Dr. Danielle Cox’s Post

Over the last two years I have been immersed in the research focused on BIPOC executives, the challenges we face, and the impact of the COVID crisis on the hiring of BIPOC leaders to rescue organizations at-risk, and the lack of corresponding supports. This has all been layered on a history of systemic and structural difficulties we've encountered in leadership. Stakeholders are trying to respond to the moment to create change, and that is encouraging. #StillRising offers several programs that focus on supporting BIPOC leaders in building community and social capital, strengthening capacity and practicing self-care & wellness. These programs combine learnings from my personal experiences with research findings regarding the things we need as leaders and often don't have access to. But we need more coordinated, intentional, system-wide comprehensive strategies that incorporate continuous improvement and learning if we really want to transform the status quo. We can't apply the traditional model of philanthropy and board governance to shifting the experiences of BIPOC leaders. I share some of my thoughts about this in Philanthropy New York this week.

In our latest Insights piece, Dianne Morales shares the need to move the current model of philanthropy and board governance to shift the experiences of BIPOC leaders. #philanthropy #BIPOCLeadership #equity

All throughout my career, I have sought reputable, evidence-based data to guide my leadership and leadership development. I use many sources, PEW Research being one of those firms. Here is some interesting data from PEW that shows we still have a gender split in the perception of men and women in leadership roles. However, this data shows that political parties further define this gender split. This shows how much politics plays a role in defining culture in leadership, or maybe a better way to state this difference is in terms like conservative vs. Liberal. There is evidence that women have more capabilities to become leaders than men, particularly in the next few decades. In my leadership paradigm theory, the Renaissance Leadership Odyssey, I emphasize identifying, assessing, developing, and selecting leaders so that we spend more energy and resources helping leaders grow and understand their psychological leadership personality. Encouraging more women to engage in this type of development will overcome some current biases that impact women in leadership. PEW's research data shows that fewer women are interested in leadership roles, which could be due to them not being encouraged to participate in leadership assessment and development, as we propose in the Renaissance Leadership Odyssey model. Neuroscience and psychological research show that women are more adept at leadership behaviors aligned with best practices of leadership. Today's leadership development paradigm inhibits women from pursuing leadership. However, the role of leadership changes within the Renaissance Leadership Odyssey paradigm and may very well be more attractive to women. This could be because the newly defined role of leadership, built around dynamics like Emotional Intelligence, may be more appealing to women. Here is the PEW Research article: https://lnkd.in/g5SPaKyU. For more information on the Renaissance Leadership Odyssey paradigm, contact me for a video discussion. Vic

Not only do BIPOC leaders grapple with amplified racism and inadequate support, but they also bear added burdens without commensurate compensation. Despite these hurdles, there's a notable decline in BIPOC individuals aspiring to leadership roles, exacerbated by systemic barriers and a lack of encouragement. The gap in support from boards and staff further widens the divide, underscoring an urgent need for equity and systemic reform in nonprofit leadership. https://lnkd.in/ej7HjGiR

No one told me that nonprofits could be oppressive, even if they've got big liberatory missions. My hope is that this 'Liberatory Leadership 101' webinar gives Marginalized nonprofit leaders greater insight into the oppressive traps we find ourselves in and some guidance on how we can bring more freedom into our freedom work. This webinar will be PWYC (Pay-What-Ya-Can) so sign up here to attend live or catch the replay: https://lnkd.in/dsMgZZB7 👋🏼👋🏼👋🏼 If we're new to each other, allow me to introduce myself. My name's Petra Vega and I help BIPOC and Queer leaders align their liberatory values with their liberatory actions (especially when self-doubt is the cause for the discrepancy). Together, we build the skills, supports and spirit needed to use our leadership as a force for collective liberation. In doing this work for 10+ years, I've seen how doubting ourselves and doubting our efforts has become one of the ways that we silence, oppress and minimize ourselves in order to fit, survive and protect ourselves in certain White, hetero, cis, abled spaces. But it ain't gotta be that way if you register for the 'Liberatory Leadership 101' webinar. I’ll be offering my perspective on: 🍄What's at the root of the self-doubt we experience 🍄 How (y)our nonprofit workplaces can feel like battlegrounds despite "good intentions" 🍄 What a liberatory nonprofit workplace could look and feel like 🍄 How you can incorporate my 3 S's for Steady Self-Trust and P.L.A.Y framework to bring more power, agency and choice into (y)our leadership

As we consider the future of social sector leadership and past efforts to diversify the faces of those at the top, The Chronicle of Philanthropy has released findings that suggest aspiring leaders, especially those of color, weren’t being pulled into leadership through support and positive role models but were more often pushed into top positions to escape difficult work circumstances and improve the situation for themselves and others. What is the quality of the progress we have made in diversifying social sector leadership if we have not also built the supportive and inclusive environment that leaders deserve? #socialsector #leadership #DEI

Passion and purpose often intertwine in nonprofit leadership, but cognitive biases and heuristics can subtly influence decision-making, shaping interactions, and ultimately impacting the organization’s culture and reputation. These mental shortcuts, while often helpful in navigating complex situations, can also lead to blind spots and skewed perceptions. This is part 1 of a 3 part series. https://lnkd.in/ePm64SnY

💡 “Some organizations have shifted to a #CoLeadership model to increase capacity, efficiency, and #transparency in their operations. Others have done so to allow for a broader range of identities—both to better reflect the diverse populations they serve and as a way to include more #BIPOC leaders. Many also see the model as an approach to dividing leadership duties to reduce #burnout, build #equity, and support working families” #FoodForThought 🧠 #Candid https://lnkd.in/gyF2p-m9)

Check out this blog I wrote on anti-racism in the workplace - my first blog for Impetus - Backing the best. It's based on an event we held in June, on the topic of why non-racism is not enough and how leaders can effectively embed anti-racism in their organisations. Read 👇

Passion and purpose often intertwine in nonprofit leadership, but cognitive biases and heuristics can subtly influence decision-making, shaping interactions, and ultimately impacting the organization’s culture and reputation. These mental shortcuts, while often helpful in navigating complex situations, can also lead to blind spots and skewed perceptions. This is part 1 of a 3 part series. https://lnkd.in/e6TsFSTV