Lack of Diverse Leadership in a Highly Diverse Culture in a Military Unit Within the U.S. Armed Forces: Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity

Author(s)

Renika J. Pruitt, Liberty UniversityFollow

Date

2-7-2025

Department

Graduate School of Business

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (PhD)

Chair

Reshowrn Thomas

Keywords

Leadership Diversity, Military Inclusion, U.S. Armed Forces, Mentorship, Diversity Policies

Disciplines

Leadership Studies

Recommended Citation

Pruitt, Renika J., "Lack of Diverse Leadership in a Highly Diverse Culture in a Military Unit Within the U.S. Armed Forces: Promoting Diversity and Inclusivity" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6473.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6473

Abstract

The problem addressed was the potential lack of diverse leadership in a highly diverse culture within a military unit in the U.S. Armed Forces. Despite a demographic variety among service members, leadership roles remain primarily dominated by the majority, white males. I explored systemic barriers to leadership diversity, including implicit biases, traditional selection practices, and limited mentorship opportunities for diverse service members. The research included a sample of 30 leaders as the primary population and 30 survey responses from junior service members for triangulation purposes. A flexible, single-case study design was chosen to explore this issue thoroughly. Key findings revealed multiple interrelated factors that inhibit leadership diversity. First, implicit biases in the promotion process were identified, with leaders often selecting candidates who fit traditional leadership profiles, leading to a cycle of homogeneity in leadership ranks. Second, findings revealed a lack of structured mentorship for minority and female service members, which limited their access to critical guidance and career development opportunities. Additionally, some diverse service members decided on support or logistics roles, prioritizing their perceived civilian marketability, thus narrowing the pool of diverse candidates available for leadership roles. Based on these findings, I recommended several actionable strategies to foster an inclusive and representative leadership model.