Barack Obama captures the world’s imagination as a leader from a traditionally under-represented part of society — someone who is likely to bring new perspectives, new experiences and approaches to leading the world.

The start of President Obama’s tenure is a shake-up to a system that has been led by more than 40 different presidents, all from loosely the same social demographic and background. The world has bought into the concept that people from different backgrounds bring new perspectives to age-old challenges and fresh life to ongoing debates. Perhaps his viewpoints and strategies, born from a different upbringing and background than his 42 predecessors, will be able to provide solutions to the problems that they were not able to deal with.

Diversity among leaders is a concept that is just beginning to penetrate the public and corporate sectors — although the steps we have taken so far are exploratory rather than groundbreaking. The United States is ten to 20 years ahead of us in terms of embedding corporate diversity. Their legislation is more developed and more adequately enforced, but legislation can only do so much. What has really driven the change in the US is a better understanding of the value that diversity can bring to organisations: value generated through the collaboration of people with different ideas and approaches working together.

In the UK, the diversity agenda has some high-profile champions, particularly within the public sector. Trevor Phillips is a perceptive, persuasive champion for minority causes and with junior politicians such as David Lammy making swift progress through the ranks, there are some excellent role models on the political stage. With those sorts of role models, and leaders such as Sir Gus O’Donnell taking a very firm lead in diversity matters, the public sector has made important steps toward embedding diversity.

On the private sector stage, there are far fewer role models who spring to mind. How many FTSE 250 companies have any level of minority representation at board level, or even operational level? Unfortunately, very few, and that will take time to change. We need role models at that level to show the UK workforce market that diverse representation at a high level directly equates to value.

But what is the value of minority representation? Diversity of ideas and approaches delivers value, but the hard data to back that up does not yet exist. Yet why do we see such an extraordinary mix of cultures, religions, and races that comprise our Premier League football teams and not only English players? Because it is the blend of players from different football backgrounds that makes a team great. The simple theory of “strength through collective difference” is one in which I strongly believe.

With President Obama as the most powerful symbol of diversity the world has ever had, minority executives pushing to be recognised have an icon to emulate. But they have been trying to break through the glass ceiling for centuries. The real change needs to come from employers that want to capitalise on the innovation and progress that comes from including diversity of understanding, approaches and ideas within their organisation.

• Raj Tulsiani is the chief executive of Green Park Interim & Executive Resourcing

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