Whiteness in Leadership and Organizations

Whiteness shapes organizational life and the lives of leaders through a socialization process that makes it hard for white people to see clearly. “Whiteness” as a term captures all of the often invisible elements that go into being white, including white fragility and a white racial frame. Being classified as white grants privileges that lead directly to higher status, more economic gains, freedom from whole classes of fears, and choice not to do work that others must do in organizations. As long as these dynamics are invisible, white leaders cannot work to eliminate them as part of their development as inclusive leaders. Becoming more aware of whiteness provides benefits to white leaders and their colleagues and followers of color, and to their teams and organizations. In this session, we “unpack” some of the elements of whiteness, and work in a participatory way to identify concrete ways you can begin to reap the benefits of seeing and undermining whiteness as an inclusive leader.

Learning Outcomes

• Explore whiteness as a complex part of American culture, with many elements that impact organizational cultures, policies, and practices
• Learn about the relationships of whiteness to American history, laws, and institutions
• Identify concrete interventions that can begin to disrupt the negative aspects of whiteness in work organizations