>.</p>
<p>The falsehood that government is like a business opened the way to governance by consultants. This, despite the notoriety of <a href="https://www.newswall.org/summary/do-mckinsey-and-other-consultants-do-anything-useful">“corporate consigliere[s]”</a> deluding managers with </p>
<blockquote>
<p>management gibberish and glossy charts while gorging on fat fees. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>They hollowed out the capacity of the state. All this occurred because of the void in the teaching of public administration. </p>
<h2>But what must be done</h2>
<p>The teaching of public administration must respond innovatively to the task of building a capable and developmental state. The way to do this may lie in forging strategic partnerships between academia, professional associations and government. It must aim to improve the talent pipeline for the state. </p>
<p>Universities are the citadel of originating ideas. Professional associations exist to inculcate a culture of professionalism that many lament is lacking in the management of state affairs.</p>
<p>Any effort towards human capital formation needs to start by creating an opportunity for these partnerships to evolve. Universities must shake off their autonomous posture and “ivory towering”. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/to-fix-south-africas-dysfunctional-state-ditch-its-colonial-heritage-99087">To fix South Africa's dysfunctional state, ditch its colonial heritage</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Government must outgrow its suspicion of universities and embrace evidence-driven policy practices. </p>
<p>Professional associations in the public sector should understand that they exist to pursue the public interest, not to create an elite class in the bureaucracy.</p>
<p>For far too long, collaborative efforts in the teaching of public administration have been a cursory pursuit bereft of strategic intent. This needs to change. They must be institutionalised.</p>
<p>The partnership we are calling for is not only for training interventions. It is also for re-imagining public administration education to be relevant to what the country needs. This must be grounded in the <a href="https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhsse/v4-i5/5.pdf">African philosophy of humanism</a>, if the <a href="https://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/bathopele.html">“people first”</a> approach to statecraft is to have meaning. In other words, students of public administration need to be steeped in the orientation that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZIX2C4YTuc">managing state affairs is about giving democracy a human face</a>.</p>
<p>Theories of the state and citizenship, and the principles of democracy, need to underpin the teaching of public administration too. Students must learn how to provide the public good in a way that creates a public value to satisfy public interests. And public administration as practical science must respond to the impediments to human progress in the 21st century: terrorism, global warming, an increasingly unstable global economy, and pandemics.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-africa-since-1994-a-mixed-bag-of-presidents-and-patchy-institution-building-164795">South Africa since 1994: a mixed bag of presidents and patchy institution-building</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Another key aspect for consideration relates to the fourth industrial revolution technologies in public administration curricula.</p>
<p>Public administration needs to go beyond studying systems and processes, and the neoliberal logic associated with New Public Management. It must embrace interdisciplinarity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216180/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mashupye Herbert Maserumule received funding from the National Research Foundation for his postgraduate studies. He is affiliated with the South African Association of Public Administration and Management(SAAPAM). He is the outgoing chief editor of the Journal of Public Administration and serves in the National Planning Commission. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Busani Ngcaweni is the Principal of the National School of Government.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert Nkuna is the Director-General of the Department of Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation in the Presidency of South Africa.</span></em></p>If public administration education is designed and delivered poorly, it sets a course for the systematic destruction of state capability.Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, Professor of Public Affairs, Tshwane University of TechnologyBusani Ngcaweni, Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the WitwatersrandRobert Nkuna, Professor of Practice, North-West UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2141362023-10-31T21:38:18Z2023-10-31T21:38:18ZStuck in the waiting room: Why women and minority groups are still underrepresented in top management<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/549672/original/file-20230913-33750-imqte4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=40%2C0%2C4470%2C2964&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The percentage of women at the helm of companies in North America still hovers around five per cent.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Over the past few years, there has been a great deal of research looking at how well women are represented in top companies. The findings continue to be distressing. </p>
<p>Whether in Canada or the United States, the proportion of women in top management in large organizations still hovers around five per cent. </p>
<p>Can we expect this percentage to increase over the next few years? Will today’s pool of up-and-coming female talent ensure a substantial increase in the number of female CEOs, or will other strategies be required to change the game?</p>
<p>As dean of the John Molson School of Business and a decades-long expert on the place of women in the upper echelons of the business world, we are interested in explaining the current standstill.</p>
<h2>Diversity in the C-Suite</h2>
<p>A <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Diversity-in-the-C-Suite%3A-The-Dismal-State-of-Among-Larcker-Tayan/192970d4859158281b752be4b76bdf7e8dc0a2c6">recent study</a> published by Stanford University professors David F. Larcker and Brian Tayan provides us with some interesting information on this subject. The aim of the study was to identify the potential for women and members of cultural communities to be appointed to CEO positions in the top 100 U.S. companies. The authors evaluated those who hold positions that report directly to a CEO. </p>
<p>The conclusions of this analysis are worrying:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>only 25 per cent of women hold such positions;</p></li>
<li><p>few women can be found in the functions that have the greatest potential for promotion, i.e. operations (15 per cent), financial services (14 per cent) and legal services (35 per cent);</p></li>
<li><p>the functions that offer fewer opportunities for promotion to CEO, according to the criteria used to select potential CEOs, are occupied to a greater extent by women (head of human resources, risk management, communications, etc.).</p></li>
</ul>
<p>The greater presence of women in these support functions illustrates <a href="https://hbr.org/2007/09/women-and-the-labyrinth-of-leadership">the leadership labyrinth</a>, i.e. the complex, dead-end detours that women face in their careers due to stereotypes, biases and family responsibilities that they continue to shoulder alone, despite better sharing of these functions with their male partners.</p>
<p>Why, after so many decades of efforts to increase female representation in decision-making bodies, do so few women manage to hold these positions? We are proposing three sources of indirect discrimination as an explanation for this.</p>
<h2>Lack of experience, a discriminatory criterion</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.spencerstuart.com/research-and-insight/predicting-ceo-success-when-potential-outperforms-experience">In a recent article</a> published by consulting firm Spencer Stuart, it was noted that the demand for experienced CEOs had almost quadrupled since the turn of the century, rising from four per cent in 1997 to 16 per cent in 2019. According to executives consulted by the firm, those in charge of selection processes assume that prior CEO experience is a predictor of the impact a candidate will have on shareholder value.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.spencerstuart.com/-/media/2019/hbr-ceo-lifecycle/hbr_ceo_lifecycle_spencerstuart.pdf">The findings of another study</a> carried out by the same firm on the life cycle of CEOs and their performance cast doubt on the assumption that there is a link between prior experience and shareholder value. </p>
<p>After analyzing the performance of 855 S&P CEOs over a 20-year period, the firm found that first-time CEOs produced a higher rate of shareholder return (TSR) than did experienced CEOs. These non-experienced CEOs had also demonstrated the advantage of staying in the job longer and having a less volatile performance overall. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272806955_La_remuneration_des_dirigeants_mythes_et_recommandations">According to the results of another study</a> carried out a few years ago by Professors Michel Magnan of Concordia University and Sylvie St-Onge of HEC Montréal, less than 10 per cent of the differences in the stock market performance of the major Canadian banks can be explained by factors specific to each bank. These include the decisions and initiatives of the incumbent CEO, as well as the bank’s employees, customer base, business location and business mix.</p>
<p>The criterion of prior CEO experience, and the importance attached to it, is a factor of indirect discrimination that prevents women, members of cultural communities and young talent from having access to these positions. In addition to being discriminatory, this criterion perpetuates the status quo and limits access to such positions to a restricted group of individuals.</p>
<h2>Hiring people who look like us</h2>
<p>The concept of “cultural fit” aims to select talented individuals who are in line with the company’s culture, i.e. its values, vision, role, objectives and other elements that make up its character. </p>
<p>While using this criterion to recruit has the advantage of attracting talent who will integrate and perform quickly, it has the disadvantage of favouring the status quo and majority rule. It also means we surround ourselves with people who resemble us, whether in terms of gender, age, cultural origins or other differences <a href="https://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/cultural-fit-discrimination">that might be seen as disrupting the status quo</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.talentinnovation.org/_private/assets/IDMG-ExecSummFINAL-CTI.pdf">A study</a> from the Center for Talent Innovation clearly shows that innovation thrives in an environment where leaders accept difference, are open to change and disruption, and encourage free expression.</p>
<h2>The underestimated financial value of diversity</h2>
<p>A group of researchers from Bryant University and Concordia University <a href="https://journals.aom.org/doi/abs/10.5465/AMPROC.2023.134bp">carried out an empirical study of the financial performance</a> of CEOs at the head of publicly traded U.S. companies. More than 11,600 observations were made each year over a 15-year period (1998-2013). </p>
<p>They found that women of colour and white women outperformed men of colour, who outperformed white men. According to the authors, these results can be explained by the fact that from a very young age, people from minority backgrounds are told by those around them that they need to develop resilience, and that if they want to succeed, they need to be smarter and do better than anyone else. </p>
<h2>More human leadership</h2>
<p>In a world where volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity prevail, the leadership qualities that are appropriate to such a context should guide selection processes. These qualities — agility, adaptability, empathy, humility — can be found in both men and women. These are what we call “soft skills.” </p>
<p><a href="https://hbr.org/2022/07/the-c-suite-skills-that-matter-most">According to a study published in August 2022</a>, the quest for these qualities has become increasingly important in job descriptions for senior management positions over the past decade. Prioritizing the qualities that allow us to identify the best candidates is the only way we will ensure a level playing field for women and men alike. </p>
<p>Companies can benefit from recognizing the importance of diversity in talent and leadership styles. By promoting the best people to positions of power, companies will become more efficient and more humane.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214136/count.gif" alt="La Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Les auteurs ne travaillent pas, ne conseillent pas, ne possèdent pas de parts, ne reçoivent pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'ont déclaré aucune autre affiliation que leur organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>After decades of efforts to increase female representation in corporate decision-making bodies, few women are managing to take the reins of power.Louise Champoux-Paillé, Cadre en exercice, John Molson School of Business, Concordia UniversityAnne-Marie Croteau, Dean, John Molson School of Business, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2149822023-10-25T13:29:56Z2023-10-25T13:29:56ZChristian leaders in Ghana are trying to reshape government – it may not end well<p>Ghana is constitutionally <a href="https://classic.iclrs.org/content/blurb/files/Ghana.pdf">a secular state</a>. This means religious liberty is guaranteed, and all citizens are free to believe and manifest any religious faith. No political parties are allowed to base their appeal on religion. </p>
<p>However, the situation is changing. Church leaders are becoming more vocal on issues of national interest in Ghana. The Church of Pentecost recently <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/thecophq_nadec23-pentecostnews-possessingthenations-activity-7090623609685073920-1xGI?trk=public_profile_like_view">proposed</a> setting up a Christian morality council to oversee private and public behaviour. Some Christian leaders are also <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/9/1202">cultivating</a> “insider” status with political elites and developing a high media profile.</p>
<p>They aim to remake Ghana according to their values and beliefs. The question is what impact that will have on democracy.</p>
<p>Many Ghanaians regard the country as a “nation of Christians”. According to the <a href="https://census2021.statsghana.gov.gh/">2021 census</a>, about 71% of the population is Christian. Muslims make up 18%. Followers of indigenous or animistic religious beliefs make up 5%. Another 6% are members of other religious groups or don’t have religious beliefs.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=wyX5M8UAAAAJ&hl=en">a scholar of religion and politics</a>, I argue in a recent paper that <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/14/9/1202">the “Christianisation” of politics in Ghana</a> is an attempt to deal with Ghana’s serious problem of state-level corruption and to improve democracy. But I don’t believe it will have this effect. Rather, Christian nationalism seeks to push aside people who have other beliefs. That is not a basis for democracy. And trying to influence policy through religion will get in the way of fundamental institutional reforms that are necessary to make the government more accountable and its actions more transparent.</p>
<h2>Christianity and politics</h2>
<p>Influential expressions of Christianity in Ghana include the <a href="https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/features/The-Birth-and-Effects-of-Charismaticism-in-Ghana-I-116593">burgeoning Pentecostal or Charismatic</a> churches, which in recent years have become the <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/ghana/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20the%202021%20government,or%20have%20no%20religious%20belief">most popular churches</a> in Ghana. Census data puts them at <a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-report-on-international-religious-freedom/ghana/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20the%202021%20government,or%20have%20no%20religious%20belief">44%</a> of Christians in the country. These churches tend to have a <a href="https://thecophq.org/">conservative political orientation</a>, a strong belief in the veracity of the Bible, and a message that the nation is undergoing serious moral decay. </p>
<p>Some leading Christians would like to see Christians governing the country and all of society according to biblical law. Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, leader of the Action Chapel, one of the most prominent charismatic churches in the country, stated in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2TaTLnWg7U">interview</a> in 2019 that: Christians “should rule in corporate, politics, the marketplace, everywhere”. The implication is that Christianity should be a dominant social, political and economic expression in Ghana which would project a certain worldview which all Ghanaians, whether or not they are Christians, should adhere to. </p>
<p>The issue is what the appropriate values are to which Ghanaians should adhere. On the one hand, there is a Christian approach, as suggested by Archbishop Duncan-Williams. On the other there is what might be called a “secular” approach where values are not linked to religious belief. </p>
<p>Afrobarometer <a href="https://www.afrobarometer.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Summary-of-results-Ghana-Afrobarometer-R9-21oct2022-1.pdf">data</a> indicates that most Ghanaians are socially conservative, for example in relation to the rights of LGBTQI+ people. Many also despair about the country’s perceived moral decay, characterised by serious corruption, and about democratic decline. There has been extra-parliamentary, yet peaceful and pro-democracy, opposition to the government, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/20563051221147328">demanding</a> a new constitution and a more equitable political system.</p>
<h2>Democratic decline</h2>
<p>Ghana transitioned from several years of military rule to democracy in 1993. It has since conducted several free and fair elections. It has a reputation as a democracy. America’s National Intelligence Council <a href="https://irp.fas.org/nic/african_democ_2008.pdf">stated</a> in 2008 that “Ghana has emerged as one of Africa’s most liberal and vibrant democracies, reclaiming a position of political leadership on the continent.”</p>
<p>In recent years things have changed under the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party, both of which have had turns governing the country.</p>
<p>Sweden’s V-Dem (“Varieties of Democracy”) Institute <a href="https://www.v-dem.net/documents/18/dr_2017.pdf">categorised</a> Ghana as a liberal democracy in 2003-2014 and again in 2017-2020. This description changed to “<a href="https://www.v-dem.net/documents/12/dr_2021.pdf">electoral democracy</a>” in 2021 and “<a href="https://www.v-dem.net/documents/19/dr_2022_ipyOpLP.pdf">autocratizer</a>” in 2022 – indicating steep democratic decline. </p>
<p>The American organisation Freedom House <a href="https://freedomhouse.org/country/ghana/freedom-world/2023">says</a> the decline involves “discrimination against women and LGBT+ people”. It also notes “weaknesses in judicial independence and the rule of law”. It points out corruption, poor public service delivery, political violence and illegal mining. </p>
<h2>A Christian solution?</h2>
<p>There are several ways to deal with these issues. One is to amend the constitution to reform government and the state, making functionaries more accountable and policies more transparent. </p>
<p>The Church of Pentecost, Ghana’s largest church, with more than three million members, favours <a href="https://citinewsroom.com/2023/07/clergy-chiefs-others-call-for-establishment-of-national-moral-and-integrity-council/">another way</a>. It suggests creating a National Morality and Integrity Council with statutory powers to oversee private and public behaviour, even at state level. </p>
<p>The church believes that to improve democracy and reduce corruption it is necessary for practising Christians to play a leading role in society – including government. According to <a href="https://thecophq.org/infest-others-with-your-purity-rev-dr-joyce-aryee-tells-christians/">Joyce Aryee</a>, a former government appointee and Christian leader, this would “infest others with their purity” and transform behaviour for the good. </p>
<p>Critics <a href="https://democracyinafrica.org/does-ghanas-democracy-lack-moral-integrity/">argue</a>, on the other hand, that bringing more Christians into positions of leadership and having a morality council to oversee society would weaken democracy. Ghana must nurture a diversity of beliefs, motivations and behaviours. It could then pursue the common good by drawing on a variety of worldviews, reasoning, values, aspirations and habits – not only those deriving from Christianity. </p>
<h2>Mutual respect</h2>
<p>Democratic development can only be realised when citizens make a moral commitment to treat each other with the same respect as they would like to receive. It is necessary to care for each other’s wellbeing as one might care for one’s own growth and happiness. </p>
<p>Ghana’s democracy will fail unless the moral agency of citizens works to moderate economic and social iniquities, by reforming democratic institutions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214982/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jeffrey Haynes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Christian leaders in Ghana are pushing the envelope of influence in political affairs.Jeffrey Haynes, Professor Emeritus of Politics, London Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2161022023-10-23T14:54:46Z2023-10-23T14:54:46ZAccidental managers: why people who are great at their job can fail when they get promoted<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555003/original/file-20231020-19-l0klbw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=59%2C0%2C6653%2C4402&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-young-diverse-people-giving-thumbs-1921267745">Studio Romantic/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There’s <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/why-people-really-quit-their-jobs">a saying</a> that people don’t quit their job, they quit their boss. And poor management certainly has a lot to answer for in the UK workplace. A staggering <a href="https://www.managers.org.uk/about-cmi/media-centre/press-releases/bad-managers-and-toxic-work-culture-causing-one-in-three-staff-to-walk/#:%7E:text='Accidental%20managers'&text=The%20report%20reveals%20that%2082,they%20are%20%E2%80%9Caccidental%20managers%E2%80%9D.">82% of new managers</a> in the UK are what the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) calls “accidental managers”, according to a YouGov survey commissioned among 4,500 workers and managers in June, which has recently been published.</p>
<p>Accidental managers are people that have moved up the corporate ladder with no formal training in management or leadership. To put it simply, they are not correctly trained or equipped to manage people. Among those workers who told the CMI’s researchers they had an ineffective manager, only one-third said they were motivated to do a good job and as many as half are considering leaving in the next 12 months.</p>
<p>As a first and obvious step to combat the curse of the accidental manager, companies shouldn’t appoint people to managerial roles unless they’ve had the appropriate training. Alongside this, they need a clear development plan before they start their new management role.</p>
<p>So what should this training look like? Would-be managers should be taught people skills, not just technical knowledge. As <a href="https://www.managers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CMI_BMB_GoodManagment_Report.pdf">the CMI study</a> suggests, managers would benefit from training in areas such as setting meeting objectives, creating a positive work environment and a culture of innovation. These are all things that can – and should – be taught to new managers.</p>
<h2>Off on stress</h2>
<p>Stress-related illness is among the leading <a href="https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/dayslost.htm">causes of workplace absence</a>, according to the UK government’s Health and Safety Executive. And one of the big factors that causes this stress is a lack of <a href="https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/emotional-intelligence-in-leadership">emotional intelligence</a> shown by managers. This means having an understanding of your own emotions but also those of others. So, when companies decide to promote someone to a managerial role, they must consider that person’s people skills just as much as their technical skills.</p>
<p>But can you really teach emotional intelligence? I believe you can teach most people, but not everyone. In <a href="https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/the-outstanding-middle-manager-how-to-be-a-healthy-happy-high-per">my experience</a>, some managers have naturally good <a href="https://books.emeraldinsight.com/page/detail/the-healthy-workforce/?k=9781838675028">social and interpersonal skills</a>, while others don’t have these skills but can be effectively trained in them. </p>
<p>But there will always be those people that just cannot be taught emotional intelligence. This category will include individuals with excellent technical skills – which is probably what made them stand out to their bosses in the first place. It’s understandable that company leaders don’t want to lose their best employees and so they promote them to give them more money and prestige within the organisation.</p>
<p>A good classroom teacher may only get paid more or gain more workplace experience if they go for a head teacher role, for example. But being a head teacher is very different from working in the classroom every day. One focuses on teaching students, the other tends to involve budgeting and, of course, managing people. This example plays out across many industries – from engineering to law enforcement.</p>
<p>An employee should be able to progress at work if they wish, to earn more money and experience. But if a great employee lacks people skills and is unlikely to benefit from training to improve in this area, they should instead be promoted into roles that don’t involve managing people. Existing managers need to ensure the kinds of roles exist that would allow people to receive more pay and prestige without having to take on people management responsibilities.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-about-quiet-quitting-heres-why-and-how-you-should-talk-to-your-boss-instead-189499">Thinking about quiet quitting? Here's why – and how – you should talk to your boss instead</a>
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<p>So, bosses must not be solely lured by technical prowess when picking new managers. They need to think about people skills too. Has this person really got what it takes on an emotional level to manage a group of people?</p>
<p>HR teams have a crucial role to play here. They should have up-to-date data on the performance of every manager from employee surveys. They can use this data to identify “bad managers”. Good HR teams will also spot early when labour turnover is high – this is an early warning sign, potentially of poor management. </p>
<p>But HR teams and organisations cannot depend on employees alone to help them identify accidental managers. We are living in difficult economic times. The cost of living crisis means job insecurity is high and employees will be very reluctant to call out poor management. So, exit interviews can also help because they inform managers as to exactly why employees are leaving.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman with box of belongings and plant, looking annoyed, people talking in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555004/original/file-20231020-29-chf9s0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Employees that leave can provide important information about their managers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/business-woman-carrying-packing-all-his-1743296261">adriaticfoto/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Quitting your boss, not your job</h2>
<p>The scale of the problem of the accidental manager and its wider effect on quality of life should not be underestimated. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.managers.org.uk/about-cmi/media-centre/press-releases/bad-managers-and-toxic-work-culture-causing-one-in-three-staff-to-walk/#:%7E:text='Accidental%20managers'&text=The%20report%20reveals%20that%2082,they%20are%20%E2%80%9Caccidental%20managers%E2%80%9D.">CMI’s survey</a> also found that almost one-third of UK workers say they’ve quit a job because of a negative workplace culture, underlining the risks of managers failing to rein in toxic behaviour. Other factors that these workers cited as reasons for leaving a job included a negative relationship with a manager (28%) and discrimination or harassment (12%).</p>
<p>UK companies are facing <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/eddeb6bc-e469-4177-a2fa-21e9e80ab97e">ongoing productivity problems</a>, alongside the growing issues with <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/workplace-absences-at-10-year-high-with-stress-the-major-cause-of-long-term-sickness-12969756">stress-related ill health</a>. Competent and emotionally intelligent line managers – whether naturally gifted or trained – could be an essential part of any solution to the productivity puzzle by reducing employee stress and helping to create better work environments for everyone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216102/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cary Cooper does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>What organisations can do to avoid promoting people into management positions without the correct set of skills.Cary Cooper, Professor of Organisational Psychology and Health, University of ManchesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2149982023-10-23T14:03:22Z2023-10-23T14:03:22ZLeadership in a crisis: how President Ramaphosa’s COVID speeches drew on Mandela’s ideas of South African unity<p>In times of crisis, leaders wield more than just political power. They harness the art of rhetoric in a bid to unite their nations towards a common goal. South Africa, with a tumultuous history marked by apartheid, has seen leaders employ persuasive communication to navigate challenges. </p>
<p>For instance, in the 1990s then-president <a href="https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/read-nelson-mandelas-inauguration-speech-president-sa">Nelson Mandela</a> appealed to patriotic sentiments. He often used reconciliatory rhetoric to help smooth the transition from centuries of colonial and apartheid oppression to democracy for South Africans. </p>
<p>In 2020, at the outbreak of the <a href="https://www.nicd.ac.za/first-case-of-covid-19-coronavirus-reported-in-sa/">COVID-19 pandemic</a>, President Cyril Ramaphosa faced the challenge of steering the country through one of its biggest crises since democracy in 1994.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nelson-mandelas-legacy-is-taking-a-battering-because-of-the-dismal-state-of-south-africa-209883">Nelson Mandela's legacy is taking a battering because of the dismal state of South Africa</a>
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<p>I’ve been a <a href="https://scholar.google.co.za/citations?user=YVmxkJ0AAAAJ&hl=en">media and rhetoric scholar</a> for a decade. My colleague and I examined Ramaphosa’s communicative approaches during the pandemic. Our <a href="https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/ejc-aar_rhetoric_v15_n1_a6">paper</a> on his speeches looked at how leaders use their speeches to unify citizens amid turmoil and uncertainty.</p>
<p>In his regular televised addresses, commonly known as <a href="https://www.702.co.za/articles/433374/president-cyril-ramaphosa-calls-a-family-meeting-tonight-at-8pm">family meetings</a>, Ramaphosa tried to promote nation-building. The pandemic had exposed the nation’s deeply entrenched <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-south-africas-social-divide-and-economic-woes-exposed/a-53739914">economic and social divisions</a>. Fostering social cohesion and unity was <a href="https://www.csis.org/analysis/south-africas-bold-response-covid-19-pandemic">vital to improving the overall response</a> to the pandemic.</p>
<p>A unified and socially cohesive society was more likely to adhere to health guidelines, cooperate in efforts to control the virus, and ensure that vulnerable populations had access to necessary resources and support. </p>
<h2>Rallying cry</h2>
<p>We analysed the four speeches Ramaphosa delivered in the early stages of the pandemic – between March 24 and April 21. These speeches, when COVID-19 cases were still relatively low, but uncertainty loomed large, provide a critical window into Ramaphosa’s leadership and persuasive techniques.</p>
<p>We observed that Ramaphosa’s communication style bore distinct traits of what has been “Mandelaism” by some academics to rally South Africans behind a common cause. So-called after the iconic statesman, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02564718.2017.1403706">Mandelaism</a> refers to rhetoric that appeals to patriotism to promote national unity and reconciliation. It is </p>
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<p>based on mythologising Nelson Mandela, and imagining a South African nation characterised by ‘harmony, peace, reconciliation, and success, denying the significance of informational disturbances that contradict these narratives.</p>
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<p>Additionally, </p>
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<p><a href="https://unisapressjournals.co.za/index.php/jls/article/view/11861">Mandelaism perpetuates a narrative of forgetting that overlooks the realities of apartheid oppression</a>. </p>
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<p>This rhetorical approach tends to discourage dissent, underpinning the belief that all South Africans share the same goals.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mandela-was-a-flawed-icon-but-without-him-south-africa-would-be-a-sadder-place-142826">Mandela was a flawed icon. But without him South Africa would be a sadder place</a>
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<p>Our analysis of Ramaphosa’s rhetoric and its parallels with Mandelaism provides a case study of leadership and communication in times of crisis. It offers lessons for current leaders and scholars, highlighting the enduring influence of historical figures like Nelson Mandela on the rhetoric and leadership styles of their successors. </p>
<h2>Ramaphosa’s rhetoric</h2>
<p>Little scholarship exists on Ramaphosa’s political-ideological convictions and philosophy or describes his approach to persuasion. The historian <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tom-lodge-1256885">Tom Lodge</a> has <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/40209320">observed</a> that</p>
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<p>Cyril Ramaphosa gives many interviews, but he keeps his personal philosophy to himself. </p>
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<p>The COVID-19 crisis forced Ramaphosa to communicate continuously. It provided an opportunity for rhetorical critics and scholars to consider how he used persuasive techniques, and how these might point to his ideas about the South African nation.</p>
<p>Ramaphosa frequently began his addresses with the inclusive greeting, <a href="https://www.dirco.gov.za/message-by-president-cyril-ramaphosa-on-covid-19-pandemic-30-march-2020/">“My fellow South Africans”</a>. This sought to invoke a sense of belonging and unity. As a linguistic technique it primed citizens to connect with the ideals of togetherness, inclusivity and reconciliation. These are all critical components of Mandelaism. </p>
<p>Ramaphosa’s rhetoric also emphasised reconciliation. He urged citizens to remember past hardships they had overcome together. This appeal to historical resilience reinforced the idea that South Africans unite in moments of great crisis. It echoed Mandela’s ability to unify a nation divided by apartheid. For example, in a speech delivered on <a href="https://www.dirco.gov.za/message-by-president-cyril-ramaphosa-on-covid-19-pandemic-thursday-9-april-2020/">9 April 2020</a> Ramaphosa said:</p>
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<p>I wish to thank you for reaffirming to each other and to the world that we South Africans are a people who come together … Our ability to come together in a crisis, and our commitment to each other and our common future.</p>
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<p>He downplayed the diverse perspectives and experiences of South Africans to promote the unity narrative.</p>
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<p>And then there is each of you, the 58 million South African citizens and residents who are standing together to <a href="https://www.dirco.gov.za/message-by-president-cyril-ramaphosa-on-covid-19-pandemic-30-march-2020/">confront this national health emergency</a>.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A significant aspect of Mandelaism is its close association with corporate entities that fund Mandela-related projects. Ramaphosa also incorporated business as a force for good in his speeches. He portrayed business as <a href="https://www.thepresidency.gov.za/speeches/statement-president-cyril-ramaphosa-escalation-measures-combat-covid-19-epidemic%2C-union">integral</a> to the fabric of a reconciled South Africa.</p>
<h2>Lessons for uniting nations</h2>
<p>South Africa’s journey from apartheid to democracy and its response to the COVID-19 pandemic provide rich examples of the role of political rhetoric. These historical instances serve as invaluable lessons for leaders worldwide facing the daunting task of uniting their nations during times of uncertainty and turmoil. </p>
<p><em><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sikelelwa-dlanga-380a5123/?originalSubdomain=za">Sikelelwa Dlanga</a>, an independent communications specialist, worked with the author on the research and this article</em>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214998/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sisanda Nkoala has previously been awarded an AW Mellon-UCT Graduate Scholarship in Rhetoric and received funding from the National Research Foundation. For this study, however, there are no funders to declare.
</span></em></p>President Cyril Ramaphosa tried to foster social cohesion in his speeches during a pandemic that had exposed the nation’s divisions.Sisanda Nkoala, Senior Lecturer, University of South AfricaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2143512023-10-11T19:05:29Z2023-10-11T19:05:29ZWhat makes a good political leader – and how can we tell before voting?<p>For many people, voting is not just a right, it’s an act of civic duty. Even more than that, some voters base their decisions on what they believe best serves society as a whole, not what might personally advantage them.</p>
<p>The trick, of course, is how to exercise that vote in a responsible, informed and considered manner. Understanding the policies of different parties is obviously a key part of that, in which case resources such as <a href="https://policy.nz/2023">Policy.nz</a> and <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/10/vote-compass-how-do-party-policies-line-up-with-your-views/?">Vote Compass</a> can be helpful.</p>
<p>But what of the individual characteristics of candidates and would-be leaders? What can the research tell us about what to look for? Given they are “actors” on the political “stage”, how do we evaluate their performance? </p>
<p>Of course, leadership isn’t a solo act. Many things determine what leaders can and can’t do. But what makes them tick – how their <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-37298-001">personality</a> or <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/SL-11-2015-0081/full/html">character</a> informs their actions – is <a href="https://china.elgaronline.com/monobook/9781784716783.xml">enduringly fascinating</a>. In fact, we know a lot about the beliefs, attitudes and behaviours that can help distinguish between good and bad leaders.</p>
<h2>Confusing confidence with competence</h2>
<p>Given “good” leadership is generally accepted as being both ethical and effective, it stands to reason “bad” leaders tend to fail on one or both counts. They either breach accepted principles of ethical or moral conduct, or they act in ways that detract from achieving desired results. </p>
<p>This distinction helps demystify leadership by highlighting that the qualities we least admire in others are also what <a href="https://www.elgaronline.com/monobook/9781784716783.xml">scholars have long flagged</a> as danger signs in leaders: arrogance, vanity, dishonesty, manipulation, abuse of power, lack of care for others, cowardice and recklessness.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/romantic-heroes-or-one-of-us-how-we-judge-political-leaders-is-rarely-objective-or-rational-214943">Romantic heroes or ‘one of us’ – how we judge political leaders is rarely objective or rational</a>
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<p>Notably, though, bad leaders can appear charming, confident and driven to achieve, despite seeking power for selfish reasons. </p>
<p>Numerous studies have identified the ways in which <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1056492613478664">narcissists</a> and what are sometimes called <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IJPL-08-2015-0023/full/html">corporate psychopaths</a> can be highly skilled at manipulating people into believing they’ve got what it takes, but will typically lead in destructive and dysfunctional ways. Other studies have shown the negative effects of “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4873079/#r56">Machiavellian</a>” leadership styles.</p>
<p>There is also a tendency to <a href="https://hbr.org/2013/08/why-do-so-many-incompetent-men">confuse competence</a> – the actual knowledge and skills needed to perform a leadership role – with confidence. Good leaders tend to be relatively humble about their abilities and knowledge. This means they’re better listeners, more sensitive to others’ needs, and better able to collaborate effectively. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/americas-leaders-are-older-than-theyve-ever-been-why-didnt-the-founding-fathers-foresee-this-as-a-problem-213653">America's leaders are older than they've ever been. Why didn't the founding fathers foresee this as a problem?</a>
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<h2>Practical wisdom</h2>
<p>None of this fascination with leadership is new. The Classical Greek
philosopher Aristotle argued <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/">good leaders possess</a> a range of character virtues in the “middle ground” between what he called the “vices” of excess or deficiency. Courage, for example, is the virtuous mid-point between the vices of recklessness and cowardice.</p>
<p>The modern character virtues <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Developing-Leadership-Character-Mary-Crossan/dp/1138825670/ref=sr_1_1?">leadership researchers emphasise</a> include humanity, humility, integrity, temperance, justice, accountability, courage, transcendence, drive and collaboration. </p>
<p>Each attribute helps a leader deal more effectively with some aspect of their role. Humanity, for instance, enables a leader to be considerate, empathetic and compassionate. Temperance helps them remain calm, composed, patient and prudent, even in testing circumstances. </p>
<p>Deployed together, these character virtues help foster sound judgment, insight, decisiveness – allowing a leader to calmly handle complex, unfolding challenges. </p>
<p>For Aristotle, the ideal leader could demonstrate what he called “phronesis”, or practical wisdom. This wasn’t necessarily about delivering perfect, painless solutions. Indeed, phronesis might mean adopting the least-worst option – which is often the case when dealing with the complex task of running a country.</p>
<p>There is also no single personality “type” most suited to good leadership. But <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-13403-005">studies indicate</a> those who are proactive, optimistic, believe in themselves and can manage their anxieties stand a better chance. Empathy, a sense of duty and a commitment to upholding positive social values also underpin the attributes of good leaders.</p>
<h2>Evaluating political leadership</h2>
<p>No leader will be perfect. But each character or personality flaw impedes their capacity for wise judgment and dealing with the demands of their role. A wise leader, therefore, is one who has <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Foucault-Leadership-Routledge-Organizational-Psychology-ebook/dp/B0B69P9D8W/ref=sr_1_1?">deep and accurate insight</a> into their personal foibles and has strategies to mitigate for those tendencies.</p>
<p>Political leaders will obviously seek to present their policies, parties and themselves in a positive light, something known as “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15377850802005083">impression management</a>”. This is where critical questioning and fact checking by journalists and experts can play a vital role.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nz-election-2023-from-one-way-polls-to-threats-of-coalition-chaos-its-been-a-campaign-of-two-halves-213650">NZ Election 2023: from one-way polls to threats of coalition ‘chaos’, it’s been a campaign of two halves</a>
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<p>But gauging a leader’s “true” personality or character is more difficult. And we first need to be aware that our impressions and <a href="https://theconversation.com/romantic-heroes-or-one-of-us-how-we-judge-political-leaders-is-rarely-objective-or-rational-214943">evaluations of leaders</a> are not entirely driven by reason or logic.</p>
<p>Secondly, we can look for recurring patterns of behaviour in different situations over time. We should pay particular heed to behaviour under pressure, when it becomes more difficult to “mask” true feelings and motives. </p>
<p>Thirdly, we can consider the values that underpin a leader’s policies, who benefits from them, and what messages these convey to the community at large. </p>
<p>In the long run, a leader’s results bear consideration. But we need to assess these fairly, accounting for what was beyond their control. We should be mindful to avoid “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691612454303">hindsight bias</a>” – the tendency to imagine events were predictable because we know they’ve occurred.</p>
<p>It should be no surprise that what constitutes good leadership has been studied and debated for thousands of years. Leaders have power and we’ve always wanted them to use it wisely. An informed voting choice makes that more likely.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214351/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suze Wilson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Politics is about appearances as much as policy. But it’s possible to make an informed judgment about political leaders, if we know what to look for.Suze Wilson, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2149432023-10-08T21:30:02Z2023-10-08T21:30:02ZRomantic heroes or ‘one of us’ – how we judge political leaders is rarely objective or rational<p>Given the presidential style of modern politics, the intense media focus on party leaders is unavoidable. But this involves a degree of artifice. New Zealanders don’t vote directly for a prime minister, they vote for their preferred <a href="https://vote.nz/2023-general-election/about/2023-general-election/?">party and electorate candidate</a>. </p>
<p>Technicalities aside, though, party leaders <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Selection-of-Political-Party-Leaders-in-Contemporary-Parliamentary/Pilet-Cross/p/book/9781138187573">play a key role</a> in shaping their party’s policies and soliciting public support. The upside of the attention they receive, therefore, is that voters get to scrutinise before they “buy”. </p>
<p>That’s especially important for undecided or swing voters. Not only can they compare policies, they can also examine each leader’s strengths and weaknesses, and gauge what values guide their approach.</p>
<p>Being head of state is a hugely challenging role – not least because leaders fundamentally get results <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Oxford-Management-Readers-Keith-Grint/dp/0198781814">through mobilising collective effort</a>. If no one’s following, there is no leadership.</p>
<p>This is <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Leadership-Theory-Practice-Peter-Northouse/dp/1544397569/ref=sr_1_3?">different from management</a>, which largely revolves around detailed planning and then implementing and monitoring progress toward goals. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674518582">Leadership</a>, however, involves connecting with people’s values and needs, and helping them make sense of events. It entails crafting a vision for the future and formulating credible strategies to achieve that. </p>
<p>It involves the capacity to make wise decisions, and role modelling what it means to be a person of good character. While managerial competency still matters, being a prime minister demands far more. </p>
<p>That said, trying to objectively evaluate a potential leader is not easy.</p>
<h2>Favouring our own team</h2>
<p>Humans strongly favour those they view as being “one of us”. A large body of <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-29869-6_1">research shows</a> people trust, respect, support, care for and are more influenced by those they feel an affinity with. This sense of a shared identity might be based on common demographic characteristics, or shared interests and values.</p>
<p>Dedicated sports fans illustrate this well. Individually and collectively, they back their team no matter what. They wear team colours, idealise team members, mock opponents and boo referees – even if the ref is right. </p>
<p>The same socio-psychological forces are at play in the political domain. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/controlling-the-political-narrative-is-key-to-winning-the-nz-election-no-easy-task-for-chris-hipkins-213533">Controlling the political narrative is key to winning the NZ election – no easy task for Chris Hipkins</a>
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<p>The party faithful are unlikely to offer an objective view. They will likely overestimate the strengths and underestimate the weaknesses of their party’s policies and its leaders (and do the opposite when evaluating opposing parties).</p>
<p>This is clearly not helpful for undecided or swing voters. But even beyond partisan influences, determining what constitutes good leadership is a more vexed issue than we might imagine. </p>
<p>While people often hold strong views, the actual evidence about what constitutes “good” leadership is quite diverse and complex. </p>
<h2>Fantasies and realities</h2>
<p>There are many different theories, but researchers generally agree that “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ethics-Heart-Leadership-Joanne-Ciulla/dp/1440830657/ref=sr_1_1?">good leadership</a>” is both ethical and effective. But people can often ignore those considerations when evaluating someone in (or aspiring to) a leadership role. </p>
<p>Subconsciously, we are inclined to judge leaders according to our own personal theories of leadership. This “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984317304988">implicit</a>” bias is typically shaped by the kinds of behaviours <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1548051820931243">role-modelled by the authority figures</a> we were exposed to early in life. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/liz-truss-is-now-a-case-study-in-poor-leadership-192554">Liz Truss is now a case study in poor leadership</a>
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<p>A very strict parenting style, for example, which a child finds reassuring rather than restrictive, can lead them in later life to favour command-oriented or even authoritarian leaders.</p>
<p>Research indicates that even in democracies, about one-third of the population <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/authoritarian-dynamic/7620B99124ED2DBFC6394444838F455A">favours</a> that kind of traditional “strong man” leadership style. </p>
<p>But <a href="https://www.elgaronline.com/monobook/9781784716783.xml">scholars have long argued</a> such leaders tend to be intolerant, oppressive, punitive, lacking in empathy and prone to bullying. They may resist being held to account for their actions, arrogantly believing they know best.</p>
<h2>Romantic attachments</h2>
<p>Popular culture and media narratives are other <a href="https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/leadership-popular-culture-and-social-change-9781785368967.html">important influences</a> on people’s ideas about leadership. In books, TV shows and movies, leaders are often depicted as heroic, larger-than-life characters with the capacity to save others, even the world. In the business media, it’s often implied CEOs have somehow turned a company around single-handedly. </p>
<p>Researchers call this the “<a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2392813">romance</a>” of leadership – a tendency to overstate what leaders can actually do, and to blame them when they fail to meet unrealistic expectations.</p>
<p>Indeed, no matter how skilled and dedicated, leaders are inevitably flawed, just like the rest of humanity. Nor are they omnipotent. New Zealand is a small and remote trading nation in an interconnected world, not a superpower or totalitarian state. There are many things its prime minister cannot control.</p>
<p>In that sense, an ability to <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674518582">manage expectations</a> is an indicator of good leadership. Having the personal integrity to avoid making unrealistic promises is what serves democracy. Offering <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Allure-Toxic-Leaders-Destructive-Politicians_and/dp/0195312007">false hope</a> is not good leadership, it’s more like what con artists and charlatans hungry for power do. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/some-leaders-only-want-to-hear-the-good-news-politicians-tell-us-how-political-careers-can-end-182590">'Some leaders only want to hear the good news': politicians tell us how political careers can end</a>
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<h2>Check your bias</h2>
<p>Overall, the evidence is that we’re not very rational or objective when it comes to evaluating leaders. Even if we’re not swayed by ideological factors, our personal experience and a romantic view of leadership can unconsciously cloud our judgment.</p>
<p>But there are some things we can do to help us make a more informed and balanced judgement. Firstly, we can try to step back and reflect on our own biases and <a href="https://journalofleadershiped.org/jole_articles/challenging-your-implicit-leadership-theory/">assumptions about leadership</a>. (You can even <a href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html">test your own bias</a> on a number of issues with the Project Implicit online resource.)</p>
<p>Secondly, look for indicators of behaviours associated with good leadership. Many of these are the same <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Developing-Leadership-Character-Mary-Crossan/dp/1138825670/ref=sr_1_1?">character virtues</a> we’d admire in anyone: integrity, fair-mindedness, the determination to do their best, confidence (but not arrogance), being accountable for their actions, and empathy and respect for others. These are vital foundations for good leadership.</p>
<p>And thirdly, look for actual evidence of leadership skills. Being prime minister is complex and challenging. It demands an ability to address serious issues in a serious-minded way. </p>
<p>Good leaders are not glib, superficial or unable to answer valid and reasonable questions. Consequently, a good leader <a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674518582">may not tell you what you want to hear</a>. But if they encourage us all to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263237310000277">address difficult realities</a>, that’s to be admired, not condemned.</p>
<p>As to whether that’s enough to win your vote, only you can be the judge of that.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214943/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suze Wilson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Personal bias, upbringing and even popular dramas can influence the way we evaluate political leadership. As election day nears, how might we make more balanced judgments?Suze Wilson, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1965052023-10-03T14:08:50Z2023-10-03T14:08:50ZDiscrimination is the biggest career obstacle for women of colour in the NHS – new research<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/525092/original/file-20230509-27-vjlzax.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/surgical-team-performing-surgery-modern-operation-1932229913">Photoroyalty/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>In March 2023, NHS midwife <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/380/bmj.p534">Olukemi Akinmeji</a> won an employment tribunal case against the hospital in Kent where, as an employee, she had faced race discrimination and victimisation. </p>
<p>That same month, <a href="https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/policies-and-guidance/nurses-racial-discrimination-ruling-will-drive-change-vows-nhs-england-07-03-2023/">Michelle Cox</a>, a healthcare manager and senior nurse, won a case against NHS England and NHS Improvement Commissioning in Manchester. She too had faced racial discrimination. </p>
<p>These cases follow the legal action launched in August 2022 by marketing executive <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/nhs-whistleblower-recorded-her-bosses-racist-chat-5sjmldxqt">Melissa Thermidor</a> against the NHS Blood and Transplant service. She provided recordings of conversations between staff members that backed up her claims that she had been subjected to racism.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Workforce-Race-Equality-Standard-report-2021-.pdf">NHS data from 2021</a>, black and minority ethnic women are the most likely of all NHS staff groups to experience discrimination from patients or colleagues. The harms they experience due to <a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/meridians/article-abstract/8/2/166/138446/Double-JeopardyTo-Be-Black-and-Female?redirectedFrom=fulltext">sexism</a> in the workplace are compounded by their ethnicity. </p>
<p>My doctoral research looks at the obstacles black and minority ethnic women face in the NHS in terms of career development. In the chapter I recently contributed to the <a href="https://www.e-elgar.com/shop/gbp/research-handbook-on-leadership-in-healthcare-9781800886247.html">Research Handbook on Leadership in Healthcare</a> (edited by Naomi Chambers), I show how systemic discrimination is the single biggest impediment to these women being able to advance in their jobs. </p>
<h2>The barriers to career progression</h2>
<p>There is a notable lack of research on the workplace experiences of black and minority ethnic women leaders in healthcare. In 2021 I carried out a literature review to address this. </p>
<p>I identified eight barriers or drivers (often two sides of the same coin) to career progression for this group. These are: systemic discrimination; leadership and organisational cultures; recruitment and talent management; policies; training; monitoring and accountability; work-life balance; and support.</p>
<p>Systemic discrimination, the most pervasive impediment, refers to discrimination embedded in institutional policies, practices or processes, as opposed to the actions of individual people.</p>
<p>Research has long shown systemic discrimination at work in the NHS. In 2016, minority ethnic NHS staff were <a href="https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/minority-ethnic-candidate-chances-of-recruitment-in-nhs-fall-back-finds-nhse/7029577.article">1.56 times more likely</a> to enter formal disciplinary processes than white staff. More recently, a 2022 report by the Fawcett Society and the Runnymede Trust charities <a href="https://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk/Handlers/Download.ashx?IDMF=72040c36-8cd6-4ae3-93f3-e2ad63a4b4b0">found</a> that women of colour are more likely (27%) to have been described as aggressive compared to white women (17%).</p>
<p>A <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/bmjopen/13/4/e069846.full.pdf">study</a>, published in April 2023 looked at a large sample (37,971) of people applying for specialist NHS training posts (medical and surgical) between 2021 and 2022. It found that applicants from most of the ethnic minority groups were less successful than their white British counterparts. It pointed to recruitment policies and processes as key factors driving this inequality.</p>
<p>In addition to the racism and sexism often experienced by ethnic minority women more broadly, black women, in particular, also have to contend with anti-blackness. </p>
<p>In 2010, the black feminist scholar Moya Bailey and the writer who goes by the name Trudy coined the term “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323736560_On_misogynoir_citation_erasure_and_plagiarism">misogynoir</a>” – anti-black misogyny – to describe this compounded discrimination. It amounts, as the US legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw <a href="https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=uclf">put it</a> in a landmark paper in 1989, to a form of erasure – being fundamentally overlooked by society. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace">Recent research</a> shows that little has changed. Black women are subject to a wider range of microaggressions in the workplace. They are often the only black woman in any given setting. And they are three times more likely than their peers to think regularly about leaving their jobs. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A graphic showing racial discrimination against ethnic minority women in healthcare leadership positions." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/504416/original/file-20230113-20-iy3bue.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Barriers and drivers of career progression for black and minority ethnic women leaders in UK healthcare.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Rakhi Chand</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
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<h2>How discrimination is compounded</h2>
<p>In the UK, this compounded discrimination is further exacerbated by, among other things, being a migrant or having a non-standard British accent. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340784255_The_Workplace_Experiences_of_BAME_Professional_Women_Understanding_Experiences_at_the_Intersection">Accent discrimination</a> can lead to employees receiving poorer pay, having limited access to professional networks, or fewer chances of promotion. Here too, it can see people <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297894255_Investigation_of_nurses'_intention_to_leave_a_study_of_a_sample_of_UK_nurses">more likely</a> to leave their jobs. </p>
<p>This often has a negative impact on an employee’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1943-03751-001">mental wellbeing</a> and <a href="https://www.maryseacoletrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Race-Equality-in-the-Workplace-for-publication-Feb-19.pdf">physical health</a> too. The long-term physical problems it can lead to include increased blood pressure and heart rates, higher levels of the primary stress hormone cortisol, and unhealthy behaviours such as drinking alcohol or smoking. </p>
<p>Line managers are uniquely placed to influence an employee’s emotional attachment to an organisation. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/297894255_Investigation_of_nurses'_intention_to_leave_a_study_of_a_sample_of_UK_nurses">Research</a> shows that their support – including for training and advancement opportunities – can be pivotal in decisions to leave or, conversely to stay in a role or even the organisation. </p>
<p>However, research has long noted the lack of diversity in healthcare leadership. A <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/equality-analysis-wres-april-16.pdf">2014 report</a> on equality in the NHS workforce found that black and minority ethnic executives were “entirely” absent, and women “disproportionately” absent, from the boards of all key NHS national bodies in 2013. </p>
<p>To remedy this situation, academics and practitioners alike have repeatedly called for better reporting on gender data, broken down by ethnicity, within healthcare management. </p>
<p>Yet, until the publication of the Workforce Race Equality Standard report in 2022, this appears to not have happened within the NHS. Not having access to such data is a problem. <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/edc7-0514.pdf">Research</a> has long shown that when a healthcare workforce does not reflect the population it serves, patients’ health outcomes worsen as a result. </p>
<p>The fact that black and minority ethnic women are under-represented at leadership levels is, of course, <a href="https://www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/bme-women-and-work">not unique</a> to the healthcare sphere. It is also <a href="https://www.mcnz.org.nz/assets/Publications/Workforce-Survey/6be731ea72/Workforce-Survey-Report-2019.pdf">not exclusively a UK problem</a>. </p>
<p>Anyone wanting to improve diversity and inclusion within their workforce must engage with the obstacles that black and ethnic minority women face. Addressing inequality benefits everyone.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196505/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rakhi Chand does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>When hospital and GP staff do not reflect the population they serve, patients’ health suffers.Rakhi Chand, Doctoral Researcher, University of ManchesterLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2130492023-09-27T12:33:25Z2023-09-27T12:33:25ZDeceit pays dividends: How CEO lies can boost stock ratings and fool even respected financial analysts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548905/original/file-20230918-17-ptg4pm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=38%2C6%2C4243%2C2805&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Everyone is vulnerable to the 'truth bias' − even people paid to know better.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/businessman-slipping-a-stack-of-cash-into-his-suit-royalty-free-image/184088887">Stephanie Phillips/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The multibillion-dollar collapse of FTX – the high-profile cryptocurrency exchange whose founder now <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/14/technology/sam-bankman-fried-ftx-prosecutors.html">awaits trial on fraud charges</a> – serves as a stark reminder of the perils of deception in the financial world.</p>
<p>The lies from FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried date back to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/business/ftx-sam-bankman-fried-fraud-charges.html">the company’s very beginning</a>, <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23450429-show_temp-8?responsive=1&title=1">prosecutors say</a>. He lied to customers and investors alike, it is claimed, as part of what <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/video/statement-usa-damian-williams-us-v-samuel-bankman-fried-caroline-ellison-and-gary">U.S. Attorney Damian Williams has called</a> “one of the biggest financial frauds in American history.”</p>
<p>How were so many people apparently fooled?</p>
<p>A new study in the Strategic Management Journal sheds some light on the issue. In it, my colleagues and I found that even professional financial analysts <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3546">fall for CEO lies</a> – and that the best-respected analysts might be the most gullible.</p>
<p>Financial analysts give expert advice to help companies and investors make money. They predict how much a company will earn and suggest whether to buy or sell its stock. By guiding money into good investments, they help not just individual businesses but the entire economy grow.</p>
<p>But while financial analysts are paid for their advice, they aren’t oracles. As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UP9FYAUAAAAJ&hl=en">management professor</a>, I wondered how often they get duped by lying executives – so my colleagues and I used machine learning to find out. We developed an algorithm, trained on S&P 1500 earnings call transcripts from 2008 to 2016, that can <a href="http://doi.org/10.1002/smj.3546">reliably detect deception</a> 84% of the time. Specifically, the algorithm identifies distinct linguistic patterns that occur when an individual is lying.</p>
<p>Our results were striking. We found that analysts were far more likely to give “buy” or “strong buy” recommendations after listening to deceptive CEOs – by nearly 28 percentage points, on average – rather than their more honest counterparts.</p>
<p>We also found that highly esteemed analysts fell for CEO lies more often than their lesser-known counterparts did. In fact, those named “all-star” analysts by trade publisher Institutional Investor were 5.3 percentage points more likely to upgrade habitually dishonest CEOs than their less-celebrated counterparts. </p>
<p>Although we applied this technology to gain insight into this corner of finance for an academic study, its broader use raises a number of challenging ethical questions around using AI to measure psychological constructs.</p>
<h2>Biased toward believing</h2>
<p>It seems counterintuitive: Why would professional givers of financial advice consistently fall for lying executives? And why would the most reputable advisers seem to have the worst results? </p>
<p>These findings reflect the natural human tendency to assume that others are being honest – what’s known as the “<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/why-humans-believe-most-people-are-telling-truth-even-when-ncna1259456">truth bias</a>.” Thanks to this habit of mind, analysts are just as susceptible to lies as anyone else. </p>
<p>What’s more, we found that elevated status fosters a stronger truth bias. First, “all-star” analysts often gain a sense of overconfidence and entitlement as they rise in prestige. They start to believe they’re less likely to be deceived, leading them to take CEOs at face value. Second, these analysts tend to have closer relationships with CEOs, which studies show can <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/009365092019003002">increase the truth bias</a>. This makes them even more prone to deception.</p>
<p>Given this vulnerability, businesses may want to reevaluate the credibility of “all-star” designations. Our research also underscores the importance of accountability in governance and the need for strong institutional systems to counter individual biases.</p>
<h2>An AI ‘lie detector’?</h2>
<p>The tool we developed for this study could have applications well beyond the world of business. We validated the algorithm using fraudulent transcripts, retracted articles in medical journals and deceptive YouTube videos. It could easily be deployed in different contexts.</p>
<p>It’s important to note that the tool doesn’t directly measure deception; it identifies language patterns <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167203029005010">associated with lying</a>. This means that even though it’s highly accurate, it’s susceptible to both false positives and negatives – and false allegations of dishonesty in particular could have devastating consequences. </p>
<p>What’s more, tools like this struggle to distinguish socially beneficial “white lies” – which foster a sense of community and emotional well-being – from more serious lies. Flagging all deceptions indiscriminately could disrupt complex social dynamics, leading to unintended consequences. </p>
<p>These issues would need to be addressed before this type of technology is adopted widely. But that future is closer than many might realize: Companies in fields such as investing, security and insurance are <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/st-pete-based-tech-startup-creates-ai-that-analyzes-if-someone-is-lying-online">already starting to use it</a>. </p>
<h2>Big questions remain</h2>
<p>The widespread use of AI to catch lies would have profound social implications – most notably, by making it harder for the powerful to lie without consequence. </p>
<p>That might sound like an unambiguously good thing. But while the technology offers undeniable advantages, such as early detection of threats or fraud, it could also usher in a <a href="https://billmoyers.com/content/sissela-bok">perilous transparency culture</a>. In such a world, thoughts and emotions could become subject to measurement and judgment, eroding the sanctuary of mental privacy. </p>
<p>This study also raises ethical questions about using AI to measure psychological characteristics, particularly where privacy and consent are concerned. Unlike traditional deception research, which relies on human subjects who consent to be studied, this AI model operates covertly, detecting nuanced linguistic patterns without a speaker’s knowledge.</p>
<p>The implications are staggering. For instance, in this study, we developed a second machine learning model to gauge the level of suspicion in a speaker’s tone. Imagine a world where social scientists can create tools to assess any facet of your psychology, applying them without your consent. Not too appealing, is it? </p>
<p>As we enter a new era of AI, advanced psychometric tools offer both promise and peril. These technologies could revolutionize business by providing unprecedented insights into human psychology. They could also violate people’s rights and destabilize society in surprising and disturbing ways. The decisions we make today – about ethics, oversight and responsible use – will set the course for years to come.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213049/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Steven J. Hyde owes shares in Prodigy Intelligence, which develops AI psychometrics company. </span></em></p>Financial analysts have a gullibility problem − and the better their reputation, the worse it is.Steven J. Hyde, Assistant Professor of Management, Boise State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2135332023-09-19T19:00:17Z2023-09-19T19:00:17ZControlling the political narrative is key to winning the NZ election – no easy task for Chris Hipkins<p>Last night’s live TV <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/20/first-leaders-debate-the-big-issues-from-luxon-v-hipkins-clash/">leaders debate</a> between Labour’s Chris Hipkins and National’s Christopher Luxon made clear the policy and leadership style differences between the two contenders to become New Zealand’s next prime minister. </p>
<p>But as TVNZ’s post-debate analysts tended to agree, neither candidate will have changed many minds – or reversed the main political poll trends since mid-year.</p>
<p>The so-called “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2053168014547667">bandwagon effect</a>” describes how opinion polls can not only inform but sometimes influence electoral behaviour. Voters start aligning with whichever politician or party seems to be gaining support and momentum, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy effect. </p>
<p>Based on recent polling, this might seem to favour the National Party. But the <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/13/1news-poll-nz-first-winston-peters-heading-back-to-parliament/">rise of New Zealand First</a> and Winston Peters, and the relative decline in support for the ACT Party, means there is still an <a href="https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350068149/election-2023-nationalact-pole-position-it-far-over">unpredictable element</a> to this election. </p>
<p>For Labour’s Chris Hipkins, it was important he not be perceived as a “dead man walking”. He probably managed that. But arguably, his situation remains more akin to someone attempting to thread a needle while running – a difficult and risky thing to do. </p>
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<h2>More than political theatre</h2>
<p>Attempts to analyse leadership often focus on personal attributes – such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984399000478">skills</a>, <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2002-15406-013">personality</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984311001202">character</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984316302351">decision-making</a> – and how these influence the results a leader achieves. </p>
<p>But what leadership researchers call “<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Followership-Followers-Creating-Changing-Leadership/dp/1422103684">followership</a>” – in this case, voter attitudes, behaviours and expectations – matters greatly. So does the wider socioeconomic and cultural <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Differently-About-Leadership-Critical/dp/1784716782">context</a> in which a leader is operating. Weighing all these can help reveal how Hipkins is responding and performing as a political leader. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/nz-election-2023-combined-poll-trends-now-show-a-clear-rightward-shift-since-june-213536">NZ election 2023: combined poll trends now show a clear rightward shift since June</a>
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<p>In a nutshell, his core challenge is to navigate adverse conditions in ways that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-James-MacGregor-Burns-ebook/dp/B007MFECFU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3MA7PBNVEGOD3&keywords=James+Macgregor+Burns+Leadership&qid=1694996194&s=books&sprefix=james+macgregor+burns+leadership%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C301&sr=1-1">rise above</a> the mere theatrics of politics. He needs to connect with voter’s values and interests, not just their current mood.</p>
<p>If Hipkins can do that, and with at least <a href="https://www.thepost.co.nz/a/politics/350068072/labour-slumps-new-poll-low-numbers-offer-some-comfort">one recent poll</a> suggesting the election could deliver a hung parliament, he could secure Labour a chance of forming the next government. </p>
<h2>Authenticity and fallibility</h2>
<p>Hipkins is campaigning primarily on his and Labour’s claimed desire and ability to support the “ordinary Kiwi” – that traditional target of most political parties. His own background as the “<a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/chris-hipkins-from-hutt-valley-boy-to-quiet-coup-for-pm-audrey-young-reports/ET4JZSI5PVCKBDDHRCLYVQ3CHI/">boy from the Hutt</a>”, along with his <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/24/world/asia/chris-hipkins-new-zealand.html">self-deprecating</a> and <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/131484160/archpragmatist-chris-hipkins-is-dragging-labour-back-to-the-centre--and-the-left-into-election-contention">pragmatic, centrist instincts</a>, are important features of his appeal and credibility. </p>
<p>That pragmatism orients him to seek politically practical and achievable outcomes whatever the circumstances. The challenge, however, is to be both aspirational and positive while also not indulging <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0263237310000277">unrealistic expectations</a>. </p>
<p>Research shows people are more likely to <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/24916685">trust and support leaders</a> they see as being “one of us”, and who they believe are genuinely motivated to act “for us”. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/after-the-election-christopher-luxons-real-test-could-come-from-his-right-not-the-left-209393">After the election, Christopher Luxon’s real test could come from his right – not the left</a>
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<p>To sustain that, leaders also need to show they can deliver. Hence the balance in Labour’s advertising between its <a href="https://www.labour.org.nz/our-priorities">priorities</a> for the coming term and its <a href="https://www.labour.org.nz/our-record">key achievements</a> in government. </p>
<p>Hipkins has also emphasised the importance he attaches to just being himself, acknowledging he’s not infallible. Describing the government’s COVID policies and some decisions that, with the benefit of hindsight, weren’t optimal, <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/hipkins-on-disagreeing-with-ardern-and-carving-his-own-path">he has said</a>:</p>
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<p>And that means you don’t get everything perfect, and there’s no point being defensive about it – you just have to own it.</p>
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<p>Good leaders, according to some research, are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1048984311002050">authentic and know their weaknesses</a>, but also <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Developing-Leadership-Character/Crossan-Seijts-Gandz/p/book/9781138825673">possess the virtues</a> needed to exercise wise judgment. Overall, the more voters trust Hipkins as a “safe pair of hands”, the more likely he is to win their support.</p>
<h2>Crafting a persuasive narrative</h2>
<p>The flip side to Hipkins’ pragmatism is that by not being bolder with policy, he risks giving people too few reasons to vote for Labour. His “middle ground” approach gives more political oxygen to parties on the left and right offering more radical <a href="https://policy.nz/2023">change proposals</a>.</p>
<p>And while policies might be the focus of campaigns and debates, politics remains an emotional experience for many voters. The electoral mood becomes a significant factor. And, as <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/09/14/voters-are-grumpy-so-will-labour-go-negative/">one observer</a> put it recently, the electorate is unusually “grumpy”. </p>
<p>Hipkin’s therefore needs to persuade undecided voters – and previous Labour voters thinking of voting for another party – to <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.4159/9780674038479/html">reassess any negative feelings</a> they might have about Labour’s performance. He has to convince them their long-term material interests, rather than their current emotional state, will be better served by giving him their vote. </p>
<p>In a cost-of-living crisis, it’s tempting to look for someone to blame for life’s challenges. That is a gift to Labour’s opponents, keen to <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018904727/national-party-tax-plan-would-dish-out-between-dollar20-to-dollar250-per-fortnight">build a narrative</a> of political and economic incompetence.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/taxing-questions-is-national-glossing-over-the-likely-cost-of-administering-its-new-revenue-measures-212529">Taxing questions: is National glossing over the likely cost of administering its new ‘revenue measures'?</a>
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<p>There is a counter-narrative, of course: <a href="https://data.oecd.org/price/inflation-forecast.htm">inflation</a> and <a href="https://data.oecd.org/gga/general-government-debt.htm">government debt</a> levels are both below the OECD average, New Zealand has had proportionally far <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-deaths">fewer COVID deaths</a> than elsewhere, and the country’s <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/132905472/standard-and-poors-maintains-nzs-credit-rating-forecasts-just-02-gdp-growth">credit rating</a> remains solid. But facts and logic may hold little sway. </p>
<p>In leadership research, the attempt to create or control the narrative is called the “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002188638201800303">management of meaning</a>”. Unless Hipkins discovers an effective way to do this, he will struggle. </p>
<p>This is a common problem for incumbent governments, campaigning on their record of managing real-world, complex problems. For opposition parties, it’s easier to present simple solutions and make bold promises, or what researchers of populism have <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pops.12802">bluntly called</a> “bullshit statements”. </p>
<p>Breaking through these barriers and appealing to voter’s actual interests over their emotions is no easy task. Chris Hipkins has just over three weeks to find a way.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213533/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Suze Wilson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The election campaign’s first live TV debate offered a glimpse of the leadership challenge faced by Labour’s Chris Hipkins – to connect with voter’s values and interests, not just their current mood.Suze Wilson, Senior Lecturer, School of Management, Massey UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107572023-09-08T12:24:18Z2023-09-08T12:24:18ZWhy managers’ attempts to empower their employees often fail – and even lead to unethical behavior<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/546547/original/file-20230906-16-vbxixf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Employees need resources, information and support from colleagues to be truly empowered.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mistakes-are-ways-of-learning-what-works-and-what-royalty-free-image/1307840971">Layla Bird/E+ Collection/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>A majority of American workers right now are not feeling very motivated on the job, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-06/american-worker-motivation-is-falling-this-year-new-data-shows?srnd=premium">a new survey suggests</a>.</p>
<p>Management experts often encourage business leaders to motivate employees by <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4164863">empowering them</a>. The idea is that when workers are free to make decisions and manage their workday they become more motivated, perform better and work more creatively. </p>
<p>However, for decades, employee empowerment initiatives <a href="https://hbr.org/1998/05/empowerment-the-emperors-new-clothes">have often failed</a> or <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2000.4468067">fallen short of expectations</a>. Zappos, for example, <a href="https://www.inc.com/bill-carmody/holacracy-why-zappos-continues-to-disrupt-itself.html">was once hailed</a> for its <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/tony-hsieh-tells-how-zappos-runs-without-bosses-1445911325?mod=article_inline">no-bosses structure</a>, but that experiment has largely been <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-changes-at-zappos-slowly-dismantle-tony-hsiehs-legacy-5d393647">dismantled and abandoned</a> in recent years.</p>
<p>As a leadership scholar, I have studied the effects of leader behavior on <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=UPtyxVwAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate">employee motivation</a> for over a decade. I’ve learned that when companies design and implement empowering leadership initiatives, they often overlook key factors that are necessary for empowerment to work.</p>
<p>As a result, their efforts to empower employees often result in little impact or <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2023-80196-001">are entirely ineffective</a>. In fact, they can even lead employees to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-41857-001">engage in unethical behavior</a>. </p>
<p>Here are four ways, my research shows, a company can avoid common pitfalls to empowering leadership initiatives. </p>
<h2>1. Provide all needed resources</h2>
<p>Empowered employees need to know they can access whatever resources they need to succeed. For example, a marketing professional might need access to information databases, planning software and a sufficient budget for market research. Employees should also feel that additional resources to support new ideas are readily available if and when needed. </p>
<p>To do this, companies can plan and budget jobs in ways that guarantee that employees have additional, or excess, resources to draw upon. Moreover, companies can communicate frequently – verbally in team meetings and also via digital communications – not only that resources are available when needed but also that these additional resources can be obtained easily and quickly.</p>
<h2>2. Set clear goals and strategies</h2>
<p>“People can’t be self-managing without information,” business management expert <a href="https://hbr.org/2011/12/first-lets-fire-all-the-managers">Gary Hamel once noted</a>. “[T]he goal is to provide staffers with all the information they need to monitor their work and make wise decisions.”</p>
<p>In other words, companies can more effectively empower their employees if they divulge or communicate how their responsibilities fit into the bigger picture or strategic direction of the business. For example, the marketing professional mentioned above might benefit from an understanding of how a new product fits into the organization’s overall product portfolio. </p>
<p>Firms can also offer regular check-ins or town hall meetings at which everybody in the organization can ask questions about the strategic goals and vision of the company. </p>
<h2>3. Signal clear and unwavering support</h2>
<p>Employees who are truly empowered believe they have the emotional and physical support needed from colleagues – including supervisors, peers and subordinates – to do their jobs well. This entails verbal encouragement as well as offers to assist on tasks and projects. </p>
<p>Likewise, managers can emphasize that they believe in employees’ capabilities and are there to enable employee growth and autonomy. Organizations can create a company culture of support by rewarding supportive actions that promote employee self-direction.</p>
<p>My research along with management professor <a href="https://poole.ncsu.edu/people/blkirkma/">Brad Kirkman</a> shows clearly across several studies that when employees do not have access to resources, information and support, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001100">they are not in fact empowered</a>. As a result, the desired performance-boosting effects on their job performance, proactive behavior and creativity do not take place.</p>
<h2>4. Remove red tape and other ‘bad’ stressors</h2>
<p>Unnecessary red tape, office politics, ambiguity and interpersonal conflict create a lot of negative stress for employees, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2005.18803921">hinders work performance</a>. These “bad” stressors are different from “good” stressors that can encourage growth. </p>
<p>For example, the marketing professional from the previous examples might have to fill out multiple lengthy forms just to request access to an information database. Or perhaps they have to play political games to garner support for funding of a much-needed planning tool. Conflict, meanwhile, can take the form of unspoken rivalry with co-workers about perceived unjust promotions or resource allocations.</p>
<p>Another study that Kirkman and I conducted showed that an empowering leadership style paired with high amounts of “bad” stressors can actually backfire and be detrimental to a company. We found that employees in those situations are <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2022-41857-001">more likely to disengage morally</a> from their work and act unethically than employees who work with less empowering leaders. </p>
<p>For example, in one of our experiments, participants were asked to solve unsolvable anagrams as part of their fictitious job. Among participants who faced higher amounts of “bad” stressors before attempting to solve the anagrams, those exposed to an empowering leader were 75% more likely to lie about solving their puzzles for the sake of their organization than those who were exposed to a leader who was described as not empowering.</p>
<p>Empowering leadership instills in employees a mindset to get things done and a desire to pay back the organization for the empowerment received. But without the information, resources and support to succeed – or when there is a lot of negative stress in employees’ work environments – people seem to switch to an expediency mindset whereby anything goes.</p>
<p>If business executives truly want to empower their employees, they cannot merely encourage managers to empower their subordinates. They must go the extra mile and address the four factors identified above. Otherwise, employees can feel left dangling in the void, struggling to prove their ability and even tempted to take actions that could eventually harm the company.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210757/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tobias Dennerlein does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>An expert on employee motivation explains four challenges companies should address if they truly want to empower their workers.Tobias Dennerlein, Assistant Professor of Management, Purdue UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2065372023-08-17T10:09:06Z2023-08-17T10:09:06ZHow gender inequality is hindering Japan’s economic growth<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542561/original/file-20230814-23-4m3vtr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/bokeh-shibuya-shopping-street-japanese-trade-566726533">Siriwat Sriphojaroen/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><iframe id="noa-web-audio-player" style="border: none" src="https://embed-player.newsoveraudio.com/v4?key=x84olp&id=https://theconversation.com/how-gender-inequality-is-hindering-japans-economic-growth-206537&bgColor=F5F5F5&color=D8352A&playColor=D8352A" width="100%" height="110px"></iframe>
<p>Japan’s economy is under pressure from rising energy prices and defence costs and the impact of the pandemic. Plummeting birth rates and an <a href="https://theconversation.com/japan-is-not-the-only-country-worrying-about-population-decline-get-used-to-a-two-speed-world-56106">ageing population</a> further threaten the sustainability of its labour market. A <a href="https://www2.staffingindustry.com/row/Editorial/Daily-News/Japan-Worker-shortage-could-reach-11-million-by-2040-report-finds-65089">2023 study</a> by independent thinktank the Recruit Works Institute points to a labour supply shortage of 3.41 million people by 2030, and over 11 million by 2040.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/japans-politics-is-opening-up-to-women-but-dont-expect-a-feminist-revolution-yet-67243">Gender inequality</a> is another significant pressure point. Research <a href="https://www.piie.com/commentary/op-eds/study-firms-more-women-c-suite-are-more-profitable">shows</a> that a gender-inclusive society and workforce <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/diversity-wins-how-inclusion-matters">leads</a> to innovation and economic growth. However, Japan has one of the lowest levels of gender equality among G7 countries. It has slipped to its <a href="https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2023/06/b041fdee1839-japan-falls-to-record-low-125th-in-global-gender-gap-ranking.html">lowest ranking yet</a> in the World Economic Health Forum’s latest <a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2023/economy-profiles-5932ef6d39#report-nav">Global Gender Report</a>, particularly in terms of women in leadership positions. </p>
<p>Prime Minister Fumio Kishida recently declared that Japan needs to urgently raise its birth rate. He also <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14895433">vowed</a> to increase the percentage of women executives in Tokyo stock exchange-listed companies, from 11.4% to 30% or more, by 2030. A <a href="https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14926108">policy draft</a> released in June indicates that this will be achieved through leadership quotas legally imposed on listed companies.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman office worker in an office setting." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542562/original/file-20230814-9571-2qa64a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Women face discrimination and restrictive policies in the workplace.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/business-woman-sees-large-city-big-290042417">Gbbot/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Japan has tried this countless times, however, and largely failed. As my research <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003174257-14/reimagining-gender-roles-within-japan-achieve-sustainable-gender-equality-sarah-parsons">shows</a>, this is because gender norms are deeply embedded in Japanese society. </p>
<h2>Socialisation of gender norms</h2>
<p>Gender norms in Japanese society are tightly connected to patriarchal hierarchies that have evolved historically from the influence of <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/japanese-confucian/#ConfModeJapa">Confucianism</a>. The role of a man is linked to being the breadwinner and head of the family. Women, by contrast, are seen as wives and caregivers, ultimately subservient to the head of the family. </p>
<p>Children are taught these norms from an early age. Research <a href="https://philpapers.org/rec/DAVGIJ">shows</a> that Japanese preschool teachers <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/20622704">position</a> children in various gender roles by encouraging gendered speech and behavioural patterns. Girls speak softly and act in a cute, non-threatening way. Boys, by contrast, use more dominant language and behaviour. Children’s books and TV programmes often perpetuate these hierarchical linguistic patterns and behaviour.</p>
<p>These beliefs and values influence hiring practices and organisational behaviour within the Japanese workplace, which is still based on the male-based breadwinner/female-dependent model. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Preschool children on a day trip." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542564/original/file-20230814-30-od0ynf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children are taught gendered roles and behaviour from very early on.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-little-kids-enjoying-field-trip-1971509282">Sally B/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>From 1945 to 1991, a period which economists refer to as the <a href="https://econreview.berkeley.edu/the-japanese-economic-miracle/#:%7E:text=Known%20as%20the%20Japanese%20Economic,end%20of%20the%20Cold%20War">economic miracle years</a>, most Japanese women were isolated from the leadership career path. This resulted in low levels of Japanese women in key decision-making positions. </p>
<p>Today, leadership is still seen as a male-dominated environment – even when the topic is about female empowerment. Japan was <a href="https://time.com/6290088/japan-gender-equality-g7/">the only country</a> to send a male delegate to the recent G7 delegation on gender equality and female empowerment. </p>
<p>Gaining promotions to higher-paid positions relies on long hours and commitment to the company, <a href="https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/05/14/why-arent-there-more-women-leaders-in-corporate-japan/">regardless of gender</a>. Gendered norms therefore result in a significant double burden on Japanese women. </p>
<p>Despite having one of the most generous paternity-leave provisions in the world, only <a href="https://www.wtwco.com/en-gb/insights/2022/02/japan-childcare-leave-entitlement-for-fathers-announced">14% of Japanese men</a> took paternity leave in 2021, compared with Sweden’s <a href="https://www.leavenetwork.org/fileadmin/user_upload/k_leavenetwork/annual_reviews/2019/Sweden_2019_0824.pdf">90% rate</a> of uptake. Japanese men also spend <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=54757">the lowest amount</a> of time doing unpaid housework (41 minutes a day) among OECD countries. </p>
<p>Both the highly gendered workplace and unequal division of household labour mean that women are <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/704369#:%7E:text=Individuals%27%20narratives%20reveal%20how%20labor,consider%20having%20only%20one%20child">more likely</a> than men to miss out on promotions, take on lower-paid irregular jobs, and/or only consider having one child. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman hangs up washing in an indoor setting." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542572/original/file-20230814-30-jhu41d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Household division of labour continues to be unequal.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/japanese-housewife-who-dries-laundry-indoors-1317087512">Kazoka/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Work-life expectations are unrealistic. And in the workplace, women face discrimination and harassment, as well as restrictive expectations of gendered behaviour and <a href="https://qz.com/1743901/why-japanese-companies-ban-women-from-wearing-glasses">appearance</a>. Yoshiro Mori stepped down as head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee in 2021, after <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210405-why-japan-cant-shake-sexism">sexist</a> remarks he had <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56020674">reportedly</a> made in a Japanese Olympic committee meeting caused an international furore. Mori was quoted as saying women talk too much, and that when “allowed into” high-level meetings, they take up too much time. </p>
<h2>Failed solutions</h2>
<p>Previous Japanese government initiatives to raise the birth rate and improve gender equality have focused on introducing quotas for female leadership and executive boards, more childcare places, and enhanced parental leave. However, these have either failed to reach their target or have become <a href="https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/05/14/why-arent-there-more-women-leaders-in-corporate-japan/">tokenistic</a>. In fact, recent <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/world/loneliness-women-japan-gender-inequality/">initiatives</a> are reported to have exacerbated gender inequality and driven some women into poverty. </p>
<p>Singapore recently embarked on a similar mission as part of a national gender equality review. Its government has gathered ideas and feedback from women’s and youth groups, private organisations, academics, policymakers and the wider public. This has <a href="https://www.aware.org.sg/2021/07/aware-launches-historic-omnibus-report-gender-equality-all-stages-womens-lives/">resulted</a> in a policy wishlist and report, the findings of which will be implemented into both policy and education. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Sports day in a Japanese primary school." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542568/original/file-20230814-23-pfn7ru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Improving gender equality must start with early-years education.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ball-rolling-sports-day-1561873846">Maruco/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>My research shows that this approach would work for Japan, too. It could allow people to voice their opinions and wishes in an open debate – which chimes with Japan’s <a href="https://erinmeyer.com/mapping-out-cultural-differences-on-teams/">cultural preference</a> for decision-making achieved through consensus – rather than making direct criticisms of the patriarchal order. </p>
<p>Such a review would need to look at all stages of life and aspects of society that are involved in the socialisation of gender roles, and the impact these have, from both a human rights and an economic perspective. There is already evidence that gender inequality is leading to <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/world/loneliness-women-japan-gender-inequality/">mental health issues</a> in Japan, especially for divorcees and single mothers. </p>
<p>This review would also offer an opportunity for feedback from the younger generation. Research shows that many younger Japanese are becoming disenchanted with traditional gender roles. They are looking at <a href="https://online.ucpress.edu/currenthistory/article/120/827/240/118342/Japan-s-Younger-Generations-Look-for-a-New-Way-of">new ways of living</a> by choosing careers outside the echelons of power within Japanese society. They are also <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/why-are-young-japanese-rejecting-marriage/a-62248097">rejecting</a> the institution of marriage. </p>
<p>Japan has the opportunity to rewrite its gender equality trajectory. Doing so would hopefully include other representations of gender and diversity that have so far not been widely accepted within Japanese society, or <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/12/japan-passes-law-promote-understanding-lgbt-people">protected</a> within the law. Same-sex marriage is <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jun/08/japan-court-falls-short-of-calling-same-sex-marriage-ban-unconstitutional">still unconstitutional</a> in some prefectures. Societal change at this level will take a generation. The conversation needs to start now.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206537/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Parsons works for her own company, East West Interface, that may share this article on social media etc and benefit from the associated PR. However, the original research that underpins this article is Sarah's own.</span></em></p>In the Japanese workplace, women face discrimination, restrictive behaviour and appearance codes and a lower glass ceiling than elsewhere. Only a profound cultural shift will change that.Sarah Parsons, Senior Teaching Fellow and Lecturer in East Asian Business, SOAS, University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2110892023-08-09T19:25:45Z2023-08-09T19:25:45ZDivorce and separation can have significant impacts on business and political leaders<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541810/original/file-20230808-17-d1kkk4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=187%2C98%2C5994%2C3752&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Recent research about business leaders and divorce has important implications for political leaders like Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who hold high-level positions of power and responsibility. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/divorce-and-separation-can-have-significant-impacts-on-business-and-political-leaders" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The announcement that <a href="https://theconversation.com/justin-trudeaus-political-foes-should-avoid-capitalizing-on-his-marital-breakdown-210958">Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau</a> are separating has sparked widespread discussions across the nation.</p>
<p>This situation has placed the prime minister in a new role as a separated parent, raising questions about the political implications of separations and divorces among public figures. </p>
<p>This news comes at a time when divorce has become a common occurrence in modern societies. About <a href="https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/divorce/divorce-statistics/">half of first marriages end in divorce, and subsequent marriages fail at even higher rates</a>.</p>
<p>Divorce is a highly stressful life event that can lead to lower social participation, economic decline, disrupted family relationships and legal issues. It <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2940">increases the risks of depression, burnout, anxiety, physical illness</a> and even mortality.</p>
<p>Such adverse effects are not limited to the individuals directly involved in the divorce but can also spill over to their work behaviour, including job performance. </p>
<p>The impact of divorce on job performance can be profound, affecting individuals on both personal and professional levels. </p>
<h2>Impact of divorce on job performance</h2>
<p>For regular employees, studies have consistently shown that divorce-specific conflicts <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/a0022170">can lead to problems at work</a>. These include working fewer hours, decreased productivity, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12166">increased absence and sick leave</a> and even long-term work disability.</p>
<p>The demands of personal life can deplete personal resources, leaving insufficient capacity for work-related tasks and leading to conflicts between work and family roles.</p>
<p>When it comes to CEOs, researchers have recently started looking at the impact a CEO’s divorce may have on their firm and its stakeholders. However, we’re still not sure about how a CEO’s divorce affects their job performance. Our study is the first to explore this aspect.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Two wedding rings rest beside a dictionary entry for the word divorce" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/541812/original/file-20230808-28-ui9ptc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Divorce has become a common occurrence in modern societies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since CEOs are the chief decision-makers and architects of company strategy, divorce-related distractions and cognitive limitations can have severe consequences on their job performance and, subsequently, on their company’s performance. </p>
<p>However, CEOs may also be more likely to have managerial support to help with decision-making and cope with potential negative consequences, which is especially the case for larger firms with supporting staff.</p>
<h2>CEO divorce and company performance</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amd.2020.0031">research paper based on data from Danish firms and their CEOs</a> shows that CEO divorces can have a negative impact on their company’s performance. However, the extent of the impact depends on certain circumstances. </p>
<p>The impact of a CEO’s divorce is more significant in smaller firms, industries experiencing rapid growth and if the CEO has children in their household. The level of control and decision-making power the CEO has in the company also plays a crucial role in determining the extent of the impact.</p>
<p>Our study emphasizes the importance of providing support — both personal and institutional — to CEOs during challenging life events to help mitigate any negative effects on the company’s performance.</p>
<p>These findings highlight the complex interplay between CEOs’ personal lives and their professional roles, shedding light on how such events can influence a company’s success.</p>
<h2>Implications for political leaders</h2>
<p>Our research has important implications for political leaders, including individuals like Trudeau who hold high-level positions of power and responsibility. </p>
<p>When a leader goes through a separation or divorce, it can have potential ramifications for their performance and decision-making in office.</p>
<p>For politicians, the impact of divorce on their performance may vary depending on several factors, including cultural norms, societal attitudes towards divorce and the expectations placed on public figures. </p>
<p>If a political leader is in a country where people have more liberal perspectives on family issues and divorce, societal pressure might be low. People tend to be more accepting and open-minded about personal choices. This results in reduced societal stigma towards political leaders undergoing divorce. </p>
<p>This can be seen by the divorce announcement of Finland’s outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin, which sparked far <a href="https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-int/world-news/finland-in-the-world-press/23551-sanna-marin-s-divorce-nato-drills-and-cha-cha-cha-finland-in-the-world-press.html">less media attention than the controversy surrounding her partying with friends and celebrities</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman in a suit jacket and dress shirt looks off-camera" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542005/original/file-20230809-5449-uz7tor.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In May, Finland’s outgoing Prime Minister Sanna Marin announced on Instagram that she and her husband had filed for divorce.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Sergei Grits)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, in countries like the United States, attitudes towards divorce can vary significantly across regions and communities. In some parts of the U.S., there is stronger emphasis on traditional family values, <a href="https://theconversation.com/prime-minister-justin-trudeau-assumes-a-new-role-single-dad-just-like-his-own-father-210938">which can result in more scrutiny and negative perceptions when political leaders go through a divorce</a>.</p>
<p>Additionally, the level of public attention and media coverage that political figures receive can differ between countries. </p>
<p>In countries with more liberal views, the media might focus less on personal matters like divorce, and more on the leader’s professional capabilities. In the U.S., however, <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo22723661.html">the media often covers both personal and professional aspects of politicians’ lives</a>, which can amplify the impact of a divorce on one’s public image.</p>
<h2>Personal and professional lives</h2>
<p>Our research emphasizes the importance of a strong support system. If a political leader has people and systems in place to support them, it can help them navigate the challenges of divorce and maintain their leadership effectiveness. </p>
<p>In situations where a leader lacks an adequate support system, their ability to make crucial decisions and focus on governance might be negatively affected. This can lead to poor decision-making and ultimately result in negative economic consequences. </p>
<p>As our research implies, it’s crucial for political and business leaders to be mindful of how their personal lives may impact their professional roles. </p>
<p>Additionally, research on how politicians balance their family and work lives, and how it affects their decision-making, can provide valuable insights for improving leadership performance and public service.</p>
<p>It’s important to note these are general tendencies and there can be exceptions in every country. Ultimately, the impact of a political leader’s divorce depends on a complex interplay of cultural norms, media dynamics and a leader’s ability to navigate public perception during challenging personal times.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211089/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The impact of divorce on job performance can be profound, affecting individuals on both personal and professional levels.Denis Schweizer, Professor of Finance, Concordia UniversityJuliane Proelss, Associate Professor Finance, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2107662023-08-02T15:52:19Z2023-08-02T15:52:19ZWe asked the British public what they really think about net zero – here’s what we found<p>The UK was one of the first major economies to commit to net zero emissions by 2050. It founded an independent body to monitor its progress, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), that has been <a href="https://cast.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CAST-Briefing-16.pdf">the envy</a> of many other countries. But the CCC’s latest assessment couldn’t be clearer: any claim to climate leadership that the UK government may have had is being <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/2023-progress-report-to-parliament/">squandered</a>. </p>
<p>Recent events have surely compounded this judgement. From approving climate science-defying <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/uk-grant-hundreds-new-north-sea-oil-gas-licences-2023-07-31/">new licenses</a> for oil and gas exploration to declaring himself to be “<a href="https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/sunak-low-traffic-neighbourhoods-ulez/">on the side of drivers</a>”, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak shows little interest in claiming the mantle of climate leadership. Quite the opposite.</p>
<p>I research public engagement with climate policies and have seen how damaging this abdication of duty can be. Achieving net zero emissions will require people making significant changes. And research I have carried out with colleagues suggests this will not happen without the government playing a leading role. </p>
<p>This includes bringing in policies which help people switch to low-carbon alternatives, having consistent messaging, leading by example (taking the train instead of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jul/31/sunak-private-jet-scotland-aberdeen-ministerial-code-labour">flying by private jet</a>, for example), and working to build consensus on more contentious policy issues, such as car use and meat consumption. </p>
<p><a href="https://thinksinsight.com/the-net-zero-diaries-a-citizen-perspective-on-tackling-the-climate-emergency/">Work</a> we conducted with the consultancy Thinks (formerly Britain Thinks) showed that the public consistently identifies the government as the key player in leading the transition to net zero. Yet even before its recent shift in rhetoric, people did not think the government was stepping up to this role. </p>
<p>This made people pessimistic about the country’s climate targets being met, frustrated with the heavier burden placed on individuals and less willing to make more expensive or difficult choices to reduce emissions.</p>
<p>To take just one example, work we did with <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/findings-of-a-citizens-panel-on-home-energy-decarbonisation-university-of-lancaster/#:%7E:text=The%20CCC%20collaborated%20with%20Lancaster,measures%20and%20low%2Dcarbon%20heating.">homeowners</a> revealed that most had no idea of the scale of change they would be required to make to their homes, including installing new insulation, new radiators and a heat pump, to make them carbon-neutral. The people we spoke to pointed to the government allowing new homes to be built that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/21/new-homes-gas-boilers-hydrogen-heat-pumps-net-zero">don’t even meet these standards</a>. </p>
<p>They were hesitant to make significant and expensive changes to their homes if they couldn’t even be sure that the government was committed to this shift and would provide support over the long term. Inconsistent messaging and a lack of information from the government were seen as barriers that were just as big as insufficient funding.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A worker in blue overalls rolls out yellow foam cladding in an attic." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540752/original/file-20230802-20-y5hvr3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The rate at which UK homes are installing insulation has fallen since 2012.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/construction-worker-thermally-insulating-house-attic-1857098911">Irin-K/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Highlighting hypocrisy</h2>
<p>Even at the level of individual politicians, people are quick to pick up on hypocritical behaviour, such as using private jets. <a href="https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/159995/">Research shows</a> that these seemingly innocuous choices can be symbolic and affect a person’s willingness to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle.</p>
<p>In our conversations with members of the public about net-zero policies, we hear the government’s leadership on climate change unfavourably compared with its leadership on COVID-19. Government messaging and support, at least in the beginning, made it clear to many of those we spoke to what was expected of them and how their actions would belong to a collective effort. The difference with climate action could not be starker, they say. </p>
<p>But it’s not just consistent messaging and symbolic leadership that matters. There are areas of climate policy, such as car ownership and meat consumption, where consensus on solutions is limited. CCC modelling suggests that, for the UK to meet its targets, meat consumption and miles travelled by car must fall in absolute terms. </p>
<p>Yet research shows people are divided over whether, and how, government should act to bring about such changes. Making progress in these areas in a way that is fair and acceptable to the majority can’t be rushed, it requires building consensus and bringing the public into the process of designing policies, and avoiding abrupt changes in strategy. </p>
<p>To go back to our homeowners example, people are willing to accept a ban on new gas boilers but they want it to be communicated well ahead of time, and they want reliable information, reassurance about the quality of work being carried out on their home and at least some financial support to allow them to make the switch on their own terms. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The blue pilot light in a white gas boiler." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540755/original/file-20230802-27-cawdk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People are willing to accept bigger changes to their lifestyles than is often assumed.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/water-heater-fire-close-560486227">Skimin0k/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Similarly with measures to reduce car travel, support is contingent on there being <a href="https://www.climateassembly.uk/report/">affordable alternative transport</a> options, or schemes that allow people to acquire less polluting cars. Designing and implementing these measures takes time and requires working with people. Rather than supporting such efforts, the current prime minister is intent on stoking division. </p>
<p>Our research suggests that the government was already failing to live up to the leadership role people want to see it take. Recent weeks will have probably cemented this view. This is not easily undone. Leadership requires trust, and trust takes time to build. Unfortunately, time is in short supply. Every year that passes makes it harder for the UK to get back on track with meeting its net zero target. </p>
<p>To return to heat pumps: installation rates <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/sixth-carbon-budget/">must reach</a> one million a year by 2030, up from 54,000 in 2021, to keep the UK in reach of its net zero target. As with much of the pathway to net zero, such a jump looks less and less surmountable with every year that passes. </p>
<p>Yet clearly, the opportunity is there if politicians are willing to embrace it. The UK has a history of climate leadership to build on, <a href="https://eciu.net/media/press-releases/2023/local-elections-poll-what-voters-thought-about-climate-net-zero">broad public support</a> for action and <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imperial-college/grantham-institute/public/publications/briefing-papers/Co-benefits-of-climate-change-mitigation-in-the-UK.pdf">numerous economic, health, and environmental benefits</a> to gain.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210766/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jacob Ainscough receives funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).</span></em></p>Research found people were not confident about the government’s leadership in meeting net zero.Jacob Ainscough, Senior Research Associate in Environmental Governance, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2101572023-07-27T14:49:03Z2023-07-27T14:49:03ZHow men can become role models for gender inclusivity in the workplace<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539348/original/file-20230725-17-sx80hm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C13%2C988%2C652&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-proud-excited-indian-ethnicity-employee-1770073400">fizkes/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>From popular culture depictions of the <a href="https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/275430/girlboss-by-amoruso-sophia/9780241217931">#girlboss</a> to advice and books about how women should “<a href="https://leanin.org/book">lean in</a>” to further their careers, discussions about gender equality at work tend to focus on how <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8551.12320">women leaders can be good role models</a> for other women. But books, advice and training about leadership at work often appear gender neutral, failing to discuss leaders’ responsibility to encourage gender inclusivity.</p>
<p>Research shows, however, that to create truly gender-inclusive organisations, men can – and should – become role models for gender equality too.</p>
<p>Take the <a href="https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/men-stepping-forward">example of Cuthbert*</a>, a senior leader at a global company who I met as part of my research on how men can help encourage gender equality at work. He thought he was doing right by gender equality by paying attention to biases when hiring people and by making an effort to support women by, for instance, mentoring them to help with career development. </p>
<p>But during a mentoring session with Phillipa, one of his mentees, Cuthbert suggested she could advance her career by finding a female role model. Around the same time, Cuthbert was also mentoring a man called Ben. During one of Ben’s sessions, Cuthbert suggested that Ben should be a role model for others. </p>
<p>Reflecting on these two mentoring conversations, Cuthbert was struck by the difference between the advice he gave to his two mentees: find a role model and be a role model. </p>
<p>Of course, Ben and Phillipa may well have needed different advice on career development. But what Cuthbert inadvertently did <a href="https://research.cbs.dk/en/publications/there-is-no-ilean-ini-for-men">chimed with research</a> that shows women are often encouraged to find a role model, while men are encouraged to be a role model. </p>
<p>This research also questioned why there are numerous books on women’s leadership but no comparable literature on men’s leadership – because the latter is typically equated with leadership in general. General books on leadership often don’t talk about how leaders could be more gender inclusive. </p>
<p>In an article for the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12372">European Management Review</a>, I defined change-makers as those that lead their organisation on the path to inclusion. To make a difference when it comes to gender equality in the workplace, change-makers need to realise that even the advice they provide to their mentees might, in fact, have a gender dimension. </p>
<p>This is true for both women and men who act as mentors. However, since <a href="https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2022/in-full/2-4-gender-gaps-in-leadership-by-industry-and-cohort/">men are generally overrepresented</a> in senior positions they are more likely to mentor others. This makes it even more important that they know how to be gender diversity leaders. </p>
<h2>Creating change-makers</h2>
<p>In my recent <a href="https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/men-stepping-forward">book</a>, I distinguish between three stances that men in the workplace take on gender equality. Some men have supported gender equality before and have a pretty good idea of what to do. Others have trouble reconciling the need for gender equality with the idea of merit. But there is also a third group: men who want to promote gender equality, but do not know where to start. </p>
<p>During my <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12372">research</a>, I found that the group that wants to promote it can really benefit from learning how to become a change-maker for gender equality. Then, the onus is on these potential change-makers to seek out situations where they can make a difference through their actions. </p>
<p>First, it’s important to think about the personal reasons for supporting gender equality. Male leaders then need to create an environment where others can take action to enable gender equality. This could be as simple an act as explaining the importance of programmes for gender equality if others challenge the idea.</p>
<p>Role modelling is the third component of becoming a change-maker for gender equality in the workplace. This is how change-makers influence others’ actions in relation to gender equality. A role model displays desirable behaviour that others can emulate or that more generally facilitates change. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/539349/original/file-20230725-27-csjiht.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many workplaces are trying to become more diverse.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/portrait-smiling-group-diverse-corporate-colleagues-765674290">Ground Picture/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Modelling inclusive behaviour</h2>
<p>Role modelling can encompass a wide array of activities. Aside from mentoring colleagues, as Cuthbert does with Ben and Phillipa, another important task is to <a href="https://cord.cranfield.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Linchpin_-_men_middle_managers_and_gender_inclusive_leadership/3491408">call out any behaviour</a> that hinders gender equality. </p>
<p>This could be in relation to <a href="https://cord.cranfield.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Linchpin_-_men_middle_managers_and_gender_inclusive_leadership/3491408">hiring</a>. For example, pointing out when candidates are discussed in a biased way, or that someone is trying to hire people who are similar to themselves. It could also be discussing whether the most favoured candidate is seen as “fitting in” because they resemble most people already working at the organisation. </p>
<p>More generally, a change-maker might point out that men and women are measured with different yardsticks. The classic example is that if a woman is assertive, this is often read as aggressive. They might also repeat and properly attribute a comment a woman made at a meeting that was ignored – or have a private conversation with someone that ignores a woman’s comments after a meeting.</p>
<p>While in some situations confronting the behaviour that does not support gender equality head on is the right way to go, in other situations subtle interventions might be highly effective. An important skill for a change-maker for gender equality is to figure out which strategies to use in what situation. This is the path towards <a href="https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/men-stepping-forward">inclusive leadership</a>. </p>
<p>Of course, leaders might still get things wrong or have to correct course. Patience is needed because many of the practices that create gender inequality at work are difficult to shift. But it is essential that men, not just women, act as change agents and role models for gender equality in the workplace and beyond.</p>
<p><em>*Pseudonyms have been used.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210157/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Elisabeth Kelan receives funding from a Leverhulme Trust Major Research Fellowship (MRF-2019-069) and a British Academy grant (SRG20\200195). This research was funded by a British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (MD130085) and KPMG.</span></em></p>The burden of changing workplace gender relations has traditionally been on women, but men have an important role to play in creating gender equality at work and beyond.Elisabeth Kelan, Professor of Leadership and Organisation, University of EssexLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2088782023-07-24T14:47:06Z2023-07-24T14:47:06ZThree COVID-era lessons to help support employee wellbeing in times of crisis<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538575/original/file-20230720-17-cyc0w7.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C13%2C2986%2C1985&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/employee-care-benefit-worker-insurance-protection-2133679663">eamesBot/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://www.pwc.com/mt/en/publications/humanresources/covid-19-workforce-challenges/covid-19-workforce-challenges-and-tips-business-continuity.html">workplace challenges</a> encountered during COVID lockdowns seem like a distant memory. People have since moved on to focus on more immediate crises such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/cost-of-living-crisis-115238">the rising cost of living</a> and the <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/ukraine-invasion-2022-117045">war in Ukraine</a>. But organisations can learn a lot from how they acted during COVID to help protect employee wellbeing. </p>
<p>This could help employers deal with future crises such as other viral pandemics, which are expected to occur <a href="https://globalhealth.duke.edu/news/statistics-say-large-pandemics-are-more-likely-we-thought">more often in the future</a>. Companies may even be able to support employee wellbeing better than they did during COVID. </p>
<p>We have conducted research in this area in collaboration with Shaun Pichler of California State University, Wendy Casper of the University of Texas and Pawan Budhwar of Aston University. We have conducted a number of studies of worker wellbeing in the UK, US and India during the first wave of the pandemic. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/emre.12561">one study</a>, we found that employees who trusted their senior leadership team’s initial response to the pandemic, and felt their line manager prioritised their needs, reported higher wellbeing later on in the pandemic. This is because they were more likely to feel they had psychological resources, such as optimism, hope and resilience, to cope during the pandemic. </p>
<p>Importantly, our research shows that feeling confident in, and supported by, your leaders helps you feel more psychologically able. This, in turn, helps you maintain positive wellbeing during a crisis.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joop.12452">related study</a>, we showed how social support can help you to effectively adapt to changing circumstances, which also protects your wellbeing. Employees who felt supported by their organisation, as well as by their family, were better able to adapt to pandemic-related changes in their work and home life. Adapting to changes included learning new skills, developing new ways to cope, and being open to doing things differently. All of this links to better wellbeing.</p>
<p>Our research into these COVID-era strategies can help guide companies on how to support workers during other crises. We found there are three key ways to protect employee wellbeing during such times. </p>
<h2>1. Build trust</h2>
<p>Senior leaders in organisations can show that <a href="https://theconversation.com/trust-is-important-if-you-want-to-succeed-at-work-heres-how-to-build-it-200095">they are trustworthy</a> in a number of ways. They can demonstrate they are competent and capable in making good decisions during critical times. They can also show they care about employees and are keeping their best interests at heart, as well as being sincere and acting with integrity. </p>
<p>When communicating difficult decisions, leaders should be transparent and keep lines of communication open with employees. It is also crucial to <a href="https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/leadership-trust-report">translate words into actions</a>. So if an employer commits to avoiding job cuts during a crisis, they should make sure to act accordingly. If things change and management has to make difficult decisions, they should communicate openly about this and consult with employees.</p>
<p>Line managers also have a role in reinforcing and helping to facilitate trust. They can do this by focusing on employee wellbeing and development, and by helping their teams adapt to change. </p>
<h2>2. Harness the protective effects of social support</h2>
<p>Having a range of both formal and informal support systems within an organisation can be helpful. Formal examples include <a href="https://www.eapa.org.uk/about-us-employee-assistance-in-the-uk/">employee assistance programmes</a>, <a href="https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/guides/flexible-working-lessons-pandemic-practical-guide/">flexible working</a> policies, and wellbeing resources such as <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/wellbeing-apps/">mental health apps</a>. </p>
<p>Employees should also be able to access more <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/">informal support</a> by confiding in their line manager. Asking for help from colleagues can also be helpful, as can sharing ideas and collaborating on ways to manage stress during crises. </p>
<p>As our research shows, reaching out to family and friends is also an important source of support. Loved ones can provide emotional support but can also support by, for example, helping with childcare or other caregiving responsibilities such as food drop-offs, dog-walking or visiting elderly relatives.</p>
<h2>3. Adapt to thrive rather than cope to survive</h2>
<p>Employers and managers can help employees to not just develop an adaptive mindset, but also to find practical ways to effectively adjust their behaviour during a crisis. This could include regular discussions or personal activities that help people to reflect on and interpret what has happened to them that day or week. </p>
<p>This can help <a href="https://hbr.org/2023/07/what-makes-work-meaningful">maintain a sense of meaning and purpose</a> during times of uncertainty and change. Such exercises could be tied in with personal mindfulness or goal setting activities. They could also be discussed during weekly team meetings to encourage employees to set small incremental goals or use coping techniques more often. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Group of people in work clothes around a table, looking at papers, with a screen showing a video call with other people in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=304&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538577/original/file-20230720-23-u3w40a.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=383&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Regular team meetings can provide a chance to discuss employee wellbeing.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diverse-company-employees-having-online-business-2021639273">Ground Picture/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Other practical ways to foster an “adapt to thrive” mindset can include helping people to be <a href="https://positivepsychology.com/psychological-capital-psycap/">optimistic, hopeful, resilient and confident</a> in their ability to do their job, even in challenging circumstances. </p>
<p>The aim is to help people adapt in ways that allow them to grow and develop as a person, while also keeping them grounded in the reality that crisis situations often involve important changes for the sake of safety and survival. </p>
<p>Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all here. Mental health is complex and varies by individual as well as according to wider socioeconomic circumstances. Organisations should therefore seek to understand and empathise with their employees, and help them to find approaches that work best for their individual needs and situations.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208878/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>From the cost of living crisis to climate change, research shows how companies can better support employee wellbeing during difficult times.Luke Fletcher, Associate Professor in Human Resource Management, University of BathNishat Babu, Lecturer in Work & Organisation, Loughborough UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.