Preparing Managers to Lead for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Abstract

The psychological theories of leadership have a great deal to offer today's organizational leaders. Four of these theories—transactional, transformational, authentic, and servant leadership—are complementary in style, aiming to serve the self-actualization of employees as well as the greater good of the organization. This chapter explores the similarities and differences between these leadership styles, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of their basic principles and assumptions, especially as pertains to the work of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practitioners in educational settings. This chapter examines the benefits of integrating these theories, along with some newer and lesser-known theories, into a multimodal approach that can be effective for managers coaching team members toward greater organizational equity. A brief case comparison illustrates how the principles of DEI leadership can be applied.