In today’s complex and interconnected world, we are continuously reminded of the urgent need to rethink how we lead, how we interact, and how we confront the deep-rooted systems that perpetuate inequality and division. White supremacy, though often discussed in terms of individual beliefs, extends far beyond personal prejudice. It is a structural force, woven into the fabric of institutions, economies, and cultures, shaping how power and privilege are distributed.
For leaders, particularly those in positions of immense power and privilege, the challenge is not just to understand this system but to actively work toward dismantling it. Unlearning white supremacy is not just about shifting hearts & minds —it’s about changing behaviours, strategies, and leadership practices in a way that reflects a deep commitment to equity and justice.
At the heart of this unlearning process lies a set of Unlearning Principles, which I believe can serve as a guide for leaders seeking to align their values with their actions. These principles offer a starting for cultivating leadership coherence, accountability, and transformation in leadership and form the basis of my work.
The Unlearning Principles:
Ubuntu: We Are All Interconnected
Ubuntu, a Zulu principle meaning "a person is a person through other people," reminds us of the interconnectedness of all human beings. In a world that often prioritizes individualism and competition, Ubuntu challenges leaders to reframe their thinking and recognize the importance of collective well-being.
Colonial legacies have taught us to view ourselves in isolation, but true leadership comes from understanding that our success is tied to the success of those around us. By embracing Ubuntu, leaders can create environments that prioritize mutual respect, collaboration, and a deeper understanding of shared humanity.
This is not just an ethical stance; it is a practical approach that fosters stronger, more resilient teams and organizations. When leaders shift from a model of individual success to collective empowerment, they unlock the potential for sustainable growth and innovation.
Spiritual Accountability: Leading with Integrity
In times of uncertainty and crisis, the role of a leader requires more than just decision-making—it demands alignment between beliefs, actions, and impact. Spiritual accountability is about personal integrity in your leadership practice, ensuring that what we believe in is reflected in how we lead. It is about ensuring that you as a leader, walk your talk and that there are no gaps between what you say and what you do. White Supremacy exists and thrives in the gaps between what is said and what is done.
Unlearning white supremacy means challenging the colonial modalities of leadership that prioritize hierarchy, extraction, power over others and control. Instead, it calls for a higher standard of integrity, where leaders are accountable not only to their shareholders or boards but to the broader social and ethical implications of their actions. This form of spiritual accountability requires leaders to ask difficult questions: Are my decisions contributing to the systems of inequity that I claim to oppose? How do my actions impact those who are most marginalized?
Leaders who embrace spiritual accountability embody a sense of purpose and coherence, becoming role models for how power can be wielded responsibly and in service of a more just world.
Open, Honest Communication: Creating Authentic Spaces
One of the most challenging aspects of unlearning white supremacy is the willingness to engage in difficult, uncomfortable conversations. For organisational leaders, this often means addressing the entrenched power dynamics that exist within organizations and creating spaces where authentic dialogue can flourish.
Open, honest communication is essential for meaningful change. Without it, organizations remain trapped in cycles of superficial change that do not address the underlying issues. By fostering a culture of radical honesty, leaders can dismantle the harmful dynamics of fear, silence, and avoidance that uphold systems of oppression.
Creating these spaces requires vulnerability and courage. It means allowing feedback to flow freely and being willing to hear—and act on—criticism, particularly from those who are marginalized. It’s through these open dialogues that true transformation can begin, as power is redistributed and the voices of all are heard.
Love as Praxis: Transforming Through Compassion
At the core of unlearning white supremacy is the principle of love as praxis. This is not the superficial or sentimental idea of love, but a deep, active commitment to the well-being of others. It is about expanding one’s capacity to see the humanity in others, to embrace them as part of oneself, and to act accordingly. Love is the expansion of one's spirit to include the other as the self.
Bell Hooks reminds us that "love is a combination of care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust."
For leaders, love as praxis requires making decisions not from a place of fear, scarcity, or division, but from a place of compassion, responsibility, and connection. When leaders operate from a foundation of love, they are able to transcend the limitations of transactional relationships and build organizations that are truly inclusive and equitable. This kind of leadership is revolutionary because it disrupts the dominant narrative that power must be exercised through control and fear. Instead, it affirms that power can—and should—be exercised through care, trust, and mutual respect.
Unlearning as a Leadership Practice
For those in positions of power, the work of unlearning white supremacy is not optional—it is a moral and strategic imperative. We cannot lead effectively in a world that is increasingly demanding justice, equity, and inclusion if we are not actively engaged in dismantling the systems that perpetuate harm.
These Unlearning Principles—Ubuntu, spiritual accountability, open communication, and love as praxis—offer a pathway for leaders to align their values with their actions. These principles call on leaders to not only talk about change and transformation but to embody it in how they lead, how they treat others, and how they envision the future of their organizations.
In an era defined by crisis and complexity, the need for coherent, accountable, and compassionate leadership has never been greater. It is through this process of unlearning that leaders can rise to the challenge of our time—building a world where power is wielded not for domination, but for the collective flourishing of all people.
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