East Asian Americans are underrepresented in top management positions of American corporations in comparison to persons of other ethnic groups (including the White mainstream) with equivalent educational, longevity, and other professional qualifications. The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics of 7 selected East Asian American senior level managers. The research questions addressed characteristics that are common to managers within the respondents' ethnic group. An East Asian American top manager is defined as one who (a) considers himself or herself to be of East Asian decent and cultural affiliation, (b) has had a position for at least 1 year above what would be considered middle management within a fortune 500 company, and (c) was not the originator of the organization.

This study used a naturalistic inquiry approach. Purposive sampling was utilized. Seven participants were interviewed. Potential participants were identified from information available to the researcher and through internet searches of Fortune 500 company personnel. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. Major themes were identified through content analysis of the interview transcripts. Leadership themes included taking risks, innovation, hard work, moral purpose, trust, genuine concern for those supervised, direct communication style, mentoring and guidance, and unique skill combinations. Two leadership styles were prominent: transformational and situational. Several themes were discussed as related to Asian cultural norms: egalitarian vs. hierarchical leadership, abrupt/direct vs. sensitive to others' emotions, decisiveness vs. deliberation, and taking responsibility vs. sharing responsibility.