Leadership potential refers to one's ability to lead others towards achieving common goals and objectives. It is an essential quality for individuals who want to excel in their careers, whether they are business executives, politicians, military officers, or community leaders.
Research has shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) soldiers often experience discrimination that can negatively impact their leadership potential. This essay explores how experiences of discrimination shape LGBT soldiers' leadership potential.
The United States Armed Forces have a long history of excluding LGBT members from serving openly. Until recently, the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy prohibited openly gay and lesbian people from enlisting in the army, navy, air force, marines, and coast guard. The policy also required service members to conceal their sexual orientation while in service. As such, many LGBT soldiers had to hide their true selves, including suppressing their identities and relationships.
Such experiences can significantly affect LGBT soldiers' leadership skills.
When they must hide their identities, LGBT soldiers may struggle with self-acceptance and confidence. They may feel ashamed of their sexual orientations or gender identities, which can make them hesitant to take risks or stand up for themselves and others.
They may be afraid of being outed or rejected by peers, superiors, or subordinates, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. All these factors can undermine their ability to inspire and motivate others towards shared objectives.
Discriminatory attitudes can create a hostile environment that makes it challenging for LGBT soldiers to develop strong interpersonal connections. When leaders are viewed as "the other," they may find it difficult to build trust and mutual respect with colleagues. This lack of connection can limit their influence on others and impact teamwork, collaboration, and decision-making. In turn, this can hinder their leadership potential since leadership requires strong communication and relationship-building skills.
Another way discrimination shapes LGBT soldiers' leadership potential is through negative stereotypes. LGBT individuals have been portrayed as unreliable, untrustworthy, immoral, and weak, which can lead to prejudices within the military community. These stereotypes can make it hard for LGBT soldiers to be taken seriously, especially in situations where they need to show strength, courage, or authority. As such, they may be denied opportunities to advance their careers or assume critical roles.
They may not be given command positions because of doubts about their commitment to duty or loyalty.
Experiences of discrimination can affect how LGBT soldiers view themselves as leaders. They may feel like they cannot measure up to the idealized standards of masculinity or femininity required by military service. Such feelings of inferiority can dampen their drive to excel and pursue leadership positions. It also means they may be less likely to take risks or push boundaries, which are essential traits of effective leaders.
Despite these challenges, some LGBT soldiers have overcome them to become successful leaders in the military. These individuals have developed strategies to navigate discriminatory environments while staying true to their identities.
They may focus on building positive relationships with allies who support their leadership aspirations.
They may work on developing a thick skin to handle criticism and rejection while remaining resilient and determined.
Their ability to succeed despite the odds demonstrates their leadership potential and shows that anyone can rise above societal barriers if they believe in themselves.
Experiences of discrimination can undermine LGBT soldiers' leadership potential.
Many have found ways to thrive and lead successfully in spite of these obstacles. By recognizing these challenges and supporting diversity within the ranks, the United States Armed Forces can create a more inclusive environment where all soldiers, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can achieve their full potential.
How do experiences of discrimination shape leadership potential among LGBT soldiers?
Leadership is an important concept within the military setting as it involves making decisions that affect the entire unit's wellbeing. Research suggests that leaders are not born but made through experiences and training (Bass, 1985). Discrimination can negatively impact these processes by limiting individuals' access to opportunities for leadership development.