Creating welcoming and courageous spaces for student leadership training

Abstract

The evolving demographic landscape in the United States is a cause to shift leadership training approaches to better serve diverse populations. This article addresses the call for leadership educators to create inclusive, courageous training environments that reflect the increasing diversity in educational and professional settings. Traditionally, leadership education has centered on White and masculine paradigms, often neglecting the unique experiences of historically marginalized groups. This article emphasizes the importance of recognizing and incorporating social identities into leadership training by using these four key strategies: (1) building trust, (2) acknowledging social identity, (3) identity‐based storytelling, and (4) experiential learning activities. By integrating these strategies, leadership educators can foster environments that are conducive to deeper learning and engagement.