Abstract
This issue brief addresses the role leaders play in supporting efforts to increase dialogues around racial understanding. Based on a survey of State Training Teams who participated in the inaugural Coming Together for Racial Understanding train-the-trainer event (2018), six variables related to leadership support were identified that team members felt were critical to success including actively communicating support, verbally encouraging me in the work, actively participating in dialog, demonstrating support in the face of dissension and risk, and trusting the team to lead the initiative. For this work to truly make a difference, this brief points to the importance of matching administrative leadership efforts with expectations for support, particularly regarding aligning resources and time-on-task to the vision for change.
Publisher
Southern Rural Development Center
Publication Date
2023
Research Center
Southern Rural Development Center
Recommended Citation
Emery, Mary; Ostrom, Marcia; Stout, Mike; Taylor, Raquel; Walcott, Eric; and Welborn, Rachel, "Leading the Way: The Importance of Leadership in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Work" (2023). Coming Together for Racial Understanding. 1.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/srdctopics-racialunderstanding/1