Leading an EDI-Informed Self

Ivy Lynn Bourgeault, University of Ottawa & Canadian Health Workforce Network

As described in this chapter, the first L in the LEADS Framework, Leads Self, focuses on developing self-motivated leaders. From an EDI-lens, we build on the four capabilities emphasizing how self-aware leaders must think more critically. This begins by recognizing: 1)  we all have unconscious biases , including about what constitutes a leader; 2) we have privileges (or burdens) related to gender, racial, Indigenous, or disability identities as well as social class backgrounds; and 3) an EDI-informed leadership journey includes time and attention towards addressing and unlearning these often taken-for-granted assumptions. Their approach to managing themselves must explicitly recognize their unique sociocultural position, as well as those of others, and that their needs for self-care, for example, may differ. Recognizing and accommodating differences, e.g., diversity management, are key EDI skills but they require emotional labour. Including in their approach to develop themselves must include attention to supporting a shift first to being EDI-aware and ultimately to EDI-transformative. By demonstrating character, EDI-informed leaders would express their integrity by becoming more comfortable with being uncomfortable; that is, being comfortable with diversity and being less complacent about taken-for-granted assumptions about those with which they lead. Developing ally skills across all social dimensions of gender, racialization, Indigeneity, class and ability, is critical in an EDI leader.