Cultural Diversity in Leadership
Diversity in leadership is essential to creating and sustaining a dynamic system of caring. The gap within the healthcare leadership ranks remains wide and deep. Thirty-five percent of the US population for whom we provide care is from diverse ethnic and racial populations. Yet, 98% of the 50,000 healthcare leaders describe themselves as white non- Hispanic.1 If we are to be successful in designing, implementing, and sustaining an effective system of healthcare, relevant to the general public, then we must diversify our leadership. It is the knowledge and skills of a multicultural, multigenerational, men and women from all ethnic groups that are required. Each of us has experiential knowledge and ways of leading, being, and knowing, shaped by our backgrounds and previous leadership roles. It is the diverse pathways of knowing, being, and leading that enable us to provide a system of care that is responsive and beneficial.
In this issue, we present diverse pathways of leadership development, practice, and education. The articles are informative and provide recommendations on leadership development and the importance of valuing our unique contributions. The authors offer recommendations for health system leadership that celebrates and honors diversity as an essential element of an effective healthcare system.
Washington and colleagues address leadership development and the role of nurse executives in mentoring ethnically diverse nurse leaders. The universe, as we know it, is predominantly inhabited by people from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds than it is by individuals from western European backgrounds. Yet, the number of ethnic nurses of color who hold executive roles in academia, service, and community is small. The gap continues to widen when one notes that the majority of the nursing faculty roles held by African American, Hispanic, and Native American nurses are at the junior college and technical school level.2
In a study of African American nurse leaders in service settings, Georges et al found that most leaders were at the middle-management level.3 Nurses from a hundred different settings described their inability to assume leadership roles within their organization as a significant problem. African American nurse leaders identified the lack of diversity in the top leadership level as a contributing factor in nurse retention and recruitment. Dr Georges presents information regarding work within professional nursing organizations and community settings as leadership preparation. Drs Villarruel and Peragallo identified the lack of culturally diverse leaders as a barrier to the development and implementation of a culturally relevant and appropriate delivery system for the fastest growing segment of our population, Hispanics. Dr Keltner and colleagues share a story with a poignant example of Native American leadership in action.
Pamela Thompson discusses international nursing leadership perspectives and provides insight on the value of leadership development in other countries. Dr Berg and colleagues report on a survey of Filipino American nurses' experience with assimilation and the potential impact of a retiring foreign-trained nursing workforce. Dr Swanson discusses dimensions of leadership from a diversity perspective.
As leaders, we must move from a tolerance of diversity at all levels to a celebration and promotion of diversity throughout management. We need multiple voices with knowledge and motivation to develop a system that prepares a multicultural workforce and to design, implement, and monitor a delivery system that is safe, equitable, and effective for all people.
"Excellence, said Judith Jamison, a renowned African American dancer, is the name of the game no matter what color or country you're from. If you are the best at what you are doing, then you have my admiration and respect."4 We need excellence in nursing leadership from all nurses with respect for their diversity.
We must seek opportunities to promote leadership from diverse perspectives at all levels of the healthcare system-education, administration, service, community, research, and practice.
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