Preface
THE RAPIDLY INCREASING cultural and racial diversity of the U.S. workforce, consumer base, and citizenry is challenging leadership to better reflect the values and worldviews inherent in our multicultural society. As the world becomes flatter and globalization creates a world village, leaders must have the cultural flexibility and adaptability to inspire and guide people who represent the whole rainbow of humanity. The central purpose of Salsa, Soul, and Spirit: Leadership for a Multicultural Age is to put forth a leadership model, based on the practices and principles of communities of color, that will move us toward a more pluralistic and equitable society. Authentic diversity will be realized only when the voices, values, and contributions of all Americans are integrated into mainstream leadership.
Since the first edition of this book, a number of transformative events have made multicultural leadership even more crucial. First, the historic election of Barack Obama was not just the symbolic fulfillment of the civil rights dream; it meant that the country’s highest leadership position was no longer reserved only for White men. Second, the 2010 Census provided an updated snapshot of the American people and documented that within the next four decades minorities will constitute over 50 percent of the population. Third, the new demographics predict the advent of not only a rainbow nation but also a more youthful one. In just one decade, a majority of Americans under age eighteen will be non-White.
A new generation is emerging: the Millennials, who reflect and embrace our great diversity. And fourth, globalization and the growing interdependence of our world community are making the ability to lead and build community with people from very distinct cultures, nationalities, and ethnic groups fundamental to effective leadership.
Finally, along with these four changes, technology—both wired and wireless connectivity and social media—has become ubiquitous. Technology and social networking connect people instantly and allow them to easily share information and ideas. Cell phones, texting, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social networking tools have changed the face of political and social organizing, expanding our ability to share common concerns and take collective action.
These transformative changes underscore the urgency of using leadership principles that respond to our ever-expanding cultural mosaic and changing world. Despite this urgency, however, there are still far too few leadership principles or practices that draw on multicultural approaches. Today’s leadership models, although they may differ from person to person and method to method, generally have a common bias toward Western-or European-influenced approaches. Contemporary leadership theories center on the dominant or mainstream culture and exclude the enormous contributions, potential learning, and valuable insights of leaders in diverse communities. Thus, the need for this updated and expanded edition is all too clear.
This new edition responds to these dynamic changes, updates demographics to include 2010 Census data, considers the impact of Obama’s leadership, and includes a new principle: the Seventh-Generation Rule: Intergenerational Leadership. It is based on the great law of the Iroquois, which impelled leaders to always consider the impact of their decisions on their children, their children’s children, and unto seven generations. In the past this implied one generation shepherding and guiding the next. Today, for the first time in history, four generations are working side-by-side, requiring an intergenerational approach in which different ages work together compatibly to create a viable future.
Within this intergenerational context, we will take a closer look at the Millennials, born between 1980 and 2000. The largest generation in the history of our nation, they are becoming the architects of the twenty-first century. Millennials have a predilection for the inclusive, relationship-based, and activist leadership of communities of color. I hope that they will fulfill the promise of civil rights, infuse American leadership with multicultural practices, and lead our nation to higher ground.
People continue to ask why I, as a Latina, wrote a book on multicultural leadership rather than leadership that springs from the community of my heritage. Although it is informative to look at Latino, or Black, or American Indian leadership separately, such a focus implies that leadership in each of these communities is pertinent only to that one group and is not relevant or generic enough for widespread application. Latino leadership is commonly seen to be of interest only to people who are involved or work with this population. Black leadership is not regarded as applicable to mainstream organizations. Likewise, American Indian spirituality is not understood as the very essence of their leadership that can enrich all cultures.
Multicultural leadership has broad relevance and application to our diverse world. This culturally integrated leadership model has greater impact, influence, and scope. Delving into leadership models from specific communities will certainly enhance a person’s ability to relate more effectively with that population, but it will not necessarily be applicable to other groups. A multicultural leadership approach, on the other hand, offers practices and tools that will be effective with many populations.
Furthermore, even though Blacks, Latinos, and American Indians have distinct ways of leading, there are key points of convergence—they share a number of core cultural dynamics. Their history as colonized people is a common denominator in engendering leadership that is people-centered, community-focused, and advocacy-oriented. All three cultures center on collective or group welfare, and all three value generosity and reciprocity. By identifying such points of convergence, multicultural leadership that integrates Black, Latino, and American Indian strengths can be brought forth.
These unifying factors lay the foundation for the nine principles presented in this book, which I believe have a universality across many cultures. I have distilled the nine principles from our Black, Latino, and American Indian communities. Voicing these commonalities will cultivate a greater sense of unity among communities of color and encourage them to actively disseminate more culturally inclusive leadership. Focusing on the cultural convergence points that shape multicultural leadership in no way denies the power or importance of leadership within the Black, Latino, or American Indian communities. Recognizing common abilities and celebrating differences are two of the touchstones of diverse leadership.
My own background is multicultural: Central American Indian, Spanish, and French. My grandmother was indigenous—her long braids hung down her back, as she never cut her hair. Coming from the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, I have Black and Latino relatives. Through marriage, my daughters are of Hispanic, Irish, and Norwegian ancestry. My adopted daughter is African American and Anglo. I have had the enriching experience of living in an integrated neighborhood for over thirty years. The multicultural zenith of our family is my grandson; the rich diversity of his heritage—Black, Latino, Irish, Blackfoot Indian, French, and English heritage—represents our global future.
I also feel uniquely qualified to discuss leadership in Black, Latino, and American Indian communities. I was the first president and CEO of the National Hispana Leadership Institute and have directed Latino organizations for over twenty-five years. Through the Chevron Management Institute, I designed a leadership program that trained ninety Urban League presidents. Spellman College’s Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement honored me with their Legacy Award. I was initiated into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame and presented the Wise Woman Award by the Center for Women’s Policy Studies. I also taught at the Center for Creative Leadership in the Leadership Development Program, the most highly utilized corporate training program in the world. The U.S. Peace Corps acknowledged me with the Franklin Williams Award for my lifelong commitment to advancing communities of color. Most important, I have listened to the voices of diverse leaders, many of whom I have worked with closely. This book reflects the composite of our experiences and ways of leading.
In this book, my use of the term communities of color refers to African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians. These communities’ own preferred terms for themselves have changed over time. I use Hispanic as well as Latino. For African Americans, Black is a descriptor in usages such as Black History Month or the Black community. I refer to American Indians in general and indicate tribal membership whenever appropriate; I also use the term Indian, a short form accepted within that community, and Native American. These terms distinguish people, honor their identity, and highlight their cultural characteristics.
Other groups, such as Asian Americans, may wonder why they are not included here. There are several reasons. Asian Americans, for instance, come from many countries with numerous languages, customs, and nationalities: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Pacific Islanders, Cambodians, and East Indians and other South Asians—groups with such distinct histories, philosophies, and cultural attributes that it would be difficult to integrate their leadership approaches into the model proposed in this book. This complexity and scope merits separate volumes on Asian leadership experiences and styles. It is also beyond the capacity and length of this book to do justice to their rich contributions, and my limited experience with these cultures would not allow me to be an authentic voice.
My hope is that this book will start a dialogue on multicultural leadership with the Asian American community and others who will widen the conversation. Creating authentic multicultural leadership is an ongoing and organic process. The principles articulated in this book provide a solid foundation from which other writers can expand and develop additional work on diverse leadership practices.
Finally, I want to speak of our elders. In communities of color, age is venerated and respected. The leaders interviewed for this book are largely elders and stand as beacons who have guided their communities. Most grew up in the civil rights era and thus incorporate a social responsibility aimed at building the good and just society. Studies on the Millennials indicate that they look to older generations for guidance. I hope that this new edition will promote intergenerational leadership, a timeless tradition in communities of color that ensures continuity.
Each principle section starts with a story from my life, adding my voice to those of the other leaders who have graciously shared their wisdom. The first part of my life, for instance, mirrors many of the experiences that shaped leaders of the civil rights movement. Each section ends with suggestions and exercises for practical uses of the principle. These have been particularly useful in classrooms and leadership programs and offer a creative way to learn collectively and to put multicultural leadership into practice.
Acknowledgments— Gracias
IN THE LEADERSHIP FIELD, there are practitioners and scholars. Practitioners design, implement, and teach in leadership programs, as I have done for the past twenty-five years. Scholars research and formulate leadership theories and models, then write books on their findings. As an author with many years of practical experience, I am a crossover. However, I had not thought about writing until Dr. Larraine Matusak, the past director of the Kellogg National Fellows Program, invited me to become a Leadership Scholar. Exchanging ideas with authors such as Bernie Bass, James MacGregor Burns, Ron Heifetz, Barbara Kellerman, Dick Cuoto, and Gill Hickman gave me a new perspective on how influential leadership books could be. They encouraged me to write about my experiences and perspectives in communities of color, as a needed addition to the leadership field.
It is impossible to thank all the people who have helped me with this venture. However, a few folks warrant special appreciation. Let me start with my familia, who have supported me in being a Latina maverick who strayed from traditional roles, and my multitude of comadres across the country with whom I have shared my life’s path. This second edition is possible only because of the many people who have used my book in classrooms, leadership programs, and community work. Thank you for honoring the leadership practices in communities of color.
A special gracias to David Perkins, Arnie Langberg, Lynette Murphy, Eric Fransen, and Rich Chavez for guidance on the manuscript. To Lillian Jimenez, director of the Latino Educational Media Center, thank you for helping me capture the wisdom of Dr. Antonia Pantoja. To Steve Piersanti, the best editor in the world, and to the staff at Berrett-Koehler, thank you for your brilliance in shaping this work.
All of you have been my muses. I am blessed with an extended family like this and am forever grateful. In starting this second edition, the inspiration of President Obama reenergized my work: “We will need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hope, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”
Juana Bordas
Denver, Colorado
January 2012