2025 Theses Doctoral

Race Equity Assessment for Leaders (REAL) 360 Tool to Develop Self-Awareness

Ahmed, Zahra

The purpose of my research was to co-design and test a Race Equity Assessment for Leaders (REAL) 360 tool, which is a tool that supports organizational leaders in developing self-awareness of racial equity. This tool provides a ‘360-degree’ view of each leaders’ racial equity leadership through multi-directional perspectives through a: 1) self-assessment, which I co-designed and is the survey data that I collected for my research; and 2) a rater assessment of feedback from a peer colleague, a direct report, and a supervisor, which I co-designed. However, I did not collect or report on the rater survey data as my focus was on whether or not, and how, the tool helped leaders to develop self-awareness. This tool was designed in collaboration with ProInspire, a consultancy which supports social impact leaders and organizations to advance equity. This research fills a gap in the field and literature by contributing an assessment tool and implementing it in an organizational context to gain insight into leaders' self-awareness and acquisition of feedback on racially equitable leadership in their organization.

In my role, I served as a researcher and engaged in the following three research phases: 1. Phase I: Co-Development (Research and Design); 2. Phase II: Implementation (Testing and Revisions); and Phase III: Outcomes (Data Collection and Analysis). In Phase I, using an action research approach, I contributed to the iterative and collaborative process of co-designing the REAL 360. In Phase II, the tool was administered to leaders in non-profit, corporate, or higher education organizations. In Phase III, using a mixed methods approach, I collected quantitative data (pre-beliefs survey, demographics survey, and REAL 360 survey) and qualitative data (cognitive interviews with affinity focus groups and individuals and post-beliefs survey). My goal was to identify: 1) the perceived impact of the tool on race equity beliefs ; 2) areas where the tool could be impactful on race equity; and 3) how the tool may benefit from revision.

The quantitative findings suggest to me that racial equity beliefs and practices differ based on participants' racial identity (1. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, BIPOC; 2.White) and age grouping (1. under 45; 2. 45 and over). Across both groupings, participants expressed a commitment to racial equity in their personal and professional lives. Participants 45 and over with more leadership experience, emphasized listening and aligning racial equity beliefs with organizational values to cultivate an inclusive workplace culture. Those under 45 who have exposure to social justice movements more recently in their adulthood, appeared more comfortable in expressing their racial identities. BIPOC participants rated themselves higher than White participants in advocating for racial equity policies and addressing advancement opportunities, which may reflect their lived experiences with workplace discrimination.

The qualitative findings reveal to me that the REAL 360 survey serves as an effective self-reflective tool. It encouraged participants to critically examine racial equity leadership practices and develop an awareness of beliefs and actions that contribute to more racially equitable outcomes in both their personal and professional lives. Also, participants revealed that learning should extend beyond the tool to include professional development.

Thus, the findings from this mixed methods action research study indicate to me that race and age contribute to leaders racial equity beliefs and practices. Also, these findings suggest to me that the tool can be supported with additional learning such as coaching sessions for leaders to interpret the tool’s feedback data and develop an action plan for more racially equitable practices. For future research to broaden the use of the tool to different organizations and to navigate potential resistance, organizations can highlight how inclusive leadership contributes to business outcomes like innovation, employee engagement, and overall performance.