Author(s): Akili Cooper, Brandon Purnsley, Fred E Washington, Reginald L Bell
In this study, we reviewed academic literature related to leaders who advocate for sustaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. We analyzed published materials relating to DEI program leadership styles, that we gathered from Google Scholar, library databases, government sources, peer reviewed papers, and scholarly books. That most institutions have action plans, but there is no evidence or assessment on how those DEI action plans lead to improved organization effectiveness. We conclude from our synthesis of the literature that leadership style is a very important factor to top-down approach to DEI effectiveness. Transformational leadership appears to be the most efficacious way for organizations to achieve long-term, sustainable DEI programs. We make two recommendations that will help organizations achieve lasting DEI success.