Precarious Leadership

Scotland was the first country in Europe to have a Muslim leader, Humza Yousaf.
It was a truly remarkable thing to have witnessed.

Having grown up in Scotland it wasn’t something I ever thought I’d see in my lifetime- to see myself represented- and I’m not talking about the politics here.

Yousaf went on to resign, but something really bothered me about the whole episode and then I realised what it had been, his ascent to the First Minister and his subsequent fall was a story about the glass cliff.

The glass cliff theory describes a real-world phenomenon in which women and people of colour are more likely to be appointed to precarious leadership positions in poorly performing organisations. The example of Kemi Badenoch and the Conservative Party springs to mind.

This term was originally coined in 2005 by British professors Michelle K. Ryan and Alexander Haslam of University of Exeter, United Kingdom. In a study, Ryan and Haslam examined the performance of FTSE 100 companies before and after the appointment of new board members.

They found companies that appointed women to their boards were likelier than others to have experienced consistently bad performance in the preceding five months. Research by Alison Cook and Christy Glass found that, in US college men’s basketball, coaches belonging to racial minorities were more likely than white coaches to be promoted to losing teams.

The researchers also analysed promotion patterns at Fortune 500 companies over a 15-year timespan and saw that – compared to white men – white women and both men and women of colour were more likely to be appointed as CEO in struggling firms.

The glass cliff theory shows that, generally, white men are more likely to be appointed to stable leadership positions in successful organisations.

Why the glass cliff?

It’s the progression of the metaphor of having broken through the “glass ceiling” women and people of colour are left standing on the edge of a “glass cliff” with no support.

My reflection on Humza Yousaf or the reference to Kemi Badenoch has nothing to do with politics, hard to sometimes separate I know but they are useful high-profile examples of the point I’m trying to illustrate. Although incredibly high-profile, they mirror the reality for so many women and people of colour, and to be fair other minoritised people, currently in the workplace.

The situation of being given that ” opportunity”, that precarious, high-risk position, which we then take on because of their scarcity, without even realising that we’ve been walked to the edge of that glass cliff. We don’t think about our welfare, only the opportunity and what we need to do. It’s high-risk- high rewards, if you succeed.

But what if you don’t?

You get put through the meat- grinder.

As you can tell, I’ve been there. It was in my former role as Director for London at the Independent Office for Police Conduct and it was only through the love and support of my family that not only did I not I fall off that cliff but managed to succeed. That wasn’t without a cost though.

Research has shown that a minority leader’s failure will provoke a return to the white, male norm. Cook and Glass’ research shows that when a firm’s performance declines during the tenure of an occupational minority CEO, they are likely to be replaced by a white man.

The researchers call it the “saviour effect”.

My reflection to everyone who has taken a role that puts them on this glass cliff is, please be careful because it comes with so many insidious risks. I get why you’ve taken the role, but you need to think about not the height of that cliff, but that precarious cliff-edge.

Get a safety rope and have your own back.
Because too often, no one else will.

Sal Naseem is the author of True North: A Story of Racism, Resilience & Resisting Systems of Denial available on Amazon.

Sal Naseem – Author, Changemaker, and Advocate for Inclusive Cultures

Sal Naseem is the bestselling author of True North: A Story of Racism, Resilience, and Resisting Systems of Denial. Recognized as a global thought leader in inclusive cultures, Sal has consistently broken barriers as a trailblazer in his field.

He made history as the first South Asian and Muslim to serve as Regional Director for London at the Independent Office for Police Conduct. As one of the most senior visible Muslims in the UK Civil Service, Sal championed change, driving transformative initiatives in policing both regionally and nationally. As the Strategic Lead on Discrimination, his work addressed critical issues including stop and search, anti-racism, misogyny, police culture, and fostering inclusion within the national discourse.

A celebrated LinkedIn Top Voice on Inclusive Cultures, Sal is an in-demand public speaker, sharing insights on topics such as:

↪️ Changemaking
↪️ Leadership
↪️ Inclusive Cultures
↪️ Islamophobia
↪️ Mental Resilience
↪️ Male Allyship

Sal’s contributions have garnered widespread recognition:

• Named one of the Top 10 Voices on Anti-Discrimination globally by Favikon in 2024.
• Honored as one of the 50 Most Influential People Driving Inclusion in the UK on the Diversity Power List 2023/2024.
• Recognized by D&I Leaders 2024 as one of the most inspirational inclusion leaders.
• Recipient of the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Award from the FDA Union in 2023.
• Featured among the Top 100 Most Influential Muslims in the UK.

In 2024, Sal hosted TEDx Aston University, adding another accolade to his impressive portfolio of public engagements.

Currently, Sal serves as an Assistant Director at the largest local authority in Europe, where he works to address systemic inequalities across Birmingham. He is also a Senior Associate Fellow at the Police Foundation, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and holds a Law degree from the University of Glasgow.

Known for his powerful and emotionally resonant speaking style, Sal continues to inspire audiences worldwide, challenging systems of inequality and empowering communities to drive change.