The New Glass Cliff: How We Continue to Fail Black Women and Women of Colour Leaders in the Global Development Sector

A Racial Equity Index X The Better Org Learning Partnership Blog

Three years since the global calls for racial equity and racial justice, we have seen actions taper and commitments toward racial equity slowly disappear across a number of different sectors. Not only has funding radically dropped (funders won’t openly admit this but we know of foundations who have closed their racial equity/justice work or streamlined it into other programs) for racial justice/equity initiatives, but token DEI roles within organisations are also being cut. Whilst there is still a call for better representation and investment in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) leaders, there is a lack of safety, support, and stability for BIPOC leaders when they step into and uphold leadership positions.

As BIPOC individuals with substantial experience in the global development space, we have noticed a particular trend in this sector, where more Black Women and Women of Color leaders are crumbling under toxic leadership experiences within organisations. Brilliant movement builders and social justice leaders of color are leaving the global development (global dev) sector to pursue other career pathways or turn to consultancy to gain a reprieve from toxic, under-supported, and under-resourced leadership situations. What we are observing is that while organisations are increasing their commitment to bringing more Black and Women of Color into leadership positions, these commitments are still rooted in tokenism, with very little consideration given as to what is needed culturally and structurally in an organisation to shape and cultivate a truly diverse and inclusive leadership.

The Glass Cliff is the phenomenon in which a woman or person of color is recruited into a position of power during a time of crisis or downturn, creating a situation in which failure is more likely and the leadership position is precarious. The Glass Cliff has been around for a while, but we have recently observed a worrying new dimension to this phenomenon within the global development space, specifically involving Black Women and Women of Colour.

These BIPOC Women leaders are being placed into leadership positions alongside White Women often to much celebration, fanfare, and back-patting by organisations, only for these BIPOC women leaders to be positioned as ‘buffers’ for their White Women leadership partners, and left to absorb and manage the toxic work environments and the ridiculous leadership demands, with little recognition, and an utter lack of support.

We call this the New Glass Cliff.

White Women’s rise to the top:

White people are overrepresented in positions of power and leadership within the Global Dev sector, with White Women more likely to access leadership roles and board positions ahead of Black Women and Women of Color. There is data capturing gender inequity in the Global Dev sector, which has led to action toward improving gender leadership gaps. However, most endeavors and actions towards pursuing gender equality (note: not the same thing as gender equity) have uplifted White Women at the expense of Black Women and Women of Color. White Women have reaped the benefits of improving gender inequality in leadership, and continue to surpass Black Women and Women of Colour within leadership opportunities and positions of power in the sector.

White Women’s rise to the top is celebrated and documented — much of the celebration around women’s progress in sector leadership (whether intentional or not) often spotlights the progress and achievements of White Women and fails to adopt an intersectional approach to understanding and assessing what different types of progress look like. And there continues to be a dearth of data within the global development sector surrounding racial inequity at the leadership level, and the particular disparities Black Women and Women of Color face in accessing leadership and board positions.

White Women also experience the glass cliff phenomenon, however, Black Women and Women of Color have a unique experience with the glass cliff, because of the intersection of their gender, race, and ethnicity.

Post-2020 consciousness has perpetuated the new glass cliff

Systemic injustice and racism became a key topic of discussion and attention during the pandemic, increasing the Global Dev sector’s consciousness and desire to take action against racism during 2020. It was during this time that Global Dev organisations and personnel increasingly began to seek ‘diverse representation’ at senior management and leadership levels. It was during this time that Black Women and Women of Color were hyper-visibilised and called upon by these organisations, to ‘fix’ their ‘diversity and inclusion’ problems.

Black Women and Women of Color were immediately expected to lend their wisdom and labour to support and lead organisations into diversity, equity, and inclusion (with the later addition of “justice”). However, since 2020, momentum has waned and organisations claiming anti-racist action and commitment, are continuing to operate environments that enable the glass cliff phenomenon to thrive.

Glass cliffs cause Black Women and Women of Color to be subjected to the classic elements of the glass cliff phenomenon, such as:

• Dealing with uncertainty: Being hired into organisations that are in precarious positions and having to operate in a climate of low staff morale, high employee turnover, and limited personnel and financial resources to conduct their role and pursue sustainable change.
• Limited infrastructure and resources to nurture and support new leaders, offer them professional development and training
• Limited organisational support and lack of respect for boundaries: Making yourself as flexible and adaptable to the needs of the organization as you can, even at the cost of your own well-being; facing problems alone with little support from others in leadership or the team.
• High expectations from leadership: pressure to outperform their male counterparts in their own work, with room to take on more work if it arises.

The New Glass Cliff experience of Black Women and Women of Colour:

When trying to balance on the New Glass Cliff, Black Women and Women of Color frequently encounter additional intense and sometimes less visible barriers, that their white counterparts are less likely to face:

• Dilution of power: Diversion and dissolution of influencing power, limited power to access resources and responsibilities. This often shows up in the “co-lead,” “co-directorship,” and “power-share” models between a Black Woman or Women of Color and a White Woman, which claims equal decision-making between the co-leads, whilst ignoring the racial power dynamic at play. The co-directorship model promoted by white women is often done under the premise of sharing power, but we note that white women have yet to confront what power even means for them — so ‘sharing power’ is a concept still foreign to white women within global development and rarely actually happens in these models.
• Perpetuation of stereotypes: with this precarious leadership position and multiple barriers, Black Women and Women of colour face specific tropes of being the “superhero” or the “Strong Black Woman” which reinforces the perception that it is ok for Black Women and Women of Color to be saddled with the difficult, complicated and precarious situations which may occur, as there is the expectation that they will be able to overcome greater obstacles than their white peers.
• Persistent pressure and expectation to fix systemic issues such as racism and inequity within unrealistic time scales, from people across the organisation, including board members, staff (especially from staff of colour), and fellow leaders.
• Lack of mentorship and if mentorship is offered, it is done under the guidance of white leadership, with lower opportunity to explore alternative types and styles of leadership that a BIPOC leader may want to explore.

We internalize the New Glass Cliff

It was never explained to us that if ever hired into a leadership position, in addition to the barrier of the glass ceiling, women, and especially Black Women and Women of Color, would have to teeter on the glass cliff. In the Global Dev sector, a core mistake we often see in the diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice space is that it is enough to hire Black People and People of Colour into the leadership of these organisations, without dismantling cultures of harm in operation across organisations, and without investing in structures, training, and resources to support and ensure the success and safety of BIPOC people leadership positions. Instead, the assumption is that Black Women and Women of Colour can and will clean up the mess made by the white leaders of these organisations.

We have seen how white leaders and white-led organizations internalize the idea that their job is complete once they have provided an opportunity for a Black Woman or Woman of Color leader to be hired or take space amongst them. While BIPOC people themselves are left with a sense of incompleteness.

We often internalize the idea of gratitude for the chance to serve in a leadership role, as well as holding onto the guilt and fear that we aren’t doing enough to live up to the charge of leadership that has been placed upon us. In particular, as Black Women and Women of Color leaders our self-assurance, security, and self-esteem are put to the test by how precarious the circumstances we face are. This situation also puts to the test the connections that we as leaders of color have with the larger BIPOC workforce within their organizations; we may feel pressure to live up to the expectations of other staff of color, while balancing the lack of infrastructure and support available to us as we work to successfully deliver on the leadership tasks set before us.

Impossible is impossible

How many times have we seen a BIPOC woman hired into a position of power and, within 1–2 years, is expected from various stakeholders, both within and outside of the organisation or agency, to do the impossible?

From the organisation’s or agency’s leadership and board of directors, she is expected to:

• “Fix” the diversity and equity problem the organisation or agency in question is facing;
• Ensure that issues of racism, inequity, and discrimination don’t come up again at the organisation or agency;
• Improve the organisation’s environment and increase overall staff morale with little to no resources, investments, support, or structural changes from the organisation or agency itself, and without threatening or questioning the leadership of her white counterparts; and
• Exceed expectations in her general job duties, while being ok with not being recognized for all the work she is doing outside of her scope of work for the organisation/agency.

From other BIPOC folk, including staff from the organisation or agency she was hired into, she is expected to:

• Make huge strides combatting racism and gender inequity both in the organisation/agency she was hired to as well as in the larger community in which the organisation works;
• Reform the organisation’s or agency’s structure to meet the unique needs of other BIPOC staff (and any other staff of the other intersecting identities she may hold) and the larger community;
• Transform the work culture;
• Create a clear and barrier-free pathway to leadership in the organisation for other BIPOC staff;
• Listen, support, serve as a champion for all staff of colour at the organisation, and fix the issues or problems they’ve faced at the organisation; and
• Model work-life balance at the organisation.

From the Global Dev Sector at large, she is expected to:

• “Clean up” her organisation enough to ensure the Global Dev sector is no longer called out for its role in structural and institutional racism, without shaking the foundations of the Global Dev sector or pushing the overall sector to acknowledge how its rooted in racism and inequity to maintain the status quo of capitalism and the “global powers that be.”

There is literally no other way to say this — BLACK WOMEN AND WOMEN OF COLOUR ARE NOT HERE TO “CLEAN UP” OR “FIX” THINGS FOR YOU!

Black Women and Women of Color are amazing leaders — we have proven that we are time and time again! However if you are only hiring a Black woman or woman of colour in a leadership position to “fix” your diversity problem, combat claims of racism and discrimination in your organisation, improve staff morale, because you are in a time of crises, because it looks good to funders and an outside audience, or because your DEI consultant told you that you need more BIPOC leadership, you have not created a work environment where a BIPOC leader can succeed and thrive. If anything you have created an environment within which this BIPOC leader is likely to fail and experience harm. And if you are doing this under the guise of, “sharing power” “co-directorship to diversify leadership” or “letting Black Women lead,” without exploring power, privilege, and positionality within the leadership of your organisation you are creating a New Glass Cliff scenario in your organisation.

The Impact of the New Glass Cliff on BIPOC women and society’s perception of BIPOC leadership

Over and over again, Black Women and other Women of Colour are expected to lead with little support, resources, and infrastructure, while being held to the highest standard and immense expectations that their white peers do not face. This is exasperating. It is not surprising that Black Women and Women of Color are asking for rest and, at times, stepping back from leadership for our own well-being.

The pain is real.

As Black Women and Women of Color on the glass cliff are persistently confronted with the impossible, this leads to very real and painful outcomes:

• Emotional, physical, and psychological burnout by pushing too hard trying to do what is being asked;
• Being spread so thin that they are unable to focus on any one thing effectively;
• Questioning their own ability to be a leader in an organisation or agency.
• Having their own ability, expertise, and commitment called into question whilst their fellow White Women continued to be seen as strong leaders (even when they themselves have thrown Black women and women of color under the bus in their rush to ‘share power’ — we have seen this occur often in the co-director and deputy director feminist leadership models).
• Being fired for not meeting all the expectations put upon them or having to prematurely resign from a position, potentially negatively impacting the future of their leadership trajectory;

At the same time, the “glass cliff” situation that Black Women and other Women of Color face, is used to legitimize the idea of the “strong Black Woman” or “resilient woman,” trope.

When Black Women and other Women of Color in positions of power are seen to not “succeed” in their jobs, which is often the narrative that will accompany their departure, the sector and society at large use this to “confirm” that Black Women and Women of Color are not “suited” or “ready” for leadership roles. This strengthens the already prevalent mistrust (and in some spaces distrust) of People of Color in leadership. And this cycle maintains the status quo of White majority leadership.

How to be better

Recognition is necessary:

On the heels of the 2020 “racial reckoning,” there was an increase in the hiring of BIPOC people to improve workforce diversity, including leadership positions. However, whether in the private sector, the tech sector, or the global dev sector, there was no sizable increase in investment to make sure BIPOC in leadership positions were supported, invested in, or resourced to succeed. Combatting the New Glass Cliff phenomenon in the global dev sector first requires that we acknowledge how rampant it is. Once we acknowledge the reality of this phenomenon and the unique impact it has on BIPOC women, we can move towards beginning to address it.

Cultivating environments where BIPOC women can thrive:

Some key ways that organisations can start to create environments where BIPOC women can truly lead include:

1. Question why. Why are you inviting a BIPOC leader into your organisation? If the motivation relates to anything external to the organisation (so it’s coming from funders, partners, societal pressures etc), rather than coming from within the organisation, then you should question whether your organisation is actually ready to welcome in a BIPOC leader, especially if this is the first BIPOC leader and particularly BIPOC Woman leader in your organisation’s history.
2. Be proactive in providing adequate support for leaders: Black Women and Women of Color rarely have access to the same resources and networks that white women have to propel their careers, so it is important that the workplace help foster opportunities and resources for BIPOC women, to get support and guidance to succeed. Some ways include:
   a. Respect BIPOC women leaders’ decisions and boundaries; they have been hired because of their experience, knowledge, and skills. Honour this and the different perspectives they bring to the organisation.
   b. Train current leadership (especially white leaders) and staff on how to support BIPOC leadership and how to create a welcoming and safe environment for BIPOC leaders to thrive before the hiring of BIPOC leadership.
   c. Secure financial resources/budget for an executive coach, mentor, and/or professional development opportunities to invest in this BIPOC leader.
3. Be transparent about the challenges new leaders will face at the organisation: if an organisation or agency is experiencing low morale, difficult team dynamics, and issues with addressing systemic or institutional racism, it is to the benefit of the organisation and the incoming leader to know what they are moving into and the expectations of the other leadership for them to support work to address these issues.
4. Make realistic timelines and workloads: BIPOC women in leadership cannot become the catch-all for everything, so it is essential that the expectations and work activities they are responsible for are clear. Make sure that you review the timelines for different work activities together to make sure they are realistic and achievable and that you are clear of how the organisation measures the success of their leadership team members. Make space within the organisation for true and lasting systemic change to happen. It has been noted multiple times in the sector that the work of racial equity and anti-racism is a journey — but resources, time, and space must be dedicated to working actively towards racial equity and anti-racism within your organisation.
5. Check your biases: As you outline your expectations for your incoming leader, take time to assess whether expectations and requirements for this individual are rooted in any harmful beliefs or stereotypes. For example, in expecting your new BIPOC Woman leader to transform organisational culture with limited people and financial resources, are you leaning into the ‘Strong Black Woman’ trope?
6. Listen and be accountable — even if you don’t like what you hear: If a BIPOC Woman leader raises a concern about their experience in your organisation or raises a query or concern about something they observe, do not label them a problem, rather take time to listen to what they share and partner with them and other leaders explore it further. This is especially important if the concern raised relates to the foundational cultural and structural elements of the organisation.
7. And finally, a call to White Women Leaders: Black Women and Women of Color are not a buffer or a safety blanket to be used to protect you from the challenges of leadership within a complicated and complex environment. They are also not there to make you look good and progressive, as you embrace a co-directorship model of leading. Take account of the above six points, think about how you engage with Black Women and Women of Color leaders in your organisation and in your wider network, and then do different, and do better.

The call for more representation and diversity in the Global Dev sector became the cry of 2020 and is a call that still rings out today. This need for more diversity and representation across the leadership of this sector is necessary. For such a call to be answered, it requires consistent investment in creating an environment where Black and People of Color leaders, particularly Black Women and Women of Color leaders can genuinely thrive.

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Established in June 2020, the Racial Equity Index Group is a collective of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) who currently work or have spent part of their career working in international development and are dedicated to holding the sector accountable through the creation of a global racial equity index.

Follow our work at TheRacialEquityIndex.Org

References and further reading

• Ryan and Haslam (2007), ‘The Glass Cliff: Exploring the Dynamics Surrounding the Appointment of Women to Precarious Leadership Positions; https://www.jstor.org/stable/20159315
• Kelly Oakes (2002). ‘The Invisible danger of the Glass Cliff’ https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220204-the-danger-of-the-glass-cliff-for-women-and-people-of-colour
• Niquel Terry Ellis (2022), ‘Black Women in Leadership are finding themselves on the glass cliff’ https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/17/us/black-women-glass-cliff-reaj/index.html
• Coconet.org (2018) The Problem Woman of Color in the Workplace problem-woman-colour-nonprofit-organizations