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MiLEON – Minority Leadership European Network
PRIAE created this initiative working with the first black director of a University in France Dr Tasse Abye and late Professor Brij Kumar (Germany), an eminent professor in international management.
PRIAE’s aim in the MiLEON project was simple:
- to give recognition to the role of leaders from minority ethnic groups
- to increase awareness, knowledge and exchange leadership methods
which harness individual and community aims for improved multicultural living and social inclusion.
The project resulted in research results launched with top figures from black and ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK, France and Germany, who hold prestigious positions in the world of business, politics and the public and private sectors, all involved in MiLEON at Wiston House in Sussex.
Some of the initial findings revealed that black and ethnic minority leaders:
- Overcome discrimination to succeed in holding mainstream leadership posts, but see ethnicity as an obstacle to top success because they are often perceived to be not as good as their white peers.
- Compensate for obstacles by working very hard, gaining more qualifications, skills and experience.
- Gain a wider perspective of the workplace.
- If female, have the added obstacles relating to sexism.
- Do not alter their individual commitment to a social ideal based on justice, equality and better life for all – regardless of ethnicity.
The seminar aims put forward practical responses to the findings, and was co-chaired by Lord Herman Ouseley and Lord Dholakia with dinner speech from Mr Trevor Phillips, then Chair of the Greater London Assembly, now Chair of the CRE. This was followed up a year later to set up the MiLEON network with a working conference held at the National Assembly in Paris chaired by Lord Dholakia.
Some things leaders said in the study:
- 'Let racism be someone else’s problem… Don’t let others determine your success'
- 'I wanted to apply for the job of CEO and the senior people said, "You’ll never get it. We will never have senior managers work for a little Indian woman.”
- ‘I can’t afford to make any mistakes as a leader or even as a person, because it is not only me who will be blamed for it, but entire black communities'.
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