The Subtle Art of Not Talking About Race: The Antecedents and Consequences of Racism-Elusive Language in Leader Communication About Race

Abstract: Organizational leaders often publicly communicate about race in response to blatant racism, but these situations create a dilemma because organizational norms often discourage direct racial communication. We theorize that leaders navigate this dilemma by using racism-elusive language, language that acknowledges but avoids directly mentioning race. In Study 1, inductive qualitative analyses of university leaders’ statements after the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ban on race-conscious admissions revealed wide variation in elusiveness. Quantitative analyses showed that leaders at institutions with a higher percentage of White students used more elusive language. Across three studies, we show this pattern reflects miscalibrated expectations: leaders who worried about audience discomfort and appearing prejudiced toward White audiences used more racism-elusive language, but more direct references to race elicited less negative reactions, higher perceived allyship and leader effectiveness among White and racial minority audiences. Finally, an intervention highlighting these benefits reduces racism-elusive language, offering actionable guidance for leaders.

Keywords: Diversity; Race; Communication; Intervention; Qualitative; Quantitative