(Still) waiting in the wings: Group-based biases in leaders' decisions about to whom power is relinquished

•We examine leadership decision-making related to relinquishing power.•We examine when and to whom power is willfully relinquished.•Leaders are more likely to relinquish power to White co-workers (vs. Black).•Leaders are more likely to relinquish power to male co-workers (vs. female).•Results suggest that group-based biases exist in relinquishing power decisions.

This research examined whether leaders exhibit race-based and gender-based biases in decisions about to whom to relinquish power. Across three studies, participants were placed in leadership roles in a simulated, online competition with either White male and/or Black male co-workers (Study 1a/1b) or White male and White female co-workers (Study 2). Results showed that after learning of their poor performance as leaders, participants relinquished more power to White male co-workers than Black male co-worker and more power to White male co-workers than White female co-workers. Together, the findings offer a novel examination of when and to whom power is given which can further inform our understanding of the underrepresentation of disadvantaged groups in leadership domains.