The Black Woman Servant Leader

There are few studies on black women leaders, in general, and black women servant leaders specifically. Previous research has categorized the ten characteristics of servant leadership developed by Spears as being agentic (masculine) or communal (feminine). The characteristics of persuasion, awareness conceptualization and foresight have been categorized as agentic, whilst the characteristics of listening, empathy, commitment to the growth of people, healing, stewardship and building communities have been categorized as being communal. These communal attributes ascribed to servant leadership have also been ascribed to women. The relationship between black women servant leaders and Spears’ ten characteristics of servant leadership has never been deeply examined. However, some characteristics of black women leaders in the education and private sectors have been. Prevailing research on servant leadership has primarily been done through a Western-centric white male lens. Little is known about black women servant leaders and how intersectionality affects how they lead. Their multiple identities are believed to influence their leadership experiences, but much research has not been done in this area. Even though little research that exists shows that the number of racially and ethnically diverse leaders has increased, they are still significantly underrepresented in senior leadership positions. Men are still being promoted to managerial positions over women, and this negatively affects women of colour more. The negative stereotyping of the “angry black woman” at work has misrepresented them, leading to fewer of them being promoted. Organizations can better utilize the resources that black women servant leaders offer by implementing the Darrell Burrell Supervisory Workplace Psychological Safety Model, which supports people of colour and women. Future research should explore the impact of black women servant leaders in other sectors. Research can also examine the impact that specific servant leadership characteristics may have on black women's leadership styles.