Breaking Free from Cultural Constriction: Empowering Authentic Leadership for Women of Color

Vice President Kamala Harris, an African American and Asian American woman, holds one of the most significant leadership roles in the U.S. As the Vice President, her proximity to the presidency is unmatched. Many people wonder what qualities she might be holding back due to her robust heritage and mixed-race identity.

There are perceptions that Kamala Harris doesn’t fully express her femininity in her attire, often opting for pantsuits that may reflect comfort and practicality. This style has led to suggestions that she might be overcompensating for her femininity. While it's crucial to avoid any appearance of provocation or sexualization, it’s equally important to create a space where she can embrace her femininity in a way that aligns with her position.

During her presidential campaign, Harris demonstrated assertiveness and celebrated her blended heritage. However, as Vice President, there may be a perception that she has toned down her assertiveness. Her current role only partially exploits her strengths, and she might have been placed in a position that only partially utilizes them rather than one where she can provide significant support to the administration.

This situation resembles Harriet Tubman’s story, where her talents were not always utilized to their full extent. Instead of leveraging Harris’s unique strengths to their fullest, we may have diluted her impact. It’s essential to embrace and celebrate her talents and position her in roles that effectively leverage her strengths.

A name for this phenomenon, where a leader’s strengths aren’t fully utilized due to cultural dynamics and societal expectations, might be “Cultural Constriction.” This term captures the idea that societal and cultural pressures can limit how leaders express themselves and use their strengths, reducing their roles' impact. It recognizes the complex interplay between identity, expectations, and leadership.

Cultural Constraint Podcast

In leadership, “Cultural Constraint” refers to the societal and cultural limitations imposed on individuals, often affecting how they are perceived and how freely they can express their leadership potential. These constrictions can arise from deep-rooted biases related to race, gender, or cultural expectations, impacting individuals' ability to lead authentically and effectively.

In recent years, we’ve witnessed women like Kamala Harris and @Claudine Gay break barriers to reach significant leadership positions. Kamala Harris, the first female Vice President of the United States and the highest-ranking female official in American history, has faced scrutiny and expectations due to her intersectional identity as a Black and South Asian woman. Claudine Gay, the first Black woman to serve as president of Harvard University, also embodies the challenges of leading in a space where cultural biases can shape the perception of her leadership style and capabilities.

These prominent women offer compelling case studies for understanding how cultural constriction operates within leadership roles. By examining their journeys, we can uncover the layers of expectations, biases, and constraints that often surround women of color in leadership, revealing the importance of supporting authentic leadership in all its diversity. 

Understanding Cultural Constriction

Cultural constriction is a phenomenon where societal norms, cultural expectations, and biases limit how individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities, can express their strengths and potential in leadership roles. This concept operates subtly, often influencing perceptions, behaviors, and opportunities available to individuals based on gender, race, ethnicity, and cultural background.

Cultural constriction manifests in various ways:

Expectations of Conformity: Individuals are often expected to conform to traditional cultural norms and stereotypes, which can stifle their unique leadership styles. For women of color, this may mean being pressured to fit into roles that align with society's limited understanding of their identities.

Bias in Leadership Perception: Societal biases can shape individuals' perceptions of leadership qualities. For example, assertiveness in male leaders might be praised, but similar behavior in women, particularly women of color, may be misconstrued as aggressiveness. This discrepancy often leads to women toning down their authentic selves to align with accepted norms.

Access to Opportunities: Cultural biases influence decision-makers in organizations, affecting who gets opportunities to lead. Women of color may face barriers in accessing positions of authority due to biases about their capabilities and leadership potential. 

Double Jeopardy: Women of color often face compounded challenges of gender and racial biases. This double jeopardy creates unique pressures that limit their ability to navigate their careers confidently.

Understanding cultural constriction is crucial for recognizing how biases and cultural expectations limit the authentic expression of leadership. Acknowledging and addressing these challenges enables organizations and individuals to create environments where diverse leadership can thrive without limitations imposed by societal norms.

Case Study 1: Kamala Harris

Kamala Harris’s career is marked by significant accomplishments, making her a trailblazer in many ways. As the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to serve as Vice President of the United States, Harris has broken numerous barriers in American politics. Before her current role, she was the first woman to serve as California’s Attorney General, and she also represented the state in the U.S. Senate, where she was recognized for her expertise in legal matters and her advocacy for criminal justice reform.

However, Harris's leadership journey has been challenging. Cultural constriction has influenced how she is perceived and how she navigates her role:

Identity Expectations: As a biracial woman in a high-profile position, Harris has faced scrutiny and criticism based on her racial and gender identity. Expectations around how she should represent her multiple identities have created undue pressures. Critics often focus on her racial background rather than her qualifications, forcing her to prove her capabilities consistently.

Leadership Style: Harris’s leadership style has been analyzed through a lens shaped by cultural biases. Her assertiveness and straightforwardness, often praised by male leaders, are sometimes met with skepticism. She has had to distinguish between being firm and accommodating to avoid stereotypes while maintaining authenticity. 

Public Image: Harris is significantly pressured to represent a particular image that aligns with societal expectations. Her clothing choices, speech patterns, and even facial expressions are frequently scrutinized, with public and media commentary reflecting deep-seated biases about how women, particularly women of color, should present themselves.

Expectations of Performance: Harris’s role as Vice President carries unique expectations, especially given her historic election. While there is immense pride in her achievement, there is also a heightened expectation for her to excel beyond the standard set for others in similar roles. This adds an extra layer of scrutiny and pressure on her performance.

Despite these challenges, Kamala Harris continues to demonstrate resilience and skillful leadership. Her ability to navigate these complexities and maintain a robust public presence speaks to her strength and determination. Her journey underscores the need to understand and address cultural constriction so future leaders can navigate their roles without undue limitations. 

Case Study 2: Claudine Gay

Claudine Gay, the 30th President of Harvard University and the first person of color to lead the institution, is a distinguished academic with a history of breaking barriers. Before assuming the presidency, she served as Harvard's Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Gay’s research on political behavior, race, and identity issues has earned her significant recognition in political science.

However, Gay’s journey in academia has not been without its share of challenges, primarily influenced by cultural constriction:

Navigating Bias in Academia: Despite her academic credentials, Gay has had to navigate implicit biases prevalent in academia. As a Black woman in a predominantly white institution, she has had to contend with assumptions about her competency, often rooted in stereotypes about women and people of color. These biases can manifest in various ways, from microaggressions to overt questioning her qualifications.

Balancing Multiple Expectations: Gay is expected to excel academically and represent her identity in ways that align with others’ expectations. This includes facing pressure to advocate for underrepresented groups while meeting the expectations of a broad range of stakeholders within Harvard. This balancing act is challenging, given the diverse expectations students, faculty, and external audiences placed upon her.

Leadership Style

The academic world often holds different expectations for leadership styles, particularly for women of color. Claudine Gay’s leadership is scrutinized for assertiveness, decisiveness, and strategic vision, usually expected to align with preconceived norms. Her responses to critical issues in higher education are sometimes filtered through a lens that reflects societal biases regarding leadership.

Public Image and Scrutiny: In her leadership role, Gay is under intense scrutiny from the academic community and the broader public. Her status as the first Black woman to lead Harvard compounds the expectations to maintain a specific image, which comes with heightened visibility and expectations for success. 

Despite these challenges, Claudine Gay has continued to build a reputation for her scholarly work and leadership abilities. Her path in academia demonstrates the complexities women of color face due to cultural constriction and highlights the importance of addressing these issues in higher education.

Overcoming Cultural Constriction

Overcoming cultural constriction is a nuanced journey that requires strategic approaches and supportive environments. Here are key strategies and examples that illustrate how leaders like Kamala Harris and Claudine Gay can navigate and overcome cultural constraints:

Embracing Authentic Leadership

Strategy: Leaders should remain true to themselves, embracing their unique leadership styles and resisting pressure to conform to stereotypes or unrealistic expectations.

Example: Kamala Harris has often highlighted her cultural heritage and background, using her experiences to connect with diverse communities and advocate for policies that reflect her values. Her authentic leadership style has helped garner trust and respect from various demographics.

Mentorship and Sponsorship

Strategy: Finding mentors and sponsors who can offer guidance, advocacy, and opportunities is crucial in navigating professional landscapes.

Example: Claudine Gay's journey in academia involved mentors who supported her progression through academia, providing her with invaluable advice and networking opportunities that helped her advance to leadership positions. 

Building a Supportive Network

Strategy: Leaders should cultivate a network of peers, allies, and supporters who can provide emotional support, share experiences, and offer advice on overcoming challenges.

Example: Kamala Harris has been vocal about the importance of her support network, including her family, friends, and political allies, who have been instrumental in helping her navigate the pressures of public office.

Advocating for Systemic Change

Strategy: Leaders can work to challenge and change the systemic biases that contribute to cultural constriction by advocating for policy changes, diversity initiatives, and inclusive practices.

Example: As the President of Harvard, Claudine Gay has been involved in initiatives that aim to promote diversity and inclusion within the university, fostering an environment that values diverse voices and perspectives. 

Continuous Self-Improvement

Strategy: Leaders can invest in personal and professional development, continually learning and adapting to overcome challenges.

Example: Both Kamala Harris and Claudine Gay have consistently demonstrated a commitment to self-improvement, whether through advanced education, leadership training, or seeking feedback to enhance their effectiveness.

Creating Safe Spaces

Strategy: Leaders should foster environments where people and others feel safe expressing their authentic selves without fear of judgment or backlash.

Example: In her role at Harvard, Claudine Gay has emphasized the importance of creating spaces where students and faculty can discuss challenges and share their experiences openly.

By implementing these strategies, leaders can begin dismantling cultural constriction barriers, enabling themselves and others to thrive authentically in their roles.

Understanding cultural constraints and their impact on leadership is crucial for creating inclusive and supportive environments where diverse leaders thrive. The experiences of Kamala Harris and Claudine Gay reveal how cultural biases and expectations can significantly shape the leadership journeys of individuals, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds.

A poignant example is how public perceptions differ drastically regarding authentic leadership. Former President Donald Trump resonates with his audience mainly due to his ability to speak his mind freely and maintain his identity despite criticism. However, when a woman—especially a woman of color—exhibits similar authenticity, she often faces undue criticism and scrutiny. The double standard constraints authentic expression and imposes a ceiling on women's potential in leadership. 

The challenge is to strike a balance where leaders can embrace and display their true selves while maintaining professionalism and decorum. This balance must be cultivated by embracing authentic leadership, cultivating supportive networks, and advocating for systemic change. Women in leadership, particularly women of color, must be able to show up as themselves without fear of judgment or penalty. Moreover, organizations must take responsibility for creating environments where such authenticity is not just allowed but encouraged and celebrated.

Fostering a culture that truly values diversity in leadership will benefit organizations by allowing them to benefit from diverse leaders' wide range of perspectives. By addressing biases and promoting a climate that supports genuine expression, we will pave the way for a future where all leaders, regardless of gender or ethnicity, can thrive authentically and effectively.

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About the author

 Dr. Marilyn Carroll, with her impressive array of qualifications, including a Ph.D., MBA, and MEd, stands as a beacon of leadership and knowledge in executive coaching. As a Senior Executive Coach, Founder of @GetCareerDoctor.com, and Co-Founder of Empowered Ed Pro, her expertise has been instrumental in guiding professionals and leaders toward achieving their full potential. Her work as an author further cements her role as a thought leader, offering insights and strategies for empowerment and success in the professional realm. Dr. Carroll’s comprehensive background and dedication to fostering growth and development make her an invaluable resource for anyone looking to navigate the complexities of their career with confidence and clarity.