The Credibility of Racial Justice Statements: The Impact of Charisma and Race

Recent events in society have brought racial justice to the forefront of conversations and have prompted companies to issue statements on their stance on racial justice in America. These statements have been pervasive, with many companies touting their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion in their organizations and society at large. However, little is known regarding whether a stakeholder finds these statements as credible or not. This research empirically examined the perceived credibility of racial justice statements assessing the impact of race and use of charismatic leadership tactics (CLTs) in messages. A 2 (high charisma vs. low charisma) x 2 (White leader vs. BIPOC leader) experimental design was used to survey (N=1200) participants for their evaluation of racial justice statements. I found that across all conditions CLT usage significantly influenced message credibility for White and BIPOC leaders as well as White and BIPOC stakeholders. Theoretical and practical implications, limitations and future research are discussed.