Picture a CEO

Try this thought experiment: Picture a CEO. Now, draw or describe the CEO you pictured. Likely, you did not draw or describe someone that looks like me. And quite frankly, the person I pictured did not look like me, either.

Is it because I don’t believe someone like me could be a CEO? No. In fact, when surveyed, most people are open to the idea of different folks being leaders. Yet, that does not always hold true when they select or vote for such a leader In fact, data shows that in the 20 years up to 2020, only 10 East Asians and 22 South Asians have ever served as CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

So what can we do about it?

The AAPI managerial ceiling

In order to create change, it’s important to identify barriers. One barrier is bias. Bias is an error in assessing talent. Managers want to hire and promote the best talent, but unconscious beliefs and historical archetypes of success can limit their views. As with the CEO thought experiment, if you cannot picture someone in a role, they have to work harder to prove their qualifications. This is the error.

Many studies show how this error works in hiring. A 2016 study by Prof. Sonia Kang and colleagues, as an example, showed that Asian applicants who used their Asian names and kept activities related to their race or ethnicity on their resumes were less likely to receive an interview. Their chances increased from 12% to 21% if they removed these markers of their culture (this is called whitening).

But once in the organization, the barriers are harder to see. But that does not mean they do not exist. In a report on five large tech companies by Ascend leadership, white men and women were ~154% more likely to be executives than their Asian counterparts. 

One reason could be in the way historical archetypes and stereotypes limit organizations from recognizing AAPI leadership. The model minority stereotype, for example, spotlights tasks, not presence; this can falsely limit members from the AAPI community from being seen as leaders.

Strategies for change

To create more equitable advancement opportunities for members of the AAPI community (and for all), try these strategies:

1. Give career-advancing stretch assignments. Reputations don’t just happen. They are built on the opportunities to build a reputation by taking on strategic tasks and roles. Make sure members of the AAPI community have access to these assignments and ensure they are given the support and endorsement to succeed. 
2. Block bias in promotion decisions. If you notice that a member of the AAPI community is being downgraded for personality-based reasons that reflect stereotypes (not strategic, no executive presence, too quiet, not influential), stop. Ask about the foundations of these critiques. If they are “gut” reactions, then move beyond, and seek evidence, not impressions. The evidence may show strong performance and an error in assessing potential.
3. Hold the organization accountable. Track the time in position and promotion rates for all, looking at the intersection of race and gender (at a minimum).

Together, by seeing and then blocking biases, we can create more equitable pathways to leadership for members of the AAPI community, and for all.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage month, I am writing a series of four articles. This is the third. First was naming the “no problem problem”; in the second, I wrote about the cost of fitting in. In the final article, I will write about advocacy. #aapiheritagemonth