Leadership in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: What Skills and Attributes Are Documented in the Literature?

Abstract

Objectives: Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) leadership has recently been scrutinized, and many institutions have had to repurpose EDI leaders due to recent legislation. The skills or attributes of EDI leaders are not well understood. The authors sought to identify skills or attributes associated with EDI leaders.

Methods: The authors searched the PubMed database using the search terms "Diversity," "Equity," "Inclusion," "Leadership," "Chief diversity officer," "Diversity leadership skills," and "Diversity officer." The authors then reviewed titles, abstracts, and papers to identify the skills or attributes of EDI leaders.

Results: The search yielded 580 items. The authors analyzed the 10 remaining papers after the abstract, title, and paper review. All of the authors reviewed the articles and constructed the following list of skills: motivating others, fostering potential, inspiring trust, thinking strategically, setting goals and expectations, giving feedback, and being authentic.

Discussion: EDI leaders are well equipped for leadership in other spaces because the skills and attributes identified in this review are transferrable to assistant and associate dean positions, chair positions, and other leadership positions in academic medicine. Individual EDI leaders can use these documented skills and attributes to reposition their leadership in this ever-changing political environment. Institutional leaders also can use this information to retain talented EDI leaders in influential leadership positions.