Asian Americans in Leadership

The term Asian American is a general term referring to a large and incredibly diverse group of people with ethnic ties to the Asian continent and neighboring archipelagos. The Asian American population covers over 57 distinct ethnic groups (Hune, 2002). Asian Americans represent the fastest growing population group in the US, growing 81% between 2000 and 2019 according to a 2021 Pew Research Report (Ramachandran, 2021). When we discuss Asian American representation in leadership it is important to be aware of the diversity that exists within the Asian American population.

The "Model Minority" Myth and Perceptions of Asian Americans

Asian Americans are often considered the "model minority." This stereotypical term originating in the 19^th century refers to the assumption that Asian Americans are a homogenous group that through intelligence, hard work, being soft-spoken, and deferential to authority achieved unmatched success in both academia and society. This has been used to downplay the struggle many Asian Americans face with racism and prejudice (Yi & Museus, 2016). The "model minority" myth has been long ingrained in American society and continues to negatively impact Asian Americans (Shih et al., 2019). In a set of interviews conducted by CNBC Make It, twelve Asian American business leaders were asked about their experiences with identity and encounters with stereotypes and discrimination. Some of the common themes are outlined below:

1. They were told they did not look professional or did not look like a real CEO.
2. Race and cultural barriers held them back and kept them out of certain conversations.
3. They constantly questioned their own ability, feeding into the "model minority" stereotype.
4. They felt like the "other" due to microaggressions and racism.
5. There was a constant need to justify themselves and their position.

Nature of Asian American Representation in Organizations

As stated earlier, the model minority myth paints the picture of Asian Americans as hardworking, intelligent, and successful but also as timid and unassertive. The latter two characterizations are in direct contrast to the expectations and perceptions of leaders in many organizations here in the US, who see Asian Americans as professional peers rather than leaders or managers. This has resulted in greater representation of Asian American workers in many high-profile companies and organizations compared to other minority groups. However, while Asian Americans represent over a quarter of the workforce in several major Fortune 500 companies (ex. HP, Intel, Google, Yahoo, LinkedIn), the percentage of Asian American organizational leaders and executives in those same companies is under 15% and overall, Asian Americans hold less than 2% of executive positions across all Fortune 500 companies (Johnson & Sy, 2016).

It is crucial that we examine our organizational policies toward diversity and inclusion before we can effectively address the issue of underrepresentation. The following questions below, adapted from Abrams (2019), can help us evaluate our organizational policies in terms of the inclusion of Asian Americans and other minority groups:

1. Why do we want to be more diverse and inclusive as an organization? Try to think deeply and critically about what diversity and inclusion mean to the organization. What do studies mention about the value of diversity and inclusion in an organization?
2. What is our end goal in terms of diversity and inclusion? It is important to remember that in the case of diversity and inclusion, assigning a numerical amount or percentage is not always the most effective strategy.
3. What voices are present in the organizational decision-making process? Are Asian American employees provided a say in the direction of organizational policy and practice?
4. Are we practicing what we are preaching? If your organization has already implemented policies toward diversity and inclusion, are the leaders in the organization following through to ensure that the policy is being implemented effectively?

Addressing Asian American Underrepresentation in Leadership

To address Asian American underrepresentation in leadership positions, we as organizational leaders ourselves should seek to provide equal opportunity for recognition and advancement to all our employees. It is crucial we take an active role in promoting diversity and inclusion within our organization's leadership team. Below are some strategies developed by Gee and Peck (2018) and Lee (2019), that provide actionable steps that we, as organizations can take to specifically address the issue of Asian American underrepresentation in leadership.

1. Monitor and review the rates of retention and promotion of Asian Americans in your organization. This will help to recognize potential disparities in leadership diversity.
2. Make the incorporation of Asian Americans in leadership an organizational priority and allocate funding and resources to match.
3. Dispel the model minority stereotype within your organization; recognize cultural diversity in your organization.
4. Develop culturally specific training and leadership development programs that target Asian Americans in your organization to provide a pathway for representation.
5. Utilize broader definitions of leadership. Recognize that different cultural characteristics can result in different leadership styles, and be willing to accommodate different types of leaders in your organization.
6. Educate members of the organization on the value and importance of diversity and inclusion. Demonstrate the organization’s values, efforts, and commitment to achieving diversity and inclusion goals.

References

Connely, C., & Le, V. (2021, May 10). 'I wish I spoke up sooner': 12 Asian American leaders talk career, identity and representation in the U.S. CNBC Make It.

Gee, B., & Peck, D. (2018, May 31). Asian Americans are the least likely group in the U.S. to be promoted to management. Harvard Business Review.

Hune, S. (2002). Demographics and diversity of Asian American college students. New Directions for Student Services, 2002(97), 11–20. doi.org/10.1002/ss.35

Johnson, S. K., & Sy, T. (2016, December 19). Why aren’t there more Asian Americans in leadership positions? Harvard Business Review.

Lee, F. (2019). Asian American and Pacific Islander faculty and the bamboo ceiling: Barriers to leadership and implications for leadership development. New Directions for Higher Education, 2019(186), 93–102. doi.org/10.1002/he.20326

Ramachandran, V. (2021, April 13). Asian Americans are the fastest growing group in the U.S., report finds. PBS News Hour.

Shih, K. Y., Chang, T., & Chen, S. (2019). Impacts of the model minority myth on Asian American individuals and families: Social justice and critical race feminist perspectives. Journal of Family Theory & Review. doi.org/10.1111/jftr.12342

Yi, V., & Museus, S. D.. (2015). Model minority myth. 1–2. doi.org/10.1002/9781118663202.wberen528