The Courage to LEAP: Channeling Anxiety Into Proactive Action

Abstract

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are increasingly contested, with leaders facing political, legal, and organizational pressures that heighten uncertainty and risk. In this climate, courageous leadership is essential for advancing equity and inclusion despite opposition. This essay explores how leaders’ experiences of anxiety shape their willingness and ability to act courageously. I distinguish between promotive anxiety, which heightens awareness of inequities and motivates proactive responses, and preventive anxiety, which amplifies concerns about personal or organizational risk and often leads to hesitation or withdrawal. To clarify how leaders can navigate these tensions, I review the LEAP framework, which conceptualizes three modes of engagement with DEI: restricted (minimal, low-risk actions), responsive (strategic, calculated actions), and radical (bold, transformative actions). This framework highlights how leaders can reframe anxiety as a signal for change, shift from preventive to promotive orientations, and sustain DEI commitments in the face of backlash. By engaging anxiety productively, leaders can act with courage, resist anti-DEI sentiment, and foster organizational cultures that enable equity, inclusion, and long-term effectiveness.