Latinization and the Latino Leader: How to Value, Develop, and Advance Latino Professionals by Benitez Cristina & González Marlene

Author:Benitez, Cristina & González, Marlene [Benitez, Cristina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Paramount Market Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2010-11-07T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

The Latino Competency Model

Our passion is to understand the relationship between generations and acculturation and the common behaviors that accompany Latinos in America as they relate to leadership. In particular, we are interested in Latino Millennial and Fusionistas as they become an active part of the workforce and society. Unlike other minority groups, such as African Americans who have internationally renowned leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Latinos look to their family members as role models.

Andrés Tapia in his 2009 book, The Inclusion Paradox, finds that the “weaknesses in the multicultural talent pipeline also reflect the weakness of overall leadership development. If we don’t have strong leadership development programs, it doesn’t matter what kind of focus we have on filling the pipeline with diverse talent. Progress will be hampered”

In 2009 we decided to develop a tool we called the Latino Competency Model (LCM) as part of our leadership workshops to help companies value, develop, and advance Latino professionals and retain their employees.

The foundation for this model came from The Emerging Latino Leader: Attitudes and Behaviors in the Workplace study mentioned earlier that looked at the unique dynamics of factors influencing Latino leadership behaviors – such as the original archetypes on whom they modeled leadership and the connection among Latino values, behaviors, and leadership capability.

The study revealed that 10 percent showed preferences for a more cautious, wiser style, 18 percent preferred a competitive, boss-like style, 24 percent chose a more sociable-partnership manner, and 45 percent, the vast majority, were oriented toward a more caring-team or teacher approach. Many displayed a combination of more than one style. The description of the Latino values that are factored into the LCM includes a caveat: There is a great diversity of Latinos in the United States, generations, and different cultures that may express values in different ways.

The Business Journal of Hispanic Research in 2008 published an article entitled, “Self-Observer Rating Discrepancies on the Derailment Behaviors of Hispanic Managers.” This research study used self observations to compare the characteristics and behaviors of Hispanic managers whose promotions were derailed to managers from other ethnic groups (Whites, Blacks, and Asians) whose workplace success was derailed. Lombardo and McCauley (1988) indicated that derailment occurs “when a manager who was expected to go higher in the organization and who was judged to have the ability to do so is fired, demoted, or plateaued below expected levels of achievement.”

Our two studies, The Emerging Latino Leader: Attitudes and Behaviors in the Workplace, and Latina as Corporate Leader validated the most frequent reasons for derailments applicable to Latino leaders in general:

• Problems with interpersonal relationships: Latinos who isolate themselves from others or who are described as authoritarian, cold, aloof, arrogant, and insensitive.

• Trouble leading a team: Latinos who fail to staff effectively, fail to build or to properly lead a team, and are unable to handle conflict.

• Difficulty changing or adapting: Latinos who are unable to adapt to a boss with a different managerial or interpersonal style, those who are inflexible or

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