Barriers
- Barriers to diversity in leadership can be found at different levels - societal, organisational/institutional and individual.
- Recruitment barriers need to be tackled to have a ‘pipeline’ of diverse future leaders.
Barriers common to most groups include:
- Lack of self-confidence and self-belief partly as a result of institutional factors;
- A tendency to recruit and promote in one’s own image;
- Nepotism and an “old boys club” mentality;
- Exclusion from informal networks of communication;
- Stereotyping/preconceptions of a person’s roles and abilities derived from prejudices in wider society;
- Lack of mentors, role models and appropriate networks of individuals to provide social support and advice.
Barriers faced particularly by women include:
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Non-recognition of commitment to personal and family responsibilities;
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More subtle biases such as the requirement for career breaks if having children;
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The dominance of male leadership and male leadership styles.
Barriers faced particularly by people with disabilities include:
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Job security;
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Personal development;
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Career prospects;
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Perceived capacity to lead; and
- Travel-to-workplace difficulties.
Barriers faced particularly by BAME people include:
- Paucity of mentors, role models and support groups;
- Lack of understanding of cultural differences;
- Pressure to assimilate and conform to an organisational stereotype;
- A backdrop of institutional and societal racism.
Barriers faced particularly by LGBT include:
- Lack of confidence;
- Having to conform to stereotypical machismo;
- Banter which should be considered homophobic;
- Use of language which is exclusionary;
‘Double marginalisation of people having two or more ‘underrepresented characteristics’ needs to be considered.