Have you seen the movie Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery? If so, which of the characters seems most like a leader to you?
Your answer to this question reveals some of your beliefs around a concept known as implicit leadership theory. Implicit leadership theory is related to what are referred to as trait theories of leadership. Trait theories were some of the earliest theories of leadership and often focused on the characteristics that made a leader successful. This set of characteristics is sometimes referred to as the “leadership prototype.”
Glass Onion presents a series of characters who may have been the ringleader of a crime. Similarly, organizations use leadership concepts to determine who will be chosen as a leader within the organization. We see the application of these theories in our assumptions about the characters.
One of the central conflicts in the film revolves around the fortune and creativity of tech-bro genius Miles Bron, a self-described disruptor who is wealthy and successful and runs a large organization. We are likely to think Miles is a genius because he looks the part. But as the plot unfolds, we find out that this assumption is inaccurate.
The true innovator of Miles’s company is Andi Brand, a Black woman. Mile’s chief scientist is Lionel Touissant, a Black man. Both Andi and Lionel are in positions that we do not often see Black characters in. Similar to her character in Hidden Figures, Janelle Monae’s Andi is the real genius behind many technological innovations credited to Miles. Prior to watching the film, some audience members may not have seen Black characters as being a company’s true powerhouse.
Implicit leadership and trait theories are often focused on who we as individuals perceive leaders to be. One of the concerns with using these theories in our approaches to selecting leaders is that our impression of who a leader should be rarely matches the choice of the person who has the most leadership skills or is in fact best for a particular leadership position. One of the chief criticisms of implicit leadership theory and trait leadership theory is that many times highly rated leaders fit a socially acceptable model of leadership rather than function as effective leaders. For example, traditional trait models of leadership indicated that masculinity was an important trait for a leader to have. Research has shown that in some cases women are more effective leaders than men, yet we still see masculine traits used as a benchmark for leadership.
We also have racial and ethnic biases in leadership. Some people may have assumed that Lionel and Andi weren’t the real leaders or didn’t have the capability to lead. Research indicates that this can often be the case when being White is assumed to be a part of the leadership prototype.
In the film, we see Miles use buzzwords and catchphrases to indicate his effectiveness. Yet, his ineffective leadership is clear from the beginning. Miles manages the time of his best employee (Lionel) very poorly, he insists on using outdated technology (the fax machine) for inexplicable reasons, and his plans for the new energy source literally blow up in his face. By any metric, Miles is a poor leader; however, social forces tell us a young, fast-talking, White male is an effective tech leader.
So, how can organizations determine top leadership talent?
First, organizations should base leadership and succession planning decisions on objective assessments of leadership skill and multisource feedback. Your organization should try to create opportunities for potential leaders regardless of race, gender, and ethnicity. By focusing on objective performance metrics and leadership assessments (leadership tests and assessment centers), your organization can make better decisions.
Second, organizations should review their performance appraisal process for systemic bias. Review the data that has been collected, and use demographic data to identify if there are consistent differences across racial and gender groups. If you see consistent differences across racial and gender groups, it is likely your process is biased and needs to be fixed.
Third, check your talent dashboard to assess the quality of your leadership pipeline. A talent dashboard should provide information that helps your organization assess those in the pipeline and those who potentially should be added to it. A robust pipeline is an indicator of organizational health.
Finally, listen to your employees about their supervisors, and look at the relevant outcomes of managers within your organization. If your employees see their managers as not being helpful or effective, it may signal a mistake in your succession planning processes. By evaluating your systems, your organization will be able to see through the glass onion of leadership.
