The Unique Insubordination Black Leaders Face: Racism, Bias, and the Reality of Leading While Black
Insubordination in the Context of Race and Power
Insubordination typically refers to willful disobedience or defiance of authority in a workplace setting. However, for Black leaders, insubordination often manifests through a racialized lens, becoming a tool through which historical power dynamics, unconscious biases, and overt racism play out. This article explores the unique type of insubordination Black leaders experience, the data that illustrates this phenomenon, and why it persists even in progressive workplaces.
The Data: Racial Bias in Perceptions of Black Leadership
Multiple studies have shown that Black professionals, particularly in leadership roles, are held to different standards than their white counterparts. According to a 2022 McKinsey & Company report on race in the workplace:
Black employees are 23% less likely to have their authority respected compared to white leaders in similar roles.
42% of Black leaders report being undermined by direct reports, including behaviors such as dismissing instructions, questioning decisions publicly, and circumventing their leadership to appeal to higher-ups.
A Harvard Business Review (HBR) study titled "The Biases That Hold Black Leaders Back—and How to Overcome Them" (2021) found that Black managers are more likely to be perceived as “difficult” or “aggressive” when asserting authority, while similar behaviour in white leaders is seen as assertive or confident.
Manifestations of Insubordination: Micro and Macro Aggressions
For Black leaders, insubordination isn’t always explicit. It often shows up as:
Chronic questioning of decisions, implying incompetence.
“Workarounds” where employees bypass their Black manager, seeking validation from white peers or superiors.
Resistance to feedback, with Black leaders’ constructive criticism framed as personal attacks.
Gaslighting, where valid concerns raised by Black leaders are downplayed or dismissed.
Open defiance, such as refusing tasks, tone policing, or passive-aggressive non-compliance.
A 2023 Catalyst report notes that Black women leaders face the “double jeopardy” of racial and gendered insubordination, where their authority is systematically undermined through both race- and gender-based biases.
Triangulation and Bullying-Up: The Silent Tactics of Collective Insubordination
One of the most insidious forms of insubordination Black leaders face is triangulation, where direct reports actively engage other colleagues—peers, higher-ups, or even clients—to rally against their Black manager. This form of “bullying-up” serves to isolate, undermine, and punish Black leaders for asserting authority or setting boundaries.
Triangulation often involves creating narratives that frame the Black leader as “unfit,” “hostile,” or “unapproachable.”
It’s a form of collective bullying, where dissent is masked as concern or “culture fit” issues, but rooted in racial discomfort with Black authority.
These orchestrated campaigns frequently lead to formal complaints, internal investigations, or reputational damage for the Black leader—regardless of merit.
This tactic is a form of social coercion designed to diminish the leader’s power while avoiding accountability for direct insubordination.
The Weaponization of Vulnerability
In leadership spaces where authenticity and vulnerability are praised, Black leaders find themselves in a paradox. While white leaders can leverage vulnerability to build trust and humanize their leadership, Black leaders risk their vulnerability being perceived as weakness, incompetence, or oversharing.
Emotional transparency is often weaponized against Black leaders, used as evidence that they are “too emotional” or “not leadership material.”
Research from the Journal of Organizational Behaviour (2023) found that Black leaders who displayed vulnerability were rated 29% lower in competence by subordinates compared to white leaders exhibiting the same behaviours.
This dynamic forces Black leaders into emotional rigidity, limiting their ability to lead authentically and connect with teams without fear of backlash.
Disproportionate Punishment, Termination, and the Glass Cliff Phenomenon
Black leaders are not only undermined—they are also disproportionately punished and more likely to be fired when compared to white leaders. This stems from a cycle of racialized insubordination that builds false narratives of incompetence, making Black leaders more vulnerable to organizational scapegoating.
A 2023 report from the Center for Talent Innovation revealed that Black executives are 2.5 times more likely to be prematurely removed from leadership roles under the guise of “organizational restructuring” or “performance misalignment.”
This aligns with the well-documented “Glass Cliff” phenomenon, where women and people of colour are more likely to be promoted to leadership roles during times of crisis, setting them up for failure.
In these precarious positions, Black leaders are often tasked with “fixing” deeply rooted organizational issues—like diversity failures, cultural toxicity, or financial downturns—with minimal support. When inevitable challenges arise, they are blamed for systemic issues they inherited, leading to termination or forced resignation.
Case Study Example: Ursula Burns and the Xerox Experience
Ursula Burns, the first Black woman CEO of a Fortune 500 company (Xerox), has publicly spoken about the challenges of leading while Black. She recounts instances where her authority was questioned by subordinates who couldn’t reconcile her race and gender with her leadership role, forcing her to navigate insubordination with an added layer of racial diplomacy.
Her experience is not isolated but emblematic of a broader pattern many Black leaders face across industries. Burns’ leadership journey highlights how even at the highest levels of corporate America, Black leaders face persistent resistance rooted in race and gender biases.
The Historical Roots: Why This Is Not “Just” Workplace Behaviour
The insubordination Black leaders face is deeply rooted in historical structures of power and white supremacy. From slavery-era “overseers” to Jim Crow segregation, the idea of a Black person holding authority over non-Black individuals has historically been met with resistance, discomfort, and at times, outright violence.
While modern workplaces no longer operate under such explicit systems, the remnants of these structures show up in the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways Black leaders’ authority is contested.
Psychological Toll and Career Impact
The emotional and psychological impact of this unique insubordination is profound. Constantly having to prove one’s worth, navigate racialized disrespect, and fight for basic authority can lead to:
Burnout and attrition: Black leaders leave organizations at higher rates due to toxic work cultures.
Code-switching and emotional labor: Managing perception becomes an additional “unpaid” job.
Stunted career growth: Being labeled as “difficult” or “not a good fit” for leadership opportunities.
A 2024 LeanIn.org and McKinsey report highlighted that Black leaders are twice as likely as white leaders to feel they are unable to be their authentic selves at work, directly impacting their engagement and retention.
Organizational Accountability: What Needs to Change
To address this systemic issue, organizations must go beyond token diversity initiatives and:
Educate employees on racialized power dynamics and how insubordination manifests through bias.
Hold direct reports accountable for disrespecting leadership, regardless of race.
Create support systems and mentorship networks for Black leaders to share experiences and strategize collectively.
Implement bias-interrupting feedback loops, ensuring performance evaluations and team dynamics are assessed through an equity lens.
Protect and support Black leaders from triangulation and bullying-up tactics, with HR policies that identify and address these behaviours explicitly.
As Dr. Kira Banks, a clinical psychologist and DEI expert, puts it: "Black leadership success is not just about individual resilience. It’s about creating cultures that stop punishing Black authority."
Leading While Black Is a Radical Act
The unique insubordination Black leaders face is not a reflection of their capability but of a system still grappling with its racial biases. Recognizing, naming, and addressing this phenomenon is essential—not only for the wellbeing of Black leaders but for the health and equity of workplaces at large.
Until organizations confront these racialized dynamics, Black leadership will remain an uphill battle fought with invisible yet heavy resistance.