Full Citation

Title: Diversity, Leadership, and the “New Normal”: An Introduction to the Symposium

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2021

ISBN:

ISSN: 1935-262X

DOI: 10.1002/JLS.21736

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Abstract: Collective trauma refers to the emotional and psychological reactions to an event that affects an entire society or community (Hirschberger, 2018). Given the major events occurring in 2020, including the global pandemic and the social upheaval in the United States, it is easy to perceive these events as having both a significant and shared impact on U.S. society. Contending with the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives from the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the United States continues to grapple with the pervasive issues of inequalities that are inextricably linked to this epidemic. COVID-19 highlighted longstanding inequities, insecurities, and vulnerabilities within the United States, including racial disparities in socioeconomic classes and the distribution of wealth, lack of affordable health care, widespread food insecurities, access to housing, and a “digital divide” among social classes. Placing even more pressure on our weakened state, the United States once again addressed the pervasive issues of systemic racism, oppression, and stratification within the fabric of the country. Further, as if these events were not enough, the United States experienced one of the most volatile and polarized political climates in its history. While the long-term impacts of 2020 are still unknown, it is clear that the issues of inequity were highlighted over the past year. The United States has awakened to the disparities related to inequities in various arenas. For example, while numerous leaders found themselves in a holding pattern and struggled with the ambiguity surrounding COVID-19, the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements have also placed the topic of diversity squarely on the leadership agenda. Underrepresented groups have absorbed a disproportionate percentage of COVID-19 related deaths (Moore et al., 2020). Within the devastating impact of the pandemic on the U.S. economy, we must acknowledge that women and people of color have been disproportionately impacted by resulting furloughs and layoffs. One year following the onset of the pandemic, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2021) noted that, of the 1.1 million people who exited the workforce, 80% were women. Further, according to the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation (2021) IPUMS Current Population Survey, the unemployment rates for people of color were double that of white counterparts. Through the lens of leadership, our aim in the symposium is to examine diversity critically and courageously in various communities of practice. In doing so, we intend to examine both challenges and opportunities afforded to leaders in these identified sectors, as we reconceptualize the meaning of “work” within our workforce. The reality that recent events have thrust upon leaders is that unanticipated changes and unpredictability generate a great sense of apprehension, discomfort, and vulnerability within organizations (Fernandez & Shaw, 2020). Experts have forewarned of the rapid rise of the “new normal,” which creates a fundamental question for all leaders and scholars: Within the “new normal,” how can we continue our attempts to harness the benefits of a diversified workforce?

Url: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jls.21736

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Authors: Underwood, Kimberly

Periodical (Full): Journal of Leadership Studies

Issue: 1

Volume: 15

Pages: 41-44

Data Collections: IPUMS CPS

Topics: Poverty and Welfare

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