Color is Complex: How Colorism Affects Black Leaders’ Opportunities

Abstract

Being Black is a factor that affects access to leadership positions, as Black leaders are often perceived as less adequate than their white counterparts. However, much of the research has not explored the impact of racial nuances on observers' perceptions about Black leaders. Due to existence bias according to differences in skin tone and phenotype within a racial group, this study aims to understand how colorism affects observers' perceptions of Black leaders' effectiveness. We posit that colorism affects the psychological distance through which people with different racial appearances are evaluated, leading to different impression formation processes and perceptions of fitness for leadership roles. Also, we explore the role of contextual patterns of racial classification and interracial contact, the race of the observer, and membership of the leader in a high-status group. Our proposition can contribute to both theory and practice in leadership, diversity, and inclusion by showing the existence of nuances in the racial categorization of Black leaders and that they affect perceptions of effectiveness. This may lead to more adequate policies of representation and inclusion.