This episode is the second conversation in their series, Let's Get REAL: Racial Equity for Adaptive Leaders. In it, Dr. Joanna Shoffner Scott talks with longtime colleague Anthony Armstrong about the difference between transactional and transformational leadership. The distinctions between these two leadership styles matter, particularly in building racially equitable organizations. They also discuss their collaborative journey, the frameworks they've developed to help organizations approach racial equity holistically, and the importance of a shared “why” to anchor meaningful change.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Importance of Purpose in Racial Equity Work:

• Joanna and Anthony identify the significance of beginning with a clear "why" when starting racial equity initiatives. Building a foundational understanding helps leaders and organizations align their actions with their mission, vision, and values, making the subsequent steps more impactful and meaningful.
  
  

2. Frameworks for Holistic Change:

• The episode explores the frameworks that Joanna and Anthony use, such as the 6P Racial Equity Framework and the Racial Equity Growth Continuum.
  
  
• These tools help organizations move beyond siloes to embed equity systematically across all aspects of their work. These frameworks can be used to address everyday challenges.
  
  

3. Differentiating Transactional from Transformational Leadership:

• The discussion lifts up the reality that while tools and technical solutions are valuable, they alone do not lead to transformational change.
  
  
• Transformation requires adaptive leadership that considers deeper, often unseen organizational dynamics. Leaders must be willing to step back, assess their organizations from a broader perspective, and address the systemic issues that perpetuate inequities in the ways they work.

Additional Resources:

• Explore the 6P+ Racial Equity Framework to anchor your approach in ways that center your organizational values [created by Joanna and Anthony]
  
  
• Becoming An Adaptive Leader [Based on the work of Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky]

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