Untapped Leadership: Harnessing the Power of Underrepresented Leaders - Paperback

by Jenny Vazquez-Newsum (Author)

When searching the top leadership books of today, words like war, laws, and power appear slightly aggressively across covers. And, it doesn't take long to notice that those books are predominantly written by white men. While that fact certainly does not invalidate the valuable lessons for leaders within those pages, aren't we certainly missing perspectives and contributions from leaders with additional challenges to overcome? Aren't we missing the full picture of what leadership in the 21st century looks like?

Untapped Leadership examines strategies, capabilities, and contributions from leaders of color and marginalized backgrounds from all walks of life and career stages. Highlighting diverse stories and strategies, this groundbreaking book reveals a different kind of leadership, one that requires an advanced understanding of situational awareness, organizational dynamics, and sound decision-making. Far from being a book only for leaders of color, Untapped Leadership shows that the lessons grounded in BIPOC leadership are lessons for anyone and everyone looking to bring a more nuanced and contextual perspective towards navigating life and career - from readers beginning their leadership journeys to those fortunate to lead teams and organizations through complex and fast-changing environments.

For the past two decades, author Dr. Jenny Vazquez-Newsum has designed and delivered leadership training for hundreds of diverse leaders, from established executives at large corporations to high school students beginning their leadership journeys. Untapped Leadership is the first step towards moving beyond behavioral or situational leadership models towards a more inclusive and impactful model of contextual leadership by expanding the discourse to include and value marginalized perspectives.

Author Biography

Jenny Vazquez-Newsum, Ed.D., is a facilitator, researcher, and educator with a long-time interest in leadership. As a biracial Black/Latinx woman, the leadership journey has been bumpy, stimulating, challenging, and a life's work. For the past two decades, Vazquez-Newsum has designed and delivered leadership training for hundreds of diverse leaders, from established executives at large corporations to high school students beginning their leadership journeys. She currently serves as the Founder and CEO of Untapped Leaders, a dynamic and diverse leadership community and consultancy specializing in uncovering the untapped capacities of individuals, teams, and organizations. Vazquez-Newsum has served on the Santa Monica Commission on the Status of Women and was an Advisory Committee Member for the Scripps College Laspa Leadership Center. She lives in Santa Monica, California.