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Breaking barriers to leadership: what's the best solution?

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Breaking barriers to leadership: what's the best solution?

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Content Breaking Barriers to Leadership: What Is the Best Solution?
Heidi Olivia Gray
Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
May 2024

© Copyright by Heidi Olivia Gray 2024
All Rights Reserved

iv
Abstract
Throughout history, Black people have dealt with microaggressions, stereotypes, racism, and
discrimination in society and in the workplace. This dissertation study examined the lived
experiences of Black professionals within a governmental organization and explored solutions to
improve their attainment of senior leadership positions. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s (1979)
seminal work on the ecological model, this research offers a nuanced analysis of the interplay
between Black professionals and their workplace environment. Employing qualitative
methodology, the study employed in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 participants who
met the criteria of (a) identifying as Black, (b) being currently employed with DSW, and (c)
being either in a non-leadership role or lower to a mid-level management role. The findings
underscored a stark underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions,
unveiling multifaceted barriers impeding their advancement. These barriers are examined,
ranging from the absence of relatable role models to feelings of demotivation and ambiguity
surrounding career progression. This study also includes suggestions for solutions to those
barriers. Drawing upon both existing scholarship and the empirical insights gleaned from the
study, this dissertation presents a set of six recommendations to help improve the inclusivity and
representation of Black professionals on the senior leadership team and within the organization
as a whole.

v
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my assistant director, director, human resources administrator,
deputy commissioner, and commissioner for their continued support throughout this process and
for their dedication to effective leadership and innovation.
Next, I would like to thank my dissertation committee, Dr. Esther Kim (chair), Dr.
Monique Datta, and Dr. Eric Canny. Thank you for your support and guidance throughout this
process. I am grateful for your feedback along the way and your different perspectives on how to
tackle research for my dissertation.
Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank my family and friends for their unwavering
support. Thank you to my husband, Kory Gray, and son, Grayson Gray for their support and
understanding during times when I just needed to be left alone to write. I appreciate the constant
love and support. Thank you to my mom, Valeria Jackson, and aunt, Vera Larry for their
constant encouragement to do my best and to be the best that I can be. Thank you for calling to
check in to see what progress I made. Thank you to my cousin, Artishia Larry, for checking in on
my progress, and even volunteering to cook meals and help out when I had to travel to California
for Immersions. And thank you to one of my best friends, Nkong Tankeng, for her support and
encouragement, and for traveling with me to California for Immersion weekends.
Author’s Note
Correspondence concerning this dissertation should be addressed to Heidi Gray, subject
line: Dissertation Inquiry, via email at Heidiojackson17@gmail.com.

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Table of Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................... iv
Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................... v
Author’s Note...................................................................................................................... v
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
List of Figures................................................................................................................................. x
Chapter One: Introduction to the Study.......................................................................................... 1
Context and Background of the Problem............................................................................ 3
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions.................................................................. 4
Importance of the Study...................................................................................................... 5
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology .................................................... 6
Definition of Terms............................................................................................................. 7
Organization of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... 8
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature ........................................................................................ 10
Historical Context ............................................................................................................. 10
Barriers for Black Men and Women in the Workplace .................................................... 14
Mentorship and ERGs for Black Professionals ................................................................ 22
Inclusive and Supportive Social Environment.................................................................. 25
Conceptual Framework..................................................................................................... 27
Summary........................................................................................................................... 28
Chapter Three: Methodology........................................................................................................ 30
Research Questions........................................................................................................... 30
Overview of Design .......................................................................................................... 30
Research Setting................................................................................................................ 31
The Researcher.................................................................................................................. 31

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Qualitative Methodology .................................................................................................. 32
Participants........................................................................................................................ 33
Instrumentation ................................................................................................................. 33
Data Collection Procedures............................................................................................... 34
Data Analysis.................................................................................................................... 35
Credibility and Trustworthiness........................................................................................ 35
Ethics................................................................................................................................. 36
Summary........................................................................................................................... 37
Chapter Four: Findings................................................................................................................. 38
Participants........................................................................................................................ 38
Research Question 1: What Are the Experiences of Black Professionals Working
at DSW? ............................................................................................................................ 40
Research Question 2: What Are the Barriers Black Professionals at DSW
Experience When Advancing Into Leadership Positions?................................................ 48
Research Question 3: What Are the Sources of Social Support for Black
Professionals at DSW That Help Guide Them Toward Leadership Positions?................ 56
Summary........................................................................................................................... 61
Chapter Five: Recommendations.................................................................................................. 64
Discussion of Findings...................................................................................................... 65
Recommendations for Practice ......................................................................................... 70
Implementation of Recommendations.......................................................................................... 80
Limitations and Delimitations........................................................................................... 81
Recommendations for Future Research............................................................................ 82
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 83
References..................................................................................................................................... 85
Appendix A: Semi-structured Interview Protocol ........................................................................ 99

viii
Appendix B: Code Book for Dissertation................................................................................... 102

ix
List of Tables
Table 1: Participant Demographics 39
Table 2: Additional Findings Surround Lack of DEI 45
Table 3: Additional Findings Related to Demotivation 53
Table 4: Additional Findings Related to Need of Support 57

x
List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework 28

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Chapter One: Introduction to the Study
The people of the United States represent a variety of cultures and ethnicities, and those
identities impact how they experience our country. This study focused on the lived experiences
specifically of Black people in the United States. Black people in the United States have a
different lived experience than White people, both in society and their workplaces (Bloch et al.,
2021). For example, Yearby (2018) found that the government provided support and money to
White people during the Jim Crow era to help White people establish wealth through
homeownership while inhibiting Black people from establishing the same form of wealth. This is
an example of structural racism (Yearby, 2018). Additionally, during the civil rights movement,
White lawmakers established restrictive laws for Black people as a means of legal intimidation,
which included arrests and unequal voting rights (Ashford-Hanserd et al., 2020). Even today,
there is still discrimination against Black people across various spheres, from police interaction
to mortgage applications (“The Black and White in America: Views on Race and Inequality,
Worlds Apart,” 2017). For many Black people, racial equality and equity remain unattainable
goals.
The unfair treatment of Black people is also reflected in the workplace for Black
professionals. A significant social problem and critical issue remains as Black professionals are
underrepresented in both middle and senior-level management positions compared to White men
(Bloch et al., 2021). What’s more, this underrepresentation of Black professionals affects them
both economically and psychologically (Emerson & Murphy, 2014). The economic effect is
clearly seen through the lack of Black professionals at the higher management levels, whereas an
example of the psychological impact is seen through the effect of stereotypes exhibited through
stereotype threat (Roberson & Kulik, 2007). This study examined Black professionals’

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experiences in one government organization. The problem of practice addressed in this study is
the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions within the identified
government organization. This is a problem because no Black professionals are on the senior
leadership team as of May 2024.
While workplace diversity has increased, there is still significant underrepresentation of
people of color at the executive level (Holder et al., 2015). This study focused on discovering
potential solutions to combat stereotypes, microaggressions, discrimination, and other barriers
Black professionals may face when striving to attain senior leadership positions. Catalyst (2001)
argued that the leadership advancement of people of color is hindered by a shortage of mentors
and role models; thus, mentorship will be explored as a potential solution to those barriers.
Mentorship could provide Black professionals access to networks and information they may not
receive outside of a formal program. Mentorship provides increased access to social networks,
the opportunity to gain knowledge, and the opportunity to earn a sponsor who supports career
and emotional development in the workplace (Ivey & Dupre, 2022).
Another potential solution to combat barriers Black professionals may face when striving
to attain senior leadership positions is establishing employee resource groups (ERGs). Cenkci
(2019) describes ERGs as a group of employees who voluntarily take part in the group and
schedule regular meetings to review issues affecting their group within the workplace to evoke
change. ERGs are seen as a resource for learning, as ERGs provide opportunities for developing
leadership skills and a source for establishing informal mentorship relationships and providing a
space to have discussions with executive leadership (Green, 2018). Further, when organizations
establish ERGs, they demonstrate their commitment to supporting underrepresented employees
and creating an inclusive environment (Green, 2018). Mentorship and ERGs are not the only

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potential solutions to combatting barriers Black professionals encounter in the workplace.
Through this study, other potential solutions were discovered during the data collection process.
Context and Background of the Problem
Race relations is an essential topic for many people in the United States, and the
perspective on race relations differs depending on who is asked. Black people have a perspective
on race relations in the United States distinct from White people’s (“The Black and White in
America: Views on Race and Inequality, Worlds Apart,” 2017). Button et al. (2006) argued
Black professionals in the workplace experience gendered prejudices engrained in the workplace
system. Black professionals are faced with varying forms of barriers, including discrimination,
microaggressions, and stereotypes in the workplace. Black professionals’ barriers may deter
them from seeking and attaining a leadership position.
In this study, Black professionals’ experiences in this governmental organization were
explored to help examine potential solutions to the barriers they experienced in the workplace.
Additionally, this study aimed to identify potential solutions to the barriers, such as mentorship
or the development of ERGs. Due to the lack of representation of Black professionals on the
senior leadership team and the lack of resources for support for Black professionals at the
organization, it was important to conduct this study to examine potential solutions that may
benefit Black professionals and the organization as a whole.
The organization used in this study is a governmental organization with both competitive
and appointed positions. The structure and operation of the organization are much different from
private sector, or corporate, organizations. The government organization is different because
state statutes and regulations dictate the agency operations, which may not be a factor for the

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private sector or corporate organizations. Most research has been done from a private sector lens,
so it is important to acknowledge the type of organization that was used for this study.
The organization for this study will be referred to as the Department of State Works
(DSW), a pseudonym to protect the confidentiality of those who participated. When looking at
the organization’s structure, there are no Black professionals on the senior leadership team. The
lack of Black professionals on the senior leadership team directly reflects Holder et al.’s (2015)
finding that there is a lack of diversity of color at the executive levels of leadership despite
increasing diversity in the workplace. With this simple observation, several questions about the
diversity within the organization’s leadership could be posed. Instead of examining the problem
using a top-down approach, the study examined this disparity within the organization using a
bottom-up approach because it was important to capture the perspectives of Black professionals’
experiences in their own words.
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions
The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of Black professionals within
DSW and explore solutions to improve Black professionals’ attainment of senior leadership
positions. The study was conducted by first analyzing the specific experiences of Black
professionals in the organization. Then, the study explored the barriers Black professionals face
when advancing into leadership positions. Finally, the study examined the sources of social
support for Black professionals at the organization. Findings from this study were analyzed and
used to generate possible recommendations for increasing the representation of Black
professionals in senior leadership positions. The following are the research questions the study
aimed to explore:
1. What are the experiences of Black professionals working at DSW?

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2. What barriers do Black professionals at DSW experience when advancing into
leadership positions?
3. What are the sources of social support for Black professionals at DSW that help guide
them toward leadership positions?
Importance of the Study
There is limited research involving governmental organizations. Regarding Black
professionals in the workplace, it is essential to understand the barriers Black professionals face
to determine how they can overcome those barriers. Black professionals not only encounter
obstacles in the workplace but also in other settings in society. Borrell et al. (2010) emphasized
how the United States has disproportionately high rates of racial discrimination against Black
people. Some of the barriers identified within the workplace involve combatting discrimination,
stereotypes, and microaggressions. To combat the obstacles in the workplace, Offermann et al.
(2014) stated even subtle forms of discrimination need to be recognized and discouraged by
organizations. In addition, solutions need to exist for Black professionals to have a more positive
and inclusive experience in the workplace. Elliot et al. (2018) suggested role models as a
solution to combating stereotypes and indicated the importance of those role models being
individuals who also confront stereotypes daily in the workplace. People are also inspired by role
models and thus learn from the role models and aspire to be like them (Smith, 2002). In addition,
one of the values of belonging is seeing oneself connected and holding value with an
organization that encourages leaders like themselves (Coqual, 2020). Establishing a sense of
belonging creates a better environment for Black professionals. It is also important for Black
professionals to observe people who look like them in senior leadership positions so they may
have a role model and motivation to seek a senior leadership position in the future. Overall, it is

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essential to discuss the barriers that Black professionals endure in the workplace with Black
professionals who exist in the environment daily. In these discussions, we can visualize the lived
experience of Black professionals and discover potential solutions to those barriers that may be
preventing them from seeking and attaining leadership positions.
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
The theoretical framework of this study is Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological systems
model, and the conceptual framework specifically explores the microsystem and mesosystem of
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model. With these factors being reciprocal, people are
affected and are influenced by their actions and environments (Schunk & Usher, 2020). The
workplace is a social environment where individuals who work together may learn from each
other and can be best explored through those two systems of the model.
In some respects, Black professionals employed at DSW have figured out how to thrive
and successfully work within their organization without representation in senior leadership.
However, the lack of representation and opportunities to learn from senior-level role models who
look like them at DSW may pose a potential barrier to further success for Black professionals. I
used Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological systems model to examine the social environment (the
workplace) and to assess whether or not DSW employees were experiencing barriers to attaining
leadership positions. Also, I used Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological systems model to explore
potential solutions that could positively affect the organization by helping combat
microaggressions and discrimination and increase the number of Black professionals in senior
leadership. Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model has five primary systems. The first system
is the microsystem which are the activities, roles, and interpersonal relationships the individual
experiences in a setting. The second system, the mesosystem, focuses on two or more settings

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and the interrelations of those settings in which the individual participates. The third system is
the exosystem, and it includes what indirectly occurs and affects the specific setting the
individual is in. The fourth system is the chronosystem, which involves the changes to the
individual and settings over time. Finally, the macrosystem reflects the consistencies in culture
and ideology filtering through between the systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
I conducted this study using snowball sampling (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) to most
effectively reach the target population of Black professionals within the DSW. Snowball
sampling allowed me to ask eligible participants for their suggestions on other participants for
the study (Dickens & Chavez, 2017). This qualitative study used a semi-structured interview
protocol (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016), which allowed for the wording of the interview questions to
be flexible and adjust based on the flow of the interview and participant’s information.
Definition of Terms
The following terms appear throughout the dissertation:
• African American and Black refers to people of African descent, and the two terms
will be used interchangeably throughout the dissertation. Although there is significant
research regarding Afro Latin Americans, this study focuses on the experiences of
Black Americans in the United States.
• Black professionals refer to Black men, Black women, and Black non-binary/nongender conforming individuals in a professional workplace setting. Black
professionals have attained specialized knowledge, skills, and expertise in their
respective fields through education, training, and/or experience. They operate within
various sectors such as business, medicine, law, academia, technology, and arts.

8
• Mentorship, as described by Ivey and Dupre (2022), refers to a means for providing
mentees with access to develop relationships with mentors that could offer the
opportunity for learning, increased access to new social networks, while also
providing them with role models who they can confide in and develop relationships
that grow into sponsorships, thus allowing for the mentee to have someone in their
corner who can provide the mentee with the necessary support needed in the
workplace, whether that be emotional or career support.
• Racial microaggressions, as defined by Sue et al. (2007), refers to racism and
discrimination that is experienced daily by people of color because they are a part of a
certain racial or ethnic group.
• Senior leadership refers to individuals who report directly to the agency head or the
head of the organization.
• Sponsorship refers to a component of mentoring that enhances the mentee’s discovery
of prominent networks and promotes the advancement of the mentee’s career through
the recommendations received from the sponsor (Randel et al., 2021).
• Stereotype threat refers to the “psychological experience of a person who, while
engaged in a task, is aware of a stereotype about their identity group suggesting they
will not perform well on a task” (Roberson & Kulik, p. 26, 2007).
Organization of the Dissertation
This dissertation follows a traditional five-chapter model. Chapter One provided a highlevel overview of the problem of practice, the background to the problem, the purpose of the
study, and the research questions that informed the study. Chapter One also included a brief
overview of the theoretical and conceptual frameworks and the methodology used for the study.

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Chapter Two highlights the relevant literature, including historical context and further
explanation of the theoretical framework and conceptual framework used for the study. Chapter
Three details the research methodology. Chapter Four provides the findings of the research.
Chapter Five details the proposed recommendations.

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Chapter Two: Review of the Literature
This chapter will examine the types of barriers Black professionals experience in society,
including the workplace, and discuss potential solutions. For the literature review, the term Black
professionals is limited to discussions of Black men and women as there was limited research
regarding Black non-binary people. Also, Black men and women are separated because there
were some unique challenges for each population identified throughout the research. The
primary workplace of focus for the study is DSW, a pseudonym for a governmental organization,
but this chapter includes a review of all types of organizations.
The review begins with the historical context of the experiences of Black people in
American history, focusing on their experiences in the workplace. It then transitions into looking
at the barriers that Black professionals face in the workplace. The barriers are examined
separately for Black men and women, followed by an overall review of combined experiences of
Black professionals’ barriers in society and the workplace. The chapter then transitions to a
review of potential solutions to combatting barriers Black men and women endure to attaining
senior leadership positions. The chapter will continue with an overview of Bronfenbrenner’s
(1979) ecological systems model, which will be the theoretical framework used to examine the
experiences of Black professionals in the workplace. The chapter closes with a description of the
conceptual framework guiding the research study.
Historical Context
For the purposes of this study, the historical context of the experiences of Black people
begins with slavery in the United States. It is imperative that we start with slavery to gather a
deeper grasp of how embedded racism and discrimination are in the United States.
Multiculturalism and opportunity have been described as the pillars of the United States

11
(DeGruy, 2005), but history has painted a different picture for African Americans. DeGruy
(2005) alluded to slavery as “the founding fathers committing America’s original sin that
continues to plague” the United States (p. 41). Researchers identified the privateer The White
Lion as starting slavery in America when he brought 20 enslaved Africans to the British colony
of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1619 (Onion et al., 2021). The slave population started to increase
rapidly in the 1700s when tobacco production increased, requiring more laborers (Aiken et al.,
2013). As a result of the increased need for laborers throughout the 17th and 18th centuries,
African people were kidnapped and sold into slavery and forced to work in tobacco and cotton
fields (Onion et al., 2021). Davis (2005) further specified Black people experienced a culture of
inferiority as a result of slavery. White enslavers made sure to display their superiority to the
people they enslaved. One of the ways enslavers imposed inferiority on enslaved people was by
denying them the right to an education.
Slavery and Education
Enslavers limited educational opportunities for enslaved African Americans. By
imposing restrictive codes on their enslaved, the landowners aimed to render their enslaved
illiterate and limit their activities, thus forcing the enslaved to be solely dependent on the
landowners (Onion et al., 2021). These restrictions were done as a means to further the
enslavers’ control over their enslaved. The illiteracy of the slaves provided additional control to
White enslavers, and keeping enslaved Africans uneducated further increased the power of the
enslavers (Kuelzer & Houser, 2019). In fact, in 1832, anti-literacy laws made it a criminal
offense to teach a slave to read or write. The illiteracy of the enslaved even continued after they
were freed.

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In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all enslaved
people free. However, slavery was not fully abolished until 1865, when the last slaves were freed
in Texas, commemorating the Juneteenth holiday (Hume & Arceneaux, 2008). Although
emancipation officially ended slavery, the right to education continued to be illegally withheld
from Black people (Kuelzer & Houser (2019). Black people’s newfound “freedom” did not
afford them full access to all things accessible to White people. For example, the Plessy v.
Ferguson (1896) ruling of “separate but equal” in public education was the doctrine until 1954
(Ashford-Hanserd et al., 2020). With this “separate but equal” education concept, proper
education for Black people was in training and positions that prepared Black people for work as
laborers, such as industrial and agricultural education, manual training, and hygiene instruction
(Ravitch, 2000). In addition, as a response to the abolishment of slavery, southern states passed
“Black codes,” (p. 385) as a means to limit the “freedom” of Black people, and one example of
limiting their “freedom” was requiring Black people to sign agricultural labor contracts (Aiken et
al., 2013). Following reconstruction, Black peoples’ rights continued to be limited through the
implementation of “formalized systems of segregation in education” in conjunction with
increased violence and lynching of Black people (Aiken et al., 2013, p. 385). The institution of
Jim Crow laws drove African Americans north during the 1890s. Since slavery, Black people
have struggled to recover from “the dehumanization of bondage, the outrage of the Black codes,
the affront of convict leasing, the indignities of Jim Crow, and the ravages of poverty” (DeGruy,
2005, p. 42). Slavery reminds the world of the level of cruelty that humankind can demonstrate
(Davis, 2005). Slavery was not the only oppressive period Black people had to endure.
Significant oppression of Black people also occurred during the civil rights movement.

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Civil Rights Movement
The civil rights movement was a pivotal part of Black history. The civil rights movement
occurred during the 1950s and 1960s as a fight for social justice for Black people to gain equal
rights under the law in the United States (Onion et al., 2023). In 1954, the momentum of the civil
rights movement was increased by the Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ruling, as it
overturned the “separate but equal” ruling from 1896, thus abolishing segregation in education
and public places (Ashford-Hanserd et al., 2020). While Black people acknowledged this ruling
as a triumph and believed progress toward equal rights was being made, White people were
creating White Citizens Councils that spread throughout the South (Aiken et al., 2013). Such
organizations pledged to defend segregation, and a partnership between Republicans and
Southern Democrats was created and was responsible for issuing the Southern Manifesto in
1956, which protected those states who wanted to avoid desegregation (Aiken et al., 2013).
Continued battles with segregation further led to mass protests and boycotts, such as the
Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 381 days, and on November 14, 1956, led to the
Supreme Court’s ruling that segregated seating is unconstitutional (Onion et al., 2023).
According to Bush (2003),
the major campaigns of the civil rights movement, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to
the voter registration drives of 1963 and 1964, sought to force the U.S. social system to
live up to its ideology of equality for all under the law. (p. 48)
Finally, the Civil Rights Act (1964) was passed, and it prohibited discrimination previously
legalized and systemically woven into the society of the United States for several decades (Aiken
et al., 2013). To strengthen the Civil Rights Act, President Johnson issued Executive Order
11,246 on September 24, 1965, to enforce government contractors to “take affirmative action”

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(para. 3) and document the practices that organizations used in hiring and consideration of
people of color for prospective employment (Ashford-Hanserd et al., 2020; Exec. Order No.
11,246, 1965). Several years later, the Civil Rights Reform Act of 1978 was created and
responsible for establishing the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) as the lead
federal agency in equitable employment enforcement, tasked with enforcing Title VII, the Equal
Pay Act, and the Age Discrimination Employment Act (Aiken et al., 2013).
Even 155 years since the abolishment of slavery in America and roughly 55 years since
the end of the civil rights movement, Black people continue to struggle and must stay resilient.
The laws implemented after the abolishment of slavery and the end of the civil rights movement
did not change the structure of the United States. As a result, structural racism continues to
inhibit Black people from obtaining equal access to wealth, employment, income, and healthcare
(Yearby, 2018). With the continued struggles of Black people towards equal resources, Black
people must continue to push forward. Black people are said to be more resilient than White
people because they encounter more hardships than White people with significantly fewer
resources (Chance, 2021). The hardships that Black people encounter are seen in the inequality
of health, wealth, and education resources that Black people are subject to, and these inequalities
make it more difficult to live as a Black person in the United States, than as a White person
(DeGruy, 2005). The next section will further explore, in greater detail, the barriers and
disparities experienced by Black people in the workplace.
Barriers for Black Men and Women in the Workplace
Barriers for Black professionals in the workplace will be discussed specifically for Black
men and Black women. According to Button et al. (2006), Black men and women suffer from
systems of gendered prejudices that are ingrained in the workplace. It is important first to address

15
the separate barriers that Black men and Black women face before reviewing the overall barriers.
The intersection of race and gender creates different experiences for Black men and Black
women, especially depending on the type of space.
Barriers Faced by Black Women
The review begins with taking a deeper look at the experiences of Black women. Not
only do Black women have to deal with the challenges and adversities that race differences
present, but their challenges are exacerbated because of the added adversity based on their
gender (Chance, 2021). Black women’s dual identities of being both Black and a woman, do not
exist independently of each other for Black women (Chance, 2021; Crenshaw, 1989). One of the
ways Black women experience exacerbated barriers is through stereotypes.
Stereotypes of Black Women
Stereotypes of Black women are heard in different settings, whether it be in the media, in
schools, or in the workplace. In the workplace, when looking at the identity of being a woman,
Koenig et al. (2011) stated there is a cultural stereotype that alludes to women not having the
ability or being regarded as incapable of handling crucial roles in leadership positions. These
types of stereotypes serve as significant barriers to the advancement of women seeking
leadership positions (Koenig et al., 2011). Even when looking at barriers for women in general,
White women describe those barriers differently than Black women. For example, Holder et al.
(2015) argued that “White women refer to a glass ceiling (Loden, 1978) to describe barriers to
career success, while Black women encounter a concrete ceiling” (p. 165). The concept of a
“concrete ceiling” is again reiterated by Bloch et al. (2020), when they argued Black women face
barriers to leadership positions that are more like concrete walls topped with glass ceilings than

16
just glass ceilings alone. For Black women, opportunities for career advancement are
significantly reduced or nonexistent.
Additionally, Black women also endure various race-based stereotypes. Black women
have a history of negative stereotypes that stem from the roots of slavery. One of the negative
stereotypes that consider the intersectionality of Black women is the stereotype of the Mammy,
“the self-sacrificing and supportive woman” (Holder et al., 2015, p. 165). Another stereotype that
Black women may face is the view or perception of them being hostile and aggressive, which are
not helpful qualities when seeking a leadership position (Holder et al., 2015). Lastly, ReynoldsDobbs et al. (2008) indicated that there are more Black women receiving educational degrees
than any other women of color. However, Black women experience being perceived as
incompetent, which affects their reputation and thus equates to them not having leadership
potential (Holder et al., 2015). For Black women, these negative perceptions result in a lack of
belonging and it reduces their access to influential networks that may be available to employees
in the workplace (Holder et al., 2015). Black women are not alone in these types of struggles in
the workplace. Black men also experience their own challenges and adversities.
Barriers Faced by Black Men
Similar to Black women, Black men face challenges and adversities within society and
the workplace. Black men encounter a form of gendered racism in the workplace (Wingfield,
2023). However, there are aspects where their experiences in the workplace differ because men,
regardless of race, are seen as being more aligned with the leader stereotype than women
(Koenig et al., 2011). On the other hand, Button et al. (2006) indicated Black men are perceived
as less educated than Black women and as lacking the necessary interpersonal skills compared to
Black women. The challenges and adversities Black men face that are similar to Black women

17
are those dealing with racial microaggressions. One way in which Black men manage
microaggressions is through code-switching.
Code-Switching
Black men have developed tools for coping with microaggressions in the workplace due
to the frequency of how often microaggressions arise in the workplace. Black men working in an
environment that lacks diversity often experience a higher rate and higher intensity of
microaggressions when compared to Black men working in diverse work environments due to
the cultural differences of the organizations (Pitcan et al., 2018). Black men believe that in order
for them to thrive in a culture that operates based on the norms of White men, they must practice
censorship and begin to censor themselves in order to conform to those norms within the
organization (Pitcan et al., 2018). As a result of censorship, Black men struggle with juggling
multiple identities, in addition to overcoming the perception of their identity as a Black man, all
in the hopes of achieving the same acceptance that is shown to their White counterparts in the
workplace (Rudel et al., 2021). To combat their internal struggle, Black men establish
communication within themselves and simply make the decision of how much of their true
selves they choose to bring into the workplace (Rudel et al., 2021). They are often afraid to speak
up if confronted with discrimination. The fear that Black men have regarding speaking up in the
workplace or wanting to avoid certain behaviors is perpetuated by the stereotype of the angry
Black man; however, similar behaviors by White men would be described as assertive and
viewed as positive leadership characteristics (Bloch et al., 2020). In addition, Wingfield (2007)
indicated although Black men may have privilege in the workplace due to their gender, that
privilege does not translate into Black men being able to openly confront racism when it is
externalized at work. Now that barriers for both Black women and men have been discussed

18
individually, it is important to discuss overall barriers experienced by both Black men and
women.
Barriers for Black Men and Women in the Workplace
Racism and discrimination are experienced in many ways by Black people. Although
Black people have experienced racism for hundreds of years, there are varying forms and
degrees of the types of racism and discrimination Black people have experienced (Holder et al.,
2015). Racism today, especially in the workplace, may appear more in the form of unconscious
bias, microaggressions, lack of diversity or belonging, and stereotyping. For example, Black men
and women are faced with discrimination in the workplace due to how they choose to wear their
hair. In 2016, the Eleventh Circuit deemed that in a professional workplace setting, Black
women were legally limited to an afro as the only natural hairstyle that could be worn in the
workplace (Powell, 2018, 2019). Black women could change their hair to make it appear straight,
but other hairstyles involving their natural texture are banned. Since then, 18 states, along with
Washington, D.C., have passed CROWN laws (Janisch, 2023). The actual Crown Act is
legislation for protecting people of color from race-based hair discrimination, and the acronym
stands for “Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair” (The Crown Act, 2020). Hairbased discrimination is an example of how Black men and women are still inflicted with
navigating society differently than their White counterparts.
Another example, as depicted by Nkomo and Ariss (2013), was that Black men and
women are asked to speak as a representative for their racial group, and speaking as a
representative for their racial group is something that is seldomly expected of White men and
women. Even when it comes down to examples of successful and productive leaders, the
examples are usually viewed through the lens of the White culture (Crosby & Edwards, 2021).

19
Viewing leadership through the lens of White culture depicts “White ideal leadership,” which
paints a picture of an end goal being achieved without any hidden obstacles (Crosby & Edwards,
2021, p. 510). The same cannot be said for Black men and women seeking leadership positions.
Black men and women often feel the need to work twice as hard as their White peers in the
workplace (Pitcan et al., 2018). For Black people to be allowed to lead, which often happens
without the same opportunities and assistance their White peers receive, Black people must
overcome many obstacles that are set in their way (Crosby & Edwards, 2021). In all, Black men
and women face numerous obstacles in the workplace to attain leadership positions.
Racial Microaggressions
One of the types of obstacles for both Black men and women is racial microaggressions.
As demonstrated through negative treatment and communication towards people of color,
microaggressions create a sense of superiority for White people and inferiority for people of
color (Skinner-Dorkenoo et al., 2021). Racial microaggressions are intentional forms of hateful
behavior and can impact a person of color through discrimination, name-calling, or invalidating
the feelings, thoughts, and experiences that people of color have based on their ethnic heritage
(Pitcan et al., 2018). In the workplace, microaggressions influence how individuals perceive
discrimination, and microaggressions can impact how individuals feel overall about the
workplace environment (Offerman et al., 2014). In addition, microaggressions can also be
difficult to confront and navigate as for some the microaggressions may appear vague or there
may be some uncertainty due to how the microaggressions are perceived. Skinner-Dorkenoo et
al. (2021) further emphasized that microaggressions establish White people and White culture as
the norm; in turn, people of color feel the need to change themselves to fit within the system that
was not designed for them.

20
For example, standards in the workplace for beauty and professionalism are dictated by
White norms. Some organizations have banned certain hairstyles (as described previously) and
garments worn by people of color, such as natural hairstyles like dreadlocks and braids that
Black people wear (Greene, 2013). In such situations, people must notice and identify the
discrimination occurring. Identifying discrimination may be challenging because it relies upon an
individualized perspective (Offerman et al., 2014). However, it stresses the need for
organizations to recognize and discourage even subtle forms of discrimination. The inability to
perceive and recognize subtle discrimination increases the uninformed view that all
discrimination is solved, all fields leveled, and there is no longer a need to consider race, gender,
or other forms of possible discrimination (Offerman et al., 2014). One way in which people
demonstrate an inability to recognize discrimination is through the attitude of color-blindness,
where some individuals feel as though they are combatting discrimination by indicating they do
not see color, but instead that attitude poses a barrier to equality and equity within organizations
(Offerman et al., 2014). The viewpoint of not seeing color also invalidates the lived experiences
of people of color because it dismisses the understanding that people of color have regarding
how race has played a role in the outcomes of their lives and how it has impacted the
opportunities they have received (Skinner-Dorkenoo et al., 2021). To combat racial
microaggressions and discrimination in the workplace, Black employees tend to use adaptive
techniques, such as self-empowerment (Holder et al., 2015). These microaggressions can
perpetuate a sense of exclusion and create stereotype threat.
Lack of Belonging and Stereotype Threat
Underrepresentation in leadership can lead to a sense of exclusion for Black
professionals. Holder et al. (2015) indicated there is still a lack of representation of people of

21
color in executive leadership positions despite increasing diversity in the workplace. Due to this
underrepresentation at senior leadership levels, Black people may start to establish a sense of
exclusion, which may evolve into stereotype threat.
Stereotype threat is an additional layer or type of response Black professionals may
demonstrate in the workplace. With stereotype threat, targeted individuals perceive they are
being judged to fit the stereotype (Steele & Aronson, 1995). According to Oliver et al. (2017),
underrepresentation is a key factor in increased stereotype threat. Moreover, employees may in
turn feel the need to suppress a social identity at work, which is an indicator of stereotype threat
(Madera et al., 2012). Therefore, it is important for all leaders and employees to bring their full
selves to work each day, but if they are uncomfortable doing so, then it is important for us to
understand the reason for the discomfort (Rudel et al., 2021). For Black people, it is sometimes
difficult for them to bring their full selves to work because they are hypersensitive to stereotypes
about their race, thus they tend to experience the workplace differently than White people
(Emerson & Murphy, 2014). Hypersensitivity to stereotypes has a psychological effect on Black
people and arises when they are performing a task, because while they are performing said task,
they are aware of stereotypes about their identity group that suggest they may not perform well
on the task (Roberson & Kulik, 2007).
Stereotypes have continuously been actively communicated and maintained throughout
society in the United States (Jones & Carpenter, 2014). Some of the societal and cultural
stereotypes spill over into the workplace and impact the work-related expectations of others
(Jones & Carpenter, 2014). Women and people of color are subjected to cultural stereotypes and
beliefs regarding leadership ability both inside and outside of the workplace (Jones & Carpenter,
2014). Stereotype threats in the workplace can have negative effects on individuals, as stereotype

22
threats can reduce workplace engagement, career aspirations, and ability to accept feedback
(Casad & Bryant, 2016). Stereotype threat may ultimately lead to individuals avoiding areas
where they feel they are stereotyped as not belonging (Casad & Bryant, 2016).
As mentioned earlier, White males are often associated with leadership characteristics
(Koenig et al., 2011), therefore, it is up to racial minorities seeking leadership positions, to
directly challenge this stereotype (Casad & Bryant, 2016). Directly challenging the stereotype
may be difficult especially if individuals experience being the only member of their ethnic group
amongst their other peers. Being the only member and experiencing stereotype threat increases
the probability of racial minorities choosing to not seek leadership positions (Hoyt et al., 2010).
Those types of experiences create an intimidating workplace environment. In this case, when
individuals are experiencing an intimidating or threatening work environment, it creates an
immediate aversion to risks, especially if individuals are already unsure of their success (Casad
& Bryant, 2016). Further, it may cause them to avoid challenges such as endeavoring for
leadership roles (Casad & Bryant, 2016). In order for Black people to excel in the workplace and
feel they can be successful, we must attempt to reduce the stereotypes that Black people endure
in the workplace, as well as address attitudes in hopes of reducing the impact on Black people in
the workplace (Roberson & Kulik, 2007). To reduce the impact of microaggressions, a sense of
not belonging, and stereotype threat in the workplace, and to better support Black professionals,
it is important to acknowledge potential solutions to the barriers Black professionals face in the
workplace.
Mentorship and ERGs for Black Professionals
The potential solutions to barriers Black professionals encounter in the workplace are
innumerable. This section will focus on only two possibilities, mentorship, and employee

23
resource groups (ERGs). With mentorship, there are both informal and formal mentorship
programs. Mentorship can occur in and outside of the workplace. On occasion, mentorship and
ERGs may have some links, as individuals may be able to find a mentor through the ERG. ERGs
also offer a different network of individuals and help to create that sense of belonging (Cenkci et
al., 2019). Both mentorship and ERGs have benefits to the individual as well as the organization
itself.
Mentorship in the Workplace
Mentorship in the workplace can be both informal and formal, as well as result in
sponsorship. Mentorship is deemed successful when it meets the following criteria: fully
provides the opportunity for knowledge transfer between the mentee and the mentor; provides
the mentee with new contacts through important social networks; gives the mentee the chance to
demonstrate the behavior and attitudes of their role models; and the mentee can establish a strong
relationship with their mentor, thus gaining someone who encourages their career interests and
provides career and emotional support (Ivey & Dupre, 2022). One way the mentor can support
the mentee’s career interests is through sponsorship. Sponsorship is seen as a psychosocial and
career-related aspect of mentorship (Allen et al., 2017). Sponsorship is considered a vital
component of mentoring as it focuses on increasing the mentee’s exposure to important networks
of individuals as well as providing the mentee with new career opportunities (Randel et al.,
2021).
For Black professionals, sponsorship is extremely important in helping them cope with
racial microaggressions that may arise in the workplace, and the importance of sponsorship
cannot be diminished as it also adds a means for Black professionals to receive strategic career
advice and access to high priority assignments (Holder et al., 2015). Access to these networks

24
would provide social support and connection. Black professionals utilize their social connections
as a tool to cope with stress from combatting racial microaggressions and other forms of
discrimination (Linnabery et al., 2014). With that said, the goal of mentoring should not only be
to enhance individual skills but also to influence societal beliefs and practices (Wyatt et al.,
2019).
Mentoring is useful for understanding how different individuals are motivated, how they
develop goals, how they manage feedback, as well as how they are best engaged in the
workplace (Rudel et al., 2021). In addition, Rudel et al. (2021) identified the absence of
mentorship as a major area of concern and that mentorship was a critical component for
sustaining engagement in Black male leaders. Through the research, mentorship and sponsorship
were shown as important solutions for Black professionals to combat racial microaggressions
and other forms of discrimination in the workplace that inhibit Black professionals from seeking
leadership positions. Another potential solution is through implementing ERGs.
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)
ERGs target the social aspect of the workplace and may also incorporate some variation
of mentoring. ERGs establish a community of individuals who share a commonality through a
particular social identity (Green, 2018). ERGs can provide support to individuals by offering
opportunities for mentoring, growth, and professional development, and a means to network and
socially engage with others in the workplace (Colgan & McKearney, 2012). The mentorship
through ERGs may be more of an informal mentorship opportunity, which is also beneficial, as
Underhill (2006) emphasized informal mentorship relationships have a stronger impact than
formal mentoring on career-relevant outcomes. Even though there may be a benefit to informal
mentoring, women and minorities oftentimes need assistance from formal mentorship programs

25
as it may be more difficult for them to secure a mentor, as opposed to White men, who are
typically able to find a mentor on their own (Dobbin & Kalev, 2016). Establishing ERGs could
be a way of creating an organization that would allow Black professionals easy access to a
mentor. ERGs can provide a variety of learning opportunities, including topics on leadership
development, and ways to have discussions with executives (Green, 2018). With both
mentorship and ERGs, a new social environment would be established within the organization if
one or both of those potential solutions were utilized. Even with reviewing only two potential
solutions to Black professionals’ barriers in the workplace, those solutions further highlight the
importance of an inclusive and supportive workplace or social environment.
Inclusive and Supportive Social Environment
It is important for Black professionals to have a supportive workplace. Having some
means of support within the organization allows Black people to utilize their social connections
to assist in managing stress from racial discrimination (Utsey et al., 2000). The workplace is a
social environment and in that social environment individuals who work together may learn from
each other. In utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model as the theoretical framework
for this study, I discovered information regarding DSW’s social environment (workplace) as
experienced by Black professionals. Furthermore, I discovered how the social environment is
interrelated to Black professionals’ growth and development and how a lack of social support
affects Black professionals at DSW.
As mentioned earlier, Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model has five systems,
microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, chronosystem, and macrosystem. To recap from Chapter
One, the microsystem is the system where the most direct interactions with the social
environment take place; the mesosystem refers to the relations between items in the

26
microsystem; the exosystem includes indirect relationships and how it affects the setting the
individual is in; the chronosystem involves changes to the individual and settings over time; and
the macrosystem the consistencies in culture and ideology that filters through between each
system (Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
Organizations should promote a healthy workplace social environment for their
employees, and ensure all employees feel they belong at the organization and can clearly
envision their growth opportunities. One way in which individuals gain a sense of belonging is
through connecting with others and developing relationships with role models. When Black
professionals see those role models, it provides a sense of belonging. Therefore, the models in
the work environments are important sources of information and motivation (Schunk & Usher,
2019). For Black leaders, having role models who look like them in the workplace, poses some
difficulty as society often assumes to model a leader who is a White male (Rudel et al., 2021).
Society modeling leaders after White males makes it difficult for Black professionals to navigate
the workforce in an environment that does not automatically view them as capable of leadership.
Therefore, it is important for organizations to establish an inclusive workplace environment that
acknowledges individual’s social identities and encourages and supports their growth and
development toward their aspirations for leadership (Rudel et al., 2021).
Organizations are able to do this by addressing discrimination and racism directly and
showing Black professionals their commitment to creating an inclusive, equitable, and respectful
environment (Emerson & Murphy, 2014). To better understand the workplace as a social
environment through Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, the conceptual framework
focused solely on the microsystem and mesosystem. The specific use of those two systems of

27
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological framework as the conceptual framework provided a deeper
way of exploring the problem of practice.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework I used for this study was the microsystem and mesosystem of
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model. The overall framework focuses on the interaction
between both the developing person and the environment (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). The use of
this framework further highlights the importance of the workplace as a social environment and
its effect on Black professionals. It is imperative that organizations understand the importance of
managing and developing their employees, and that without doing so, it negatively impacts the
leadership abilities of the organization (Holder et al., 2015). Furthermore, organizations should
have a plan to do so. With Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological theory, I was able to view what
sources of support DSW provided to Black employees to aid with their development towards
leadership positions. Development as shown through Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model,
emerges from the social interactions of the person and the environment or setting (Rosa &
Tudge, 2013). In addition, through utilizing Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, I gained
a better understanding of the experiences Black professionals encounter at DSW and how those
experiences and the environment related to Black professionals seeking and attaining leadership
positions. According to Christensen (2016), Bronfenbrenner’s theory (1979) depicted everything
as being interrelated and interacting with each other at distinct times and levels. Figure 1
illustrates the microsystem and mesosystem of this model.

28
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework
To reiterate, as guided by the study’s research questions, only the microsystem, and
mesosystem, were explored in this study. Detailing the systems of the model as they relate to the
study, the microsystem focused on relationships with peers, leadership, and work friends. The
mesosystem reflected the social groups and support systems.
Summary
Overall, the review of existing research provided evidence that Black professionals
combat barriers in the form of stereotypes, microaggressions, and discrimination in the
workplace, as well as outside of the workplace. It is important for Black professionals to
establish positive workplace relationships. The positive relationships developed can provide

29
solutions to tackling the barriers that Black professionals face in the workplace. There is
evidence that developing supportive relationships in the workplace through mentorship,
sponsorship, and even having supportive supervisors can establish a positive and inclusive
workplace environment, however there is mixed evidence as to which type of support provides
the most benefits and best outcome for the employees and organization as a whole (Cortland &
Kinias, 2019). There is also evidence to support that a lack of mentors and role models in the
organization hinders minorities from attaining leadership positions (Catalyst, 2001). Therefore,
this study was essential to help further the research into Black professionals’ experiences in the
workplace at DSW and to help better understand if Black professionals were encountering
barriers to attaining senior leadership positions. In the discussions with participants, I hoped to
also explore solutions to the barriers Black professionals face at DSW.

30
Chapter Three: Methodology
The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of Black professionals in DSW
and explore solutions to assist in Black professionals’ attainment of senior leadership positions.
Chapter Three begins with a review of the research questions, followed by an overview of the
research design and research setting. Next, there is information regarding my positionality, a
review of the research method used, demographics of the participants, and a description of the
methods used to collect and analyze data. Finally, there is an acknowledgment of the tools used
to promote credibility and trustworthiness, and ensure I upheld ethical practices throughout the
study.
Research Questions
1. What are the experiences of Black professionals working at DSW?
2. What barriers do Black professionals at DSW experience when advancing into
leadership positions?
3. What are the sources of social support for Black professionals at DSW that help guide
them toward leadership positions?
Overview of Design
This study utilized a qualitative approach through interviews with 12 participants. The
qualitative design allowed participants to provide details of their lived experience in the
workplace using their own words. This qualitative design approach allowed me to gain an
understanding of how the participants viewed their lives and interpreted their experiences
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).
The specific type of qualitative design used in this study was basic qualitative research.
The analysis of the data involved identifying recurring patterns that characterize the data

31
(Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The following sections discuss more details of data collection and
analysis.
Research Setting
I held the interviews via Zoom, an online video conferencing platform. I conducted the
interviews individually with each of the participants. Utilizing Zoom allowed for more flexibility
and convenience in scheduling interviews with the participants. It also allowed for transcription
and recording of the interviews. Lastly, utilizing Zoom helped to ensure privacy and
confidentiality as the participants were able to be in a space that was most comfortable and
private to them while I, the researcher, was in my private office on the East Coast conducting the
interviews. The personal devices were password protected, and all recorded interviews were kept
confidential.
The Researcher
My positionality as a Black woman who has worked in professional workplace settings,
both private and public sector, for over 15 years, and who has worked for the DSW organization
for over 5 years in the human resources field, increased my interest in the need for this
qualitative study. As a human resources professional, I am tasked with recruitment, and I am
always interested in what drives individuals to seek various positions. In addition, I have noticed
the lack of diversity at higher levels of leadership within DSW. The lack of diversity at higher
levels of leadership has sparked my curiosity to know if there are barriers, such as
microaggressions, discrimination, and stereotyping that are preventing more Black professionals
from seeking and attaining higher-level leadership positions at DSW. Because I have directly
experienced microaggressions within DSW, it piqued my curiosity as to whether other Black
professionals in DSW have had similar experiences.

32
In addition, I have previous experience in private sector organizations that have had
ERGs and mentorship programs. Thus, I know firsthand how those experiences helped assist me
within those organizations. It is intriguing to explore if similar support, such as a formal
mentorship program, would assist or be beneficial at DSW to combat barriers Black
professionals may face in the workplace.
Qualitative Methodology
Qualitative methods were used for this study. Specifically, interviews with 12
participants helped to answer the research questions regarding the experiences of Black
professionals in the workplace, including specific barriers Black professionals encounter and
potential sources of support for Black professionals. The interviews were conducted individually,
which allowed for easier scheduling, more comfortability for the participant, and eliminated
issues of group thinking (Burkholder et al., 2019). In using qualitative methods, I was able to
gather detailed and precise responses to the interview questions asked. Overall, the qualitative
interviews allowed me to obtain in-depth information about what motivates the participants, as
well as their thoughts and beliefs (Johnson & Christensen, 2015).
Collecting data using qualitative interviewing allowed me to see the full story of how
Black professionals viewed their workplace. It was my duty as the researcher to understand the
importance of capturing the participant's perspective and that the participant had a significant
amount of knowledge to share that allowed me to capture detailed stories (Patton, 2002). It was
important to gain specific data and findings regarding what the participant was experiencing in
the workplace, to help better understand their feelings and what types of barriers they were
encountering in the workplace. The findings detailed the type of support that was provided
within the organization. In addition, the findings provided insights as to the type of support

33
Black professionals preferred to receive in the workplace, and whether mentorship would be a
preferred type of support or solution to barriers they faced.
Interview
The interviews were the sole source of data collection. Interviews were conducted
individually through Zoom. I anonymized the participants and used pseudonyms to protect their
identities. I recruited the participants using snowball sampling, also known as network sampling,
where I asked participants for referrals to other participants (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I
contacted the first few participants directly by informing them of the study, including that
participation was voluntary. I also requested their assistance in gathering additional participants.
I suggested the participants provide my information directly to other potential participants so
there were no issues with participants sharing their personal contact information with others.
Participants
The participants were current employees of DSW who were either in non-managerial
positions or entry to mid-level management positions. It was important to note there were entry
and mid-level managerial positions that did not require individuals to supervise others, so some
individuals were in a managerial position, but not acting in a leadership capacity. The criteria for
the participants to be included in the study were (a) identify as Black, (b) currently employed
with DSW, and (c) be either in a non-leadership role or lower to a mid-level management role.
Instrumentation
The interview questions are included in Appendix A. Since the interviews were semistructured, there was flexibility in the questions. Consequently, there were additional probing
questions asked to some participants or adjustments of the wording of the structured questions
that were created. The interview protocol included a total of 15 questions. Questions 1–4

34
supplied more information about the participant’s current role and motivation. Questions 5–7
asked for insight into what the organization was currently doing to enhance motivation, gathered
thoughts surrounding the current representation of Black professionals in senior leadership, and
explored sources of social support that currently exist at DSW. Questions 8–13 were about
interest in leadership and barriers the participant faced. Questions 14–15 were related to what the
employee thought could be other areas of support that the organization could supply outside of
the support the organization currently provided.
Each question kept Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, specifically the
microsystem and mesosystem, at the forefront, as the focus was on gathering information
surrounding the Black professional and their roles, activities and relationships that exist within
the microsystem, and then examining how those are interrelated with each other as described by
the mesosystem. Probes were used to expound upon the participants' responses and serve as a
guide to the level of response that was wanted from the participants (Patton, 2002).
Data Collection Procedures
For data collection, I scheduled the interviews for 1 hour with each participant
individually via Zoom. The interviews lasted for approximately 45 minutes, allowing for a 15–
minute buffer when needed. While conducting the interviews via Zoom, I took notes and
recorded the Zoom meeting. Audio recording allowed for the interview to be kept and listened to
multiple times, as needed, for analysis (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Along with audio recording,
each interview was transcribed using Otter.ai. The recorded Zoom video and transcription were
helpful to have available for review in the event there was something unclear in the written
notes. In addition, the written notes were key points said by the participant and did not capture
all valuable information.

35
Data Analysis
Qualitative data analysis’ primary goal, according to Ravitch and Carl (2019), is “to be
focused on, and authentic to, what study participants actually say, how they say it, and the
contexts in which they share particular thoughts or experiences” (p. 242). By utilizing the
qualitative method for this study, my primary goal as the researcher was to present the data
authentically and fully capture the participants’ experiences. I initially analyzed the data using
ATLAS.ti., through the creation of several types of coding. Coding of the data involved
assigning different designations to certain parts of the data, in order to later review and further
analyze the data (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I conducted further analysis of the data manually,
utilizing Excel through Microsoft Office Suite.
Credibility and Trustworthiness
To promote credibility and trustworthiness, I used reflexivity and interviewee transcript
review. Reflexivity incorporates the self-reflection of the researcher, looking at the researchers’
own biases, assumptions, views of the world, and their relationship to the study that may
influence the way it is investigated (Merriam & Tisdell, (2016). The use of reflexivity was
important for my study because I am a Black woman, and I must acknowledge my biases in
conducting the study because my problem of practice was centered around the lack of Black
professionals in senior leadership positions, and I discovered insight from Black professionals as
to the barriers they faced to attainment of senior leadership positions. I had my own biases about
how DSW operates and my view on microaggressions that may occur within the organization. It
was important for me to address those biases and reflect on my positionality so that my biases
did not interfere with the study.

36
I also utilized interviewee transcript review as an additional strategy for the study.
Interviewee transcript review assists the researcher in verifying that the findings captured are an
accurate narrative of what the participant provided (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Interviewee
transcript review was especially important for this study, as the topic was difficult to discuss, and
their review ensured that the information captured was fully accurate and depicted what they
were experiencing in the workplace as Black professionals. Therefore, following the interviews,
I sent each participant a document requesting their confirmation of the key points captured in my
notes. This confirmation allowed the participants to correct any inaccuracies within my notes.
Ethics
First, to ensure the study was conducted ethically, participants were advised that their
participation in this study was completely voluntary. Advising participants of the voluntary
nature of the study was important, as I did not want my position as a human resources (HR)
supervisor within DSW to influence their decision to take part in the study. Furthermore, I did
not recruit or accept participants who report to me directly or who work in my division; nor did I
recruit or accept participants in other agencies or divisions for which I provide direct HR
support. In general, with my position in HR, conversations I have with employees are kept
confidential unless the information provided during the conversation poses a threat or risk of
harm or injury to the employee or others. Therefore, participants could feel assured the
information shared during the interviews would remain confidential.
Prior to each interview beginning, I asked the participants for their consent to record their
interview. I omitted participant names to ensure the confidentiality of the responses and used
pseudonyms instead. I saved all Zoom recordings and notes to a password-protected online drive.

37
Also, I advised participants as to how long the interview would last and that they could stop the
interview or skip a question at any point.
Summary
The utilization of basic qualitative research worked best for this study. More specifically
through using a qualitative interview protocol it allowed for the participants to describe their
experiences in their own words. The study focused on discovering if there were barriers in the
workplace to Black professionals seeking senior leadership positions and it was critical that the
research depicted their experiences in their own words. Receiving the direct information from the
participants allowed me to review and analyze patterns within my empirical research and the
literature review.

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Chapter Four: Findings
This study examined the experiences of Black professionals in DSW and explored
solutions to assist Black professionals in attaining senior leadership positions. The research
questions that guided the study are as follows:
1. What are the experiences of Black professionals working at DSW?
2. What barriers do Black professionals at DSW experience when advancing into
leadership positions?
3. What are the sources of social support for Black professionals at DSW that help guide
them toward leadership positions?
The study utilized Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, more specifically, the
microsystem and mesosystem. To recap, the microsystem was the system where the most direct
interactions with the social environment occurred. For the study, this was through direct
relationships with peers, leadership, and work friends. The mesosystem refers to the relationships
between those in the microsystem, which are social groups and support systems.
This chapter discusses the findings of the study, starting with a brief overview of the
participants, followed by a review of the findings within each research question section,
including a review of the themes that emerged for each research question during data analysis.
The chapter closes with a brief summary.
Participants
As stated previously, in order to be a participant in the study, the individual had to be an
employee of DSW, identify as Black, and hold a position that was not higher than a mid-level
management position. Based on those criteria, 12 participants qualified for the study. I contacted
initial participants directly, utilizing the IRB-approved recruitment email. The initial contact was

39
made through LinkedIn to ensure no organizational policies were being ignored, as the
organization email can only be used for business purposes. To protect the identity of the
participants and to ensure anonymity, I used pseudonyms in place of the participants’ actual
names. Table 1 highlights the gender and years of service at DSW. Years of service are shown in
three categories: less than 5 years (< 5), 5–10 years, and more than 10 years (> 10). Following
the overview of the participants is a review of the findings presented by each research question.
Table 1
Participant Demographics
Participant pseudonym Gender Years at DSW
Gabriel Male 5–10 years
Nate Male > 10 years
Asher Male 5–10 years
Sam Male > 10 years
Bonnie Female < 5 years
Annalise Female < 5 years
Michaela Female 5–10 years
Laurel Female < 5 years
Tegan Female < 5 years
Eve Female < 5 years
Olivia Female < 5 years
Rebecca Female 5–10 years

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Research Question 1: What Are the Experiences of Black Professionals Working at DSW?
Research Question 1 aimed to explore the experiences of Black professionals at DSW.
The intent of utilizing this question was to gather a full perspective surrounding employee
engagement, their sense of belonging and overall perspective as to how they felt they fit into the
organization. Research Question 1 was related to the microsystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979)
ecological model, as through assessing engagement, their sense of belonging and perspectives as
to how Black professionals fit into the organization, it looked deeper at the activities, roles, and
interpersonal relationships that Black professionals experience at DSW. There were both positive
and negative themes that emerged regarding this research question and they were as follows:
engagement with both the participants’ direct team and agency; lack of DEI; and
underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership.
Engagement: Direct Team and Agency Engagement
The participants were influenced differently by both their direct team engagement and
agency engagement. Therefore, this section begins with reviewing the positive and negative
aspects of direct team engagement, followed by reviewing positive and negative aspects of
overall agency engagement. Direct team engagement relates to communication or interaction
with the participant’s direct supervisor and members of the same team. It could be expressed as
communication or interaction between individuals within the participant’s chain of command.
Participants believed an employee’s direct team engagement was significantly important, as it
was an area in which the employee had the most interaction, and it was typically a daily
interaction with those on the team. Annalise explained, “We have an ongoing group chat.
Sometimes it’s work related and sometimes it’s just us building rapport. We have a pretty good
group. I feel like we engage really well with each other.” According to Annalise, engaging with

41
her colleagues was a positive experience because she enjoyed being with them. Other
participants offered similar positive experiences that also displayed that same comradery within
the direct team; Michaela stated, “Every now and again, there is some kind of recognition, there
is some kind of a get-together.” As Michaela indicated, being able to gather as a team for special
occasions and celebrations of individual and team successes was extremely important in building
and maintaining an ardent team. Those forms of engagement and camaraderie were important to
have in order to succeed as a team and make the job enjoyable.
It is important to note that not all participants experienced positive forms of direct team
engagement. For some participants, they did not experience the same camaraderie among their
teams, and it was due to actions from their direct leadership. According to Eve, “Upper-level
managers will come in, see you, and they wouldn’t say a word to you.” The lack of
acknowledging your employees creates a negative work environment and further perpetuates a
decreased sense of belonging. Additional negative interactions with direct leadership emerged as
findings in Research Question 2 and are discussed further in that section. The other aspect of
engagement that affected Black professionals within the organization was overall agency
engagement.
Agency engagement was centered around communications and interactions within DSW
as a whole. This type of engagement can come in many forms, whether it is direct
communications from the DSW agency head or from DSW senior leadership. Agency
engagement can also come in the form of various celebrations throughout the year surrounding
an agency picnic or holiday gathering. Rebecca expounded, “We have agency functions … we’ll
have an agency summer outing … holiday coffee meet and greet … quarterly town halls.” As
Rebecca described, DSW tries to have organization-wide opportunities for social engagement.

42
For DSW, agency engagement may also come in the form of email communications and
information being shared via social media channels. Gabriel stated, “The agency does a great job
with their communications, getting things out well in advance through email, … a social media
presence has been, you know, up ticking.” As Gabriel expressed, DSW is working to do a better
job of communicating with employees directly as well as communicating with the public and
promoting a presence on social media by displaying events within the organization.
Lastly, agency engagement was also demonstrated through the implementation of
LinkedIn Learning, an online learning service taught by industry experts for a fee. Participants
felt that LinkedIn Learning was another platform being utilized to help engage employees in
their current roles. Asher stated, “I’ve always been encouraged to utilize LinkedIn Learning. So
that’s one thing that has helped keep me engaged, is knowing I have somewhere I can take
courses for free.” According to Asher, the availability of LinkedIn Learning paid for by his
organization as a resource for course offerings helped increase his engagement within his current
role in the organization. Olivia, Bonnie, and Rebecca expressed similar sentiments surrounding
the implementation of LinkedIn Learning, sharing “I thought that was pretty good,” “It’s nice,”
and “[it] provides an array of different topics and subject matters for employees to engage in,”
respectively. Overall, agency engagement showed to be a positive experience for employees, as
it helped to keep them informed about the agency, provided a resource for enhancing learning
through the implementation of LinkedIn Learning, as well as allowing for opportunities for
agency employees to interact with each other as a whole and provided a source of engagement in
their current positions within the agency.
Although there were positive aspects of agency engagement, the participants did not feel
that those acts were enough, and some participants expressed a desire for more engagement or a

43
different form of live and hands-on engagement. When discussing what DSW is doing to
enhance employee engagement, Sam expounded, “Not enough to take it, basically not enough.
You know, they can do a whole lot more … help me to elevate my experiences there. And they
don’t really do too much of that.” As reported by Sam, DSW needs to broaden its views on
employee engagement and try to discover other ways to engage their employees, and that it is not
a one-size-fits-all approach. Michaela shared a similar feeling regarding how DSW engages with
their employees, as each individual may prefer a different form of engagement. Michaela
explained, “We just see this bulletin that comes out every so often … sometimes you’re just so
caught up in your day-to-day that … an additional email comes through, and you don’t even give
it much thought.” Michaela highlighted an area in which not all participants agreed. Email
invitations to online learning platforms are impersonal and ignores the need for individualized
attention. This may be an area in which opinions surrounding this type of engagement differed
due to either the participants’ type of position within the organization where employees may be
inundated with emails, or preferences with technology and use of email. However, it was
important to highlight as organizations often use email communications as their main form of
engagement, and sometimes the easiest form may not be the best means of engagement for all
employees. Every employee does not have the same style and preference with how they would
like to engage.
This leads to acknowledgement of a potential area of needed improvement that was
identified as a missed opportunity by DSW, due to no specific unit being dedicated to improving
employee engagement. Annalise stated, “We don’t have any part of HR that’s working on like
employee engagement … there’s just so much missed opportunity there. And you, you have to
unfortunately, watch good talent, walk out the door. Because we are missing these things.”

44
Annalise fears DSW will lose good employees due to the lack of engagement, and according to
Annalise, DSW would benefit from having a unit focused on employee engagement to help assist
with employee retention and the overall employee experience.
Based on their experiences, these employees appreciate engagement from both direct
leadership as well as the agency as a whole. However, the participants felt that what they were
receiving from the organization was not enough and impersonal, which leads to the next finding
surrounding the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the organization.
Lack of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Not all experiences provided by the participants were positive experiences. Participants
expressed their concerns regarding the lack of DEI. Within DSW, there is only an Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) unit. Participants described how DEI differed from EEO and
felt EEO was more so for the front end, in ensuring recruitments are managed appropriately and
that they are in compliance. The EEO unit also manages complaints from employees surrounding
discrimination and harassment. However, participants identified that DEI was missing from the
EEO component. Annalise explained, “Once we finally get our foot in the door, then what? …
Those two things are different. And the part that to me … will give Black professionals the
support that they’re looking for. We don’t have that.” What Annalise is referring to here is that it
is not just about getting the job but that more needs to be done to ensure Black professionals
thrive at the agency once they are hired. Annalise, like others, feels like they are not clear about
their next steps in terms of growth. In addition, when describing the agency’s efforts towards
inclusivity, Tegan described the effort as minimal, “I don’t ever see any besides the general
email … when there’s a holiday, but I don’t see any other efforts towards inclusivity.” According
to Tegan, the only form of inclusivity that she sees the agency display is through email when

45
recognizing a holiday, such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, or an email in recognition of
what that particular month may be celebrating, such as Black History Month or Women’s
History Month. Olivia, Annalise, Bonnie, and Michaela also further acknowledged the lack of
DEI within DSW, which is illustrated in Table 2.
Table 2
Additional Findings Surround Lack of DEI
Participant Quote
Olivia “So, they definitely attempt to have an inclusive type of workforce
where they have people from all backgrounds and ethnicities, but
that’s about it.”
Annalise “Inclusivity, it’s not something that is loud at DAS.”
Bonnie “My first training had that name in it and then I don’t know where it
went, like I was looking for the department. … But I don’t know
where it went.”
Michaela “They need to broaden their professional network to include more
people of color. Promote DSW in such a way that … people will
view DSW as an organization … that promotes diversity. …
From what I can see right now … there isn’t really a lot of that.”

46
As demonstrated in Table 2, participants were aware that the concept of DEI does not
appear to be fully present at DSW. Furthermore, the participants expressed their desire for
wanting the organization to acknowledge that DEI is missing and that DSW should want to
promote change and create an environment that promotes inclusivity. Along the same lines of
DEI, the final theme that emerged from Research Question 1 was the confirmation of the
underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership at DSW.
Underrepresentation of Black Professionals in Senior Leadership
One way the participants expressed the underrepresentation of Black professionals in
senior leadership, was simply as a lack of individuals who looked like them. When asked to
describe their thoughts on the representation of Black professionals in senior leadership,
participants described it as nonexistent. Asher explained, “Just in my area. I was one of three
Black individuals … when I came in, and none of us were in senior leadership, and coming in, I
didn’t see any.” According to Asher, there were no Black professionals on the senior leadership
team more than five years ago when he arrived at DSW, and presently, there are no Black
professionals on the senior leadership team at DSW. Participants viewed the underrepresentation
in senior leadership as a bad look for the agency. Nate expressed, “None of our statewide HR
managers are Black. The ones they answer to are not Black … I think it’s not a good look.”
According to Nate, there is representation of various cultures and ethnicities that exist within his
division, but none are in leadership roles. Additionally, as Nate described, from the outside
looking in, the DSW senior leadership team is not representative of the community they serve
and may show to those on the outside that Black professionals do not belong there. Tegan
described her experience when she was initially hired for a role at DSW, “When I originally
received the offer, and I was telling those around me in my circle … one person was in senior

47
leadership … not at DSW … her sentence to me was, they hired you?” Tegan’s experience
further highlighted the effect of lack of diversity on the senior leadership team and the perception
of those on the outside. Therefore, the participants would like to see more representation, not just
for themselves, but for the communities they serve.
Rebecca expounded, “I think that it’s important for an organization to represent the
population they serve … we serve a diverse population … leadership should reflect that.”
Essentially, Rebecca argued that DSW needs to be reflective of those they serve. Like in many
other industries, the leadership team at DSW is not diverse even though their clientele is. As a
result, among other reasons, the current perception of the agency is negative to those on the
outside and it does not demonstrate the values of diversity when looking just at the senior
leadership team.
As it relates to the Black professionals at DSW, underrepresentation also caused
participants to feel uncomfortable in meetings and certain settings where they were the only
person of color. Tegan explained, “When I go into a room where I am the minority, I will
automatically change my tone because I feel like if I do not, they won’t understand me. … I
almost have to cater to them because it’s just me.” As indicated by Tegan, underrepresentation
makes Black professionals feel as though they are unable to bring their full selves to work
without fear of being misunderstood. The fear of being misunderstood was also expressed by
Asher, “It made me cautious in displaying my own Blackness.” For Black professionals at DSW,
the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions was a significant
barrier at DSW, not only was it highlighted as an experience at DSW, but it was also identified
as a barrier to attaining senior leadership positions in the findings of Research Question 2.

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Overall, the Black professionals in this study expressed a variety of experiences as
employees at DSW. Although the Black professionals in this study are aware of the positive
ways in which DSW attempted to promote engagement, they did not feel fully engaged by DSW
as they did not feel that DSW is doing a respectable job of acknowledging their existence as
valued employees within the organization. Black professionals in this study also felt that DSW is
not promoting an environment that is inclusive and representative of Black professionals at
senior levels of leadership. Although underrepresentation of Black professionals initially
emerged as a theme of Research Question 1, it was further discussed as a barrier in Research
Question 2, through the subthemes that emerged as negative effects of underrepresentation.
Therefore, underrepresentation will be further discussed in the next section, along with the other
themes that emerged from Research Question 2.
Research Question 2: What Are the Barriers Black Professionals at DSW Experience
When Advancing Into Leadership Positions?
Research Question 2 aimed to explore barriers at DSW for Black professionals pursuing
senior leadership positions and, if so, identify the types of barriers that existed. When exploring
the reason for the lack of Black professionals in senior leadership, I found that there were
significant barriers that Black professionals faced at DSW. Research Question 2 held substantial
importance because it is at the center of the problem of practice. Furthermore, much like
Research Question 1, this research question also focused on the microsystem of
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, as it looked deeper into the activities, roles and
experiences of the Black professional at DSW and, through that deeper dive, this research
question revealed a surprising barrier surrounding targeting and the main themes of
underrepresentation and its negative effects, and lack of knowledge.

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Targeting
Targeting was described as having individuals in mind for leadership roles and working
to ensure that those specific individuals are groomed for those positions and selected for the role.
Targeting positions emerged as a surprising theme from this research question. Targeting
specific types of individuals for certain roles can lead to continued underrepresentation and was
identified as a barrier for Black professionals attaining leadership positions. Nate explained, “We
have a tendency to target folks before we give out a leadership role, … the only problem is a lot
of Blacks don’t seem to be targeted.” As Nate identified, the individuals who tend to be targeted
for leadership positions at DSW are White professionals. This concept seems interconnected
with perpetuating the idea of hiring individuals in senior leadership who all look alike racially.
Michaela described DSW senior leadership as a team where, “They all look alike … it’s kind of
hard for them to actually move outside of what they’re comfortable with.” According to
Michaela, senior leaders continue to hire individuals within the same racial group because they
are afraid of going outside of their comfort zones. Furthermore, not only do the individuals on
the senior leadership team all “look alike” (i.e., White), but they also appear to be in the same
network. Eve explained, “Sometimes it makes me feel like they’re always looking for a specific
type of person for a role; … sometimes it’s about who you’re friends with, who you know, who
you network with, … the good old boys club.” As Eve described, senior leadership does not
appear to go outside of their network in order to diversify the senior leadership team. And if
looking outside, it is typically within a social network of current leaders, which also is not
conducive to diversity. Overall, the concept of targeting those who look like you and are in your
network leads further to underrepresentation and has negative effects on Black professionals at
DSW.

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Underrepresentation and Its Negative Effects
The underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership was not only a
negative experience that arose from findings through Research Question 1, but it was also
discussed further as a barrier to Black professionals advancing into leadership positions. Some
subthemes arose as negative effects of underrepresentation. Specifically, there is a lack of role
models, demotivation, and uncertainty with career progression.
Lack of Role Models
The lack of role models presented a negative effect of the underrepresentation of Black
professionals in senior leadership at DSW. Participants described a lack of role models based on
not seeing anyone who looked like them on the senior leadership team. Furthermore, when
underrepresentation exists in a workplace, it breeds ground for the absence of an identifiable role
model. Bonnie expressed, “I don’t have someone that I can look up to, … it’s nicer to have
someone who looked like me who might have paved the way. … Not having that … makes me
feel a little more alone.” As expressed by Bonnie, the underrepresentation of Black professionals
on the senior leadership team leads to an overall negative experience within the workplace. Not
having someone who looks like you makes you feel a lack of belonging and can lead to
uncertainty about your place within the organization. Asher expressed a similar perspective when
speaking about his appearance in the workplace, and indicating how he was cautious regarding
growing facial hair for fear of being out of place, “When you examine leadership as you go up,
they’ve become more and more clean cut … there’s no representation that looks like me … how
would they be able to accept that difference.” Being a Black male and wanting to ensure you are
representing yourself appropriately within the organization while also wanting to be true to
yourself and grow a beard was difficult for Asher as for him, it was part of his culture to have

51
facial hair and not seeing representation even on a cultural level was a concern for how he would
fit into the organization without having someone who looked like him as reassurance to know
that it would be accepted and respected.
In addition, the lack of role models does not only negatively affect the current employees
at DSW, but it also affects the future generations or prospective employees looking to join the
organization. When discussing the lack of a presence of Black professionals in senior leadership
roles, Gabriel emphasized, “Just for future generations, I think the more we see faces that look
like ours in the mirror … the benefits perpetuate … it just keeps going.” As Gabriel highlighted,
not only is it important to have role models for the current Black professionals at DSW, but it is
also important to have those role models demonstrate to future generations of Black
professionals they can attain senior leadership positions within DSW, too. Having role models
provides a sense of motivation and insight into what is possible for future Black professionals to
attain within the organization. Not having that representation leads to demotivation, which was
the next negative effect of the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership
positions at DSW.
Demotivation
Demotivation can be thought of as a lack of desire, lack of motivation, and lack of
encouragement to want to pursue a leadership position at DSW. It is sometimes hard for Black
professionals to find motivation in the workplace if they do not have someone to look up to.
Laurel stated, “It was demotivating, and it still is to not see a lot of people that look like you in
positions of leadership.” According to Laurel, an overall sense of motivation in her current
position did not exist due to not seeing people who looked like her in leadership positions. The
overall sense of demotivation also made some participants become complacent in their current

52
roles at DSW. When asked about wanting to pursue a leadership position, Michaela expressed no
desire and indicated,
Maybe because I don’t feel comfortable enough, I don’t see my own kind … at that level.
… I don’t even know if they’d be able to relate culturally … Black woman, middle-aged
… immigrant. … I don’t see myself wanting to become a part of that.
According to Michaela, if there were representation of Black professionals in senior leadership at
DSW, she would feel more comfortable with the idea of wanting to pursue a leadership position.
Michaela’s experience really highlighted the importance of representation because, through her
lens, adequate representation can make or break a Black professional’s decision on whether or
not to pursue a leadership position within DSW. Michaela also highlighted the concept of
intersectionality. For her not only is there underrepresentation of Black professionals, but there is
also underrepresentation of diverse cultures and ages of individuals on the senior leadership
team. Nate also expressed his concerns as it related to intersectionality of race and age, saying “I
am at another end of my career now.” Nate is more interested in the organization working to
motivate the new generation of Black professionals at DSW, “I would love to see them push
people out front more … I would love to see … some of the Blacks a little more elevated.” For
both Michaela and Nate, their intersectionality played a part in how they displayed demotivation
due to the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership at DSW.
Additionally, some participants felt demotivated due to never attaining a leadership
position after trying to pursue it repeatedly. Sam stated, “I don’t see enough of us of color getting
any type of managerial roles, supervisory roles, or any type of elevation in our roles.” According
to Sam, seeing other Black professionals apply for leadership positions and promotions and for
them never to attain those positions was demotivating. As illustrated in Table 3, Rebecca, Eve,

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and Olivia expressed similar feelings surrounding demotivation as it pertained to having no
examples of Black professionals attaining senior positions. The three women described feeling as
though it would be more of the same in attempting to attain a senior leadership position, and the
overall difficulty of wanting to have a seat at the table.
Table 3
Additional Findings Related to Demotivation
Participant Quote
Rebecca “What examples do I have? … That would make me feel like, oh,
one day I could be.”
Eve “It’s not encouraging to go for … anything that’s promotion wise
or apply for other jobs because if it’s going to be the same, why
would you want to put yourself through the same thing?”
Olivia “But as a Black female, it tends to be difficult in any avenue once
you want to sit at the table where you’re more than qualified to
sit.”

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As highlighted by the findings, demotivation is one of the strongest negative effects of
the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions at DSW because
without having Black professionals who are motivated in the workplace to want to continue to
grow and elevate, it continues to perpetuate the problem at hand. In all, Black professionals are
not feeling encouraged to seek leadership positions, they are qualified individuals but find it
difficult to navigate seeking those positions, and for some they may not even know where to
begin. Not knowing where to begin leads to the uncertainty with career progression which was
another negative effect of the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership at
DSW.
Uncertainty With Career Progression
Uncertainty with career progression was based on Black professionals not knowing
options for different career paths because they do not see representation that looks like them in
the senior-level positions at DSW. Annalise stated, “It affects you in a way because you wonder
what your upward mobility is going to look like and is it going to be stunted.” As Annalise
highlighted, the lack of representation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions at
DSW provided uncertainty about the potential career advancement for Black professionals and
added an additional layer of discomfort for Black professionals at DSW who are looking for
career growth opportunities. Interrelated with the uncertainty surrounding career progression was
a lack of overall knowledge about attaining a leadership position within DSW, which was the
final theme that emerged as a barrier for Black professionals at DSW.
Lack of Knowledge
Lack of knowledge was interconnected with the uncertainty of career progression but is
being addressed separately as the lack of knowledge showed as a barrier not only due to the lack

55
of representation, but also due to Black professional’s feelings surrounding information being
withheld from them in order to advance and grow within DSW. Initially, there appeared to be a
lack of knowledge surrounding how to get to a senior leadership role because Black
professionals lack representation in senior leadership. Bonnie stated, “I don’t really see a career
path.” In addition, she described how she asked her supervisor about the growth opportunities
and was told, “Worry about that after you’ve had a little experience in this role.” Bonnie shared
that she felt the response lacked encouragement and did not demonstrate a supervisor who was
willing to share knowledge of how to simply grow within the organization.
Black professionals want to be provided with tools, information, and opportunities in the
workplace in order to be successful in their roles. For example, Gabriel advocated, “We should
be pumping out more information and just tools for … how to get there, how to obtain those how
to achieve it.” Gabriel did not feel that Black professionals were receiving adequate information
and resources to climb the career ladder. In fact, he felt more information should be “pump[ed]”
specifically towards Black professionals in order for them to be on the same playing field as their
White counterparts because they seemed to be getting ahead in ways that are not achievable for
Black professionals. Simply, Gabriel argued that Black professionals need to be provided with
the tools and the same information as their White counterparts so that they have the knowledge
as well to go for and achieve a senior leadership position.
The overall findings from Research Question 2 highlighted the barriers that Black
professionals encountered at DSW. Discovering these barriers shows how there are difficulties
that exist with the relationships and experiences for Black professionals regarding the things in
the microsystem and it leads to wanting to dive deeper into areas of support that exist when
thinking of the mesosystem to help better understand how the experiences of Black professionals

56
can be enhanced at DSW. Therefore, Research Question 3 hoped to highlight the sources of
support that may help with combating these barriers.
Research Question 3: What Are the Sources of Social Support for Black Professionals at
DSW That Help Guide Them Toward Leadership Positions?
Research Question 3 connected to the sources of social support that exist at DSW to help
guide Black professionals toward leadership positions. Research Question 3 also connected to
the mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, as it focused on the interrelations
of multiple aspects within the microsystem through support systems and social groups. Social
support could be considered an outlet for Black professionals to have open discussions about the
organization; furthermore, having a means of social support could offer a safe space for Black
professionals to go to for support and guidance and serve as a resource to assist with employee
advancement and growth. Overall, there were no sources of social support that participants felt
existed to help guide Black professionals toward leadership positions. Olivia explained, “I can’t
identify any. … I don’t really see where DSW actually speaks to the career mobility avenue for
young professionals or minorities, which is why a lot of people leave.” According to Olivia,
DSW does not have sources of social support, which she believes negatively affects overall
employee retention at the agency. There was an indication that no sources of social support
existed for any employee at DSW. Nate stated, “I would not say that the agency has gone out of
their way to aid and or uplift Blacks who are working there, … our agency doesn’t seem to do
that with anybody.” As further emphasized by Nate, DSW does not have sources of social or
professional support for any of their employees. However, not having sources of social support
was a deterrent from seeking leadership positions for some Black professionals, as they indicated
they would only seek a leadership position if they knew that the support was there. As

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highlighted in Table 4, Annalise and Asher expressed the desire for support in order for them to
consider a leadership position within DSW.
Table 4
Additional Findings Related to Need of Support
Participant Quote
Annalise “I would consider a leadership role. If I know that the support is
there.”
Asher “If I were to move into a leadership role, … I’ll be cautious … I am
concerned … not sure how much support there actually is and
would be.”

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Due to the identifiable underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership,
and the desire for support expressed by some participants in order for them to pursue a leadership
position, it was important for participants to provide ideal types of social support that Black
professionals at DSW may benefit from and in turn provide benefits to the agency as a whole.
The themes that emerged as ideal types of support to help guide Black professionals towards
leadership at DSW were mentorship programs and ERGs.
Mentorship Programs
Mentorship programs are based on having a more senior-level employee mentor a juniorlevel employee. Mentorship also serves as a guide or roadmap for employees within the
organization. Mentorship could potentially provide a source of social support to Black
professionals, as they would have a role model to look up to and an individual they could talk to
when difficult situations arise. There was a common desire for mentorship for the participants,
and the absence of mentorship within DSW did not go unnoticed. Rebecca stated, “If you were a
person … unsure as to the path … to take … you to … whatever the next step is, … there’s not a
lot of peer-to-peer mentorship, or … administration to lower-level mentorship.” According to
Rebecca, no sources of mentorship or assistance existed but if it did exist, it could provide Black
professionals with guidance on pursuing leadership positions.
In addition, if mentorship programs existed at DSW, some participants stressed the
importance of having a mentor who looked like them and who also stayed their authentic selves.
Olivia expressed, “Where are the mentors that look like me and you that can actually help us
navigate this? … I would want someone who’s going to be their authentic self.” As indicated by
Olivia, not only is it important to have mentors, but as indicated by other findings, it is arguably
more important to specifically have Black professionals as mentors.

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Lastly, when discussing the preferred type of mentorship programs, there was some
division as to the preference for informal mentorship programs over formal programs. With
informal programs, they could occur naturally within the organization. Annalise indicated,
“I think informal is always better because it doesn’t feel forced. … I think having it more
available as a resource, … there being a true intent behind it … it feels more natural than a
formal program.” According to Annalise, people may already feel forced to do their jobs, you do
not want them to feel forced to participate in a mentorship program; instead, you want the
program to be available to employees as a resource they can tap into when needed.
For other participants, they preferred formal mentorship programs because DSW would
be responsible for advertising the existence of the programs. Bonnie explained, “I like both …
but formal, I think would be pretty cool because I think at that point, if you’re going to formalize
it, then you would have to broadcast … more of us would be aware.” As Bonnie said,
implementing a formal mentorship program would require DSW to advertise the program, which
would provide Black professionals with awareness of a new source of social support. A formal
mentorship program would also, in some ways, highlight the professionalism of Black
employees. Moreover, a formal mentorship program would mean that DSW acknowledged the
needs of its Black employees, which it currently does not seem to prioritize.
Employee Resource Groups
The next theme of ideal social support that arose was ERGs. ERGs could allow for Black
professionals to create a space in which they would feel comfortable to bring their full selves and
be able to openly discuss their concerns and feelings about what is happening within the
organization. The employee resource group could also allow relationship building, networking,
and mentorship space. Black professionals at DSW do not feel fully supported and as mentioned

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earlier, sometimes feel alone due to the lack of representation. Employee resource groups would
help to fill that void. Rebecca stated, “If I needed support, I wouldn’t have anywhere to go or
anywhere that I would feel comfortable because they may listen, but will they be understanding,
or will they even know how to support me?” According to Rebecca, an employee resource group
would provide that safe space and an environment of comfortability and togetherness that is
currently missing at DSW. In addition, Black professionals are looking for a space in which they
can fully express their feelings and discuss their lived experiences because they understand how
much those lived experiences differ from their White counterparts. Laurel expressed,
We know that we’re living in an environment where sometimes we have to work four
times as hard. … If we have a group like this, then people would feel like I have someone
that at least I can tell how I feel. And I’ll get support.
As Laurel shared, Black professionals face barriers in the workplace and have to work harder
than their White coworkers in order to succeed. Olivia also shared a similar sentiment, “we have
to push 10 times harder just to get there.” Olivia’s sentiments of the additional work that Black
people need to put into work compared to non-Black employees are not new. Black professionals
need a supportive safe space to have these discussions. Having a source of support where they
can go when they are feeling stressed and seek guidance would be beneficial to their overall
well-being within the organization. The desire for support through mentorship and ERGs was
extremely important for the participants and they felt that not only would Black professionals
benefit, but the agency would also benefit from implementing support.
The findings of Research Question 3 stressed the importance of social support for Black
professionals at DSW. This research question clearly acknowledged the overall absence of social
support at the organization, not only for Black professionals, but for all employees. However,

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due to the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership at DSW, social support
could be more beneficial and necessary for implementation for Black professionals as it could be
a means to increase Black professionals’ sense of belonging within the organization and,
ultimately, create a more diverse senior leadership team at DSW. Lastly, this research question
really focused on the importance of the mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological
model as the absence of social support negatively affects the interrelations of the settings within
the microsystem.
Summary
The narratives and lived experiences of the 12 participants at DSW provided insight into
their experiences as Black professionals at DSW. Each research question provided a different
layer of information regarding their experiences as a Black professional at DSW. Positive
experiences were expressed concerning their engagement with direct leadership and the agency.
However, the participants expressed that DSW was not doing enough to help them as Black
professionals with attaining leadership roles. The participants described the barriers they faced,
surrounding targeting of positions, underrepresentation, lack of role models, and lack of
knowledge, all resulting in feelings of loneliness/lack of belonging and demotivation.
The participants expressed a desire for social support, mainly mentorship and employee
resource groups, as a means to overcome the barriers and negative experiences they face. The
participants described the implementation of social support as a benefit for both Black
professionals and DSW. According to participants, one way in which implementing employee
resource groups as a means of support benefits Black professionals is that it provides a safe space
for them to openly communicate. Bonnie explained, “We have these awesome creative ideas, …
it’s just feeling safe enough to share them. … This would just allow people to feel safer to speak

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up and share those ideas. … We’d propel forward.” As explained by Bonnie, Black professionals
need to feel they are in a safe environment in order to share their ideas and feel comfortable with
bringing their full selves to work every day more freely. For Black professionals, social support
could provide them with a safe space within their work environment.
Additionally, Black professionals need to feel a sense of belonging within the
organization to help make them want to stay with the organization. If Black professionals
continue to not see people who look like them in areas of leadership, it further exacerbates
feelings of loneliness and not belonging. With implementing mentorship as support, Black
professionals feel that representation could increase in leadership, and it could help with
employee retention which could be a benefit for both Black professionals and DSW as a whole.
Annalise advocated,
Creating a culture where people want to stay, … you start to get Black leadership in
certain roles, … when people … come in, you see a Black leader and you’re like, … I
want to go and ask … what their journey has been … rather than … looking around and
you don’t see that representation.
As Annalise described, the implementation of mentorship programs could help to increase the
representation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions and could change the culture
of the organization. More Black professionals could start to feel like they belong within the
organization and could have role models to look up to and feel as though they have something to
aspire to.
For Black professionals at DSW, they are currently faced with having to find other ways
to cope with the reality of the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership.
Some Black professionals have become discouraged or demotivated in wanting to pursue a

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leadership position. For others, they are still hoping to find their way within the organization, or
they are potentially thinking of leaving. It is important for DSW to take these experiences into
account and fully assess the entire organization. In order for DSW to improve as an organization
by becoming more inclusive and promoting a sense of belonging and a path towards growth for
Black professionals, Chapter Five will provide important recommendations for DSW to
implement based on the findings of this study.

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Chapter Five: Recommendations
The purpose of the study was to examine the experiences of Black professionals within
DSW and explore solutions to improve Black professionals’ attainment of senior leadership
positions. More specifically, the study analyzed the experiences of Black professionals at DSW;
it also examined the barriers Black professionals face at DSW, and the sources of social support
at DSW. To recap, the study was important, as most previous research was not done utilizing a
government organization. It was also important to conduct the study to help discover the barriers
Black professionals face in an effort to help determine how to overcome those barriers.
As a reminder, the study utilized qualitative methodology for data collection. The specific
qualitative methodology used was semi-structured interviews with 12 participants who identified
as Black and worked at DSW. The semi-structured interviews allowed the participants to provide
their responses in their own words, which gave insight into their experiences within DSW.
In focusing on the experiences of Black professionals at DSW and exploring solutions to
assist Black professionals in attaining senior leadership positions, the study addressed the
following research questions:
1. What are the experiences of Black professionals working at DSW?
2. What barriers do Black professionals at DSW experience when advancing into
leadership positions?
3. What are the sources of social support for Black professionals at DSW that help guide
them toward leadership positions?
Chapter Five will first discuss the study’s findings from the previous chapter. Following,
the chapter will raise some recommendations based on the study’s findings. It will conclude by
addressing some limitations and delimitations, and considerations for future research.

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Discussion of Findings
The study’s findings contribute to and align with the conceptual framework and topics
surrounding barriers Black professionals face in the workplace, such as racial microaggressions,
lack of belonging due to underrepresentation, lack of role models and lack of social support. The
conceptual framework specifically explored two components of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979)
ecological model: the microsystem and mesosystem. In utilizing the microsystem, it focused on
Black professionals’ relationships with peers, leadership, and workplace friends through
analyzing Black professionals’ engagement and experiences at DSW. The mesosystem focuses
on the interaction between those in the microsystem, through sources of social support.
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model was the most appropriate lens to study the
experiences of Black professionals at DSW, as it focuses on the developing person and the
environment (Bronfenbrenner, 1979). With the study, the focus was the Black professionals and
their experiences at DSW. The Black professionals who participated in the study were able to
fully share their experiences surrounding their interactions with their direct leadership, the
agency itself, and provide insight into barriers they face within DSW. This study was important
because it provided the opportunity for Black professionals’ voices to be heard. Furthermore, it is
important for an organization to show interest in their employees feelings and well-being, and if
employees express concerns about the organization such as feeling uncomfortable bringing their
full selves to work, an organization should deem it necessary to understand what is preventing
the employee from bringing their full selves to work (Rudel et al., 2021). In addition, the study
allowed the participants to describe the types of social support that exist at DSW and their ideal
type of social support that they wish existed at DSW. The participants’ suggestions regarding the
ideal type of social support provided an initial framework for recommendations that will be

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discussed later in this chapter. The next section explores the connection between the findings and
the literature surrounding overall employee engagement, then leading to barriers related to the
underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership, followed by a review of the lack
of social support at DSW.
Engagement
In review of the findings surrounding engagement, there are things that DSW does well,
and there are areas in which DSW could use significant improvement. In review of findings from
research question one, DSW is doing a wonderful job at increasing its social media engagement
through their rebranding and presence on LinkedIn, and other social media outlets. Additionally,
DSW also highlights agency events and successes well. However, as mentioned by the
participants, DSW could do a better job at the types of engagement activities that are held,
especially surrounding particular monthly celebrations, such as Black History Month or
Women’s History Month. Typically, DSW will send a general email acknowledging what is
being commemorated or celebrated that month, but employees want more effort. The DSW EEO
unit is increasing its efforts for those celebrations, but it may be missing the mark with the type
of celebration activity or event they may host. For example, this year, for Black History Month,
there was a reenactment about Jordan Freeman, who was enslaved during the Revolutionary War
and died in his fight for freedom. Although the performance was great and informative, it may
not have encompassed what Black employees at DSW would like to see as a celebration of Black
History Month. This is an example of how DSW does not listen to Black employees’ voices, but
rather makes the decision on behalf of Black employees.
Now to discuss direct leadership engagement. Direct leadership engagement was mostly
dependent upon the unit. Some direct leaders were better than others, but overall, participants

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had positive experiences with their direct leadership. There were some instances in which
participants provided examples of how their leadership could use managerial training in order to
better respond to employee questions surrounding opportunities for growth, or even instances in
which their leadership could benefit from cultural sensitivity training. Participants felt DSW
could benefit from ensuring all leadership receives managerial training once promoted or hired
into supervisory or managerial positions. According to Holder et al. (2015), organizations have
an obligation to their employees to create formal training programs to help educate management
about cultural awareness, including microaggressions and discrimination, to help better prepare
them to be managers in a diverse environment.
DSW does not have a standard set of mandatory managerial training that is provided to
those employees once hired or promoted. DSW previously had a managerial training program for
new managers, but it no longer exists. For some employees at DSW, the program disappeared
without the organization acknowledging its disappearance. Although there were positive
experiences that resulted as findings from Research Question 1, there were also negative findings
as well, surrounding the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership positions
at DSW. The next section further discusses the barriers that resulted due to the
underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership within the organization.
Barriers Due to the Underrepresentation of Black Professionals in Senior Leadership
The findings confirmed the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior
leadership as a barrier that Black professionals face at DSW and highlighted the negative effects
of the underrepresentation. It is important to acknowledge that an organization may be diverse
within the workplace itself, but people of color are still underrepresented in executive levels of
leadership (Holder et al., 2015). Underrepresentation in senior leadership is true for DSW, and in

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some ways, DSW continues to ignore that the underrepresentation of Black professionals exists.
Along with confirmation of the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership,
the findings also presented the idea of targeting within leadership positions, which poses an
additional barrier to Black professionals attaining said positions.
For some participants, the idea of targeting leadership positions may appear as a
microaggression because they indicated that White employees tend to be the ones targeted for
leadership positions, exacerbating feelings of racial discrimination and further impacting how
Black professionals feel overall about the workplace environment and culture (Offerman et al.,
2014). The finding of targeting leadership positions provides an opportunity for DSW to take a
moment to analyze the organization as a whole and to take time to identify even the most subtle
forms of discrimination that may be occurring within the organization. As described in the
literature review, the inability of an organization to recognize subtle forms of discrimination
increases the uninformed view that all discrimination is solved, all fields leveled, and no other
forms of discrimination exist (Offerman et al., 2014). The underrepresentation of Black
professionals in senior leadership at DSW acknowledged that all fields are not leveled within the
organization, and DSW needs to look at the organization because there was a perception that a
level of discrimination may exist within the organization.
As mentioned previously, the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior
leadership within DSW also presented negative effects such as a lack of role models and
demotivation. Coqual (2020) acknowledged that one of the values of belonging within an
organization is seeing oneself connected and holding value with an organization that encourages
leaders like themselves. For Black professionals at DSW, they do not see senior leaders who

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look like them. Therefore, it is difficult for them to find role models and remain motivated within
the organization.
The lack of role models and demotivation are significant barriers for Black professionals
at DSW, leading to uncertainty of career progression for the Black professionals in this study.
The uncertainty of career progression alone was demotivating and led to a lack of belonging
because Black professionals do not see people who look like themselves in senior leadership
positions. In turn, some Black professionals in this study could not conceptualize what career
progression looked like for them as a Black professional in the organization. Overall, the
participants expressed wanting to feel as though they have a place at DSW that acknowledges
their existence, makes them feel valued, encourages them to progress forward, and will
ultimately allow them to have a seat at the table where important decisions are made. That seat at
the table would in essence be within leadership, ultimately senior levels of leadership. In further
assessing the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership, it was important to
review what sources of social support exist or should exist within the organization.
Lack of Social Support
The findings of Research Question 3 were involving a lack of support at DSW, and the
participants provided suggestions for the types of support systems they would like to see at
DSW. Currently, at DSW, the participants indicated a lack of social support systems outside of
the typical resources such as HR, EEO, and EAP (employee assistance program). DSW does not
have a unit specifically dedicated to DEI, nor do they have ERGs or mentorship programs. DSW
has a leadership program that employees can apply to, and it is available to employees at other
agencies to apply as well. Employees must be selected to participate in the program. The
leadership program provides an opportunity for employees to improve their leadership skills, and

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participation is only open to those selected for the program. The downside of the program is that
it does not guarantee an employee’s progression in their career, nor is there a clear connection to
the program leading someone to the next step in their career. Again, the program is open across
agencies and only to those selected to participate, so where does that leave employees who are
not invited? It leaves them without sources of social support.
For Black professionals, a lack of social support through mentors and role models served
as a primary barrier to their advancement towards leadership (Ivey & Dupre, 2022). It is
imperative for DSW to focus on assisting their Black employees and help provide them with
resources that could level the field and better prepare them for attaining senior leadership
positions. In addition, if the organization fails to provide the social support needed, it further
enhances the perception that some form of discrimination exists at DSW. Failure to provide the
social support needed also demonstrates that culturally held stereotypes and beliefs centered
around leadership ability of Black professionals are held at DSW (Jones & Carpenter, 2014).
Therefore, DSW is encouraged to review the recommendations that are suggested for
implementation, as the recommendations could assist in improving the culture of the
organization and providing an environment in which Black professionals at DSW could gain a
sense of belonging, motivation, and ability to attain a senior leadership position within the
organization.
Recommendations for Practice
The following section focuses on the recommendations for practice, specific to DSW,
based on the findings of this study. Based upon the review of the literature and the data collected
through the qualitative analysis of this study, I recommend that DSW takes the following actions

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to assist Black professionals in attaining senior leadership positions, provide them with the
appropriate sources of support, and improve overall employee engagement:
1. Establish and implement mentorship programs for Black professionals.
2. Establish and implement employee resource groups (ERGs) for Black professionals.
3. Establish a subunit within the EEO department for DEI.
4. Reassess and implement improvements for outreach and recruitment of Black
professionals for senior leadership positions.
5. Implement yearly employee engagement survey; and
6. Re-establish and implement a mandatory managerial training program.
As guided by Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, each recommendation is
somewhat interrelated and interacts with each other at a distinct level and time (Christensen,
2016). The recommendations of establishing and implementing mentorship programs,
establishing and implementing ERGs, and establishing a DEI unit each involves acknowledging
an individual’s social identity and each could encourage and support growth and development of
not only Black professionals, but all employees within DSW. In addition, recommendations for
reassessing outreach and recruitment to improve recruitment of Black professionals for senior
leadership positions, implementing a yearly employee engagement survey and re-establishing
and implementing mandatory managerial training could promote continuous growth and
development of DSW. Each of the recommendations are interrelated, and although they are
interrelated, they each have their own uniqueness and are equally as important for improving
inclusivity and representation within the organization, and within senior leadership.
I discuss each recommendation separately in this chapter, including a discussion as to how each
recommendation relates a specific system within Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model.

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Recommendation 1: Establish and Implement Mentorship Programs for Black
Professionals
Black professionals at DSW confirmed there was an underrepresentation of Black
professionals in senior leadership at the organization. They also confirmed a lack of social
support at DSW. To help combat the underrepresentation of Black professionals in leadership,
the participants suggested establishing and implementing mentorship programs as a means of
social support. For Black professionals, having a form of social connection helps to manage
stress from racial discrimination they face in the workplace (Linnabery et al., 2014). In addition,
mentoring is a tool for professional development, it can support retention, succession planning,
job satisfaction and role enhancement (Cooper & Wheeler, 2010). Companies need to reinforce
that effectively managing and developing a workforce is an integral part of leadership (Holder et
al., 2015). Furthermore, companies, such as DSW should have a plan in order to do so. With the
existence of the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership, there should be
a plan in order to increase representation at the highest level. The lack of mentors and role
models is also a primary barrier to the advancement of non-White leaders (Catalyst, 2001).
Therefore, if DSW wants to change the representation of their senior leadership team, to
help increase diversity and inclusivity, they should prioritize establishing and implementing
these programs. In addition, DSW should be at the forefront of implementation because Black
professionals may need assistance and guidance with finding mentors. Dobbin and Kalev (2016)
stated White men can find mentors on their own, but women and racialized minorities more often
need the assistance of a formal program to find a mentor.
Furthermore, establishing and implementing a mentorship program will help to
understand better how individuals are motivated, how they develop goals, manage feedback, and

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how they like to be engaged in their jobs (Rudel et al., 2021). Due to the findings of
demotivation, it is important to work at understanding how best to motivate and encourage Black
professionals at DSW. When mentorship is absent, it causes a major concern, as mentorship is a
critical component for sustaining engagement in Black male leaders (Rudel et al., 2021). With
mentorship, it can be either formal or informal. Ivey and Dupre (2022) described informal
mentoring as relationships between two individuals that happen organically without the
assistance of the organization, and formal mentoring as a structured program that is developed by
the organization to achieve an organizational objective. Overall, mentorship programs, whether
formal or informal, could provide Black professionals with a role model, a source of social
support, an increase in knowledge, and encouragement to pursue leadership positions. The
implementation of this recommendation relates to both the microsystem and mesosystem of
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, as it could not only increase the positive
relationships in the organization with peers and leadership, but it could also provide social
support at DSW.
Recommendation 2: Establish and Implement Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) for
Black Professionals
For DSW, another source of social support recommended by the participants of the study
was establishing and implementing an ERG for Black professionals. ERGs could provide
additional social support within DSW and may also serve as another branch of mentorship,
which leads to this recommendation being interrelated with recommendation one. Mentorship
that may branch from ERGs could be more of an informal mentorship, and for some individuals,
there may be a stronger impact on career-relevant outcomes (Underhill, 2006). While mentorship

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could be useful, ERGs can be more effective. Within the ERGs, mentorship opportunities could
happen organically and may better benefit some Black professionals.
Furthermore, ERGs provide networking opportunities, professional development,
mentorship, and promote growth (Colgan & McKearney, 2012). Establishing an ERG for Black
professionals could provide them with a safe space to have discussions and feel supported by
individuals who look like them. An ERG could provide Black professionals with an environment
that promotes identity safety by focusing on inclusivity, equity, and respect (Murphy, 2014). It
could essentially provide Black professionals with a new networking space that was not
previously available to them. At the heart of the findings was the lack of underrepresentation,
which perpetuated many other negative effects. Black professionals at DSW want to feel
belonging, want to be encouraged, and want to feel they can fully grow and develop within their
organization. Establishing an ERG could provide them with those opportunities.
In addition, not only could establishing ERGs be a benefit to employees, but it could also
benefit DSW. Cenkci et al. (2019) stated, that while not only contributing to diversity and
inclusion efforts, ERGs also promote change and innovation in the workplace. It is important for
an organization to continue to change and generate innovative ideas, because that helps to
engage new employees as well as the outside community that the organization serves. DSW is in
service to the state, and the citizens of the state need to be able to see the efforts DSW is making
to be a more inclusive and innovative organization. Similar to recommendation one, this
recommendation is also interrelated with both the microsystem and mesosystem of
Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, as described in the previous recommendation.

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Recommendation 3: Establish a Subunit Within the EEO Department for DEI
The third recommendation was to establish a subunit within the EEO Department that
could specifically focus on DEI efforts. The DEI unit could be interrelated and connected with
recommendations one and two, as the unit could oversee the establishment and implementation
of the mentorship programs and ERGs. Recommendation three could be an important
implementation, as participants recognized that DSW does not have a formal DEI unit. As shown
in the findings, Black professionals from this study felt that nothing is being done to retain them
at DSW after being hired. The findings indicated that Black professionals see the EEO unit as
being at DSW to assist on the front end of recruitment and to ensure proper hiring processes and
procedures are followed. The EEO unit is also responsible for handling discrimination
complaints and investigations. Black professionals wish that more were done to engage people
and make them feel they belong and are included in the organization. According to Wadhwa and
Aggarwal (2023), “by prioritizing employee belonging through diversity and inclusion efforts,
companies can improve employee retention rates and create a more sustainable workplace” (p.
65). DSW could benefit heavily from the implementation of a formal DEI unit, as it could help to
increase employee retention and create a more excited and productive workforce. It is necessary
for an organization to show its commitment to underrepresented employees by implementing
effective integration strategies (Green, 2018). DSW needs to do more to provide an inclusive and
representative work environment. Recommendations one through three could work together to
establish an organization where Black professionals feel a sense of belonging, encouragement,
and growth. Through the lens of the microsystem and mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979)
ecological model, these first three recommendations could overall enhance the relationship and
experiences that Black professionals have with their peers, leadership, and work friends by

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strengthening and establishing social support systems for DSW. Ultimately, these first three
recommendations could improve the relationships and experiences within the microsystem by
creating a stronger organization that demonstrates their desire for change and promotion of a
more diverse senior leadership team. The next three recommendations could work together to
promote and encourage continuous organizational improvement.
Recommendation 4: Reassess and Implement Improvements of Outreach and Recruitment
of Black Professionals for Senior Leadership Positions
Overall, DSW does an excellent job with outreach and recruitment for positions in the
organization. However, there is identifiable room for improvement in outreach and recruitment
for senior level positions within the organization. The continued underrepresentation of Black
professionals in senior leadership positions highlights the need for DSW’s recruitment and
outreach process to be reassessed and improvements implemented. The lack of diversity on
DSW’s senior leadership team is problematic for DSW as it does not yield any role models for
Black professionals within the organization (Casad & Bryant, 2016). DSW needs to reassess the
current outreach and recruitment process for the organization and generate innovative ideas to
reach qualified Black professionals to fill senior leadership positions if the positions were to
become vacant within the organization. In starting this process preemptively, DSW could
position themselves to be better prepared for future outreach and recruitment of Black
professionals for the senior leadership positions. This recommendation is related to the
microsystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model, as it could enhance the activities and
roles for Black professionals at DSW. The goal should be to ultimately promote change among
leadership and improve the recruitment experiences for Black professionals currently at DSW,
and those looking to come to DSW. DSW can also use the next recommendation to elicit

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feedback and suggestions as to how they can improve their outreach and recruitment efforts of
Black professionals for the organization.
Recommendation 5: Implement a Yearly Employee Engagement Survey
DSW needs to promote a more inclusive environment for all employees by soliciting
their feedback. In doing so, DSW would be showing they are prioritizing and welcoming
diversity of thought which could lead to their Black employees feeling they are an essential part
of the organization (Wadhwa & Aggarwal, 2023). Solicitating the feedback of their Black
employees could be a step towards improving Black employees’ feelings surrounding a lack of
belonging within the organization. In addition, implementation of a survey could gauge whether
or not the changes being made within the organization are effective, and that they are meeting
the needs of the employees within the organization. Therefore, the fifth recommendation is to
implement a yearly employee engagement survey. The survey should be anonymous, which
means the survey responses would not be able to be linked to the respondent (Pazzaglia et al.,
2016). The survey could be distributed through the DEI unit that is outlined in recommendation
three. Human Resources could manage sending reminders to employees encouraging
participation. Managers and directors could also be encouraged to ask their employees to
complete the survey, and they could even set aside time for their staff to complete the survey.
The survey responses should be anonymous to hopefully provide employees with
comfortability necessary to ensure their participation in the survey. The survey should be written
in an engaging format and could focus on various question topics. One topic could be
surrounding employee satisfaction with DSW, their overall engagement, newly implemented
units and programs, and potential opportunities for growth. Another topic could be focused on
employee participation in the new mentorship programs and newly established ERGs. Lastly, the

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survey could ask open-ended questions, allowing for suggestions of changes or recommendations
of things employees would like to see implemented at DSW, and also elicit recommendations for
improvements to recruitment and outreach. There could be a unit incentive to employees, where
if their unit had 100% participation, they could receive a pizza luncheon paid for by DSW
leadership.
To reiterate, the survey could be important to implement for two reasons. The first reason
is because organizations should want to ensure all their employees feel a sense of belonging
within the organization. As mentioned in the literature review, implementing the survey could
demonstrate the organization’s commitment to ensuring they are creating an inclusive, equitable,
and respectful environment not only for their Black employees, but for all of their employees
(Emerson & Murphy, 2014). The survey could allow employees to provide their voice and
feelings about how the organization is operating and if they feel welcomed and included within
the organization. The survey could also provide insight into whether employees feel they can
grow within the organization, which could provide an opportunity to address concerns
surrounding growth and employee retention.
Second, it is important to implement the survey to fully assess whether other
recommendations are working or if employees need adjustments. Implementing the survey could
provide DSW with the opportunity to gain feedback on the changes that were made, as well as
gain additional information that could lead to continuous improvement. Essentially,
implementing the survey could help to determine if DSW is doing well with employee
engagement; it could also allow for DSW to collect additional data into suggestions from
employees for how they would like to be engaged, including any different programs employees
may like to see held at the organization. Overall, implementing a survey could assist the

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organization as a whole with improvements and aligns with both the microsystem and
mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model.
Recommendation 6: Re-establish and Implement Mandatory Managerial Training
Program
Lastly, the sixth and final recommendation is to re-establish and implement a mandatory
managerial training program. Having a training program for new supervisors and managers is
extremely important to improving employee engagement with their direct leadership and
ensuring those hired for or promoted to leadership positions understand what the role entails and
what their responsibilities are to their employees. Re-establishing a mandatory managerial
training program is also important to the continued improvement of the organization if they were
to implement the other recommendations as well. Along the same lines of implementing
mentorship programs for employees, managers also need support and training in order to be
better managers for their employees. Not only will the training program need to include
performance management, but it will also need to include training on unconscious bias and
cultural sensitivity. It could be ineffective of the organization to implement recommendations
one through three without implementing this recommendation as well. As stated by Casad and
Bryant (2016), “effective interventions must be coupled with opportunities for growth and
resources to provide training for employees.” Managers need to be trained in order to be
successful at leading their staff, promoting staff engagement, and motivation. Far too often
managers are placed into positions without formal training, and just expected to do the job. The
lack of managerial training is an ineffective method that leads to a disconnect between leadership
and their employees. Overall, recommendation six could improve the relationship between
employees and leadership because it could provide managers with the tools they need to be

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successful leaders. This recommendation relates directly to the microsystem of Bronfenbrenner’s
(1979) ecological model as it focuses on enhancing the relationship Black professionals have
with leadership. It could also relate to the mesosystem of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological
model as it could enhance systems of support at DSW which could also interrelate to the
relationships, roles and activities within the microsystem specifically providing management
with tools to better their relationships with their employees.
Implementation of Recommendations
In order to successfully implement these six recommendations, DSW leadership must
understand the interrelation of each recommendation. Prior to implementing the
recommendations, DSW leadership must prioritize the recommendations. In order to prioritize
the recommendations DSW leadership should have a clear vision of the goal they would like to
accomplish for Black professionals at the organization and the organization as a whole. Based on
this study, the ultimate goal is for DSW to diversify the senior leadership team and create an
environment where their Black employees feel they belong and are included within the
organization. Creating that sense of belonging and inclusion could also mean focusing on their
growth and development within the organization.
Now that the goal is understood, DSW would then need to create a roadmap for
implementation. They should first establish and implement recommendation three. Through
establishing and implementing a unit dedicated to DEI, this unit could be responsible for
spearheading recommendations one, two, four, and five. In order for this unit to successfully
implement the establishment of ERGs and mentorship programs, they should first poll the Black
professionals of DSW to best determine how they would like to see those recommendations

81
implemented. Once they have feedback from the Black professionals, they could move forward
with establishing and implementing recommendations one and two.
Next, DSW would need to delegate tasks among human resources, EEO and the newly
established DEI unit in order to implement recommendations four through six. Overall, these
recommendations cannot be implemented without cross collaboration amongst these units within
DSW. Recommendations four through six can be worked on concurrently. Implementing all of
these recommendations would not be a quick process. The goal for full implementation of all
recommendations should be completed by end of year 2026. There should be a full timeline
included that could also allow for periodic feedback to be received and appropriate changes
implemented in order to ensure all recommendations were properly established and implemented
within DSW.
Limitations and Delimitations
In a qualitative study design, the participants are expected to provide detailed responses
to the interview questions. The detailed responses to the interview questions allow for illustrative
data to be captured in the words of the participants and this assists in helping the researcher
establish a perception as to what is occurring in the organization (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007).
However, one limitation of this study design could be the truthfulness of the participants’
responses. The participants’ comfort level with participating in the interview may have affected
their responses. Due to my relationship with the organization, the participants may have been
reluctant to provide full details and may have avoided being fully truthful and forthright in their
responses. In the introduction to the interviews, I acknowledged that I would keep their personal
information confidential, and their interview responses would be anonymous. Hopefully,

82
providing that acknowledgement in the introduction to the interviews reduced the potential
limitation of the study.
A major delimitation for the study was the relationship I have with the organization. As a
current employee in HR for the organization, I had to ensure that I did not recruit participants
within my unit nor individuals with whom I provide direct HR support, in order to maintain my
ethics as a researcher. An additional delimitation was ensuring adherence to the organization’s
policies conducting the interviews on personal time and utilizing personal equipment. Another
delimitation was the participant size, as there were only 12 interviews conducted.
Recommendations for Future Research
The study focused on the underrepresentation of Black professionals in senior leadership
at DSW. Two ideal sources of social support emerged from the findings of the study. Therefore,
an area of future research could be to analyze the effects of implementing a formal or informal
mentorship program and also implementing employee resource groups. It could be enlightening
to see how implementation of those supports within the organization can help encourage
employee growth, motivation, and help prepare them for a senior leadership position. In addition,
future research could also focus specifically on the differences between men and women and
how implementation of mentorship programs and employee resource groups affected them
differently.
Due to my relationship with the organization, another area for future research could be to
have a neutral party conduct a study. Having a neutral party conduct future research could allow
for a larger pool of participants, as there would no longer be restrictions as to who can be
recruited to participate in the study. In addition, it could allow for a broader view of the
experiences of Black professionals at DSW.

83
Lastly, another area for future research could be to expand the research across other state
government agencies. Expanding the research across other state agencies could be done by
implementing a large-scale survey for Black employees at other state agencies to gauge how they
are feeling about employee engagement, sources of social support, and representation of Black
professionals in senior leadership at their agencies. Expansion could help to evaluate whether
this is a statewide concern or one that is agency-specific.
Conclusion
DSW needs to listen to the voices of their Black employees because it appears that DSW
is operating in a system where they do not recognize that a problem exists within the
organization, and they are taking the stance that everything is okay with a predominantly White
senior leadership team. For Black professionals at DSW they identified the underrepresentation
of Black professionals on the senior leadership team, and they shared that because of this
underrepresentation of people who look like them, it is decreasing their sense of belonging
within the organization.
To reiterate, Black professionals find the value of belonging when they are able to see
themselves connected with and holding value within the organization when they see other Black
professionals in senior-level positions within an organization (Coqual, 2020). If an organization
is promoting leaders who look like them in those senior-level positions, Black professionals are
then able to identify a position they can also aspire to attain within the organization.
Additionally, Black professionals will start to feel more comfortable and will start to bring their
full, authentic selves into the workplace. Currently, that is not the reality for Black professionals
at DSW. Black professionals at DSW withhold their authentic selves due to the decreased sense

84
of belonging. Overall, DSW is not looking at or considering how the makeup of the senior
leadership team of the organization is affecting the employees.
In addition, DSW does not appear to be aware of how they are perceived to those on the
outside. Organizations oftentimes do not realize how impactful adequate representation can be
on their employees and the community they serve. I hope this study stresses the importance of
Black professionals within the organization wanting senior leadership to acknowledge that a
problem exists. Furthermore, Black professionals want to see DSW committed to making a
change and improving the work environment, not only for Black professionals at DSW, but for
DSW as a whole. It is important for organizations to establish an inclusive workplace
environment that acknowledges individual’s social identities and encourages and supports their
growth and development toward their aspirations for leadership (Rudel et al., 2021).
Again, I hope this study brings light to the lived experiences of Black professionals at
DSW. I hope that senior leadership justly acknowledges the negative effects of the
underrepresentation of Black professionals on the senior leadership team. Finally, I encourage
DSW senior leadership to have conversations with Black professionals to help better understand
the true reality that exists currently within the organization and from that, try to create a different
reality that is more inclusive and welcoming for all of their employees.

85
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Appendix A: Semi-structured Interview Protocol
The information below details the IRB-approved introduction and questions that were
utilized for the interviews for this study.
Preamble
Hi, my name is Heidi Gray, I am a doctoral student at the University of Southern
California. Thank you for taking the time to interview with me for my study. As a reminder, the
study is regarding the underrepresentation of Black professionals on the senior leadership team.
The interview is scheduled for 1 hour. Do I have your permission to record the interview today?
As a reminder, your personal information is confidential, and your responses will be anonymous.
The reason for the request to record is for my own records and ability to go back to our interview
to ensure all information is accurately captured and analyzed. At any point, please feel free to ask
me any questions that you may have. Please feel free to skip any question. Are you ready to get
started?
Current Role and Motivation
1. What is your current role in the organization?
2. How long have you been in your current role?
3. How long have you been employed with the organization?
4. What do you enjoy about your current role? Probe: if not, ask why?
DSW’s Current Practices (RQ1 and RQ3)
5. What is the organization doing to assist with or enhance your engagement in the
workplace? Probe: what are some examples of the last activities with which you’ve
been involved?

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6. What are your thoughts about the representation of Black professionals in senior
leadership? Probe: How has the underrepresentation affected you as an employee of
the organization?
7. What sources of support exist at DSW for Black professionals such as yourself?
a. Probe: Are they easily accessible?
b. Probe: Do you participate? Why or why not?
Barriers and Interest in Leadership (RQ2)
8. What are your goals and aspirations within the organization? Probe: would you
consider a leadership role?
9. Since you indicate a desire for a leadership position, what do you know about the
process for you attaining one? Probe: What expectations do you have regarding the
process?
10. What are some challenges that you see exist for promotion towards a leadership role?
Probe: How have you combatted or reacted to those challenges?
11. In what ways do you feel the organization is promoting inclusivity and providing
equal opportunities for employee growth?
12. Tell me about a time when you’ve sought a leadership position.
13. If you were to pursue promotion or another leadership position, do you know what
steps to take? Do you know who you can speak to regarding promotion? Probe: What
types of guidance have you received? Were they formal or informal?
Sources of Support (RQ3)
14. What are other ways in which the organization could provide support to Black
professionals like yourself in order to enhance your growth within the organization?

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15. In what ways could the organization benefit from implementing additional support for
Black professionals?
Conclusion to Interview
Again, thank you for taking the time to interview for my study. Do you have any
questions before we end? Have a great rest of your day.

102
Appendix B: Code Book for Dissertation
Code Definition Example
Experiences Experiences of Black professionals
in the organization
“She was new to the role, and she
found herself … she was placed on
a team that she was not really very
happy being a part of and she, she
reached out to me and asked if I
could be a mentor to her which I
did. And I think it was beneficial.
For me as well as beneficial for
her.”
Experiences: Remote
work
Can work from home; work life
balance
“Enjoy the fact that I can do my job
duties remotely.”
Engagement: Direct
leadership
Experiences generated from their
direct leadership team in the
workplace that keep them
engaged in their job.
“I think like our direct leadership
really tries like they constantly like
send out emails like it’s not a
surprise to me to get an email from
our program manager that says
thank you so much. You guys were
working hard this week. It’s been a
lot going on. There’s this says that
and so she really does try to I think
connect with people, or at least let
them know that you know, she’s
appreciative of, you know what it
is that we’re taking on at any given
time.”
Engagement:
Organization
Experiences generated from the
agency head; overall
organization that keep them
engaged in their job.
“But there’s one day one day of the
week that we are mandated to
actually report to the office. And I
think … senior management saw
this as an opportunity for some
amount of engagement,
collaboration, getting to know each
other and I mean, essentially
working not only as a team as the
team that you are a part of but also
the wider team. The other pods I
should say.”

103
Code Definition Example
Lack of engagement Overall employee engagement to
promote retention.
“We don’t have any part of HR that’s
working on like employee
engagement. What, like, there’s
just so much missed opportunity
there. And you, you have to
unfortunately, watch good talent,
walk out the door. Because we are
missing these things.”
Learning
Available learning platforms that
assist with development in
position.
“LinkedIn learning. It’s nice, but and
like, I think they have this, like
managers like training that they
have on it that they advertise for
us, but I don’t know how that’s
applicable to what I do.”
Barriers
Barriers that Black professionals
experience in the workplace that
limit them attaining a position.
“Within the org I feel like we have a
lot of individualized kind of silos
almost it feels like we’re we kind
of talked to each other for our
individual business needs but not
we don’t know a lot about what
goes on next door. And I feel like
that’s a really big barrier”
Barrier: Network
It’s not about what you know but
who you know; politically
connected.
“I think that I think they are they
have the same network of friends,
acquaintances. And so, it’s kind of
I think it’s, it’s kind of hard for
them to actually move outside of
what they’re comfortable with.”
Barrier: Lack
knowledge of
organization
Lack of knowledge about the
organization & potential
opportunities available.
“Within the org I feel like we have a
lot of individualized kind of silos
almost it feels like we’re we kind
of talked to each other for our
individual business needs but not
we don’t know a lot about what
goes on next door. And I feel like
that’s a really big barrier.”
Underrepresentation Lack of people who look like you.
“There is none. Looking at leadership
there’s just no representation
there.”

104
Code Definition Example
Negative effects of
underrepresentation
Wondering how you fit into an
organization without seeing
people who look like you in top
spaces.
“You wonder what your upward
mobility is going to look like. And
is it going to be stunted?”
Lack of role models
Due to the underrepresentation,
there are a lack of role models
for Black professionals.
“It was demotivating, and it still is to
not see a lot of people that look
like you in positions of leadership.”
Lack of support
Lack of social support for Black
professionals.
“You know, maybe lack of
mentorship and just feel like okay,
maybe in order to move up I need
to move on aka either to another
state agency and or out of state
service completely in order for me
to achieve the, you know, level that
I know I’m capable of achieving.”
Lack of support: No
DEI
No diversity equity and inclusion
focused resource in the
organization.
“To me, our foundation is
questionable. Like, there’s a lot of,
I think, things that we can
implement to me as a as a long
standing, well established
organization, like the state, you
know, there’s so many things that I
feel like could be in place and
they’re not, for example, and you
can correct me if I’m wrong here,
like we don’t have we don’t have a
DEI”
Ideal support:
Mentorship
Formal or informal mentorship is a
type of support Black
professionals would like to see.
“um I think informal is always better.
Because it doesn’t feel forced. And
like, we already feel forced to do
the jobs that we get paid to do. I
don’t that’s like, I wish I could find
a better word for it, but you have to
do your job. So, I think having it
more available as a resource, and
you know, there being a true intent
behind it is it feels more natural
than a formal program”

105
Code Definition Example
Ideal support:
Employee resource
groups
Employee resource groups is a
type of support Black
professionals would like to see.
“They have a Black organization that
meets a couple times a month.
They talk about things, and they
get things out there and they settle
things, and you know, have a little
program. So, if you did something
like that, that way, what you would
be doing is bringing people
together, be able to talk about
things”
Benefits of
implementing
support
Potential benefits of implementing
additional support for Black
professionals in the
organization; benefits for
employees & for organization.
“Retention, retention equals saving
money. So, you don’t have
turnover like a ton of turnover.”

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Asset Metadata

Creator Gray, Heidi (author)

Core Title Breaking barriers to leadership: what's the best solution?

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2024-05

Publication Date 05/17/2024

Defense Date 04/24/2024

Publisher Los Angeles, California (original), University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Black professionals,Discrimination,microaggressions,OAI-PMH Harvest,state government,stereotype threat,underrepresentation

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Kim, Esther (committee chair), Canny, Eric (committee member), Datta, Monique (committee member)

Creator Email heidigra@usc.edu,n1heidi@yahoo.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113939695

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